SUNY Oneonta

A total of 312 SUNY Oneonta students earned Provost's List honors for the fall 2023 semester. To qualify for the Provost's List, a student must earn a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more.

More than 1,200 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean's List honors for the fall 2023 semester. To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more.

Rory Magie of Liberty, NY, received the Personal Finance Achievement Award in the fall 2023 semester. Magie is studying Media Studies at SUNY Oneonta. The Personal Finance Achievement Award is given to students through the SUNY Oneonta financial wellness program, Making Cent$. Making Cent$ staff, interns and volunteers put together numerous events and activities that help students improve their proficiency with financial literacy. Students participating in Making Cent$ earn credit for Making InCENTive$, which leads them to the Personal Finance Achievement Award. This award recognizes a student's dedication to improving financial literacy by completing core activities in six personal finance categories and continually participating in the program. After finishing the Making InCENTive$ path, students complete an exit interview during their final semester to help improve the Making Cent$ program, earn their Personal Finance Achievement Award in receive a Making Cent$ graduation cord.

Gideon Dean of Berlin, MD, received three International Student Broadcasting Championship (ISBC) awards for his work in radio. The ISBC competition allows students to pursue networking opportunities, talent and brand development, and promising career prospects within the media industry. The competition covers radio broadcasting, video and digital content creation, and e-sports broadcasting, focusing on quality over quantity. Dean is studying Music Industry at SUNY Oneonta, pursuing a career in country music radio. The ISBC awards he won were Rising Star, Best Specialty Show and Best Social Media Execution. Rising Star is given to "outstanding individuals who excel in their chosen field and demonstrate improvement over time." Dean received this award for his portfolio of work in radio. Dean received Best Specialty Show for his WONY (student radio) program, "Equal Play." His show is the station's only country music program, highlighting the women of country music. The award is given to "niche programming judged on creativity, listener interaction, social media content and production values all contributing to quality programming." Best Social Media Execution is awarded to "a social media page that shows the ability to connect with its audience through quality media content and interactions." Dean runs his social media page, US Radio Updater, with a student from San Diego State University. US Radio Updater is tied for this category with the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.

Six Adolescence Education: Mathematics majors at SUNY Oneonta collaborated with Exercise Science and Sport Management students to create the Little Red Dragons program in the fall 2023 semester. The program, a staple of the Human Growth and Motor Development (HGMD) since the fall 2022 semester, was held at the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club (OBGC) on Dec. 4, 6 and 7. To prepare for the Little Red Dragons program, HGMD students spent several hours in and out of class designing lesson plans based on their interests and backgrounds. Each workshop outline included instructional strategies, plans for giving feedback, safety measures and rules, materials, developmental considerations and potential adaptations. The students worked with children of various age groups in arts and crafts, basketball, throwing exercises, weightlifting, dance and volleyball. This was the first time students from the Adolescence Education: Mathematics program worked with the Human Growth and Motor Development course to design the Little Red Dragons. The interdisciplinary collaboration was kick-started by Assistant Professor of Sport and Exercise Science Katie Griffes and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education Elyssa Stoddard. The collaboration allowed students to work together to see how math concepts can be applied to sport and physical activity in an educational setting. The feedback from students from both disciplines will help shape future collaborations between the departments and future Little Red Dragons programs. "Dr. Stoddard's math education students provided insights into teaching pedagogy for situations such as how to help keep the attention of the kids, strategies for time management in a class-style setting and providing feedback," said Dr. Griffes. "They also suggested ways to involve math in sport, like counting percentages for basketball shots or testing heart rates."

