SUNY Oneonta

One hundred three students were recognized with awards as part of the 2025 Kente Graduation ceremony at SUNY Oneonta. The ceremony took place on campus in the Alumni Field House on April 24. Sponsored by the Department of Africana and Latinx Studies and the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE), the annual ceremony recognizes the achievements of SUNY Oneonta's diverse student population of African-American, Latinx, Asian and Native American (AALANA) students and non-AALANA students and allies.

Five SUNY Oneonta students became Making Cent$ Peer Mentors at the end of the fall 2024 semester. Making Cent$ Peer Mentors are students who have initially started as Making Cent$ Interns. During their time as interns, they train with Making Cent$ staff members to learn information that will help them improve their proficiency in financial literacy and help the students around them with financial topics. As interns, these students help complete tasks to keep the Making Cent$ Program running. They also act as a connection to the student community and provide a lot of outreach to their peers. After around a year of training, Making Cent$ Interns take the Making Cent$ Intern Financial Wellness Exam, designed to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired through their training. After passing this exam and demonstrating their abilities to host different Making Cent$ activities, a Making Cent$ Intern earns the title "Making Cent$ Peer Mentor." Making Cent$ Peer Mentors host one-on-one meetings with students to discuss student loans and help other students create or improve their budgets. They also often become the primary host of activities like Money Personalities. They continue outreach to other students and have a high level of mentorship with newly hired Making Cent$ Interns. Each student started their Making Cent$ Internship in February 2024 and excelled throughout their internship. Daily, they demonstrate a dedication to helping their peers with financial literacy and other aspects of their daily lives.

Pitching tents, cooking and camping under the starry night sky, jumping into swimming holes, hiking and seeing the geology of the Adirondack Region first-hand? All in a day's work during this year's GEOFYRST trip, an immersive outdoor experience for new SUNY Oneonta students. Fourteen first-year SUNY Oneonta students participated in GEOFYRST (Geologic Experience Outdoors: First-Year Regional Summer Trip), a week-long, one-credit, pre-semester field experience for incoming students. While exploring New York and the Northeast from Aug. 15-21, students were introduced to various geologic materials, landscapes and field technologies to understand our planet better. They were back in time for the first day of classes on Aug. 26. The annual trip, which began in 2007, is open to all first-year students, regardless of major. Before any other students move onto campus, GEOFYRST students are immersed and engaged in the outdoors, building friendships and connections and gaining an appreciation of geology and, in turn, the Earth.

Lindsey Blankenship, of Hauppauge, NY, became a Making Cent$ Peer Mentor in the Fall 2024 semester. Blankenship is studying Media Studies at SUNY Oneonta. Making Cent$ Peer Mentors are students who have initially started as Making Cent$ Interns. During their time as interns, they train with Making Cent$ staff members to learn information that will help them improve their proficiency in financial literacy and help the students around them with financial topics. As interns, these students help complete tasks to keep the Making Cent$ Program running. They also act as a connection to the student community and provide a lot of outreach to their peers. After around a year of training, Making Cent$ Interns take the Making Cent$ Intern Financial Wellness Exam, designed to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired through their training. After passing this exam and demonstrating their abilities to host different Making Cent$ activities, a Making Cent$ Intern earns the title "Making Cent$ Peer Mentor." Making Cent$ Peer Mentors host one-on-one meetings with students to discuss student loans and help other students create or improve their budgets. They also often become the primary host of activities like Money Personalities. They continue outreach to other students and have a high level of mentorship with newly hired Making Cent$ Interns. Blankenship started her Making Cent$ Internship in August of 2023 and has excelled throughout her entire internship. Daily, she demonstrates a dedication to helping her peers with financial literacy and other aspects of their daily lives.

