SUNY Oneonta

Eight SUNY Oneonta students traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico over spring break to continue Hurricane Maria cleanup efforts through NECHAMA, a volunteer-driven nonprofit. The students cleaned, swept, hammered, painted, worked on roofs and more to help improve the area. They were accompanied by Associate Professor of Biology Sean Robinson and Center for Social Responsibility and Community Director Linda Drake. They stayed in an Airbnb with other NECHAMA volunteers, got to see the lush flora and fauna of the island, went on some very muddy hikes, and did some sightseeing in Old San Juan.

Thirteen students from SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business and Political Science traveled to Washington D.C. over spring break for a health policy workshop on Medicaid, Medicare and the political debate on Universal Healthcare. They were accompanied by Dr. Kpoti Kitissou, Michelle Thibault and Dr. Gina Keel. The trip was part of Dr. Kitissou's special topics course on Health Economics. The workshop was coordinated by John Kaelin, Senior Advisor to the Centene Corporation (Class of 1977). Students had discussion sessions with a US House of Representatives member, a US Senate Finance Committee member, health policy staffers, health insurance companies and policy directors, and lobbyists. They also attended a House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee hearing and the Hill's Women in Congress event. The trip culminated with presentations from students on a research question on health economics or policy topic each developed over the week. An alumni event was held March 7, 2019, to complement the learning experience and provide networking opportunities for the participants.

Four SUNY Oneonta education students traveled to Cali, Colombia over spring break with assistant professor Dr. Thor Gibbins. The students completed field experience in bilingual schools - one an affluent foreign-school and the other in a less-privileged area. Students said the trip was eye-opening. "We were able to compare education systems in the United States to those in Colombia," said Mckenzie Hyer, an Early Childhood/Childhood Education major from Cobleskill, NY. "We saw how some schools are given more opportunities and resources than others, just as you can observe in the United States, and to see how that influences children in both societies is something I will continue to consider as I grow as an educator."

Two SUNY Oneonta seniors traveled with professor Dr. Robert Compton to Zimbabwe during spring break to learn about development in an environment of economic turmoil. Students learned about the political development and political economy of Zimbabwe and the difficulties of NGO operating under unstable socio-economic conditions. The students met with and received briefings from a large array of groups including Parliament staff and elected national legislators, the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust, the Clerk of Parliament, the National Association of NGOs, the University of Zimbabwe, the US Embassy, and a brief stopover to the opposition MDC offices. There, they saw the after-effects of the riots in Zimbabwe after the elections and the accompanying damage to the offices, which included shattered windows and the charred markings of a fire bomb. Students also did some sight-seeing, visiting Heroes Acre (built by the North Koreans) and Domboshawa Park (one large granite formation for miles and miles), took a tour of Mbare high density suburbs, visited Victoria Falls from both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides, and enjoyed the sunset on a Zambezi River cruise. They also visited the Mbizi Game Reserve and the famous Hwange National Wildlife Reserve, where they saw animals including zebras, bushbucks, hippos, baboons, giraffes, elands, and elephants. Despite experiencing electoral conflict, violence and a declining peacetime economy, the students found that Zimbabweans were hospitable, friendly and hopeful for the future. Prior to arriving in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, the students spent several days in Johannesburg, South Africa and attended a theater performance in Newtown and participated in a Graffiti Tour. They also visited the University of Johannesburg.

Five SUNY Oneonta students traveled to Seoul, South Korea over spring break for a short-term cultural immersion program called "The Philosophies of Peace," which let them explore philosophical, cultural, social, religious and historical aspects of various conceptions of, and issues surrounding, the notion of peace. Accompanied by SUNY Oneonta philosophy adjunct professor Daniel Patrone, the students visited Confucian Temples to learn about Confucian philosophy and its enduring place in Korean culture. They met with monks at a Buddhist temple to learn about Buddhist thought, practice and temple life. And they examined issues in political and international justice as they visited the DMZ, where students toured the Demilitarized Zone; learned about the history and current political situation involving North and South Korean relationships and U.S. and Chinese involvement in these; and met and spoke with a North Korean defector about life in North Korea, his experiences defecting, and the prospects of a stable and lasting peace in the region. Students were immersed in various aspects of Korean history and culture, visiting several palaces and museums, touring significant cultural sites in the city, and attending contemporary and traditional Korean dance and music performances. In concert with the college's partnering institution there, students also visited Sungkyunkwan University to meet with students and faculty and attend philosophy classes with their Korean peers. In the evening, students from SKKU hosted SUNY students at a traditional Korean BBQ for a chance to learn more about each other and to develop new friendships.

Four SUNY Oneonta art students traveled to South Africa over spring break for a week of academic and cultural exchange with students at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where Nelson Mandela once studied. Working closely with Wits University host students and host faculty member, Dr. Alison Kearney, SUNY Oneonta students were able to develop a greater understanding of identity politics, social justice, and human rights through art and creative research and applied-service learning activities at the Wits University, Wits Art Museum, and Play Africa, a non-profit community organization that serves families and children from disadvantage backgrounds.