Seventeen Exercise Science and Sport Management students at SUNY Oneonta collaborated with Adolescence Education: Mathematics majors to create the Little Red Dragons program in the fall 2023 semester. The program, a staple of the Human Growth and Motor Development (HGMD) course since the fall 2022 semester, was held at the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club (OBGC) on Dec. 4, 6 and 7. To prepare for the Little Red Dragons program, HGMD students spent several hours in and out of class designing lesson plans based on their interests and backgrounds. Each workshop outline included instructional strategies, plans for giving feedback, safety measures and rules, materials, developmental considerations and potential adaptations. The students worked with children of various age groups in arts and crafts, basketball, throwing exercises, weightlifting, dance and volleyball. This was the first time students from the Adolescence Education: Mathematics program worked with the Human Growth and Motor Development course to design the Little Red Dragons. The interdisciplinary collaboration was kick-started by Assistant Professor of Sport and Exercise Science Katie Griffes and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education Elyssa Stoddard. "The Little Red Dragons program is an experiential learning assignment," said Dr. Griffes, who is also the HGMD course instructor. "It is designed to give students hands-on experiences implementing and observing content they have learned throughout the semester." The collaboration allowed students to work together to see how math concepts can be applied to sport and physical activity in an educational setting. The feedback from students from both disciplines will help shape future collaborations between the departments and future Little Red Dragons programs. "Dr. Stoddard's math education students provided insights into teaching pedagogy for situations such as how to help keep the attention of the kids, strategies for time management in a class-style setting and providing feedback," said Dr. Griffes. "They also suggested ways to involve math in sport, like counting percentages for basketball shots or testing heart rates." Each day of the program featured multiple hour-long fitness workshops, beginning at 4 p.m. and running as late as 7 p.m. Two to three students led each session, with a minimum 2:1 ratio of children to instructor. The Little Red Dragons is a win-win experiential learning opportunity, offering fresh, fun programming for OGBC members and valuable experience for the Oneonta students, many of whom plan to work with children and teens in health and fitness industries as coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists and other movement-based professions.

SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for attaining silver-level leadership milestones in the fall 2023 semester through the university's Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program. LEAD@Oneonta is a comprehensive leadership program based on current research and guidelines from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. All students can choose to participate in the LEAD program, which aims to better prepare them for life after earning their degree by providing a comprehensive picture of leadership and the skills needed to be a good leader. Students can attain a silver, gold or platinum level. To reach each level, students must meet a mix of programmatic and experiential leadership requirements, including completion of online courses, attendance at educational events, and membership and leadership in one or more of SUNY Oneonta's 100+ student-run clubs and organizations. Completing a leadership level is recognized on campus as a credential that can be used, for example, when running for office or applying for STEP (Student Travel for Excellence Program) funding. The program also provides students with a leadership record that can be submitted to potential employers.

Nineteen SUNY Oneonta students designed a collaborative anthropology art exhibit titled "Winter Waste Land" under the guidance of Professor of Material Culture Cynthia Falk. The exhibition is on display in the Open Space Gallery from Nov. 19 to Dec. 16, and an opening reception was held on Dec. 5. "Spread across the three walls of the Open Space Gallery, the installation utilized consumer refuse, most of which is recyclable, to create three separate tableaus: a winter scene with snow people, a display of colorful discarded products and a factory setting made from cardboard," said Dr. Falk. At the exhibition, viewers were encouraged to consider the amount of single-use products they consume and discard every day. Students were present at the reception to discuss the impact of waste materials that can be recycled. All recyclable objects were recycled at the end of the exhibition.

SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for attaining gold-level leadership milestones in the fall 2023 semester through the university's Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program. LEAD@Oneonta is a comprehensive leadership program based on current research and guidelines from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. All students can choose to participate in the LEAD program, which aims to better prepare them for life after earning their degree by providing a comprehensive picture of leadership and the skills needed to be a good leader. Students can attain a silver, gold or platinum level. To reach each level, students must meet a mix of programmatic and experiential leadership requirements, including completion of online courses, attendance at educational events, and membership and leadership in one or more of SUNY Oneonta's 100+ student-run clubs and organizations. Completing a leadership level is recognized on campus as a credential that can be used, for example, when running for office or applying for STEP (Student Travel for Excellence Program) funding. The program also provides students with a leadership record that can be submitted to potential employers.

