Campus Champion

Every day is Earth Day for Campus Energy Manager Matt Brubaker. Matt is involved in environmental project planning, technical work and renewable energy projects, earning SUNY Cortland accolades in energy efficiency and sustainability. He’s a steering committee member of the state’s Higher Education Large Scale Renewable Energy Consortium and recently secured a grant from Second Nature, a non-profit that helps colleges and universities mitigate climate change. Beginning in July, he’ll spend two months working intensively with a facilitator to evaluate and produce an update to Cortland’s climate action plan that tackles our thermal demand needs with the goal of eliminating fossil fuels. 

Three SUNY Cortland seniors who will graduate in May were honored with the 2021 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

The award, announced today, is given to students within the SUNY system’s 64 campuses who have been recognized for their special achievement in at least three of the following areas: academic excellence, leadership, campus involvement, community service or the arts.

The award recipients are:

• Callie Humphrey, a political science major from Manlius, N.Y.
• Shaneya Simmelkjaer, a triple major in criminology, Africana studies and political science from Bronx, N.Y.
• Emily Speciale, an exercise science major from San Antonio, Texas.

“Our students have sacrificed so much over the last 13 months," said SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras. "Now more than ever, it is imperative that we mark the milestones and celebrate the brilliance, vision, resilience and community stewardship of SUNY’s best and brightest. It is my great honor to present the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence to these truly incredible students. Undeterred by the challenges of a once-in-a-generation health crisis, they have all overcome significant odds to pursue their academic passions, become campus and community leaders, help and inspire others and foster a better world for us all. Congratulations to all the winners and a heartfelt thank you for making the SUNY system proud.”

Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a committee to review and select outstanding graduating seniors. This year, campuses were invited to forward up to three nominees to the Chancellor’s Office for a second round of review and the selection of a group of finalists.

Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a medallion to wear during Commencement, which will take place as in-person ceremonies on Wednesday, May 12 and Thursday, Mary 13, in Lusk Field House, and in virtual ceremonies from Wednesday, May 12 through Saturday, May 15. More information is available online.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t possible this spring for the students to be invited to Albany to receive the award directly from the chancellor and a campus representative, usually President Erik J. Bitterbaum. Instead, SUNY invites the public to join a virtual award ceremony that will premiere live on Wednesday, April 14, beginning at 2 p.m. All are welcome to join. More information about the event is available.

A complete listing of student recipients is available. 

Including this year’s honorees, 99 SUNY Cortland students have earned the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence since the program began in 1997.

Here’s a closer look at each of the honorees:

Callie Humphrey

As the Student Government Association (SGA) president, Humphrey represents 6,700 undergraduates and graduates.

“The most important thing I’ve learned from my work on campus this year has been the importance of advocacy and compromise in making change happen,” Humphrey said. “Serving as the SGA president during a global pandemic has not been easy but focusing on the importance of advocating for the student voice has been critical for my success and that of the organization.”

From being the vice president of the board of directors for the Cortland Auxiliary Services Corporation to joining the SUNY Student Assembly, Humphrey has demonstrated the ability to lead.

SUNY Cortland recognized Humphrey’s achievements as an exemplary role model for other students on campus in 2020 when she received the Outstanding Student Leadership Award.

Along with several other academic awards and scholarships, she is an inductee of the Cortland chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor society for undergraduate political science majors. Humphrey’s academic accomplishments also include a Michael C. Holland Scholarship, given to students in good academic standing involved with the Student Government Association.

As a Model United Nations chairperson and executive staff member in Spring 2020, Humphrey organized and ran Model United Nations conferences for up to 800 delegates. The international student group strives to learn from the United Nations, an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security and develop a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

In fall 2021, she will pursue a master’s degree in U.S. foreign policy and national security at American University.

“One day, I hope to join the U.S. Foreign Service,” Humphrey said. “SUNY Cortland has given me the tools that I have needed to succeed in a fast-paced and everchanging workforce and given me incredible leadership opportunities to develop myself.”

Shaneya Simmelkjaer

Growing up in the Bronx, Simmelkjaer did not have the same access that other students had when it came to learning about colleges and how to be successful in a more professional environment.

“There was really nobody to hold my hand through the college process,” Simmelkjaer said. “I really had to do that on my own. I had to figure out the Common App.”

Simmelkjaer was originally looking at private colleges but was not aware of how expensive it could be. Despite being valedictorian and having a strong academic transcript, private colleges did not provide Simmelkjaer with enough scholarships and financial aid to attend.

Yet after visiting SUNY Cortland, Simmelkjaer knew that she had found her college.

“When I actually visited the campus, it was just so beautiful to me,” Simmelkjaer said. “I just fell in love with the atmosphere. I didn’t see anybody who looked like me, but then I was just like, ‘I need to get out of the Bronx and expand my horizons.’”

And that is exactly what she did. Simmelkjaer got in touch with other people of color on campus who directed her to areas on campus that were culturally relatable to her. She learned about the DRAMA (Diversity, Rhythm and Movement Association) dance team and other multicultural clubs/organizations.

“Freshman year, it was a bit of a culture shock for me coming in,” Simmelkjaer said. “I would imagine for Black girls it would be a culture shock. Personally, I haven’t been around people that didn’t look like me my whole life because I grew up in the city.”

Being in a predominantly white area did not stop Simmelkjaer from embracing Black culture and educating others on the Black experience. She has been a speaker for many multicultural events, such as “The Forgotten Faces: Discussing the Socio-Political Climate on Campus” and “Black Lives and Liberation Forum: Supporting Women of Color.”

Despite not having the same preparation for college like others do, Simmelkjaer was able to make her mark on the Cortland campus. She has excelled academically, and she has numerous academic awards/scholarships to show for it. Simmelkjaer was SUNY Cortland’s 14th recipient of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and she is the 2021 recipient of Pi Sigma Alpha’s Best Portfolio Award for Senior Political Science majors.

