SUNY Oneonta

SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for attaining platinum-level leadership milestones in the fall 2024 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.

Eighteen SUNY Oneonta Dietetics majors conducted outreach, research and nutrition education this semester by partnering with several local groups and organizations as part of a community service project. The students, who are juniors and seniors, were split into five groups and worked with Saturday's Bread, the Community Gospel Church, Greater Plains Elementary School kindergarten classes, Table Rock Fitness and the SUNY Oneonta men's and women's tennis teams. Students worked with their community partners to assess the nutrition needs of members, teams and clientele, researched what had been done with similar groups of people, and then presented the nutrition education at their community partner's location. "At this point, each student has taken many nutrition courses and has a pretty good idea of how to conduct nutrition research and apply that information," said Dr. Marcy Gaston, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics. "This project was a great way for the students to learn how to talk to and educate the public about nutrition outside of using field-related terminology. It gives them the basis of performing this kind of service on a much larger scale."

Eighty-three SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award in the fall 2024 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. 3 following the annual Richard Siegfried Junior Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence Lecture. Dr. Chelsea McCracken, assistant professor of media studies at SUNY Oneonta, was this year's Junior Faculty Prize recipient. McCracken delivered this year's Richard Siegfried Lecture, titled "Visualizing Hollywood's Gender Inequities Through Female Dialogue" at 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.

Twenty-six SUNY Oneonta students were involved in the Theatre Department's production of "The Tempest," the final production of the fall 2024 semester. "The Tempest," written by William Shakespeare, features the King of Naples and his followers after being cast ashore on a desert island by a violent storm. "There are so many story elements included in this production," said show director and Professor of Acting and Directing Andrew Kahl. "There are moments of spectacle and magic, rich poetic language, political intrigue, physical comedy and a sweet love story. Getting all the pieces together in a cohesive production felt like a meaningful challenge. Working with our professional guest artist, MaConnia Chesser, was an honor and privilege for our faculty and students." Chesser was the Theatre Department's artist-in-residence for the fall 2024 semester and played Prospero, the protagonist in "The Tempest." The artist appeared in the performance courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. SUNY Oneonta's production of "The Tempest" was a joint performance made possible by Theatre Department faculty and staff, and students from the Mask and Hammer Club. Rehearsals began this semester in September with cast and crew exploring the text and playing through the scenes to make sense of relationships and character intentions. Full-stage rehearsal for "The Tempest" began shortly after Chesser joined the cast in early October. "The play offered design and production challenges, including the spectacle of a storm at sea that opens the play and moments of depicted magic that will challenge our sound, light and scenic designers," said Kahl. "The island setting needed to be mutable, changing based on the characters' perceptions on stage from an inviting tropical paradise to an ominous or dangerous place. At the center of it all lies the play's language and actors' capacity to decode, express and embody the meanings and intentions of the characters so that the audience can fully understand the play."

Five SUNY Oneonta students created a virtual presentation to advance to the semifinal round this fall for the National College Fed Challenge, a team competition for undergraduate students inspired by the work of the Federal Open Market Committee. The competition encourages students to learn more about the United States macro economy, the Federal Reserve System and the implementation of monetary policy. Teams from 119 colleges and universities across six districts submitted recorded presentations for the Federal Reserve to review. The SUNY Oneonta students were among 18 teams who made it to the semifinal round, and only six teams advanced to the final round. To prepare for the presentation, SUNY Oneonta students worked closely with faculty from the Economics, Education and Political Science departments. They learned how to research economic indicators, create complex graphs using Excel and link economic theory to current economic conditions. Students who participated in the Fed Challenge enrolled in Econ 3216, the College Fed Challenge Preparation course offered each fall semester. This three-credit course is offered on a condensed schedule that concludes in early November. This year's course, taught by Associate Professor of Economics Babatunde Aiyemo, finished on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and the students learned of their placement in the semifinals shortly thereafter. "Dr. Christine Storrie and the late Dr. David Ring are the individuals who set up the infrastructure upon which the current team was able to achieve this milestone," said Aiyemo. "The College Federal Challenge Preparation course provides an experiential learning opportunity unlike any other," said Storrie, an associate professor of economics who has taught the course in past years. "It gives students a hands-on opportunity to work with a team on a common goal in a fast-paced environment against a tight deadline."