Sixty SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award in the fall 2023 semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. To be eligible for the award, a student who meets the GPA requirement must either be a full-time first-year or transfer student. Students received the award on Dec. 5 following the annual Richard Siegfried Junior Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence Lecture. Dr. Matthew Unangst, assistant professor of history at SUNY Oneonta, was this year's Junior Faculty Prize recipient. He delivered this year's Richard Siegfried Lecture, titled "Then is Now: History as Politics in Germany, Tanzania, and Beyond," in the Morris Conference Center on campus. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen and Chekhov, his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and his leadership in improvisation's imaginative creativity.

Four SUNY Oneonta Fashion and Textiles students placed third in the 2023 Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel Production (ESRAP) Student Merchandising Competition. ESRAP's competition is a global event that challenges undergraduate students to develop sustainable and socially responsible fashion retail business plans. Abigail Julian '24, Oriana Aponte Villazan '24, Elizabeth Hastings '23 and Layla Driscoll-Webster '24 were part of the group that took third place in the 2023 ESRAP Competition. This is the third year SUNY Oneonta students have placed in the top three teams for the undergraduate competition, including the 2022 competition, where three SUNY Oneonta teams ranked among the top 10 competitors. Professors in the sustainable fashion field judged the first round of the ESRAP competition over the summer of 2023. Professionals in the fashion industry who work for VF Corporation, the parent company of prominent brands such as North Face, Levis and more, completed the second round of judging shortly after that. The group submitted a business plan for Ellilusive, a boutique that sells gender-inclusive undergarments and also offers a garment recycling and donation program. The students created their business plan in Dr. Sarah Portway's spring 2023 Fashion Entrepreneurship course using the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and triple-bottom-line framework. In their Fashion Entrepreneurship course, the students developed a marketing strategy and analysis aligning with their sustainability strategy. They also created a customer persona, industry segment, competitive analysis, sourcing structure and financial plan for Ellilusive. The group submitted its business pitch virtually, along with a 90-second video pitch. The full story can be read at https://suny.oneonta.edu/news-events/students-take-third-place-global-fashion-competition.

SUNY Oneonta awarded nearly $20,000 in grant funding to support students pursuing internships during the fall 2023 semester. The grant program aims to make internship experiences more accessible by helping to defray costs such as transportation, living expenses, technology and more. Any student who plans to complete an internship for academic credit can apply for a grant of up to $3,000 through SUNY Oneonta's Career Development Center, which also provides career counseling and helps students find and secure internships in their fields of study. SUNY Oneonta is committed to helping students pursue experiential learning opportunities to explore their field of interest while gaining experience to prepare them for life after graduation. Internships are one of many real-world learning opportunities students can secure through the university's Experiential Learning Center. In addition to providing financial support to students pursuing internships, SUNY Oneonta awards more than $100,000 annually in student grants for research and travel to professional conferences and has 23 different scholarships for students who study abroad or participate in faculty-led trips.

