SUNY Oneonta

On Feb. 20, SUNY Oneonta students Jolie Gagnon (Music), Miguel Isbirian (Music Industry), and Ajare Malcolm (Music) sang a sold-out performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony no. 2 "Resurrection" with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus at the Royal Festival Hall, part of London's South Bank Centre. The performance was conducted by Czech Philharmonic Principal Guest Conductor, Jakub Hrusa, who is also the recently appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Hrusa's rising reputation secured an unexpected BBC Radio 3 recording of the performance, to be aired on Monday, March 9. The students spent 11 days in London, rehearsing and visiting important historical and cultural sites, musically prepared and led by Associate Professor of Music and Philharmonia Chorus member, Timothy Newton. The students were selected for this honor after submitting video auditions to the Chorus in December coached and accompanied in Dr. Adam Kent's Classical Collaborations course, and in voice lessons with Dr. Steve Markuson and Colby Thomas, chosen from among eight Oneonta students by Chorus Master, Gavin Carr. The Philharmonia Orchestra had just returned from a residency in Tokyo, and drew wide critical acclaim for this performance from several media outlets. The students' trip was supported, in part, by the Caroline '67 and David D'Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund.

Forty members of SUNY OnMark, SUNY Oneonta's Chapter of the American Marketing Association, attended the American Marketing Association's 41st Annual International Collegiate Conference from March 12-14 in New Orleans, Louisiana, where they earned an impressive award and gained professional development. After a long drive, challenging competitions, and a year of hard work, the club earned sixth place in the 'Chapter of the Year' competition out of 380 colleges and universities. The club also received a Commendable honor for its Case Competition submission and placed third in the AMA Poster Session Competition and third in the AMA GivingTuesday Campaign. In addition, AMA recognized one of the club adviser's, Stephen Walsh, as Outstanding Faculty Adviser of the Year.

Twelve members of SUNY Oneonta's Habitat for Humanity club spent their spring break volunteering their time building houses in Vero Beach, Florida. During that week, the students worked closely with the Indian River Habitat for Humanity, helping build and refurbish homes and volunteer in any way they could. Their activities included repainting an elderly couple's home, helping with roofing on new construction as well as on recycle houses, and participating in neighborhood revitalization. The students spent any spare time they had enjoying the beach.

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.

David Andrews of West Monroe, NY earned the first-ever SOLitude Lake Management Graduate Study Award. SOLitude's $1,000 gift was awarded to support Andrews' pursuit of a Master of Science degree in Lake Management at SUNY Oneonta. Another $1,000 was donated to support the Lake Management program, bringing SOLitude's total contribution to $2,000. "The Lake Management program at SUNY Oneonta has afforded me an incredible opportunity to learn in the field and gain knowledge and skills that will guide me for the rest of my career," Andrews said. "Donors like SOLitude Lake Management help make the program possible. Thank you for supporting future lake managers!" 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.

More than 300 graduates were recognized at SUNY Oneonta's Fall Commencement on December 8, 2019. Students who completed the requirements for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and certificates of advanced study in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House.

More than 700 students have been awarded scholarships at SUNY Oneonta. The college's scholarship funds total over $60 million and are the result of contributions from donors, corporations and foundations. It is the largest endowment among SUNY comprehensive four-year colleges.

More than 100 graduates were selected to receive academic department honors for the fall 2019 semester. Graduating students who meet all degree and major requirements, who also have a 3.50 or higher major GPA, may be recommended by the department chair for department honors.

This spring, SUNY Oneonta welcomed 252 new students hailing from across New York, as well as from four other states and countries. The newest Red Dragons officially joined the Oneonta family by walking through the historic pillars of Old Main during the traditional Pass Through the Pillars ceremony on the campus quad the night before classes began.