In October, two SUNY Oneonta students volunteered as yoga instructors during a five-week EDD Adaptive Sports class. The class, held in the Alumni Field House dance studio on campus, saw more than 20 EDD athletes in attendance. First-year students Rose Dailey and Sofia Demaris helped weekly with set up, breakdown and supporting the athletes. "I greatly enjoyed watching the athletes interact with the students," said Dr. Katherine Christison, assistant professor of exercise science and the class instructor. "Watching and mirroring the students' poses helped the athletes feel comfortable and confident with their own skills. Sofia and Rose brought such positive presences to the space and helped the athletes feel at home in the class."

During the fall 2024 semester, the SUNY Oneonta Career Planning and Networking Center awarded a total of $97,500 to 67 students from Incremental Funds issued to the university by the State University of New York system. Students received funding for credit-bearing, unpaid internships to help offset the costs associated with completing unpaid internships on and off campus. The Career Planning and Networking Center on campus helps provide career counseling and helps students find and secure internships in their fields of study. To help with the application and registration process, the Career Planning and Networking Center hired Internship Facilitators to assist students, faculty and staff. 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. As part of the Drive for 135 initiative, the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association and the Career Planning and Networking Center invite alumni to submit internship opportunities that will allow current and future students to gain critical real-world experiences. Through this initiative, SUNY Oneonta hopes alumni will help secure 135 new or recommitted internship opportunities for students. Alumni can support this initiative by offering internship opportunities within their organizations or networks. While we cannot guarantee student applications for every position, your contributions are vital to their success. Hosting organizations will have the responsibility of reviewing applications, conducting interviews and selecting interns from the pool of eligible students.

Thirty-six students were elected to serve in Student Association positions for the 2024-2025 academic year at SUNY Oneonta. Student Association serves as the liaison between administration, faculty and students. Elected students sit on external committees where they voice student input on decisions that affect the campus community. Senate meetings are Tuesday nights at 6:30 in the Hunt Union Waterfront. The Student Association of SUNY Oneonta is dedicated to fostering and maintaining meaningful relationships between students, faculty and administration to be effective in advocating for and allocating resources towards bettering the well-being of the student body. The Student Association strives to promote an inclusive, academic and social experience that encourages student growth and participation by advancing advocacy, transparency and communication between the branches of the Student Association, the broader Oneonta community and the collective student body.

The SUNY Oneonta iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team traveled to Paris in late October to compete in the annual iGEM Grand Jamboree and received a gold medal in its first-ever collaboration with students and faculty from Hartwick College. The iGEM Grand Jamboree is a competition where teams of students from around the world "push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world." More than 450 teams registered for the competition this year, making the 2024 Grand Jamboree the largest in iGEM history. This was the fifth competition for the SUNY Oneonta team, which won silver medals in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. "We could not be prouder of this year's team, not only for their success, but also for their enthusiasm and dedication to having a positive impact on the world," said Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Kelly Gallagher, who advises the team alongside Associate Professor of Biology Jill Fielhaber. "Receiving a gold medal represents the culmination of countless hours spent both in and outside of the lab from every student," said Dr. Fielhaber. "Our team's first collaboration with students and faculty from Hartwick College makes receiving SUNY Oneonta's first gold medal all the more significant." This year's team included 16 SUNY Oneonta students from a wide variety of majors - including Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Dietetics, Early Childhood/Childhood Education, Earth Science, English, Exercise Science, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology - who worked on both the scientific and human practices aspects of the project, Hartwick team members included majors in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together under the mentorship of faculty from both SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick, the students worked on a project titled, "pHish and CHIPS," to create a device that would neutralize water automatically after detecting the presence of extreme pH imbalances. "It all started with thinking about what the CHIPS and Science Act meant for upstate New York and all the investment in semiconductor manufacturers that has impacted the state," said Dr. Gallagher. Signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act has accelerated the development of new semiconductor chip fabrication plants throughout the United States, with two plants planned for construction near Oneonta. Research for the team's "pHish and CHIPS" project began in April 2024. According to the team's project description, water is crucial to the manufacturing process of semiconductor chips. Prior to release or recycling of these chips, fabricators purify their wastewater by adjusting the pH level and removing contaminants called polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). With millions of gallons of water to process daily, real-time pH adjustment presents sustainability and water management challenges. Part of the iGEM students' goal was to use their knowledge of synthetic biology to design a pH-sensitive wastewater system that would "turn on" and release buffers to neutralize the water in the presence of pH extremes during the chip fabrication process. While one part of the team was concerned with the research and development of the pH device, the human practices group investigated the ethical and regulatory landscape of the project and how to best engage public interests and concerns. This included how to successfully approach corporate sponsorship, researching what human impacts are related to these types of waste streams, where current holes in regulations exist and what can be done to help close those gaps, and how the group can improve industry issues. Together, the full team worked on "pHish and CHIPS" with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Six (Ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all) and Nine (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) in mind. The 2024 iGEM Grand Jamboree was four days long, from Oct. 23-26, at the Paris Convention Center - a roughly 15-minute drive from the Eiffel Tower. At the conference, the team had a booth set up and coordinated times for each member to represent "pHish and CHIPS." With guidance from their faculty advisors, each student was prepared to answer questions during the judging session by being an expert on at least one part of their project. When they weren't at the booth, the students explored the other presentations at the Grand Jamboree. The iGEM team was supported by the Student Grant Program for Research and Creative Activity, the SUNY Oneonta iGEM Team Fund, funding from University Advancement, Access and Opportunity Programs, the Science and Technology General Fund, the Provost's Office, and the Caroline '67 and David D'Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund, which is funded by the University Foundation and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association through charitable gifts and grants to the university.