On Nov. 2, 2023, 28 SUNY Oneonta students from the School of Economics and Business participated in the annual Backpacks to Briefcases event, where students travel to New York City to visit with alumni in the business and financial industries. Alumni host the students in their place of employment, and this year, the Backpacks to Briefcases program featured two alumni hosts per visiting group. Backpacks to Briefcases is a long-standing program at SUNY Oneonta that began in 2006 and is designed to help students start building their professional network before graduating. It is one of five Campus to Careers programs that offers students the opportunity to ask alumni questions about their journey from student to their current title. Its success paved the way for other programs across different majors at SUNY Oneonta like Mixing Board to Management (Music Industry), Goodrich to Broadway (Theatre), Campus to Capital (Political Science) and Academics to Agencies (Communication and Media Studies). "The value of the networking experience for students lies in the meaningful connections forged through interactions with alumni during Backpacks to Briefcases," said Laura Lincoln, executive direct in the Office of Alumni Engagement. "These connections serve as bridges between academics and real-world applications." The 2023 Backpacks to Briefcases program featured the following alumni hosts: Marco Ammirati '20 (Arrow Search Partners), Seth Crystall '80 (ION Group), Shawn Dacey '13 (Brookfield Properties), John Doherty '87 (Ernst & Young), Stiven Espinosa-Hunter '17 (ABM Industries), Dave Gaber '09 (Arrow Search Partners), Jason Konopolsky '09 (Brookfield Properties), Lyndee McCallum '07 (JP Morgan), Larry Pestana '11 (ABM Industries), Scott Salmirs '84 (ABM Industries), Richard Saperstein '81 (Treasury Partners), Michael Sternberg '18 (Treasury Partners) and Jenna Vasilakopoulos '21 (Arrow Search Partners). Backpacks to Briefcases is funded by the Oneonta Student Association and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association through charitable gifts to the Fund for Oneonta.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, the SUNY Oneonta Theatre Department presented "All in the Timing," a 20th century play written by American playwright David Ives. "All in the Timing" is a collection of one-act comedic plays featuring intellect and satire and won Ives the John Gassner Playwriting Award. Each act is uniquely different from one to the next in the original six plays, ranging from an awkward first date titled "Sure Thing" to "Variations on the Death of Trotsky." Eight more plays were later included in "All in the Timing," including a monologue about a man who believes he is an actual typewriter. The SUNY Oneonta production of "All in the Timing" was directed by Kiara Pipino, associate professor of acting, directing and movement. Students from the Mask and Hammer theatre club, an active and dynamic campus organization that promotes opportunities for students of all majors to become involved in theatre activities, played the role of 21 different characters. Other students involved in the production are part of the crew as stage and assistant stage managers, assistant director, sound designer, prop coordinator, painters, master electrician, costume crafts, wardrobe supervisor and several run crew members. "The Theatre Department decided on "All in the Timing" because the nature of the show will expose students to a different acting style and aesthetic than what they have been working on previously," said Pipino. "It is a way more stylized piece, too, which means the acting will need to take into consideration the design aspects of the production - as they become just as important in the storytelling as the text itself." Casting and initial rehearsals for "All in the Timing" began at the end of the spring 2023 semester. Assistant Technical Director and Theatrical Designer Nathan Elsener designed the scenery, and Technical Director, Production Manager and Theatrical Designer Scott Segar designed the lighting. Associate Professor of Theatrical Design Bethany Marx designed the costumes, and the role of "Jack" was played by Associate Professor of Philosophy Achim Koeddermann. "Because "All in the Timing" is not a full-length play, but rather a series of short plays with a similar kind of approach to style and acting, students could work on shorter pieces and really focus on details," said Pipino.

SUNY Oneonta Art and Design major Clayton Davis showcased his artwork in a solo exhibition titled "Vestiges" on campus from Oct. 17 to Nov. 11. A reception was held on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Open Space Gallery at SUNY Oneonta. "Vestiges" was a solo exhibition about the "disintegration experienced throughout our lifetimes, be it through the decay of relationships with family and friends, a fading memory, or the slow degradation of a rock turning to sand," said Gallery Director Sarah Simpson. "These experiences can be found everywhere in the known universe, and it's important to realize this and celebrate it." Through his work, Davis aimed to show viewers personal and public examples of these occurrences so they could slowly begin to accept them and understand their "inherent beauty and relation to our shared human experience." From a painting of a fading childhood home memory to photographs of old barns slowly falling through disuse, he shows the mental, emotional and physical sides of this phenomenon.

SUNY Oneonta student Cymphani Hargrave received the Director's Choice award for her exhibited artwork titled "Grandpa" at the Fenimore Art Museum as part of the LEAF Art and Poetry Contest. Hargrave's piece, along with the rest of the work in the contest, was on display from Sept. 15 to Nov. 5, and an opening gala was held on Sept. 20. Every year, the Director's Choice award is received by one artist who exhibits their work in the Fenimore Museum. The award is given to an artist by the current director of the LEAF Art and Poetry Content, and the piece is chosen by how deeply it resonates with the director. "I've only recently begun to enjoy photography and hone my skills in that art form," said Hargrave. "I am proud and honored to be the recipient of the 2023 Director's Choice award." Hargrave's inspiration for "Grandpa" came from a visit to her grandfather's highrise apartment shortly after she began studying photography. To submit her piece, Hargrave worked alongside SUNY Oneonta Assistant Professor of Photography Wesley Bernard, whom she said, "is a big inspiration to me as a photographer." "When I visited my grandpa's home after I started studying photography, I began to appreciate the details I never noticed before," said Hargrave. "I walked onto the balcony, took notice of the exposed, cured concrete, and decided that that setting would become the backdrop for taking my family's portraits. I saw his home as a location to showcase the beauty of our family."

