For Immediate Release: October 27, 2025
Nancy Ketz, MVILR President, 315-735-0524
Dawn Laguerre, Media & Publicity, 315-266-7548
MVILR Hosts Special Programs Series
The Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement traditionally hosts a series
featuring guest speakers every fall and spring semester. October 15, the presenter was
Space Ambassador Dr. Paul Phister, a member of both the NSS (National Space
Society) and the International Space Elevator Consortium and currently the president of
the Rome Academy of Sciences. A PhD in engineering, Dr. Phister’s specialties are in
space operations, space technologies, and system acquisition as well as Command and
Control (C2). During this presentation, the audience had the opportunity to learn about
Great Britain’s space-based solar power plant concept, a huge field of interconnected
solar panels assembled in space within this decade that will be capable of providing
gigawatts of clean energy more efficiently than any solar plants on Earth.
Tyler Hutchinson, business process manager of the Community Foundation of
Herkimer and Oneida Counties and project manager of the Cornhill Revitalization
Project was MVILR’s guest speaker on October 22. Mr. Hutchinson explained how this
project, with an investment of more than $77 million over the next 30 years, is focused
on building a stronger, more vibrant Cornhill neighborhood. The project will begin with
the construction of two Impact Centers that will serve the community’s needs by
providing affordable housing, commercial and community space, a grocery store, an
urgent care facility, a gym, community rooms, a conference room and offices. The
Impact Centers, expected to open in 2027, will also provide a wide range of services in
the areas of health, education, workforce development, youth programming and senior
daycare.
The final presentations in MVILR’s Special Programs Series will feature Dr. Randall
VanWagoner, president of MVCC on October 29, and Derrick Pratt, education director of
the Erie Canal Museum on November 5. All presentations take place 10:30 – 11:30 in
the Festine Auditorium, MVCC Rome Campus, and are open to the public, free of
charge.