Simmelkjaer attended Black Student Union meetings and recalled important conversations they had about issues facing people of color, such as police brutality.

“I just saw students mass mobilizing, marching around campus for things that they were so passionate about,” Simmelkjaer said. “I told myself, ‘This is something that I want to get involved in.’”

Simmelkjaer knew that the work that the Black Student Union did, like the Forgotten Faces Panel, positively changed the SUNY Cortland campus. When she became BSU vice president during junior year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Simmelkjaer knew that she had to make the club stronger during her senior year, in which she became the club’s president. Despite the pandemic, BSU was still able to successfully hold their Black Out for Justice March virtually as well as many other important events.

Currently, Simmelkjaer is focusing on working on her healing and personal growth. There were a lot of challenges she went through during these hard times and she knows that it is time to put herself first.

“COVID forced me to just reflect on myself and reflect on why I was getting burnt out so easily,” Simmelkjaer said.

When she found out she was a recipient for the Chancellor’s Award, Simmelkjaer knew her hard work paid off.

“I was just proud of myself,” Simmelkjaer said. “I did something good for this campus, and that's all I really wanted.”

Simmelkjaer is planning to attend graduate school at the University at Albany and is choosing between the African Studies and Criminal Justice programs. She eventually wants to earn a Ph.D.

Simmelkjaer will miss the parties that the Voice Office clubs held in Corey Union and the campus wide initiatives that made positive impacts in people’s lives. There have been people that have come up to her explaining how their mindsets have changed from an event she’s held or a speech she’s given.

“I feel like when I leave this school, people are going to remember me,” Simmelkjaer said. “And even if they don’t, down the line, I can remember what I did for myself and for this school. That’s something really special to me.”

Emily Speciale

Emily Speciale always knew that gymnastics would be a part of her college journey. She started gymnastics at the early age of 6, so her passion only grew from there and motivated her to seek out colleges that were over 1,500 miles away from her hometown, San Antonio, Texas.

“Most of the Division III schools are actually located up north,” Speciale said. “So, I knew I was going to be going out of state.”

After visiting campus, Speciale could see a place for herself at the university. From there, Speciale has been an essential part of the gymnastics program and has won multiple awards for her athletic skills. She did not stop there, however. Speciale excelled academically and has been inducted into multiple honor societies. Her love of the Cortland community made her an active volunteer, and she was able to coach children on how to do the thing she loves most, gymnastics.

“[The coach] was telling me all these great things about SUNY Cortland,” Speciale said. “Then I visited, and I fell in love with the people who I met, the campus, just everything about it. I knew was the perfect fit for me.”

There were some sacrifices that Speciale had to make when deciding to attend SUNY Cortland. One of those sacrifices was leaving the warm Texas weather.

“It does not snow where I'm from at all,” Speciale said. “The first winter was brutal. I've never been in less than 20 degrees”

Some of Speciale’s favorite memories of being a SUNY Cortland gymnast include touring the Air Force Academy and getting to fly a flight simulator.

“It was really cool,” Speciale said. “Somehow, I didn’t crash. I was very proud of myself.”

Another favorite memory of Speciale’s includes the team’s visit to an alligator park in Louisiana last year. She even got to hold a baby alligator.

At the conclusion of her junior season — she unfortunately lost her senior season to the COVID-19 pandemic — Speciale was named at National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) All-American in the all-around and was selected to the NCGA’s all-championship team on bars.

“I have gotten so many amazing opportunities,” Speciale said. “It’s amazing and I’m so grateful.”

Speciale would say that one of her biggest accomplishments is getting into a physical therapy doctorate program. That has been one of her goals for a long time and the program is very competitive.

Speciale will be starting her doctor of physical therapy program in the University of Texas Southwestern’s School of Health. She is hoping to take the test to become a licensed pediatric physical therapist. Her exercise science classes provided Speciale with the challenge that was necessary to retain the information.

“It wasn’t just study, take the test, then forget,” Speciale said. “I really learned, and I think the professors really helped me with that.”

Her classes helped solidify her love of learning about the human body, and Speciale is especially appreciative to one faculty member in particular. Carie George, a lecturer in anatomy and physiology, has inspired Speciale to continue in her field.

A member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, Speciale was named to the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-American team in 2019.

Speciale first learned of the Chancellor’s Award through Matthew Norris ’19, a previous recipient who was instrumental in launching a program for student-athletes called Mental Health Mondays. She decided that she wanted to apply.

“I'm so honored, it's just such a great accomplishment,” Speciale said. “All my hard work is validated.”

Speciale enjoys giving back to the Cortland community. As a member of the gymnastics team, she had the opportunity to volunteer and coach for the Cortland Community Gymnastics program. She loves working with children.

“I do my best in everything I can, whether it is gymnastics, or giving to the community, or classes.”

She also has been a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success since 2018, is the recipient of a Delta Kappa Beta Leadership Scholarship and received a Leadership in Civic Engagement Award from the university’s Institute for Civic Engagement. Speciale has volunteered for organizations including Habitat for Humanity, the Bexar (Texas) County Medical Society and the Food Bank of San Antonio.

Speciale will miss being a SUNY Cortland student because she will be leaving the people that made her college experience special. The friendly dining hall workers, amazing professors, coaches, and all her friends will always have a place in her heart.

 “I will definitely miss the people. I love them!”

Prepared by Communications Office writing interns Jenna Donofrio and Chelsea Grate

Christina Garcia ’20 knew she wanted to return to Spain after studying abroad in Madrid changed her life as a SUNY Cortland student.

A prestigious cultural exchange program will help her achieve that goal this summer.