SUNY Oneonta music industry students got to rock out alongside the field's finest last week at a global music products trade show in Anaheim, Calif. From Jan. 24 to 27, the students attended The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show where, each year, leaders of the music products, pro audio and event technology industries gather for product introductions, business opportunities, networking and inspiration. There were more than 400 educational sessions, 7,000 brands represented and 115,301 registered industry professionals right at students' fingertips. Students got to test new products, attend demonstrations and meet producers and musicians, including Michael Clifford, guitarist for 5 Seconds of Summer. Clifford appeared during the Gibson Experience and revealed his new signature guitar, the Melody Maker, which fans will soon be able to purchase. SUNY Oneonta students got a first-hand look at how music retail and music business go hand-in-hand, testing out the latest products, seeing lots of live performances, and attending cutting-edge demonstrations. The NAMM trip is a long-running SUNY Oneonta tradition. Music Department faculty have taken students to the event for 25 years. Lecturer Nancy Tarr, who has accompanied Oneonta students on the trip for the past four years, said experiential learning is key to one's education. "Whenever you can see people doing what you want to be doing someday, and you can talk to them about how they got there, that's a wonderful opportunity," she said.

A total of 227 SUNY Oneonta students earned Provost's List honors for the fall 2018 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.

Nicole Faraci, an undergraduate research student in psychology, is receiving a 2019 Psi Chi Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) Regional Research Award for her work titled "Disordered Eating Behaviors, Social Closeness, and Greek Life Membership," with Professor Katherine Lau from SUNY Oneonta's Department of Psychology. Nicole will be publicly recognized at the Psi Chi awards ceremony at EPA in Times Square in March, and she will deliver a presentation summarizing her research.

Ten SUNY Oneonta students traveled to the Pacific for Geography 294 to soak up the sun, fun, views, culture and history of the 50th state - Hawaii. Accompanied by professors Wendy Lascell and Ken Johnson, the students visited popular landmarks, were immersed in the Hawaiian way of life and participated in various eye-opening activities. One of their first stops was the Tantalus Overlook, where they were treated to a spectacular view of the Honolulu side of the island. Next, they visited a Japanese Buddhist temple and cemetery complex. Other points of interest included Ioni Palace, Kualoa Regional Park, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor, and a Senior Community Center. One particularly interesting stops was at the Kualoa Regional Park, a state park that manages sustainable ancient fish ponds which have been struggling with pollution. At the state park, the students saw first-hand Hawaii's cat overpopulation problem. At the park, and in many places in Hawaii, there are huge groups of feral cat colonies. Students spoke with people who feed the state park colony and take care of them - about 70 cats in total. It is a major issue in Hawaii, as the government and locals are at odds about what to do. Other notable items on the itinerary included visiting the University of Hawaii and the Bishop Museum; snorkeling at Haunama Bay Nature Preserve; taking a tour of Hawaii's Plantation Village; hiking Diamond Head Crater; and seeing a hula dance and gorgeous sunset at Waikiki!

Yahayra (Yaya) Colon, a Criminal Justice at SUNY Oneonta, will be serving an internship with the Illinois State Police.

A total of 1,584 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean's List honors for the fall 2018 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.

In early January, 11 SUNY Oneonta students traveled to Japan for their class, Biology 271 - Global Studies in Conservation and Sustainability, taught by Dr. Kiyoko Yokota. The goal of the two-and-a-half week course was to teach the students how they can meaningfully contribute to conservation and sustainability efforts around the world, according to Yokota, who accompanied the students along with professor Paul Lord. While in Japan, students visited Tokyo and the islands of Chichijima and Hahajima. The locals of Chichijima and Hahajima work with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to remove invasive species and prevent the transfer of new invasive species onto the island. They also work to protect the populations of indigenous species like the Japanese wood pigeon and the Bonin flying fox.

SUNY Oneonta recently recognized 83 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.

More than 20 SUNY Oneonta music industry students and two faculty members got a behind-the-scenes tour of a Dave Matthews Band concert on Dec. 5 at the Albany Times Union Center-- including a surprise Q&A with Matthews himself.

Two SUNY Oneonta students received awards recently in the undergraduate student paper competition sponsored by the New York State Economics Association (NYSEA). Participating students from around the state submit their papers to a panel of judges and then present their research at the NYSEA Annual Meeting. This year's conference was held at St. John Fisher College in Rochester on October 6-7.

Fifty five SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award this semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. The students will receive their awards Dec. 4 during the Annual Richard Siegfried Lecture at the Morris Conference Center. Andrew Bottomley, Assistant Professor of Communication & Media, will deliver the annual Richard Siegfried Lecture titled, "Voices From Below: Audio Storytelling and the Politics of Experience." 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.

