Obler Summer Research Program Established in Memory Of Rose And Norman Obler

Elmira, NY (12/11/2018) — When Dr. Ralph and June Obler decided to establish special legacies in honor of Ralph's family members, they reached out to Elmira College, as an important educational institution and to the city of Elmira, where Ralph's family began their American journey.

Ralph's parents, Rose and Norman Obler, were born in Russia and immigrated to the United States in the early part of the twentieth century. They moved to Elmira where they raised and educated their three children, Ralph, his brother Leonard and sister Zelda. After attending local Elmira schools, Ralph received his medical degree from the University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He has been a practicing psychiatrist and neurologist in Los Angeles, California, since 1957.

In memory of his siblings, Ralph established endowed scholarships at their collegiate alma maters, resulting in the Leonard David Obler '63 endowed scholarship at Elmira College. Leonard had received his master's degree in education at EC in 1963 and had devoted his life's career to teaching in the Elmira City School District.

When it became time to find an appropriate and significant vehicle to honor his parents' remarkable legacy and dedication to education, the Oblers reached out again to Elmira College. Thanks to their generosity, the Obler Summer Research Program, named in memory of Rose and Norman Obler, was established with the inaugural program scheduled for June 2019.

The Obler Summer Research Program will expand upon a history of student-faculty research that has typically been conducted during the academic year. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to conduct research during an intensive summer program, closely mentored by faculty. Research programs in the last decade have included scholarly work in subjects such as psychology, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, chemistry, botany, ecology, and mathematics.

Research programs at Elmira College provide students an opportunity to become familiar with the breadth and depth of what they will encounter in graduate and professional schools and often result in students publishing and/or presenting their work at regional or national conferences. The Rose and Norman Obler Summer Research Program helps ensure those opportunities continue for future generations of students.

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The Obler Summer Research Program, named in memory of Rose and Norman Obler, was established with the inaugural program scheduled for June 2019.