Garcia recently earned an English Teaching Assistant Award through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, meaning she will spend the 2021-22 school year teaching abroad. The former dual major in childhood/early childhood education and Spanish will be placed in La Rioja, a province in northern Spain.

“When I first applied, I thought the chances were small that I’d actually get it,” said Garcia, who earned one of approximately 180 grants out of more than 700 applications. “I’m still feeling excitement, some disbelief and a lot of pride.”

Since graduating in December, Garcia has taught as a temporary replacement in a Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) classroom in the Suffern School District, near her hometown of Sparkill, N.Y., in Rockland County. She said the position will be difficult to leave, but it’s a job that has prepared her well and affirmed a future in education.

Through the Fulbright program, Garcia will teach multiple subjects in English to school-aged children who are bilingual.

“I can’t emphasize how useful it is socially and professionally to learn another language,” she said. “I’m just so happy that I’m able to help others learn a different language both here and abroad.”

Garcia also gained valuable experience in Spring 2018 when she first traveled to Spain for semester-long study in Madrid. She grew close with the family that housed her, including her host mother’s 10-year-old grandson. He needed extra help in English, so Garcia served as his tutor.

“It was eye-opening,” she said. “I found myself spending extra time studying his notes and his books because the English language is very hard to learn and teach to a non-native speaker.”

Despite the learning curve, Garcia relished the opportunity.

She joked that she learns best through challenges. For instance, during her study abroad trip, Garcia opted not to purchase a SIM card for her smartphone, meaning that she could only use its most helpful features where wireless internet was available. Navigation was difficult, but Garcia mastered directions and other skills because she was forced to ask for help and immerse herself in the culture.

“I came back a more outgoing person — just more confident in myself and my abilities,” she said.

In addition to working as a teacher during the Fulbright experience, Garcia said she is expected to be a cultural ambassador. Funding will cover travel expenses and a monthly stipend as well as a community engagement program that Garcia will lead. She plans to start a volleyball club in La Rioja, a region that’s well-known for its wine production.

She said that her love for learning about different cultures dates back to her childhood, when family vacations prioritized seeing the world through travel to places as far away as Ireland, Mexico and Tanzania. At 22 years old, she already has visited more than a dozen countries. Two of her three older siblings reside outside the U.S., including her sister in Guatemala and her brother in Zambia.

“I think traveling is important because you get to see how the rest of the world works outside of your tiny little corner,” Garcia said.

Christina Garcia ’20 tutored Alberto, the grandson of her host family, when she studied abroad in Madrid.

In addition to providing access to a life-changing study abroad trip, Garcia credited her SUNY Cortland education with improving her skills and deepening her interest in the Spanish language. She credited several faculty members in the Modern Languages Department who assisted her Fulbright application, including Professor Christopher Gascon, Associate Professor Colleen Kattau and Professor Wes Weaver.

Garcia’s Cortland training also helped her become a better teacher, especially a semester-long experience in the School of Education dedicated to being culturally and linguistically responsive.

“It’s important just to be aware of the many cultures you have in your classroom and to build bridges between them,” she said. “As a teacher, you need to understand the diversity in your classroom and how to best support it.”

Garcia said she will put her teaching and Spanish-speaking skills to use through the Fulbright award, and she’s open to everything that the future might hold — possibly a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or extending her time teaching abroad.

“I love where I live, but I’m open to teaching anywhere,” Garcia said. “Especially diverse areas where I can help the needs of students.”

The campus community will get a look at how students, faculty, staff and alumni who live with a disability feel about their SUNY Cortland experience in an upcoming seminar to discuss the results of a university-run survey on Tuesday, April 20.

That’s when the university’s Disability Climate Panel will share survey data research analysis in the forum on how the campus treats individuals with a disability that was developed by a SUNY Cortland faculty team.

The 7 p.m. meeting begins in Webex meeting room 132 538 4024 with the password dvB4jTgGm33.

Panelists will include Disability Climate Committee member and SUNY Cortland senior Jennifer Riekert; Maria Timberlake, associate professor of foundations and social advocacy; and Jeremy Zhe-Heimerman, assistant director of disability resources, Disability Resources Office.

“We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the survey results and how welcoming SUNY Cortland is for students with disabilities,” Zhe-Heimerman said.

The survey analysis on disability inclusiveness was prepared by committee members and other volunteers including Sarah Beshers, associate professor of health; Flannery; Cathy MacDonald, associate professor of physical education; Carrie Rood, associate professor of foundations and social advocacy; Mary Schlarb, director of International Programs; Timberlake; and Zhe-Heimerman.

To ensure that all campus community members can fully participate in this program, contact Zhe-Heimerman for questions about accessibility and/or to request accommodations.

The session continues the work of the SUNY Cortland Campus Climate on Diversity Committee, which held another  virtual forum earlier this month to share significant parts of their survey findings — two years in the making — on the areas of race; gender, gender expression or sexual orientation; disability; and religion and spirituality.

The April 12 forum on racial inclusiveness was opened with a presentation by Eddie Fergus, an associate professor of urban education and policy at Temple University and a consultant on assessing diversity in school settings.

Fergus presented his report summarizing Cortland’s racial diversity, called “SUNY Cortland Inclusion Survey 2019: Perspectives on Racial Diversity in University Climate.”

Facilitators for the racial diversity forum included committee members Kaitlin Flannery, assistant professor of psychology; Lopez-Janove; Christopher Ortega, assistant professor of communication and media studies and Africana studies; Jose Ortiz, assistant professor of foundations and social advocacy; Amy Russell, professional tutor at The Learning Center; Schlarb; and Zhe-Heimerman.