Seven students were selected by the faculty of SUNY Oneonta's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to be the recipients of Scholarship Awards this year. Scholarships were awarded as part of the department's 42nd Annual Majors' Night in the Student Commons area of the Perna Science building.

SUNY Oneonta's 2018 College Fed Challenge team, a group of the college's most talented economics and business economics students, competed in the Liberty Street Division of the College Fed Challenge competition on Oct. 24 and has qualified to advance to the semi-final round on Nov. 14 at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City. During the preliminary round, the five students gave a presentation on the economy that included a forecast of near-term changes in economic and financial conditions that would impact monetary policy, risks to their forecast, and a recommendation for a stance on monetary policy. Teams are required to prepare a slide deck consisting of charts and graphs used to determine their policy recommendation. The five presenters then answered questions given by a panel of judges in a 15-minute session. The panel consisted of New York Fed economists and staff who are experts in their field. While only five representatives formally presented to the judges during the competition, SUNY Oneonta's team totals 17. Presenters, alternates and non-presenting team members work collectively on the presentation throughout the semester and travel together to New York City for the competition. The non-presenting team members prepare the five presenters with potential questions from the judges and ensure the accuracy of the data and content of the required slide deck. The Oneonta team offered a presentation on campus that served as a dress rehearsal for the Fed Challenge during an evening event for faculty and students. The presentation was entirely student-run and included discussion on monetary policy and policy tools, the Fed Challenge competition and recruitment, and a question and answer session with the audience. There were more than 90 in attendance.

Ninety three SUNY Oneonta students from SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business traveled to the Big Apple on Oct. 25 for the college's annual Backpacks to Briefcases alumni networking trip. Students visited 21 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.

Two students presented at the Annual Conference on Volunteerism and Social Responsibility, held at SUNY Oneonta on Nov. 3. SUNY Oneonta students Samantha Pepe and Skylar Claud presented "Home Restoration and Sun Salutations." In this presentation, they will speak about their one-week volunteer experience with the Jewish disaster relief organization, NECHAMA. They traveled with eleven other students and two professors to help rebuild homes damaged from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

During the Fall Break, a group of 16 SUNY Oneonta students traveled to the coast of Maine to study invertebrate animals and marine biology. They visited the Darling Marine Center, a field station of the University of Maine, where they spent three intensive days sampling from a variety of marine habitats. Students were immersed in the marine environment with the ultimate goal of observing as many marine animals as possible. Activities included a ride on a research vessel upon which students collected open water samples, a visit to a tidal mud flat, and a visit to an intertidal zone. Students learned about the importance of fisheries in Maine firsthand and were also introduced to the delights of cooking and eating seafood. The trip enabled the students to apply what they had learned in the classroom back on the SUNY Oneonta campus.

Emily Ahlqvist has been named the 2018 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.

The following local residents were among the students who graduated from SUNY Oneonta following the spring 2018 semester. The college's commencement ceremony was held on Saturday, May 12.

Ten students have been selected for SUNY Oneonta's Robert Noyce Scholars Program in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics. This program prepares talented science majors for successful careers as grade 7-12 science teachers in high-need, urban and rural schools. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, the program offers each Noyce Scholar approximately $20,000 in scholarships during his/her junior and senior years. In return, students commit to teaching for at least four years in high-need rural or urban school districts after graduating from SUNY Oneonta.

Five SUNY Oneonta students flew to England recently to perform in a choir in Durham, UK. The students rehearsed about 25 hours, during which they learned 18 short choral works for performance at the English Choral Experience course held at Durham Castle, part of Durham University. The English Choral Experience was led and directed by prominent English choral conductor, Paul Spicer, who serves as choral conductor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory. Durham Castle is a Norman castle that has been occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. It is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students. Oneonta students rehearsed and stayed in the 16th century Great Hall. In order to be selected for the trip, SUNY Oneonta students had to audition. They were required to prepare one song of their choosing and complete several sight-reading exercises. The students were able to do some sightseeing, as well, visiting the cathedral where segments of two Harry Potter movies, the latest Avengers film and "Elizabeth I" were filmed. The trip was conceived through a Faculty Center grant for Applied Learning. The D'Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund, the Fund for Oneonta, the Dean of Humanities and the Music Department all supported the trip.

Artwork by SUNY Oneonta recent graduates is featured in a new exhibition in the college's Project Space Gallery. "Student Recipient Exhibition, Jean Parish Memorial Scholarship 2017-2018" opened Sept. 10 and runs through Oct. 5.

Six women and four men's Tennis players earned academic recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

The senior field hockey trio of Allyson Bilow, Carissa Warren and Allyson Wells represented the United States on a collegiate tour of Australia.

Three SUNY Oneonta students have been awarded scholarships to travel to Thailand and intern with Sodexo thanks to funding provided by SUNY Oneonta Auxiliary Services.