SUNY Oneonta

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.

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 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'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 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.

Three SUNY Oneonta students received Dr. Gary Holway Scientific Achievement Awards to help fund their summer research projects. In addition to project funding, each student awardee received a $100 fellowship/prize as an award recipient.

More than 100 SUNY Oneonta students presented projects as part of the college's annual Student Research and Creative Activity Day. Typically the event is hosted in a two-day, on-campus event. This year projects were presented virtually for the public to view. All presentations can be found on the Student Research and Creative Activity Day web page.

Four SUNY Oneonta students are among an elite group chosen to receive the 2020 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, career achievement, campus involvement, athletics, community service, or creative and performing arts. Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor's Office for a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award. Since the Chancellor's Award program was implemented, 96 SUNY Oneonta students have received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. The four SUNY Oneonta students selected to receive the 2020 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence are Katherine Martinez-Munoz, Timothy Nolan, Alexa Amalbert and Daniel Ioos.

SUNY Oneonta is one of 21 colleges and universities featured in Billboard magazine's 2020 list of "Top Music Business Schools." The college currently enrolls 250 students in its music industry program, which is known for giving students uncommon opportunities and hands-on experience.

A total of 218 students received the SUNY Oneonta 2019-2020 Susan Sutton Smith Award for academic excellence. To be eligible for the award, a student must be a freshman, sophomore or junior with a grade-point average of 3.9 or higher.

Sixteen students from SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business were inducted into the college's Beta Gamma Sigma honor society chapter during an online recognition ceremony on April 24. Only the best business students in the world, and the professionals who earned the distinction of "the Best in Business" during their academic careers, can claim membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the baccalaureate and top 20 percent of graduate programs at schools accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business are eligible for this invitation. Beta Gamma Sigma has installed collegiate chapters and inducted students on six continents. SUNY Oneonta's School of Economics and Business offers majors in business economics, professional accounting and economics; concentrations in accounting, finance, international business and economics, and marketing; and cooperative programs in business administration, management science, and fashion merchandising management, advertising and marketing communications, manufacturing management, and textile development and marketing.

Ten students were recognized as top students, receiving awards from SUNY Oneonta's Sociology Department.

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.

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.

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.