“At the end of the day, creating a healthy, inclusive campus climate where there’s a sense of belonging and experience of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected, and valued by the campus community is as important for faculty and staff as it is for students,” said Lorraine Lopez-Janove, the university’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. “That’s our goal for everyone in Cortland family.”

Survey’s history recounted

How college students, faculty and staff feel they are being treated by the campus community is key to their success, whether in class, the workplace or in their personal lives.

Knowing that, the committee in early 2019 began asking members of the campus community to express their opinion on the quality of college life for them with respect to four major themes: race; gender, gender expression or sexual orientation; dis(ability); and religion and spirituality.

First convened by James Felton III, the committee was transitionally facilitated by AnnaMaria Cirrincione, director of Multicultural Life and Diversity, and is currently led by Lopez-Janove, Felton’s replacement.

The committee initially held focus groups that it used to develop the survey questionnaire, then conducted the survey in Fall 2019 through Spring 2020. President Erik J. Bitterbaum shared the committee’s initial results that focused primarily on racial diversity in late January to faculty and staff during his Opening Meeting for the spring semester. Fergus first presented his findings during that meeting.

Before this survey, the university administration last looked at how well the campus provides a setting for diversity and accommodation of underrepresented groups with a Campus Climate Survey in 2005.

“Many studies have concluded that learning and development outcomes are influenced by how students experience their campus environment,” Lopez-Janove said. “Research suggests that faculty and staff members who consider their campus climate healthy and inclusive are more likely to feel personally and professionally supported.”

Building on previously gathered data, historical documents and SUNY Cortland’s extensive efforts thus far, a comprehensive climate assessment will provide the university with research-based and comprehensive findings. These will guide the development of strategic initiatives and action planning to build on institutional successes and address institutional climate challenges.

For more information, contact Lopez-Janove or visit the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office website at cortland.edu/diversity.

Campus Climate on Diversity Committee members also include: Michael Baker, assistant director of residential life for technology and marketing; Stephen Cunningham, director of institutional research and assessment; Laura Davies, chief of staff, President’s Office; Jeffrey Jackson, lecturer in English; Yomee Lee, professor of kinesiology and Africana studies; Ronnie Silver ’67, SUNY Cortland Alumni Association liaison; Lima Stafford, assistant director, Multicultural Life and Diversity; Maggie Wetter, Title IX coordinator; Jennifer Wilson, associate director of communications; Melanie Woodward, associate director of human resources and affirmative action officer.

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As the nation awaits the verdict of Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, I am reaching out to reaffirm that SUNY Cortland is committed to maintaining an environment where students from all backgrounds can thrive and grow as members of a caring, inclusive community. Each of you – regardless of your background, race or beliefs – deserves to be safe and treated with respect.

However, we recognize that racism is part of the daily experience of many SUNY Cortland students of color, and high-profile cases of unarmed Black and brown citizens being killed by police can be traumatic. Many members of our community probably feel frightened, angry and unsure of their place in American society. Please know that you have a place at SUNY Cortland and we support you.

I want to make you aware of the following:

• The Multicultural Life and Diversity Office will host an online event when the verdict comes out, providing a discussion forum for members of our community. Details will be shared through email when available. Please also feel free to contact the office if you’re looking for support.
  
  
• The next virtual Black Lives and Liberation Forum will be Thursday, April 22, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The topic of discussion will be on language use around race and ethnicity.
  
  
• Students struggling to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the situation should reach out to the Counseling Center at 607-753-4728.
  
  
• University Police continue to meet with campus Black Lives Matter groups to make sure they are addressing the safety concerns of all student constituencies.
  
  
• Campus community members are encouraged to visit the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office webpage for resources that include SUNY Cortland’s bias-related incident reporting form.

We live during a time of great division that too often results in unnecessary verbal or physical violence. Please stay engaged, remain hopeful and know that SUNY Cortland remains strongly committed to fighting racism in all its forms. 

All the best, 

Erik J. Bitterbaum
President

SUNY Cortland, nationally recognized leader in sustainability, is celebrating Earth Week with a series of educational events on topics ranging from sustainable green politics to the world’s melting ice caps.

“Sustainability and smart stewardship are celebrated daily on this campus, but at this time of year we like to focus especially closely on environmental issues that impact all of our lives,” President Erik J. Bitterbaum said.

Earth Day is Thursday, April 22. Created in 1970 to support environmental protection, that date is now observed annually in 193 countries. In many places, including the SUNY Cortland campus, events stretch over several days, into an Earth Week.

Earth Week 2021 events include:

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: virtual sandwich seminar by SUNY Cortland’s Sustainability Coalition will explore the UN’s framework as a guide for campus. Wednesday, April 21 at 12:30 p.m. Join online via Webex.

Environmental political strategy: policy roundtable by United University Professions to strategize about persuading Albany lawmakers to reduce SUNY’s carbon footprint, expand degrees and training for green jobs, establish battery storage pilot programs on campuses and other sustainable initiatives. Thursday, April 22 at noon. Register online.

People power: A discussion about building public support needed to move New York to a future of cleaner water, more breathable air and 100% renewable energy, sponsored by New York Public Interest Group. Keynote speaker is Judith Enck, former regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency and president of Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit group fighting plastic pollution. Thursday, April 22, 5 p.m. RSVP online.

Eyewitness to Climate Change: Explorer and photographer David Thoreson uses images during his polar journeys to demonstrate how climate change is impacting our ocean systems and global environment. Thursday, April 22, 7 p.m. Register via Zoom. (Meeting ID: 893 0533 5466, passcode: 470362)

Friday, April 23 is the National Day of Silence.

Established in 1996 by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, the Day of Silence raises awareness about the effects of harassment and bullying toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) students.

The day aims to bring attention to the marginalization of LGBTQ+ people and their allies and raising awareness about these injustices.