Twelve SUNY Oneonta students were recently honored for their dedication to sustainability efforts on campus thanks to the Green Dragon Recognition Program. The Green Dragon Recognition Program (organized by the Office of Sustainability) seeks to celebrate and recognize students who have shown commitment to sustainability during their time at SUNY Oneonta. Honorees were recognized during an invitation-only reception on Friday, May 1, on campus. To earn an invitation to the 2024 recognition, students had to earn a B or above in a sustainability-focused or two sustainability-related courses, attend six sustainability-themed events and participate in at least one sustainability leadership activity by May 1. Awards were presented, appetizers were served, and students, faculty and staff networked with one another. The reception was one of the culminating events of SUNY Oneonta's annual Green Dragon Week, which showcases the campus's commitment to sustainability through various events and activities and celebrates Earth Day. Sustainability is a core value at SUNY Oneonta, and it is infused into all aspects of campus life, from academics to operations and engagement. Evidence of the university's commitment to sustainability can be seen in the student-run Red Closet Thrift Shop, courses with sustainability designations in more than half of the academic departments, an active University Advisory Council made up of faculty, staff and students, and an overall commitment to supporting a community that is socially just, environmentally healthy and economically stable.

One hundred seventeen students were recognized with awards as part of the 2024 Kente Graduation Recognition Ceremony at SUNY Oneonta. The ceremony took place on campus in the Alumni Field House on April 26. Sponsored by the Department of Africana and Latinx Studies and the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE), the annual ceremony recognizes the achievements of SUNY Oneonta's diverse student population of African-American, Latinx, Asian and Native American (AALANA) students and non-AALANA students and allies.

Austin Gleason, of Elmira, NY, became a Making Cent$ Peer Mentor during the Fall 2023 semester. Gleason is studying Psychology at SUNY Oneonta. Making Cent$ Peer Mentors are students who have initially started as Making Cent$ Interns. During their time as interns, they train with Making Cent$ staff members to learn information that will help them improve their proficiency in financial literacy and help the students around them with financial topics. As interns, these students help complete tasks to keep the Making Cent$ Program running. They also act as a connection to the student community and provide a lot of outreach to their peers. After around a year of training, Making Cent$ Interns take the Making Cent$ Intern Financial Wellness Exam, designed to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired through their training. After passing this exam and demonstrating their abilities to host different Making Cent$ activities, a Making Cent$ Intern earns the title "Making Cent$ Peer Mentor." After becoming a Making Cent$ Peer Mentor, they will host one-on-one meetings with other students. These meetings are on student loans and helping students create or improve their budgets. They also often become the primary host of activities like Money Personalities. They continue outreach to other students and have a high level of mentorship with newly hired Making Cent$ Interns. Before starting her Making Cent$ Internship, Gleason completed most aspects of the Making InCENTive$ path toward her Personal Finance Achievement award. She then looked for opportunities to volunteer with the program and continued to attend Making Cent$ Activities. Gleason started her Making Cent$ Internship in August of 2022 and has excelled throughout her entire internship. Daily, she demonstrates a dedication to helping her peers with financial literacy and other aspects of their daily lives.

Pitching tents, cooking and camping under the starry night sky, jumping into swimming holes, hiking, and seeing the geology of the Adirondack Region first-hand? All in a day's work during this year's GEOFYRST trip, an immersive outdoor experience for new SUNY Oneonta students. Twelve first-year SUNY Oneonta students took part in GEOFYRST (Geologic Experience Outdoors: First-Year Regional Summer Trip), a week-long, one-credit, pre-semester field experience for incoming students. While exploring New York and the Northeast from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23, students were introduced to a variety of geologic materials, landscapes and field technologies to better understand our planet. They were back in time for the first day of classes on Aug. 28. The annual trip, which began in 2007, is open to all first-year students, regardless of major. Before any other students move onto campus, GEOFYRST students are immersed and engaged in the outdoors, building friendships and connections and gaining an appreciation of geology and, in turn, the Earth.