Katrina Blais, of Ferndale, NY, received a scholarship from the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State (AMTNYS) at a conference. Blais is majoring in Adolescence Education: Mathematics and Mathematics at SUNY Oneonta and is a member of the class of 2026. The AMTNYS scholarship is a $2,000 scholarship awarded to four students per year enrolled in a Teacher Education Program in New York State who have completed at least 18 credit hours in Mathematics. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25. Awards are based on a committee evaluation of each student's achievement throughout their academic program and their involvement with and contributions to their school and the mathematics community. Blais was encouraged to apply for the AMTNYS scholarship by Dr. Toke Knudsen, professor of mathematics at SUNY Oneonta, who wrote a letter of support for Blais.

SUNY Oneonta awarded nearly $22,000 in grant funding to support students pursuing internships during the fall 2024 semester. The grant program aims to make internship experiences more accessible by helping defray costs such as transportation, living expenses, technology, etc. 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 Planning and Networking 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. As part of the Drive for 135 initiative, the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association and the Career Planning and Networking Center invite alumni to submit internship opportunities that will allow current and future students to gain critical real-world experiences. Through this initiative, SUNY Oneonta hopes alumni will help secure 135 new or recommitted internship opportunities for students. Alumni can support this initiative by offering internship opportunities within their organizations or networks. While we cannot guarantee student applications for every position, your contributions are vital to their success. Hosting organizations will have the responsibility of reviewing applications, conducting interviews and selecting interns from the pool of eligible students.

On Thursday, Oct. 24, the SUNY Oneonta Mask and Hammer Theatre Club presented "Proof," a play written by American playwright and screenwriter David Auburn. This gripping drama navigates the intricate intersections of genius, family and mental health. When a brilliant mathematician passes away, his daughter, Catherine, must confront not only her own precarious grip on sanity but also the shadow of her father's legacy. As secrets unravel and truths emerge, "Proof" asks, "Who inherits brilliance, and at what cost?" "Proof" won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The production of "Proof" was performed in the Hamblin Theatre at SUNY Oneonta from Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 24-26, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 27, 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.

Six SUNY Oneonta students exhibited artwork in the "Hartiwck X SUNY Oneonta Student Show 2024" at CANO (Community Arts Network Oneonta) from Oct.10-20. The "Hartiwck X SUNY Oneonta Student Show" is an ongoing collaboration between Hartwick's Foreman Gallery and the Galleries at SUNY Oneonta on view annually in downtown Oneonta. This year's show featured the work of Noel Lyman, Jessie Reed, Lexi Rockefeller, Alaina Rullo and Helena Williams.

Nine SUNY Oneonta students showed their artwork in the Project Open Call: Fall 2024 group exhibition from Oct. 1-26 Project Space Gallery on campus. Project Open Call: Fall 2024 is a group show of new work submitted by SUNY Oneonta students to the Gallery's semesterly open call. Featuring work by Lulu Q. Burkowski, Michael Conte, Jeanine Gonzalez, Sarah Green, Victoria Hallenbeck, Kento Igarashi, Olivia Rose MacGiffert, Sean Eaves, Izzy Madori and Lexi Rockefeller. 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 galleries at SUNY Oneonta 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.