Faculty, staff and students may participate by being silent throughout the day or just a portion of the day. The deliberate silence is intended to reflect the way people in the LGBTQ+ community are silenced in response to homophobia and discrimination.

A Webex forum will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 23. Attendees may join at that time via Webex.

Photographer David Thoreson has sailed over the Arctic Circle six times and traveled over the Antarctic Circle twice. He was the first American to sail the length of the frigid Northwest passage in both directions. Needless to say, this camera-toting sailor from Iowa has photographed a lot of ice.

And, over the course of recent years, he has watched a lot of it melt.

The powerful images captured by Thoreson during his polar adventures tell the story of a warming climate and changing landscape that he will share with the SUNY Cortland campus community in a virtual presentation on Thursday, April 22, during Earth Week.

“Eyewitness to Climate Change: Melting Ice and Rising Seas,” will begin at 7 p.m. via a Zoom link. Use meeting ID No. 893 0533 5466 and passcode No. 470362 to enter the meeting. Presented by the Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS) and the SUNY Cortland Sustainability Committee, Thoreson’s discussion is free and open to the public.

During his talk, Thoreson will provide an eyewitness account of how climate change impacts our sensitive polar and ocean systems and affects our environment worldwide.

“I hope to raise the level of curiosity and awareness about the climate crisis we are facing now and in the future,” Thoreson said. “I also want to address how, as students, your careers can be focused on the new clean economy where there will be tremendous job opportunities in providing solutions.”

Thoreson has been on extreme adventures much of his life, photographing, documenting and studying the oceans and polar regions of the world. He is a member of both the Cruising Club of America and the Explorers Club.

Thoreson has sailed below the Antarctic Circle, across the Atlantic three times, and has made a 28,000-mile circumnavigation of the North and South American Continents. Ultimately, the professional photographer and sailor has traveled more than 65,000 nautical miles across the globe, taking award-winning photos that make the urgent case for people to undertake the task of environmental conservation.

Although he remains based in his land-locked home state of Iowa, he is a global advocate for ocean and wilderness protection and creating a more sustainable future for generations of explorers yet to come.

His striking photography has appeared in media produced by the National Park Service, PBS, the Smithsonian, the World Science Festival and TED Talks. Thoreson transformed his very personal account of his adventures into a book illustrated with his stunning photography, Over the Horizon.

In 2009-10, Thoreson released a documentary of his 28,000-mile travel of the North and South American continents. His film was nominated for an Emmy Award.

When home in Northwest Iowa, Thoreson operates a fine-art gallery featuring his photography and still loves to race dinghies across the blue waters of Okoboji Lake, where he learned to sail as a boy.

“I love live audiences and bringing my stories of life on the ‘big screen’ as a professional photographer so I will do my best to share great visuals on your screens that can transport you to some of the most remote and beautiful places on the planet,” Thoreson said recently.

“Although it is a Zoom presentation, I always look forward to as much interaction with students as possible, especially answering questions,” Thoreson said.

April is Earth Month and SUNY Cortland will celebrate with additional events that will be publicized soon. The events are free, open to the public and virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information about any CALS virtual events, visit the CALS website or contact the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office at 607-753-5574.

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Jenna Donofrio

SUNY Cortland was one of 10 colleges and universities around the country selected for a pro bono consulting opportunity to help advance its climate mitigation strategies. 

Second Nature, a Boston-based non-governmental organization that works with higher education institutions to accelerate climate action, provided this opportunity through consultants Brailsford & Dunlavey and CustomerFirst Renewables.

“At SUNY Cortland, we are always looking for new ideas on doing things more effectively and sustainably,” said President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “This opportunity will help us make better decisions as we continue to push toward our goal of carbon neutrality.”

This project aims to help winning campuses reduce or eliminate CO2 emissions while minimizing operating costs or achieving other objectives. More than 50 colleges that are affiliated with either the Climate Leadership Network or the University Climate Change Coalition were eligible.

Cortland and the University at Albany will work with Brailsford & Dunlavey, a Washington, D.C.-based program management firm, to create short- and long-term plans to reduce Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions on campus. The firm also will help the university find cost-effective and implementable actions to attain carbon neutrality. If they are successful, SUNY ultimately aims to replicate them throughout the 64-campus system.

“We are so excited about this project as it will assist us in planning out one of the more challenging areas of our climate action plan for institutions in the Northeast, heating buildings without fossil fuels, or any combustion, for that matter,” said Matt Brubaker, SUNY Cortland’s campus energy manager.

“We have some options, but the planning process to implement those needs to happen now in order to meet our targets,” Brubaker said. “Brailsford & Dunlavey will effectively force those harder conversations to occur and get us thinking outside what is comfortable and, well, average.”

“We look forward to working with Brailsford & Dunlavey,” Bitterbaum said. “We hope that together we will create a plan that allows us to shrink our carbon footprint more quickly and sets a course for other SUNY institutions to follow.”

SUNY Cortland has a long commitment to sustainability. The campus was the first in the SUNY system to sign the American College and University Climate Commitment, the first to go 100% renewable for electricity and the first to build a residence hall to LEED Platinum standards, the highest green standard of its kind.

The Sierra Club ranked SUNY Cortland the highest among SUNY comprehensive colleges on its annual “Cool Schools” list in 2020. Cortland has been among the top 100 colleges in the nation on this list for each of the last five years. 

In 2020, four electric vehicle charging stations were installed on campus to encourage more students and employees to consider EVs as an option for emissions free mobility.

Visit the Sustainability Office online for more information about green initiatives at SUNY Cortland.

SUNY Cortland and State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras are working together to find a solution to students fighting hunger.

The university is among seven of the 64 SUNY campuses to be awarded a second round of grants to purchase food pantry refrigeration.