A junior at SUNY Oneonta has made history as a member of both the United States' National Amputee Soccer Team and the first-ever National Women's Amputee Soccer Team, and she competed for both on the world stage last weekend. Alexia Michitti, a 19-year-old Business Administration major from Vestal, NY, took the field as goalkeeper representing the United States for both teams in Warsaw, Poland, during the international Amp Futbol Cup on Sept. 16-17. She and her teammates took on players from Poland, England, Japan and Costa Rica. Alexia is the first woman in the world to make both a national squad and the new national women's squad, and she's the only woman on the co-ed national squad. Although the American team lost in Poland, Alexia was named one of the captains and MVP of the game. "It was a game much bigger than the score," she said. "Amazing vibes from the stadium and everyone cheering from home, too!"

Ten students were recognized with awards as part of the 2023 Kente Graduation Recognition Ceremony at SUNY Oneonta. The ceremony took place on campus in the Alumni Field House on April 27. Sponsored by the Department of Africana and Latinx Studies and the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE), the annual ceremony recognizes the achievements of SUNY Oneonta's diverse student population-African American, Latinx, Asian and Native American (AALANA) students and non-AALANA students and allies.

Twenty-five SUNY Oneonta students were recently honored for their dedication to sustainability efforts on campus, thanks to the new Green Dragon Recognition Program. The Green Dragon Recognition Program (organized by the Office of Sustainability) seeks to celebrate and recognize students who have shown a commitment to sustainability during their time at SUNY Oneonta. Honorees were recognized during an invitation-only reception Friday, April 21, on campus. In order to earn an invitation to the 2023 recognition, students had to earn a B or above in a sustainability-focused or two sustainability-related courses, attended six sustainability-themed events and participated in at least one sustainability leadership activity by April 21. Awards were presented, appetizers were served, and students, faculty and staff networked with one another. The reception was one of the culminating events of SUNY Oneonta's annual Green Dragon Week, which showcases the campus's commitment to sustainability through a variety of events and activities and celebrates Earth Day. Sustainability is a core value at SUNY Oneonta, and it is infused into all aspects of campus life, from academics to operations and engagement. Evidence of the university's commitment to sustainability can be seen in the student-run Red Closet Thrift Shop, courses with sustainability designations in more than half of the academic departments, an active President's Advisory Council made up of faculty, staff and students, and an overall commitment to supporting a community that is socially just, environmentally healthy and economically stable.

Six SUNY Oneonta students from several anthropology courses have their work featured as part of the "Unessays" exhibit in the Anthropology Teaching Gallery. In lieu of writing a final paper, the students created physical displays of their topics in paleoanthropology and the anthropology of death, reproduction, sexes and gender. Located on the first floor of the Physical Science Building, the Anthropology Teaching Gallery will feature these projects throughout the Spring 2023 semester. The exhibit represents final projects from five courses: Anthropology of Reproduction, Anthropology of Sexes and Genders, Paleoanthropology, Forensic Anthropology and Anthropology of Dying.

Pitching tents, cooking and camping under the starry night sky, jumping into swimming holes, hiking, and seeing the geology of the Adirondack Region first-hand? All in a day's work during this year's GEOFYRST trip, an immersive outdoor experience for new SUNY Oneonta students. Sixteen first-year SUNY Oneonta students took part in GEOFYRST (Geologic Experience Outdoors: the First-Year Regional Summer Trip), a one-credit pre-semester fall course exploring New York and the Northeast. On Aug. 18, students dropped off their belongings for the semester at their residence hall rooms on campus, then packed up vans with gear and hit the road, returning six days later with observations, photos, stories and new friends. Students were accompanied by lead instructor Dr. Keith Brunstad and assisted by Dr. Les Hasbargen along with three student mentors - Nicholas Walters (Geology), Sam Martin (Adolescence Education Earth Science/Earth Science), and Samantha DeSousa (Meteorology), who took this course when she was an incoming first-year student. An exciting highlight of the trip included visiting Barton Garnet Mine on Gore Mountain, where the hardest, most rare garnet in the world is found. Garnet is the New York State gemstone, but most of the garnets found here are not gemstone quality, instead being used as abrasives in waterjet cutting, blast media, grinding and polishing around the world. While on Gore Mountain, students also went on a scenic gondola "sky ride" to the summit of the mountain, which is 3,563 feet in elevation. They also visited Split Rock Falls and the Champlain Thrust Fault at Rock Point in Burlington, Vermont. On the last day of their trip, students stayed at the Thayer Farm Complex at the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station in Cooperstown, NY, relaxing and preparing for the start of the fall semester. The annual trip, which began in 2007 and is open to all first-year students regardless of major, is special for a number of reasons, Hasbargen said, including the fact that "the outdoors becomes our classroom." "It engages new students and fosters a welcoming, inclusive environment in which a cohort of students can build life-long friendships and connections," he said, "while at the same time exposing students to the outdoor environment through geology to gain an appreciation of how the Earth works. As always, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know all of the students."

