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On a picture-perfect afternoon in June, friends, family, colleagues, and former students gathered to remember and honor Professor of Social Work Raymond Albert, who died last August. A pair of benches, dedicated in Albert’s honor, were inspired by his listening, mediation, and problem-solving skills. “We have chosen this design as one to enable people to engage in thoughtful conversation and true listening,” said President Kim Cassidy. 

The benches have been placed at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research and across from Taylor Hall. Albert's widow, Theresa (pictured with daughter Alexis), addressed the gathering. “Ray was an artist who stitched together the most complex and difficult interactions with clarity and understanding,” she said. “The ease of him in these difficult moments was what defined him.”