In the Open Space Gallery at SUNY Oneonta, Sean Eaves, of Norwich, NY, exhibited double exposure photographs in a solo art show titled "Twin Visions" from Oct. 1-26. Eaves is a senior majoring in Art and Design at SUNY Oneonta. "By digitally manipulating and overlaying two different photographs, Eaves has created a series of hauntingly familiar black and white images where the viewer often feels off-balance or unsure and is consistently left with the need to look deeper, both to pull apart the two images in their mind and to untangle the perceived meaning of their combined composition," said SUNY Oneonta Art Gallery Director Sarah Simpson. "The main objective of this work is to show that even though daily life may seem boring at times, there is always something beautiful to be seen if you're looking. Through this exhibition, Eaves hopes to show a new perspective on how people view the world around them, bringing two aspects of life together to create something whole and beautiful-two moments in time forever intertwined." Admission to the campus galleries is free and open to the public. 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 were recognized for attaining gold-level leadership milestones in the fall 2024 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.

SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for attaining silver-level leadership milestones in the fall 2024 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.

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. and Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado visited campus on Sept. 18 to officially launch the Empire State Service Corps, share good news about the initiative, and celebrate SUNY Oneonta's record student participation in the program. Announced by Governor Kathy Hochul in May as the sixth proposal from her 2024 State of the State agenda, the Empire State Service Corps-spearheaded by Delgado and SUNY-aims to increase civic and public service opportunities for students by creating paid service positions for more than 500 students across the SUNY system. The program is funded by a $2.75 million expansion of community service endeavors. King and Delgado met with University President Alberto Cardelle, students in the inaugural class and campus coordinators for a roundtable discussion and news conference, announcing that the Empire State Service Corps has been formally accepted as an AmeriCorps partner. This means that, upon completion, participating students will be considered AmeriCorps alumni and be eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, a scholarship they can use for graduate school or to repay student loans. "National and community service has the power to unite New Yorkers, address pressing social issues, and improve the lives of those who participate in it," Delgado said. "Today we celebrate the launch of the Empire State Service Corps, which will, in its first year, create 500 new meaningful, paid service opportunities for SUNY students while addressing critical community needs. I am grateful for Governor Hochul's leadership in establishing the new Office of Service and Civic Engagement, which will expand and enhance service opportunities across New York State, to make service more accessible, inclusive, and widespread. The Empire State Service Corps is a wonderful first step toward expanding service opportunities and creating a stronger, more unified and resilient state." SUNY Oneonta has 48 Empire State Service Corps student members, the most of any participating SUNY. Students begin their assignments in September in a variety of high-need areas such as K-12 tutoring, SNAP and basic need outreach, peer mental health, sustainability, anti-hate and anti-bias prevention, nonpartisan civic engagement, and FAFSA completion. Local site assignments include the Salvation Army, Oneonta City School District, Village of Cooperstown and Gilbert Lake State Park, to name a few. Students will perform 300 paid public service hours over a year. "Making a difference by serving others is at the heart of our mission at SUNY Oneonta," said President Alberto Cardelle. "We appreciate the paid public service opportunities made possible through this effort, championed by the Governor's Office and SUNY. I am proud that our students responded to this call to serve Oneonta and the surrounding region so enthusiastically."

Two SUNY Oneonta students are interning independently with the Office of Sustainability during the 2024-25 academic year. Zoe Rex, a dual major in Business Administration and Fashion and Textiles, is the Office of Sustainability's social media intern. During the internship, Rex is creating the Office of Sustainability's Instagram posts, a social media guide for future interns and the office's monthly newsletter. Rex's internship is funded through the Office of Sustainability's temp service budget. Patrick Sullivan, a dual major in Environmental Sustainability and Geography, is a Citizens' Climate Lobby intern. Sullivan is working alongside one of the students in the Empire Service Corps program to start a chapter of the Citizens' Climate Lobby for higher education on campus while encouraging students to vote and consider climate change when choosing their elected leaders. Sullivan's internship is funded by a donation from alumnus Jean Lown '72. Both Rex and Sullivan will graduate in the fall 2024 semester but will continue their work into the spring semester. The Office of Sustainability typically has between four and six interns per semester. Internships are open to all students, from any major, eager about sustainability.