SUNY Oneonta honored 15 recipients of the Jean Parish Scholarship during a reception on Thursday, Oct. 20. Their work was selected to be featured in the Jean Parish Scholarship: 2021-22 exhibition, which opened on Oct. 11 and runs through Nov. 5 in the college's Project Space Gallery.

Students in Colombia have traveled to three cities - Manizales, Cali and Cartagena - to conduct research at three public higher education institutions that have been engaged with SUNY Oneonta through COIL (Collaborative Online International/Intercultural/Interdisciplinary Learning) since 2014. These are the Universidad de Cartagena, Universidad del Valle, and Universidad de Caldas. The students are collecting data through interviews and ethnographic observations, and have presented to faculty and students at these institutions. The objective of their work is to "investigate opportunities accessible to undergraduate students through COIL to become intercultural and linguistically competent," according to Associate Professor of Spanish Maria Cristina Montoya, a faculty sponsor for the trip along with Spanish Lecturer Alejandra Escudero. "By investigating different avenues to bring meaningful education for all and to advance towards a more equal and sustained access to global learning opportunities, their aim is to observe social justice through the implementation of COIL," Montoya said. A highlight of the trip so far has been meeting (and getting a photo with) Francia Marquez, an environmental activist from southwestern Colombia who has become a national phenomenon since becoming the country's first Black vice president last week. While abroad, the students are maintaining a blog to recount their experiences.

Six students in Dr. Jeff Heilveil's BIOL 285: NY Stream Biota: Identification and Ecology class spent two weeks of their summer break wading in local streams and rivers and getting up close and personal with insects of the region. The intensive, 16-day field experience let students learn first-hand about the ecology of streams and rivers, helping them see the vast diversity of insects in New York, as well as how human actions affect aquatic systems. They learned to identify the organisms (algae, insects, fish, etc.), used different types of gear and were introduced to questions and problems in the field. Student projects this year compared water chemistry above and below beaver dams, looked at insect community changes as you move downstream in rivers, examined whether there were more zooplankton (microscopic animals) attached to rocks or carried in the current, and more.

Rising seniors Neida Bautista and Jamie Crique have been accepted into the 2022 Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Pre-Medical Scholars Program. This program is offered by SUNY exclusively to talented and capable EOP students who want to pursue a career in medicine to help address racial and income disparities in medical education. Neida and Jamie will receive access to several services and experiences, including clinical and lab experiences, mentoring, MCAT preparation, exposure to the medical school environment and curriculum, research experience and more. The program also includes a three-day residential experience at Stony Brook University this summer.

Eleven students were recognized with awards as part of the Kente Graduation Recognition Ceremony at SUNY Oneonta. Sponsored by the Department of Africana and Latinx Studies and the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE), the annual ceremony recognizes the achievements of SUNY Oneonta's diverse student population-African American, Latino, Asian and Native American (AALANA) students and non-AALANA students and allies.

