Fayetteville Observer • September 28, 2003 Mr. and Mrs. Phil Taranto of Linden announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Anne Taranto of Boston, Mass., to Thomas John Vitolo of Boston, Mass., son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Vitolo of Roanoke, Va. The couple plans to marry at 2 p.m. on June 26, 2004, in the Marsh Chapel on the campus of Boston University. Father Paul Helfrich, B.H., will officiate. The bride-elect received her bachelor's degree in construction engineering and management from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She is a superintendent with Structure Tone in Boston. The groom-elect received his bachelor's degrees in economics, computer science and applied mathematics from North Carolina State University in Raleigh and his master's degrees in financial and industrial mathematics from Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Boston University. The couple plans to live in Boston.  |
Taken from the Fayetteville Observer |
NC State University Engineering News • November 10, 2004 Alumni Marriage a Tribute to Ric Porter Jenn and Tom got married -- and they want all North Carolina State University engineering alumni to know it. Not just because they are themselves NC State graduates, but because they want to spread the word about their matchmaker and the amazing catalyst of their present careers. Dr. Richard L. (Ric) Porter was assistant dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering when he met Jennifer Taranto (CEM '00) and Thomas Vitolo (EC '98, CSC '99, AMA '00). To each of them, and to countless other engineering students, Porter was mentor and friend. His thorough knowledge of the opportunities available in the College, and the occasionally daunting tasks associated with them, made academic life easier to navigate. On top of that, Vitolo said, "he was incredibly generous with his time and genuinely cared for students. That's what made him so special." Porter passed away unexpectedly in 1999. Taranto and Vitolo, who after nearly four years in the College of Engineering had yet to cross paths, met at Porter's memorial service. After the service they had coffee together and shared their memories of Porter. They've been sharing coffee, and making their own memories, ever since. "In a sense, Dr. Porter has full responsibility for our falling in love, even though he never thought to introduce us while he was alive," Vitolo said. Porter's son, Nicolas, established the Richard L. Porter Memorial Scholarship in 2000. Taranto and Vitolo decided to make a gift to the scholarship fund as a part of their wedding celebration this past June, but they would love to do more to honor the man who had such an impact on their lives. Vitolo, who grew up in Connecticut, came to NC State to study economics and computer science. Porter guided Vitolo through his degree programs and even pushed him to add a major in mathematics when he realized Vitolo was only a course or two away from getting a math degree. Vitolo won a Mitchell fellowship after graduation, which took him to Ireland to get his master's in financial and industrial math at Dublin City University. Now he is a PhD student at Boston University studying optimization. Or, as he puts it, "all math, all the time." He added, "This is all Dr. Porter's fault. I thought I'd come out of college as an economist." Taranto came to NC State from Fayetteville to study environmental engineering but quickly decided it wasn't for her. A friend told her to see Porter. "He stepped right in and directed me to the construction management program, which I loved," Taranto said. She now works as a supervisor for a general contractor and spends most of her day on the job site with tradesmen. "There's never a dull moment," she said. That statement could also apply to Porter, Vitolo added. "Dr. Porter always had a creative approach to teaching. He once taught principles of textile strength using spaghetti strands." To the newlyweds, Porter was a true Renaissance man. "He loved music and good food and got excited about so many different aspects of life," Taranto said. "He realized the value of not being just a geeky engineering student." Jenn and Tom each needed a unique level of direction in their careers. Porter provided such
guidance for them, as he did for dozens of other students. It's their goal to see that "Dr.
Porter" can continue to make a difference -- even after his passing. |
Newlywed alumni Thomas Vitolo and Jennifer Taranto met at the memorial service for their mentor, Ric Porter. (Photo: Terrell Russell) 
Ric Porter (Photo: Jennifer Weston) To learn more about the Richard L. Porter Memorial Scholarship, please call |