On Thursday, Oct. 26, the SUNY Oneonta Mask and Hammer Theatre Club performed "I & U," a play written by American playwright and screenwriter Lauren Gunderson. This play features two characters named Anthony and Caroline, and is recognized as an ode to youth, life, love and the strange beauty of human connectedness. One afternoon, Anthony arrives unexpectedly at classmate Caroline's door bearing a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, an urgent assignment from their English teacher. Homebound due to illness, Caroline hasn't been to school in months, but she is as quick and sardonic as Anthony is athletic, sensitive and popular. As these two let down their guards and share their secrets, this mundane poetry project unlocks a much deeper mystery that has brought them together. The production's director was SUNY Oneonta Theatre and Psychology dual-major Katelyn Litwak. The cast and rest of the production team were also SUNY Oneonta students. "I & U" has been in development by the Mask and Hammer Theatre Club since the spring of 2023. "I knew I wanted to direct a show, but I had no idea what show to propose," said Litwak. "I turned to the professors for advice, and one suggested I and You. The show was set to open in spring 2020, but it was canceled in March when everything shut down. The director at the time, Emily Kramer ('21), never got to see her vision for the show come to fruition. After reading the play myself, I instantly fell in love with it. Theme of finding the beauty in life through "the small stuff" really spoke to me, and the ideology was something that, I believe, we all need a reminder of." Additional students who helped produce the show include stage manager Sofia Delgado, costume designer Sarah Izzo, sound designer Jessy Gardner, lightning designer Lindsey McCreadie, props coordinator Jessica Davis, assistant stage manager Renee Hooper, "Caroline" actress Evelyn Winters and set designer Gabriel Gutierrez, who also played "Anthony." The production of "I & U" was performed in the Hamblin Theater at SUNY Oneonta from Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 26-28, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. Information about future shows performed by the Mask and Hammer Theatre Club and the SUNY Oneonta Theatre Department can be viewed online at https://suny.oneonta.edu/theatre-department/season-shows.

Two SUNY Oneonta students had their artwork on display at the Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO) as part of the "Hartwick X SUNY Oneonta Student Show." The exhibition was on view from Oct. 7, 2023, to Oct. 22, and a reception was held on Oct. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. SUNY Oneonta students Victoria Villaverde and Clayton Davis had their artwork featured, while Hartwick featured several students. Both Villaverde and Davis are both Art and Design majors and will graduate in the spring of 2024. Both Villaverde and Davis have had their work on display in multiple exhibitions at SUNY Oneonta. The students had their work on view alongside an exhibition at CANO by artists Michael Asbill and Andrea Frank titled "Adopting to Tree Speed." The "Hartwick X SUNY Oneonta Student Show" was one of several exhibitions that featured artwork completed by SUNY Oneonta students. Many of these exhibitions are on display in the SUNY Oneonta art galleries on campus throughout the academic year.