Artwork by 45 students is featured in SUNY Oneonta's 2022 Juried Student Art Show. Featuring more than 80 works by talented student artists, the exhibition opened March 28 and runs through May 21 in the college's Martin-Mullen Art Gallery on campus. Featured artwork was submitted by students and selected by art department faculty members. This year's award winners were chosen by invited juror Nancy Callahan, professor emeritus in the art department and a professional artist who exhibits her work nationally and internationally. The show highlights the different mediums and themes explored by students over the course of the academic year. Prints, 3D models, clay sculptures, digital designs, photographs, drawings and an assortment of mixed media make up this year's offerings. The show poster was designed by student Tara Tassio. An opening reception March 31 celebrated student talent with an award ceremony and refreshments. During the reception, Gallery Director Sarah Simpson thanked College President Dr. Alberto Cardelle, Provost Dr. Richard Lee, and Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Business Dr. Elizabeth Dunn for their continued support of the galleries. "In addition, we would like to thank the faculty who have supported these students through an incredibly difficult two years and beyond, the staff for their crucial help, and of course our students for continuing to show up and work hard despite these extraordinary circumstances," Simpson said. The Martin-Mullen Art Gallery and Martin-Mullen Creativity Awards are named after two previous faculty members, Minnie Martin and James Mullen. Gallery hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Artwork by 41 students is featured in SUNY Oneonta's Virtual Student Juried Art Show. The exhibition, featuring nearly 50 works by student artists, is presented continuously online via a virtual space. Featured artworks were chosen from an open jury process and works entered by the art faculty. Painting, drawing, sculpture, digital print, digital video, and an assortment of mixed media make up this year's offerings.

Fifty-five SUNY Oneonta students were recently honored for their dedication to sustainability efforts on campus, thanks to the new Green Dragon Recognition Program. New this year, the Green Dragon Recognition Program (organized by the Office of Sustainability) seeks to celebrate and recognize students who have shown a commitment to sustainability during their time at SUNY Oneonta. Through this program, students can earn points by successfully completing sustainability-designated courses and by participating in sustainability-themed clubs, research, leadership opportunities and events. Honorees were recognized during an invitation-only reception Friday, April 22, on campus. In order to earn an invitation to the 2022 recognition, students had to earn 350 sustainability engagement points through participation in courses, clubs, research, events, etc. by April 22. Awards were presented, appetizers were served, and students, faculty and staff networked with one another. The reception was one of the culminating events of SUNY Oneonta's annual Green Dragon Week, which showcases the campus' commitment to sustainability through a variety of events and activities and celebrates Earth Day. Sustainability is a core value at SUNY Oneonta, and it is infused into all aspects of campus life, from academics to operations and engagement. Evidence of the college's commitment to sustainability can be seen in the student-run Red Closet Thrift Shop, courses with sustainability designations in more than half of the academic departments, an active President's Advisory Council made up of faculty, staff and students, and an overall commitment to supporting a community that is socially just, environmentally healthy and economically stable.

Seven SUNY Oneonta students made the most of winter break during an adventurous field trip out west for their upper-level course Field Geology of Plate Boundaries (GEOL 343). The 13-day trip, led by professors Keith Brunstad and Les Hasbargen, let students map rocks and geologic structures associated with the plate boundary between the North American and Pacific plates in Southern California, near Anza Borrego. This is the location of the San Andreas Fault. Amid the eroding mountains and expansive desert views, students practiced recording geologic observations, taking field notes and sketches, creating maps and geologic cross-sections, and presenting summaries of their findings. During their downtime, students hiked, took in colorful sunsets, cooked their meals on an open fire under the stars, and camped in tents. Students said the trip provided invaluable experience, allowing them to use what they've learned about geologic mapping in prior coursework in a real-world context, as well as a chance to see a whole new part of the world.

The Pre-Health Professions Office congratulates Sara Pipino, a December 2021 graduate, on her acceptance into Russell Sage's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program starting in 2022. Sara has excelled academically during her time at SUNY Oneonta and has been involved in service both on and off-campus while also working part-time as a support aid at A.O. Fox Hospital. More information about SUNY Oneonta's partnership with Russell Sage College can be found on the Pre-Health Professions Webpages https://suny.oneonta.edu/pre-health-professions

Eleven students were recognized with awards as part of the Kente Graduation Recognition Ceremony at SUNY Oneonta. Sponsored by the Department of Africana and Latinx Studies and the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence (CRJIE), the annual ceremony recognizes the achievements of SUNY Oneonta's diverse student population-African American, Latino, Asian and Native American (AALANA) students and non-AALANA students and allies.