This fall, the SUNY Oneonta Theatre Department produced "Novecento," a theatrical piece created by Italian writer and director Alessandro Baricco, with the help of 11 students. The students fulfilled both cast and crew roles, and rehearsal for the show began Aug. 28, shortly after students returned to campus and began the 2024-25 academic year. "Novecento is a poetic yet compelling piece of theatre telling the story of a fictional pianist who was born on an ocean liner, lived all his life on board and died on it," said Associate Professor of Acting, Directing and Movement Kiara Pipino. "He never set foot on land. Yet, his fame went well beyond the bow and the stern. We follow his life and his dreams through the eyes of his friend, experiencing a snapshot of the social and political life of the early 1900s." Directed by Pipino, SUNY Oneonta's production of "Novecento" was a joint performance made possible by Theatre Department faculty and staff and students from the Mask and Hammer Club. The production's wardrobe was designed by Costume Shop Supervisor, Theatrical Designer Marjean McCaslin-Doyle, and Assistant Technical Director and Theatrical Designer Nathan Elsener created the setting.

Eight SUNY Oneonta students have their artwork on display in the Jean Parish Scholarship: 2024-2025 exhibition in the Project Space Gallery. An opening reception in the gallery was held on Thursday, Sept. 5. Jean Parish Scholarship: 2024-2025 is a group exhibition featuring work by the 2024-2025 student recipients of the Jean Parish Scholarship: Sean Eaves, Ryan Eno, Kento Igarashi, Amy Kosina, Noel Lyman, Jessie Reed, Lexi Rockefeller and Alaina Rullo. Their work is on display until Sept. 21. 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.

"Earth-Written" is a solo show of large-scale illustrations by SUNY Oneonta senior Helena "H" Williams selected from the Gallery's semesterly Project Open Call. Williams created these works during her 12-week summer residency at the Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb, NY. Her work is on display in the Open Space Gallery until Sept. 21. 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.

Twenty-five SUNY Oneonta students are studying abroad during the fall 2024 semester through programs offered by the university. SUNY Oneonta offers summer and semester programs through study abroad and exchange international partner universities and many short-term faculty-led programs through the Office of Global Education (OGE). Of the available programs, these students are studying abroad at the American College of Greece in Greece, Seinan Gakuin University in Japan, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Yonsei University Mirae Campus in South Korea, Instituto Lorenzo de' Medici and John Cabot University in Italy, Univesitat Politecnica de Valencia, Universidad de Granada Centro de Lenguas Modernas, University of Salamanca, University of Barcelona, University of Granada and Study in Valencia in Spain, Study in Portugal Network (SiPN), Linneaus University in Sweden, Bond University in Australia and University of Toulouse - Jean Jaures in France. Thirteen students received scholarships from SUNY Oneonta to study abroad, including the Bill and Khuki Woolever Scholarship, Caroline Turner '53 Study Abroad Scholarship, David '77 and Nancy Frick Global Connections Scholarship, David Daly '82 & Arthur Dauria Scholarship for International Travel, Gary '71 and Pamela '73 Tutty Study Abroad Scholarship, Gerald J. Ferrante '77 Scholarship in Memory of Margaret A. Ferrante, Julia D. Galusha '71, '75 Endowed Fund for Global Connectedness, Klaritch Family International Education Scholarship, Tracey (Wolf) '86 & Keith '87 Drayer Annual Fund for Global Experiential Learning and the Global Connectedness Fund. One student received a scholarship from their study abroad university after being nominated by SUNY Oneonta. More than 20 scholarships were established by the SUNY Oneonta Foundation to provide support for students who might otherwise not have the financial means to study abroad. Scholarships are made possible through gifts from alumni, faculty, staff and community members, and are awarded each semester to qualifying students.