From Friday, September 29 to October 7, 10 SUNY Oneonta students exhibited a collection of photographs from a faculty-led Documentary Photography course in Portugal. The Documentary Photography class, which took place in the summer session of 2023 in Portugal, had many things to offer the participating students, two professors and two full-time guides as they traveled and explored the cities and countryside. The trip was a mixture of students from many disciplines at SUNY Oneonta. These students hiked the hills of Lisbon and the volcanoes of Terceira Island and tasted the local cuisines such as the beef dish Alcatra, local cheeses, fresh sardines and world-famous pastries. The students interviewed and documented farms specializing in permaculture and talked with donkey milk producers on sustainability and innovative technologies meshing the old with the new. While photographing, the students were inundated with the vast history and culture of such a great European nation. Lisbon and the Azores provided crucial cultural insight into modern Portugal and its place in the world. The camera allowed them to document their individual experiences. Their knowledge of photography was utilized to create a visual reflection of how they saw the country. During the trips to markets, ranches, festivals and ancient villages, they were able to gain insight about the daily lives of the people. To successfully show the beauty and details of Portugal, each photographer had to be perceptive at the moment and be aware of the moving world around them. They were to photograph with intent and telling a story was paramount. The moments captured from this class will help them understand the global connections we share and to foster cultural sensitivity far beyond college. Understanding the diverse European perspective was made easier with the use of cameras because the students were able to communicate and interact with locals despite any verbal language barrier. The camera created a conversation and the student's voices were visual.

In August 2023, three students who graduated from SUNY Oneonta and one undergraduate student traveled to Kansas City, Missouri with Professor of Biology Florian Reyda for the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists. Morgan Fleming ('22) and Emily Bulmer ('23) gave a poster presentation on their research with Reyda in Texas where they conducted a fish parasite survey in 2022. Hannah Whitcomb ('21) presented a poster presentation on her ongoing MS thesis work in which she is conducting a fish parasite survey of the tributaries of Oneida Lake, New York, to use parasites as indicators of environmental change. Katerina Sawickij ('24) presented a poster presentation on her ongoing MS thesis work on fish parasites in the Florida Everglades. The student research was supported in part by Student Research Grants from SUNY Oneonta. The students' travel to these meetings was supported by the Caroline '67 and David D'Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund, the Student Travel for Excellence Program (STEP) and the American Society of Parasitologists.

On Friday, Sept. 29, the SUNY Oneonta Theatre Department presented "The Imaginary Invalid" featuring 10 students in various roles. "The Imaginary Invalid" features a hypochondriac father, Argan, who wants his daughter, Angelique, to marry a doctor so he can save on his medical bills. However, Angelique is in love with another, and soon the whole household is in support of her scheme to save true love. The SUNY Oneonta production of "The Imaginary Invalid" was adapted and directed by John McCaslin-Doyle, professor of theatre history, dramatic literature and acting. Students from the Mask and Hammer theatre club, an active and dynamic campus organization that promotes opportunities for students of all majors to become involved in theatre activities, were part of the production in various cast and crew roles. "It is classical play, but it is also fun," says McCaslin-Doyle. "Both will help students with their development. "The Imaginary Invalid" is a broad, physical farce with strong language demands, something we couldn't do during COVID lockdown - and something essential for students to experience." Casting and initial rehearsals for "The Imaginary Invalid" began in April 2023. Theatre Department Chair and Professor of Theatrical Design John Bagby designed the scenery and coordinated the props for the performance. Scott Segar, technical director, production manager and theatrical designer, built the scenery over the summer, and Marjean McCaslin-Doyle, costume shop supervisor and theatrical designer, designed and built the costumes. "In this production, five actors play twelve characters, so people are busy on stage and backstage all the time," says John McCaslin-Doyle. "It's something that can be designed to travel out to high schools in the spring for recruitment. This adaptation is a short play, cut down to accommodate the brief time we have to mount this production."

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!"

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.

Five SUNY Oneonta students will show their artwork in the Project Open Call: Fall 2023 group exhibition from Sept. 12 to Oct. 7 in the Open Space Gallery on campus. An opening reception is taking place in the gallery on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 4 to 6 p.m. Project Open Call: Fall 2023 is a group show of new work submitted by SUNY Oneonta students to the Gallery's open call. Featuring work by: Lulu Q. Burkowski, Breena Nachbar, Catherine Naughton, Christine Schmitt and Lauryn Williams. Project Open Call is an open-call program that accepts applications at the end of every semester for consideration in student shows in the following semester. Students may submit either personal work or coursework and can apply for inclusion in a curated group exhibition or with an original idea for a solo or group show. Admission to the gallery and reception is free and open to the public, and visitors can receive parking passes through the University Police Department. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, contact Gallery Director Sarah Simpson at Sarah.Simpson@oneonta.edu or 607-436-2445.