Twenty-six fashion students are partaking in a semester-long, experiential learning project with sportswear leader PUMA. SUNY Oneonta alum Scott Saltzman, PUMA's national sales manager, has shared a real brief the company is using for its Fall 2021 product release to jumpstart the student project. The students will experience a simulation of a real-life fashion industry scenario. They will brainstorm ideas in groups and create promotional plans to accompany the Fall 2021 product release. Each group will have the opportunity to work on different business units, different target customers and different stores. "The normalization and ease of Microsoft Teams have made it possible for Scott to play a very active role in our course," said Professor Sarah Portway. "I am delighted and honored to work with him on this. I think our students will benefit greatly."

Nine SUNY Oneonta students recently spent a portion of their summer developing field skills in a stream ecology course. Students camped at the college's Biological Field Station which provides students a setting for research activities in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The station is uniquely situated for aquatic field studies on Otsego Lake just north of the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, NY at the headwaters of the Susquehanna River. In addition to their studies at the Field Station, the students took a trip to Owen D. Young Outdoor Center so they could see a river system with both limestone and shale tributaries. "The course is intense," says Jeff Heilveil, biology chair at SUNY Oneonta. "We conduct class activities from 8 a.m. until almost midnight every day. The experience can be defining for students. Either they realize they love working in the field, or that they decide to look for indoor careers." Students also video conferenced with professionals in the field so they could hear about career options and paths while learning more about graduate school.

Artwork by 71 students is featured in SUNY Oneonta's 2020 Student Juried Art Exhibition. The exhibition, featuring more than 100 works by student artists, is presented this year by college's Martin-Mullen Art Gallery online. Featured artworks were chosen from an open jury process and works entered by the art faculty. Painting, drawing, sculpture, digital print, digital video, and an assortment of mixed media make up this year's offerings.

Thirteen SUNY Oneonta political science students got an inside look at the presidential election process during a five-day trip to New Hampshire that culminated Feb. 11 with the first-in-the-nation primary. The trip was part of a semester-long course, POLS 216: Presidential Election Campaigns, taught by Associate Professor of Political Science Gina Keel. While in New Hampshire, students attended candidate rallies, town hall meetings and other events, witnessing firsthand the campaigning and media frenzy in the last days before the primary. This is Keel's fourth time teaching the course and leading the trip.

Twelve geology students from SUNY Oneonta recently spent a week-and-a-half in California developing their field mapping skills and putting them to use in the desert and beyond. The week-and-a-half-long trip was part of the upper-level course Field Geology of Plate Boundaries, and students were accompanied by their professor, Dr. Keith Brunstad. It was an opportunity for students to use what they have learned about geologic mapping in prior coursework in a real-world context and build confidence and experience in that area. Students spent several days mapping geologic layers that have been warped and broken in Rainbow Basin in the Mojave desert, near Barstow, California. Amid the eroding mountains and expansive views, students practiced recording geologic observations, taking field notes and sketches, creating maps and geologic cross sections, and presenting summaries of their findings. At night, they camped out, sleeping in tents and cooking their own food. The last few days of the trip were spent at University of California - Riverside's Sweeney Granite Mountains Research Station, which is located in the Mojave National Preserve. There, students got to climb volcanoes and into lava tubes and visit dry lakes where salt is being mined.

Eight SUNY Oneonta students participating in the Pine Lake Archaeological Field School this summer are seeing firsthand what it would be like to work as archeologists. The immersive learning experience takes students to Hartwick College's Pine Lake Environmental Campus in West Davenport, about eight miles from SUNY Oneonta. There, they spend about eight hours a day learning basic methods in field archaeology, including surveying and excavating techniques, mapping and laboratory analysis. The summer program, which is offered every other year, is a collaborative effort of SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick, with SUNY Oneonta providing most of the equipment. Students can earn six credits by taking the summer course.