SUNY Cortland will use the funds to buy a commercial refrigerator for the SUNY Cortland Cupboard, located in the basement of the Interfaith Center at 7 Calvert St.

The unit will have a clear glass door for easy viewing of the food stored within.

“With this new fridge, we will be able to offer fresh foods,” said Lauren Scagnelli ’12, M ’14, the chair of the cupboard’s board of directors and health educator on campus.

She acts as an advocate for students concerning any issues regarding personal health and health care.

Pantry management hopes to have the refrigerator in place by the fall.

“We have only offered non-perishable foods since we opened in November 2017 so this gives us a new opportunity,” Scagnelli said.

Adding refrigeration to the SUNY Cortland Cupboard also will help the university promote healthy food choices.

“From a balanced diet perspective, it would be great for us to be able to provide fresh produce, meats, dairy products or other proteins like eggs,” Scagnelli said. “Ideally, we can also get feedback from students on what refrigerated items they will use.”

The availability of cold fresh food may attract more students who lack sufficient food to find out about the pantry services.

“We are still working on creative ways to reach our students, particularly off-campus students,” she said. “We know there are more students facing food insecurity than those that utilize the cupboard. We hope to keep spreading the word so anyone can get the assistance they need to thrive.”

Cupboard managers are developing a policy for handling refrigerated goods.

The proposal would require that:

• The refrigerator would be cleaned once a week and when any spills occur.
• The temperature would be set at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer would be set at 0 degrees.
• The unit temperature would be logged weekly by a staff member.
• A student intern would keep track of the refrigerated items and discard food that is not safe to eat based on the information at foodsafety.gov.
• The intern would document their actions in a training log to ensure correct stocking and/or discarding of food.
• Inventory and temperature logs would be reported weekly to the board of directors.

Jacob Eckhaus, a SUNY Student Voice Action Committee member and Binghamton University student, first raised the food refrigeration issue, according to Malatras.

“Food insecurity is all too prevalent across our nation and made worse by the pandemic,” Malatras said.

“Our students are not immune,” he said. “It is proof of the inequalities that exist on our campuses. And, as we are optimistic about their return to in-person classes next fall, we have to make sure campus food pantries continue to have sustainable and reliable resources for more students.”

In the second round, SUNY refrigeration grantees also included Canton, Erie Community College, Maritime, Monroe, Niagara and Sullivan.

Pantry hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students who use the SUNY Cortland Cupboard must swipe their student I.D. to enter the building. Only one person is allowed to visit the pantry at a time due to health measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information contact Scagnelli.

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Jenna Donofrio

The mission of the annual Cortland Challenge has always been simple. It’s about alumni, faculty, staff and friends coming together to make a difference for SUNY Cortland and its students.

On Wednesday, April 21, donors can give to the campus cause of their choice at RedDragonNetwork.org/challenge. Those causes include academic departments, athletic teams and specific initiatives such as scholarships and The Cortland Fund for Equity and Inclusion.

When you make a gift to The Cortland Fund, your contribution is going directly to the university’s greatest areas of need and has an impact on the entire campus community.

The Cortland Fund supports campus life in a vast variety of ways, including:

• Scholarships
• Honors Convocation awards
• Professional development for faculty and staff
• Technology and software
• Major events
• Alumni Engagement program support
• The Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House

Several generous alumni have pledged matching gifts to support the Cortland Challenge, including Cheryl Ellsworth Barredo M ’81, Louise Conley, Michael Leeolou ’81 and Catherine Suarez Leeolou ’81, Anthony Moon ’86 and Susan Moon, Kim Stack-Myers ’79, Victor M. Rumore II ’84, and Constellation Advancement. Together, they have committed $52,000 toward this year’s challenge.

These matching gifts will be unlocked throughout Challenge day as certain donor thresholds are met. Those thresholds are:

• 462 donors, representing the number of programs and events hosted by SUNY Cortland during the 2020-21 academic year.
• 800 donors, representing the approximate number of donor-sponsored and The Cortland Fund scholarships awarded during 2020-21.
• 1,345 donors, representing the number of faculty and staff employed at the university.

The Cortland College Foundation Board of Directors has collectively contributed more than $20,000 toward a dollar-to-dollar match to The Cortland Fund.

A general athletics challenge will be backed by a $10,000 matching gift from Cortland College Foundation board member Louise Conley.

SUNY Cortland’s 20 athletic teams will be divided into four categories based on the number of alumni: small, medium, large and extra-large. An award of $1,000 will be given to the team that receives the most donors in each category and $100 will be bestowed on each team that reaches its category’s donor mark.

The team that raises the most money will receive $2,000 and a trophy. Teams that meet their category’s donor mark will be eligible for a $1,000 prize that goes to the team with the highest average gift to The Cortland Fund.

If 746 donors give to any of the athletics program funds, including general athletics and the C-Club Endowment, $1,000 will be awarded to The Cortland Fund. SUNY Cortland had 746 student-athletes during the 2020-21 academic year.

Barredo is giving $1,000 toward a power hour challenge. Look out for details on social media during challenge day!

Constellation Advancement is donating $1,000 in a dollar-for-dollar match to the Cortland Fund for Equity and Inclusion.

The 2020 Cortland Challenge raised $252,272 from 1,897 donors. Thank you so much for your previous support and please consider joining the Cortland Challenge again in 2021.

To learn more, visit RedDragonNetwork.org/challenge. Use the hashtag #CortlandChallenge to follow along with other Red Dragons on challenge day through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Transformations 2021, SUNY Cortland’s annual showcase of research and other scholarly activity, edges toward normalcy as the conference will be presented as virtual poster sessions, individual seminars and faculty-coordinated student sessions on Friday, April 30.

