SUNY Oneonta

Eleven students have volunteered to serve as members of The Oneonta Future Alumni Network (OFAN). In this role, they assist the SUNY Oneonta Division of College Advancement and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association in reaching its goals by facilitating an active relationship between students and alumni with a sense of pride, loyalty, and tradition. Members help develop and improve student programs on campus that will create a stronger sense of school identity. The Oneonta Future Alumni Network also enhances the education of students and prepares them to serve as future alumni leaders and volunteers.

This spring, SUNY Oneonta welcomed 215 new students hailing from across New York and two other states.

SUNY Oneonta's Sociology Department inducted seven students into the International Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Delta.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized students who have attained gold level leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

A total of 315 SUNY Oneonta students earned Provost's List honors for the fall 2020 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.

A total of 1,938 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean's List honors for the fall 2020 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.

Teresa Gonzalez, a senior at SUNY Oneonta, has been chosen as a recipient of SUNY's 2020 Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The award, which bears the name of the late Norman McConney, one of the architects of the statewide Educational Opportunity Program and a champion of youth empowerment, was established last year to celebrate EOP students who have overcome significant obstacles to achieve their educational and personal goals. An Adolescence Education major with a concentration in Spanish, Teresa is passionate about addressing challenges and inequalities faced by English Language Learner students in the United States. After leaving her home in Mexico as a teenager and coming to the U.S., Teresa faced many obstacles. Learning English was a challenge, particularly because the school she transferred into could not adequately accommodate her needs. Because of this, Teresa aspires to work with ELL students in seventh through twelfth grade and help them transition smoothly into the U.S. education system. Teresa is an active member of Chi Alpha Epsilon Honor Society and Phi Sigma Iota, the International Foreign Language Honor Society. She is also a Susan Sutton Smith Award for Academic Excellence winner, has been on the Dean's list for three consecutive semesters, and is active in the CAMP and AOP programs and the Hispanic Organization for Learning Advancement (H.O.L.A.) club. She has been a role model and mentor to many students, including an Oneonta High School student who had just arrived in the U.S. from Mexico. Teresa will be recognized at SUNY's virtual ceremony on Monday, Dec. 14. The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is a comprehensive support program for academically disadvantaged students from low-income families in New York. EOP is one of the oldest and most successful college access programs in the nation. In 2017, EOP marked a milestone, celebrating 50 years of providing college access, success, and opportunity.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized students who have attained gold level leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

Seventy SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award this semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. In order to be eligible to receive the Richard Siegfried Student Award, a student must be a full-time freshman or transfer student with a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. 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, or Chekhov, to his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and to his leadership in the imaginative creativity of improvisation.

SUNY Oneonta's student team has entered the 2020 iGEM competition, a contest that gives students the opportunity to push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world. The iGEM competition gives students the opportunity to push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world. Made up of primarily university students, multidisciplinary teams work together to design, build, test, and measure a system of their own design using interchangeable biological parts and standard molecular biology techniques. Every year, nearly 6,000 people dedicate their summer to iGEM and then come together in the fall to present their work and compete at the annual Jamboree. The college's team was questioned by a panel of five judges from all over the world (France, Spain, Brazil and the U.S.) about the different aspects of their project, named Ca2LF (Confirming A2 Alleles using Luminescence in the Field). SUNY Oneonta's iGem team began by giving a short summary of their notable achievements, which included testing protocols for amplifying DNA using RPA - an isothermal DNA amplification system, creating positive control DNA clones, cloning a yeast 5' Flap Endonuclease for detection of SNPs, building a homology model for the yeast Flap Endonuclease (no previously published model exists), and planning and building prototypes for devices that can be used in their system. In addition, the team discussed the three-week virtual CDO-GoSTEM science camp that they organized and led for local middle school students in July. The team was questioned for 20 minutes. "They handled the rigorous questioning session well and represented our campus admirably," said Assistant Professor Jill Fielhaber, who coaches the team with Assistant Professor Kelly Gallagher. "Kelly and I were able to observe the entire session through a live stream, and could not have been more proud of how the team performed." Now the SUNY Oneonta team is waiting for the final judging decisions. Finalists for the high school, undergraduate and over-graduate divisions will be announced Nov. 19 at 9 a.m. during iGem's Community Week - a series of virtual conferences and workshops held as part of the competition. Winners of each division will be announced during the closing virtual ceremony, held Nov. 22 At this time, iGEM will also award special prizes to teams whose work was the best-of-the-best for each of the different competition attributes. Medal awardees will also be announced during the ceremony. The teams has the possibility of being awarded gold, silver, or bronze medals based on their achievements. More information regarding iGEM and the SUNY Oneonta 2020 iGEM team can be found on the college website. On the news page, you can find links to view the team's competition materials: a poster, 20-minute oral presentation, two-minute advertisement, and project wiki.