Thirteen SUNY Oneonta students have their artwork on display in the Jean Parish Scholarship: 2022-2024 exhibition in the Project Space Gallery. An opening reception will take place in the gallery on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. Jean Parish Scholarship: 2022-2024 is a group exhibition featuring work by the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 student recipients of the Jean Parish Scholarship: Julia Bogart, Lulu Q. Burkowski, Clayton Davis, Kelsey Etienne, Kelsey Greene, Victoria Hallenbeck, Kento Igarashi, Nicholas Keller, Stephanie Mallen, Ashley Pink, Christine Schmitt, Paige Splendido, and Victoria Villaverde. Displayed works include inkjet print photography, knitting, digital videos and animations, mixed media and various canvases. Faculty Emerita Jean Parish enjoyed a lengthy teaching career at SUNY Oneonta, leaving behind a gift to provide financial assistance to students studying art. One of the two endowed funds she set in place supports the Jean Parish Scholarship, distributed by the Art Department through a competitive process every fall semester. Art majors already enrolled in the program are eligible to apply during or after their first semester, and the department gives several non-renewable awards for the academic year. Admission to the gallery and reception is free and open to the public, and visitors can receive parking passes through the University Police Department. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

SUNY Oneonta students are getting firsthand experience in their fields of study this summer with research projects on topics ranging from theatre to natural sciences. Twenty-four SUNY Oneonta students are involved in research projects on and off campus through the university's Summer Research Fellowship Program. Fellowships assist undergraduate and graduate students with costs related to participating in summer research and creative activity in either an independent or group project. SUNY Oneonta faculty are mentoring students in projects ranging from a Shakespeare intensive study in Prague to research that combines sustainability and video games in elementary, middle and high school education. The 2023 Summer Research Fellowship recipients receive financial support from University Advancement's Student Research and Creative Activity Grant Fund, with additional funding from Alumni Engagement. Students receive grants of up to $3,000 each, with a maximum of $6,000 for two or more students working together on a single project. Students who must remain on campus for their research stay at SUNY Oneonta for free this summer. The students will share their projects with the campus community during a Summer Student Research and Creative Activity Showcase from Sept. 7 to 14. "The summer fellowships provide students with a great opportunity to do concentrated, in-depth, faculty-led research without sacrificing their ability to earn money at a time when so many students are home working summer jobs," said Audrey Porsche, associate director of scholarly activities.

New applied learning programs at SUNY Oneonta give students real-world experience in board rooms and beyond, illustrating the university's emphasis on hands-on learning and commitment to community partnerships. This year, five Oneonta students within the School of Liberal Arts and Business worked with local nonprofit organizations as the third cohort of participants in the INTD 3997: Internship in Non-Profit Leadership Development program, guided by Associate Professor of Communication Studies Jacqueline Bishop. During their time with the nonprofits, students conducted research, attended board and committee meetings, and worked closely with leaders of the organizations. They gained skills in teamwork, communication, presentation, leadership, time management and more. Some even came away with portfolios to show to potential employers. "The value of internships and experiential learning cannot be overstated," said Eileen Morgan- Zayachek, Associate Provost for Academic Programs. "The American public has prioritized experiential learning, and SUNY Oneonta has really embraced this. Since opening our Experiential Learning Center in 2021, we've worked harder than ever to provide students with opportunities to test knowledge and skills and get their foot in the door. This is also part of our commitment to equity - we're creating opportunities for students who don't have built-in resources or contacts in their network." Each of the interns received a one-time $200 stipend from the Dewar Foundation.