Abstracts of those presentations will be posted online as the Transformation Committee for a second year avoids in-person gatherings during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

“The April 30 conference is virtual, but there will be real-time presentations by students,” said R. Bruce Mattingly, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Transformations Committee chair.

“Taking into consideration all those constraints that dealing with COVID-19 has caused with research for faculty and students alike, we thought 57 presentations was a phenomenal amount of scholarship,” said committee member Erin Morris, assistant professor of sport management.

In addition to attendance by members of the campus community, invitations are extended to area high schools, the university’s elected representatives and to the Cortland community at large.

Students and their faculty mentors plan 57 Webex presentations this year, including 39 live online talks and 18 live poster session presentations.

Meanwhile, the online Digital Commons, already home for an archival collection of Transformations programs, will once again be available for those students who opt to post more extensive conference materials online, especially posters and other visual materials. Posted material can be closed to viewers from outside the campus community on the discretion of the student or faculty member involved in the research. Digital Commons is an online repository intended to publicize and make available various collections created by SUNY Cortland faculty, staff and students.  

The selected presenters were encouraged to choose from a menu that includes 5-minute “lightning talks” for those giving a poster session; 15-minute-long individual talks; and faculty-organized sessions of three or four sequential talks. Sessions may include presentations from different students enrolled in the same academic department or interdisciplinary sessions featuring presentations that have a thematic link.

Poster presenters will be asked to share their poster and give a brief explanation — up to five minutes — of their findings during one of that day’s Webex poster sessions, either 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1:50 to 2:50 p.m., or 3 to 4 p.m.

Students’ single, 15-minute talks via Webex will be scheduled for 10:20 to 11:20 a.m., 12:40 to 1:40 p.m. or 3 to 4 p.m. Students will be expected to share abstracts of their presentations.

The faculty-organized session schedule is intergrated into the 15-minute talks.

 “We are trying our best to recreate a typical conference experience using Webex,” said Transformation Committee member Kaitlin Flannery, assistant professor of psychology.

“We devised ‘lightning talks’ to replace a typical poster presentation — essentially, students will display their poster on Webex and give a 5-minute explanation of their study,” rather than hanging around their actual poster and answering passersby questions informally, Flannery said.

“Audience members will then have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the student presenters. A benefit of this format is that audience members will be able to hear from many different students across several departments and areas of study in a relatively short amount of time.”

The electronic “posters” as well as necessary visuals for other seminars will be shared on the university’s Digital Commons, to be accessed online and viewed during the talks.

This year, with the conference hosted through Webex, Digital Commons will serve as a complement and a supplement to the conference, allowing students to host and share their posters and presentations long-term, said Hilary Dorsch Wong, instructional services librarian in Memorial Library and a Transformations Committee member.

“Since the poster presentations this year will be given as ‘lightning talks,’ sharing posters through Digital Commons will allow people to see the posters at leisure and in greater detail before, during and after the talks,” said Wong, who once again has assisted in uploading conference digital images. 

“Last year, when normal plans for the Transformations conference crashed to a halt, I was pleased that the library’s Digital Commons could become the means for the Transformations conference to happen, allowing students to share their hard work and research,” Wong said.

“This year, it's exciting to have both a live virtual conference, and the long-term ability for students to share their work through Digital Commons if they so desire.”

Last year’s Transformations was cancelled as a live event when the spread of the virus abruptly shut down in-person campus activities right after Spring Break. Last May 13, the Transformations Committee instead published all 170 of the lecture abstracts submitted by students on the Transformations web page with supporting materials on Digital Commons.

Transformations, and its emphasis on student research, was created in 2012 by changing the name and focus of SUNY Cortland’s traditional Scholars’ Day to Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference. A highlight of the academic year, this event focuses on student research, which is defined as an original investigation or creative activity through the primary efforts of a student or group of students.

Support for Transformations has been provided by the President’s Office and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Office with a special thanks to the Student Alumni Association for providing volunteers. The Transformation Committee also includes Martine Barnaby, art and art history; Kevin Dames, kinesiology; Laura Eierman, biological sciences; Eunyoung Jung, foundations and social advocacy; Jill Murphy, health; Kimberly Rombach, childhood/early childhood education; and Meghan VanDeuson, art and sciences.

More information is contained in the College Archives Research Guide. For more information about Transformations, contact the Dean of Arts and Sciences’ Office at 607-753-4312 or at SchoolOf.ArtsandSciences@cortland.edu.

Graduating Art and Art History Department seniors at SUNY Cortland always put their very best portfolio work on display during the annual thesis exhibition, and this year will be no different.

Three graduating seniors — Anna Brasted, Stephen Buscemi and Samantha Reali — will share exhibition space as they put their final projects of digital media art, paintings on paper and canvas, and photographs on view from Thursday, April 22, to Friday, April 30, in the university’s Dowd Gallery in Dowd Fine Arts Center.

A virtual tour and exhibition slide show will be open to the public on the Dowd Gallery’s website.

Graduating candidates display their final collection of artworks, writing and oral presentations that fulfill the year-long thesis requirement in their designated programs. 

Digital media artist Stephen Buscemi and painter Samantha Reali will showcase thesis projects concluding their studies with Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degrees. Anna Brasted, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) candidate who is earning a dual major in studio art and new communications media — through the Communication and Media Studies Department — will exhibit a series of photographs as part of her Honors Thesis project.

The gallery will not hold the customary public Opening Reception for the three artists but will live stream a Virtual Opening, including individual thesis defenses from each artist accessible to the public. A live question-and-answer session with the candidates and B.F.A. committee will be delivered on Webex at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. The Dowd Gallery will post instructions on how to join the meeting on its website and social media in advance and include a slide show from the installation. Recordings of talks will be posted afterward on the Dowd Gallery website.