Two SUNY Oneonta students had the chance to rock the vote on Election Day by working closely with the largest single-night virtual music festival in history. Thanks to their involvement with the Well Dunn Internship program, music industry majors Vershone "Zy" Bowser and Haru Yoshimatsu got to assist with iVoted 2020, a virtual music festival featuring Billie Eilish, Taking Back Sunday, Trey Anastasio of Phish, and more than 600 other artists. The goal of the festival, which ran from noon until 2 a.m., was to encourage voter turnout, and fans gained access to the links for the show(s) of their choice by sending a selfie at home with their mail-in ballot or, if voting in person, from outside their polling place. Through their experiences, Bowser and Yoshimatsu got an in-depth view of what goes into putting on a music festival, and a virtual one in particular. Every facet of the festival was organized using Slack and Zoom video conference calls, they said. "This is a wonderful example of how experiential learning opportunities are adapting to the virtual world," said SUNY Oneonta music lecturer Nancy Tarr. "The COVID-19 pandemic has forced everything online, including college and internships, and it's been an adjustment for students. But this goes to show that online opportunities can provide just as much of an inspiring learning experience as in-person."

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized students who have attained gold level leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized students who have attained gold level leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized students who have attained silver level leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

More than 1,000 students graduated from SUNY Oneonta. Students who completed the requirements for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and certificates of advanced study.

Three SUNY Oneonta science students get hands-on lab experience through summer research projects.

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.

Cindy Sosa of Uniondale, NY earned the SOLitude Lake Management Graduate Study Award. SOLitude's $1,000 gift was awarded to support Sosa's pursuit of a Master of Science degree in Lake Management at SUNY Oneonta. SUNY is the only college in the United States that offers a master's program in Lake Management. As part of the master's program, degree recipients meet the requirements to apply for the prestigious designation of Certified Lake Manager (CLM) by the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), an organization that brings scientists and professionals together to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs. SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty, preserve natural resources and reduce our environmental footprint.

For SUNY Oneonta music majors, the pandemic has sparked a rare learning opportunity. Sixteen students will cap their senior year with an internship in producing live stream performances.

A total of 1,834 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean's List honors for the spring 2020 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.

A total of 388 SUNY Oneonta students earned Provost's List honors for the spring 2020 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.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized nearly 200 students who have attained leadership milestones through the college's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) 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 college 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 attain 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. Completion of 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.

SUNY Oneonta's production of "The Wolves" has been recognized by The National Awards Committee of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for "distinguished production of a play" and "outstanding ensemble." Assistant Professor Kiara Pipino earned "outstanding director of a play." SUNY Oneonta's production was first presented by the Theatre Department and Mask and Hammer Theatre Club on campus in October 2019. It was then performed at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Regional Festival at the end of January 2020 in Hyannis, MA.

SUNY Oneonta inducted 25 students into its Edward K. Griesmer chapter of National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), a branch of the National Association of Colleges and University Residence Halls, in May.

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.

SUNY Oneonta won the final SUNY Chancellor Esports Challenge in "Rocket League" 3-0 against Binghamton University. They won the top prize of $2,000, which will be donated to the student emergency fund at SUNY Oneonta. The esports tournament was designed to help students with financial need amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the tournament, visit https://suny.leaguespot.gg/league

Over SUNY Oneonta 20 students are competing in the SUNY Chancellor Esports Challenge, an esports tournament to help support student emergency funds amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-sponsored by Extreme Networks, the event has invited each college to put forward two teams of students to compete in "Fortnite" by Epic Games, "Super Smash Bros Ultimate" by Nintendo, or "Rocket League" by Psyonix. The top prize for each game is $2,000, which will be donated to the student emergency fund at the winners' respective college. There will also be a $5,000 grand prize given to the SUNY campus with the best overall score. Players will also be eligible for other prizes from Extreme Networks, Mountain Dew Game Fuel, and SUNY Canton. To watch, tune in at https://www.twitch.tv/sunyesports . For more information about the tournament, visit https://suny.leaguespot.gg/league

SUNY Oneonta recognized more than 60 outstanding students with its 2020 Academic Achievement Awards. One to three students were chosen from each of the college's academic departments and programs. In addition to their excellent work in the classroom, students were honored for distinguishing themselves in many ways, including research, activism, mentoring, athletics, involvement in campus activities and volunteerism.

Eleven students were recognized as top students, receiving awards from SUNY Oneonta's History Department.

Ten new members were inducted into SUNY Oneonta's Alpha-Kappa-Iota chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society. Phi Alpha Theta is an American honor society for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors of history, and is the second oldest such society in the United States. The society has over 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters. Phi Alpha Theta was established on March 17, 1921 at the University of Arkansas by Professor Nels Cleven. In order to be inducted, undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours (four courses) in History, achieve a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. A maximum of 3 credit hours of online, transfer, or AP credits may be applied to the membership eligibility requirement. Membership is not limited to History majors.