It may be summer break, but learning at SUNY Oneonta is certainly not on pause, with numerous students participating in faculty-led programs abroad. For the course "Philosophy of Life and Death," Dr. Daniel Patrone led 12 of his students and a student teaching assistant on a three-week journey through England, Scotland and Wales from May 24 to June 13. Beginning in London, the group visited historic sites, galleries, museums, temples, gardens, theatres and more, all the while discussing, exploring and debating the meaning of life, the ethics of euthanasia, the rights of the terminally ill, the possibility of life after death, and more. The student philosophers' itinerary allowed them to trace the history of wars, plagues, executions and more, visiting "haunted" sites and having class on the floor of the ruins of a Roman gladiator arena, where they discussed the ethics of spectator violence. They took in cultural treasures in the British Museum, debated whether the Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes should be returned to their cultures of origin, and visited Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Stonehenge. Their research culminated in "an impressively thoughtful and intense debate" on topics covered, Patrone reflected - "This is what deep learning looks like!" Short-term, faculty-led programs incorporate coursework, cultural experiences and, many times, elements of service learning. The trips give students the opportunity to learn and earn credit in a completely new setting, often covering unique subject matters not regularly taught on campus. "Faculty-led programs are wonderful because they allow our students a 'mini study abroad', if you will," said Office of Global Education Director Michelle Lopez. "We're incredibly happy to be able to offer these life-changing opportunities again after a necessary pause during the pandemic. Faculty-led trips mean invaluable experiential learning for students, something we prioritize at SUNY Oneonta!"

It may be summer break, but learning at SUNY Oneonta is certainly not on pause, with numerous students participating in faculty-led programs abroad. Dr. Ann Fradkin-Hayslip and eight of her students spent from May 20 until May 28 studying Finland's educational system, consistently ranked the best in the world, for the eight-day field course "Cross Cultural Comparisons of Educational Systems." The group visited schools in Finland, from pre-K through high school, observing in classrooms and meeting with administrators, teachers and students. They discovered a completely different educational system, one where teachers "are highly revered and respected, on par with doctors" and have "tremendous autonomy," Fradkin-Hayslip said. In Finland, standardized testing, homework and school buses do not exist, and shoes are not worn inside the school. Instead, students are encouraged to play, walk to school or ride their bike. In addition to their academic courses, students take cooking and carpentry classes that let them learn important life skills. Short-term, faculty-led programs incorporate coursework, cultural experiences and, many times, elements of service learning. The trips give students the opportunity to learn and earn credit in a completely new setting, often covering unique subject matters not regularly taught on campus. "Faculty-led programs are wonderful because they allow our students a 'mini study abroad', if you will," said Office of Global Education Director Michelle Lopez. "We're incredibly happy to be able to offer these life-changing opportunities again after a necessary pause during the pandemic. Faculty-led trips mean invaluable experiential learning for students, something we prioritize at SUNY Oneonta!"

It may be summer break, but learning at SUNY Oneonta is certainly not on pause, with numerous students participating in faculty-led programs abroad. Each year since 2013, Dr. Tracy Allen has taken students to Guatemala for the interdisciplinary course, "Water and the Environment of Guatemala." The course touches on the geography, geology and environmental science of the region and prepares students to find solutions to contemporary water resources issues in the developing world. From May 25 to June 7, 10 students took water samples and analyzed water quality data from Lake Atitlan and the surrounding watershed in order to share the results with the community. They also visited Mayan homes to install water filters, sampled city and school wells, and taught school children about water quality. In their free time, they toured Mayan ruins, art galleries and a coffee plantation, and visited an active volcano and sea turtle nesting site and hatchery. Short-term, faculty-led programs incorporate coursework, cultural experiences and, many times, elements of service learning. The trips give students the opportunity to learn and earn credit in a completely new setting, often covering unique subject matters not regularly taught on campus. "Faculty-led programs are wonderful because they allow our students a 'mini study abroad', if you will," said Office of Global Education Director Michelle Lopez. "We're incredibly happy to be able to offer these life-changing opportunities again after a necessary pause during the pandemic. Faculty-led trips mean invaluable experiential learning for students, something we prioritize at SUNY Oneonta!"