Two music industry students from SUNY Oneonta were selected to receive the NAMM Foundation's President's Innovation Award, which provided them with a stipend to attend the world's largest music products trade show, The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show, from Jan. 16-19 in Anaheim, Calif. They were two of just 103 college students across the country who received the President's Innovation Award. The NAMM Show is an annual event that brings together leaders of the music products, pro audio and event technology industries for four days of product introductions, business opportunities, networking and inspiration. The 40 SUNY Oneonta students who attended got to preview and test new products from more than 7,000 brands; enjoyed special events, live music and celebrity appearances; and attended dozens of educational sessions tied to today's trends. Students also got to hear interviews with the music world's top innovators, artists and professionals, including musician/producer Finneas O'Connell, who took home Grammys for record of the year, album of the year, song of the year, non-classical engineered album and non-classical producer of the year at the 62nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 26. O'Connell is superstar Billie Eilish's brother. NAMM gave SUNY Oneonta students a first-hand look at how music retail and music business go hand-in-hand. They were able to test out the latest products, see lots of live performances, and attend cutting-edge demonstrations as well as panel discussions about upcoming technologies and marketing techniques. A group of students also got to volunteer at NAMM's She Rocks Awards show, which pays tribute to women in the music industry. The NAMM trip is a long-running SUNY Oneonta tradition. Music Department faculty have been taking students to the event for more than 25 years. Lecturer Nancy Tarr, who has accompanied Oneonta students on the trip for the past five years, said it's a wonderful opportunity for students to meet and learn from people who have been in their shoes. It shows students that they, too, can be successful someday.

Forty music industry students from SUNY Oneonta took a faculty-led field trip from Jan. 16-19 to attend the world's largest music products trade show, The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show, in Anaheim, Calif. The NAMM Show is an annual event that brings together leaders of the music products, pro audio and event technology industries for four days of product introductions, business opportunities, networking and inspiration. The students got to preview and test new products from more than 7,000 brands; enjoyed special events, live music and celebrity appearances; and attended dozens of educational sessions tied to today's trends. Students also got to hear interviews with the music world's top innovators, artists and professionals, including Finneas O'Connell, who took home Grammys for record of the year, album of the year, song of the year, non-classical engineered album and non-classical producer of the year at the 62nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 26. O'Connell is a musician/producer and is superstar Billie Eilish's brother. SUNY Oneonta students also got to watch 1970s R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire perform and hear artist, songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff speak. NAMM gave SUNY Oneonta students a first-hand look at how music retail and music business go hand-in-hand. They were able to test out the latest products, see lots of live performances, and attend cutting-edge demonstrations as well as panel discussions about upcoming technologies and marketing techniques. A group of students also got to volunteer at NAMM's She Rocks Awards show, which pays tribute to women in the music industry. While in California, the students also visited Paradigm Talent Agency, where SUNY Oneonta music industry students have completed internships. The NAMM trip is a long-running SUNY Oneonta tradition. Music Department faculty have been taking students to the event for more than 25 years. Lecturer Nancy Tarr, who has accompanied Oneonta students on the trip for the past five years, said it's a wonderful opportunity for students to meet and learn from people who have been in their shoes. It shows students that they, too, can be successful someday. This trip was made possible, in part, by support from the Caroline ('67) and David D'Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund.

Twelve SUNY Oneonta students from a variety of majors traveled to India in the beginning of January for a 10-day, faculty-led study abroad course called "Sustainable Development in India." The main focus of the trip was the sustainable use and production of energy in what will soon be the world's most populous country. Students were accompanied by faculty instructors Dr. Sunil Labroo (Physics and Astronomy) and Dr. James Mills (Geography and Environmental Sustainability). Highlights of the trip included a visit to a hydroelectric power station in the Himalayas, tours of the planned city of Chandigargh, and interacting with faculty and students at Panjab University. Students also visited one of the Ninash Foundation schools started by professor emeritus Dr. Ashok Malhotra. Class visits also included a day at the Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra and the Astronomical Observatory and Amber Fort in Jaipur.

