For Katilyn Ormsby-Prutsman ’99, Alfred University has never been just a college campus. It has always been part of home.
“Alfred is where I grew up—and where I built my own family,” she says.
Born and raised in Alfred, Katilyn was surrounded by the University long before she became a student herself. Generations of her family have been connected to Alfred, creating a legacy that stretches across classrooms, workshops, residence halls, and now into a new generation.
Her maternal grandfather, C. Everett Rhodes, taught mathematics at Alfred University in the 1960s. Her grandmother, Agnes Rhodes, played a different but equally meaningful role in campus life, welcoming international students and visiting faculty to Howell Hall dinners that offered friendship, conversation, and a sense of belonging far from home.
On the other side of the family, Alfred's influence was just as strong. Katilyn’s paternal grandfather, Ed Ormsby, spent many years working in the machine shop at the New York State College of Ceramics. Her father, E. Allen Ormsby, followed in his footsteps, building kilns for the College and helping support the hands-on work that has long defined Alfred’s ceramics program. One of those kilns still bears the nickname “Big Al” in Harder Hall.
“My father built things that students and professors used every day,” Katilyn says. “Now when I walk through Harder Hall, I think about all the people he helped over the years.”
Allen’s expertise extended beyond campus. Alongside fellow Alfred employee David Fredrickson, he co-founded Fredrickson Kilns, a company whose kilns have been shipped across the country. Yet for Katilyn, his most meaningful contributions remain the ones connected to Alfred and the people who learned, taught, and created there.
The family connection continued through multiple generations. Katilyn’s aunt, Patricia (Ormsby) Prutsman ’70, graduated from Alfred, as did her sister, Elizabeth Ormsby ’97. Katilyn followed, earning her degree in 1999.
It was during her time as a student that Alfred became part of another important chapter in her life.
She met her future husband, Michael Prutsman ’99, on campus. Michael played football while pursuing his graduate degree, and many of the friendships he formed at Alfred remain strong today. Together, they joined the long list of Alfred couples whose stories began in the magic valley.