SUNY Oneonta's Hunt Union Ballroom was transformed into a high-energy assembly line of beans, rice, spices, bags and recipe cards on Saturday, Sept. 7, as more than 50 student volunteers packed 25,602 meals to be donated to 22 Otsego County food banks. The students' efforts are part of a larger goal organized by 9/11 Day, a national nonprofit that founded the federally recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. With grant funding from AmeriCorps, 9/11 Day is supporting service activities for college-age students. SUNY Oneonta is one of 11 college campuses across the country working together to pack nearly 1 million nonperishable meal kits for those in need in their local communities. "It's been an awesome privilege to be a part of this," said Samuel Cox, Operations Manager for the Pack Shack, an organization that partnered with 9/11 Day to work with college students across the country on the meal-packing project. The Pack Shack sent SUNY Oneonta a sampling of the pre-packaged meals ahead of time, and staff from Sodexo (the university's dining service provider) cooked up a tray of the meals so that at the end of the event, the volunteers got to taste the meal they were packing. SUNY Oneonta's service day was led by the university's Center for Volunteerism and Community Engagement, which organizes large community service events and connects students with service learning and volunteer opportunities in the region throughout the year. "By the end of the day, we will have packed 123 boxes of meals to distribute to people in need in our community through the Otsego County Hunger Coalition," said Linda Drake, Executive Director of the CVCE. "This is the first time we have done a project like this, and it's been a wonderful experience seeing so many students having fun while supporting a great cause." Over the past 23 years, the 9/11 Day nonprofit has transformed the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks into the largest annual day of service in American history, now recognized under federal law. The mission of 9/11 Day is to inspire millions of Americans to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that arose in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and to encourage good deeds and other acts of service in tribute to the 9/11 victims, survivors, first responders and members of the military who rose in service in response to the attacks.

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. Fourteen first-year SUNY Oneonta students participated 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. 15-21, students were introduced to various geologic materials, landscapes and field technologies to understand our planet better. They were back in time for the first day of classes on Aug. 26. 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.

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.

Lindsey Blankenship, of Hauppauge, NY, became a Making Cent$ Peer Mentor in the Fall 2024 semester. Blankenship is studying Media Studies at SUNY Oneonta. Making Cent$ Peer Mentors are students who have initially started as Making Cent$ Interns. During their time as interns, they train with Making Cent$ staff members to learn information that will help them improve their proficiency in financial literacy and help the students around them with financial topics. As interns, these students help complete tasks to keep the Making Cent$ Program running. They also act as a connection to the student community and provide a lot of outreach to their peers. After around a year of training, Making Cent$ Interns take the Making Cent$ Intern Financial Wellness Exam, designed to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired through their training. After passing this exam and demonstrating their abilities to host different Making Cent$ activities, a Making Cent$ Intern earns the title "Making Cent$ Peer Mentor." Making Cent$ Peer Mentors host one-on-one meetings with students to discuss student loans and help other students create or improve their budgets. They also often become the primary host of activities like Money Personalities. They continue outreach to other students and have a high level of mentorship with newly hired Making Cent$ Interns. Blankenship started her Making Cent$ Internship in August of 2023 and has excelled throughout her entire internship. Daily, she demonstrates a dedication to helping her peers with financial literacy and other aspects of their daily lives.

Twenty SUNY Oneonta students were selected to serve as Dragon Guides for the 2024-2025 academic year. In addition to leading activities for new students and their parents during six daylong summer orientation sessions, Dragon Guides welcome new students into their new community by leading small groups, answering questions about the university and college life, and mentoring new students throughout their first semester. With assistance from the Office of Move-in Orientation, and Welcome Programs and the Office of Student Experience, the Dragon Guides reach out to their mentees throughout their first year at the university to revisit their goals from orientation and offer support on reaching those goals. They also sponsor connection groups for new students to participate in, which will encourage and support engagement.

SUNY Oneonta students are getting firsthand experience in their fields of study this summer through research and creative projects on topics ranging from endangered turtles to an abroad Shakespeare-intensive. Thirty-six SUNY Oneonta students are involved in research and creative projects on and off campus through the university's Summer Research Fellowship Program. Fellowship grants 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 investigating heat disparities in smaller urban zones to a Shakespeare-intensive study in Prague in the Czech Republic. Some of the research projects are continuations of projects from previous summers, such as the "Synthesis Completion of Melicopteline Derivatives," "Characterization of Seiche in Regional Lakes" and "Detecting Exoplanets and Obtaining Stellar Spectra from the SUNY Oneonta Observatory." Other summer research projects like "Implementing an Emotion Management in Sport Program: Training Staff for Summer Camp" and "(Re)Telling Stories of Change with Artificial Intelligence" are the first of their kind. The 2024 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 the Summer Research Fellowship Showcase from Sept. 23 to 26.

Two-hundred nineteen SUNY Oneonta graduate students completed the requirements for a master's degree, Certificate of Advanced Study, or Advanced Certificate Program following the Spring 2024 semester. Family, friends, faculty and staff gathered on campus to celebrate the scholars, athletes, activists, artists and leaders who make up SUNY Oneonta's Class of 2024 during Spring Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 18.