A total of 1,539 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean's List honors for the fall 2019 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 240 SUNY Oneonta students earned Provost's List honors for the fall 2019 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.

Seven students enrolled in SUNY Oneonta's Cooperstown Graduate Program traveled to Tenerife, the largest of Spain's Canary Islands, in the beginning of January for an 11-day field course called Museums, Landscapes, and Society in the Canary Islands.

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.

The SUNY Oneonta Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, inducted 36 new student members during a ceremony on December 9 at the Hunt Union Waterfront.

Jared Ciccarelli has been named the 2019 SUNY Oneonta Intern of the Year, a new award sponsored by the Otsego County Chamber to recognize outstanding work by interns at local businesses and organizations.

Six SUNY Oneonta students from SUNY Oneonta's Communication and Media department traveled to the Big Apple on Oct. 24 for the "Classes to Careers" track of the college's annual Backpacks to Briefcases alumni networking trip. Students visited three well-established alumni at their Manhattan offices and heard about their experiences going from students to top executives. The event is designed to inspire students to jumpstart their careers by beginning to build their professional networks. It is funded by the Oneonta Student Association and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association through charitable gifts to the Fund for Oneonta.

Three peer tutors from SUNY Oneonta's Student Learning Center have completed the necessary training and requirements to attain Intermediate-Level National Tutoring Association certification this semester. This is the first time any SUNY Oneonta tutors have completed this level of training with the National Tutoring Assocation, according to Tutor Program Coordinator Amy Crouse-Powers.

Eighty four SUNY Oneonta students from SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business traveled to the Big Apple on Oct. 24 for the college's annual Backpacks to Briefcases alumni networking trip. Students visited 18 well-established alumni at their Manhattan offices and heard about their experiences going from students to top executives. The event is designed to inspire students to jumpstart their careers by beginning to build their professional networks. It is funded by the Oneonta Student Association and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association through charitable gifts to the Fund for Oneonta.

This fall, SUNY Oneonta welcomed approximately 1,400 freshmen and 400 new transfer students hailing from across New York, as well as from 13 other states and countries. The newest Red Dragons officially joined the Oneonta family by walking through the historic pillars of Old Main during the traditional Pass Through the Pillars ceremony on the campus quad the night before classes began.

Zanida Banks-Rollins was one of just 32 students from across the country to attend "The Hubb," an invitation-only networking and professional development summit in Nashville where college students learned firsthand from music industry executives. The summit took place Sept. 8 and 9 and was hosted by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles.

One of SUNY Oneonta's CAMP/EOP students, Catherin Flores Granados, had the experience of a lifetime this summer interning with the Office of State and Grantee Relations in Washington, D.C. Catherin, a sophomore from Mountain Dale, NY, was one of six College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) students across the country selected to participate in the National HEP/CAMP Association Internship Program. During the eight-week paid internship, she worked with the director of the Office of Migrant Education and many other offices nearby in the Department of Education.

More than 1,000 graduates were recognized at SUNY Oneonta's 130th Commencement on May 11, 2019. Students who completed the requirements for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and certificates of advanced study were honored in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House.

Thirteen SUNY Oneonta students are touring the United Kingdom for their class "The Philosophy of Life and Death," a course that examines the "big questions" about life and death, including their nature, meaning and value. Accompanied by faculty members Daniel Patrone and Elizabeth Seale, the students have made stops in England, Wales and Scotland, all the while examining important conceptual and ethical questions concerning individual, social, and political responses to catastrophes and other existential threats; the rationality and significance of religious faith and the possibility of surviving the death of the body; and the treatment of the dying and the dead. This is a three-week trip, and students will return June 20. Students have explored and discussed ancient religious practices surrounding death; beauty, illness and patient rights issues; death and suffering in art and entertainment; the meaning of suffering; and end of life care, among other related topics. Students have visited Canterbury, Stonehenge, Bath, York, Edinburgh, Dover, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square, and attended a performance of Hamlet at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. While investigating many philosophical traditions, problems, perspectives, and arguments that transcend the common cultural and intellectual traditions of the United Kingdom, the students are exploring, in depth, the cultures, traditions, and histories of Great Britain.

SUNY Oneonta student Savannah Compere received the prestigious Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship from the SUNY Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion this summer. The scholarship helped Compere travel to Ecuador during a faculty-led trip at the end of May. SUNY's Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship Program (DAHSP) supports opportunities that recognize the transformative experience of studying abroad as students prepare for future careers in increasingly global environments. The scholarship is very competitive and each SUNY campus can only nominate one student per term to enter. Compere was chosen among students from all SUNY campuses. She received $1,000 from SUNY, with a full match from SUNY Oneonta's Global Engagement Fund. While in Ecuador, Compere and 17 other SUNY Oneonta students completed service projects and worked with impoverished youth and families in Quito and Mindo, Ecuador as part of an upper-division Human Development and Family Studies course. The students were involved in three service work projects - building a greenhouse for an elder-care facility; working with a preschool program developing activities and refurbishing a room into an activity room for future use; and working with the mayor in Mindo on a beautification project in a high-poverty district.

From May 25 to June 5, 26 SUNY Oneonta students enrolled in three separate courses joined forces and traveled to Guilin, China together to learn all about cities and architecture in the region and study the history of urbanization and modernization in China and the impact of tourism on Guilin. Accompanied by professors Ho Hon Leung (SOCL 294), Matthew Hendley (WHIS 294), and Wesley Bernard (CART 211), students in sociology, world history and photography explored the meaning and symbolic power of man's influence on his environment from a cross-disciplinary approach. Following the same itinerary, students attended lectures and classes at Guangxi Normal University and visited the 700-year old Longji Rice Terraces, where they were greeted by Yao and Zhuang villagers, who still use the terraces for growing premium quality rice. They also hiked, explored nearby caves and parks, and shopped in the bustling market town of Yangshuo.

Eighteen SUNY Oneonta students spent a little over two weeks (from May 13 to May 26) completing service projects and working with impoverished youth and families in Quito and Mindo, Ecuador as part of an upper-division Human Development and Family Studies course. The students were involved in three service work projects - building a greenhouse for an elder-care facility; working with a preschool program developing activities and refurbishing a room into an activity room for future use; and working with the mayor in Mindo on a beautification project in a high-poverty district. As part of their cultural immersion, students took 20 hours of Spanish lessons and lived with an Ecuadorian family. In their free time, they were able to visit museums, tour communities, visit historical and ecological attractions, attend programs learning about food and the arts, and visit with indigenous populations (primarily Quichua). This service learning program was designed for students interested in learning about sustainable solutions to poverty in developing countries. It offered exciting hands-on work opportunities and meaningful cultural immersion, while encouraging an awareness of the risk factors of impoverishment.

It's one thing to read about water resource problems and environmental issues in the developing world. It's an entirely different experience to see these issues - and the people they affect - first-hand and work toward solutions. Twenty environmental sustainability students from SUNY Oneonta recently returned from a summer international field course where they did just that. The annual field course, called "Water and Environment of Guatemala," brought students to Guatemala for two weeks, where they took water samples and analyzed water quality data from Lake Atitlan and the surrounding drainage basin. The course is led by Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Sciences Tracy Allen. Based on their observations, interactions with local residents, and data collection, students worked to identify sustainable solutions to the area's water resources problems. Students were also able to learn about agriculture while touring a coffee plantation and, later, take in the area's natural wonders, including the Pacaya volcano, which is active. The students went into a Guatemalan elementary school to teach children about the lake and water quality, and they also installed water filtration systems into some of the area homes. Students said these interactions were particularly meaningful and rewarding, and the trip was eye-opening.