In compliance with state and campus guidelines, Dowd Gallery is closed to individuals and groups not associated with SUNY Cortland.

In-person viewing of the exhibition is offered to campus community members including group tours by appointment of five or fewer people. Gallery hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors will be expected to follow safety protocols to minimize the virus spread. 

For more information, to inquire about an appointment, tour or to see additional images, contact Gallery Director Jaroslava Prihodova, at 607-753-4216, or visit Dowd Gallery’s website for details about future exhibitions and other programs, gallery safety protocols and on-line viewing tour booking. 

Stephen Buscemi 

Buscemi’s thesis exhibition, “I’m not a robot,” explores the boundaries between the physical and digital realm.

For his large-scale paintings, the Long Island native uses principles employed by facial recognition technology to enhance traditional portraits.

Buscemi’s second body of work builds on characteristic aesthetic qualities of the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) program to create visual poems.

Although rooted in digital media, Buscemi redirected his attention to traditional mediums like painting and printmaking, where he found potential for a new personal narrative.

“I am greatly interested in a machine’s ability to exhibit behavior indistinguishable from a human, and also the visual methods they use to accomplish the task determining the nature of the interaction between computer and the user,” he explains.

The work responds to the conceptual limits of digital programs like artificial intelligence and aims to transform its inherent purpose for expressive purposes rather than commercial function. Created images critically re-evaluate the information that has been deconstructed and reconstructed through machine input.

Both series not only exist through physical painting but also can be brought into augmented reality. The reversible system is questioning how information can be altered and misappropriated in both the real and virtual world. Buscemi’s “facial recognition portraits” can be recognized by digital filters (widely used in communication platforms such as Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.), manipulated through the camera lens, and placed in augmented reality that is readily available to smartphone users.

“I think the visual forms resulting from these programs have great creative potential when examined through the unique perspective of an artist and capable of enhancing the visual direction of the digital age driven by data,” he adds.

Buscemi also was inspired by the DADA movement, video art of the 1970s, George Orwell’s writing and other artistic directions that contain aspects of data and information manipulation in both virtual and real plane.   

Buscemi exhibited in the Dowd Gallery Student Select 2018 and in a virtual exhibition as a part of the Common Problem Pedagogy Project titled “COVID-19 Safety Campaign.” Since 2017, he has become an active member of the Cortland arts community.

Samantha Reali

Reali, a first-generation college student from Staten Island, N.Y., is concentrating in painting, and produces both drawn and painted renderings of seemingly nonsensical scenarios.

Her series of paintings on canvas and works on paper titled “Hypnagogia,” offers a perspective that is purposely skewed to question the reliability of reality and the existence of human consciousness.

“My work analyzes the correlation between fabricated memories, perceived reality and deteriorating self-esteem affected by mental health issues,” Reali said.

“I intend to communicate these internal sensations as they appear in my mind and the way how they manifest in my consciousness,” she said.

“Through painting, I hope to relieve some personal tension and internal conflicts. I attempt to comfort other sufferers by rejecting the assumption that their afflicting thoughts are uncontrollable, unshared and entirely unique to them. I am interested in reducing or abolishing social taboos associated with unseen forms of illnesses through honest communication. My effort is to create an atmosphere that encourages open conversation, thus creating fewer instances of individuals becoming debilitated from undiagnosed issues due to the fear of seeking psychological assistance.” 

“Hypnagogia” also challenges the very existence of memory. Exaggerated aesthetics in her work illustrate the intangible quality of memory. The heightened visual forms represent the hallucinatory, transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep.

“I work through my understanding of existential theories and create a new reality about human minds’ abilities that extend beyond the present,” Reali said.

Accepted into the university’s Honors Program, she was recognized with the Honors Scholarship as well as a Jo Schaffer Award in Art History, a Gerald N. DiGiusto Scholarship and an Anderson Family Scholarship.

Reali presided over the Artist Exhibition Association before becoming a teaching assistant for the Art in the Ancient World and Drawing I course. An active member of the Cortland arts community, she has exhibited her work in Dowd Gallery “Student Select” shows organized by the student-run Art Exhibition Association.

In the fall, Reali will pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art at the University of South Carolina.

Anna Brasted

Brasted’s series of eight digital photographs from “Through the Lens: Micro Mindfulness” draw on the artist’s life-long fascination with the exploration of nature through photography.

“They explore the idea of mindfulness and how the photographic process can be utilized as a form of meditation,” explained Brasted of Holley, N.Y., who has concentrated her studio art major on printmaking. “The focus on close-ups draws attention to the often-overlooked beauty surrounding us and creates a considered visual experience.”

“Before taking a photograph, I try to really take in my surroundings and notice the fine details,” Brasted said. “When I finally do take a photo, I control my breathing and remain still in order to capture a clear image.”  

Her work has been displayed in the 2018 and 2019 “Student Select” exhibitions and in the SUNY Cortland Memorial Library. She created artwork for the 2019 Blackbird Film Festival and the 2020 “Art from Isolation” virtual exhibition.

After graduation, she will pursue her Master of Fine Arts from the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, N.Y.

“Tik Tok on the clock.” It is almost time for Kesha to perform this and perhaps another of her hits at the first virtual and free SUNYFest concert.

The American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress will be joined by SUNY Cortland senior and rapper Wendell Felder, who will be one of the student openers on Saturday, April 24.

AJR, an American indie pop trio who are based in New York City, is the opening act.

SUNYFest will air on the virtual platform Looped from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“It’s just a little stress relief where you can watch some talent, listen to music and chill with friends while getting to personally watch an artist that you usually don’t get to see,” said Lizbeth Garcia, a senior community health major who serves as music chair of the Student Activities Board (SAB).

Attendees must register on Looped before the event by clicking “get tickets” and then “login to continue” using their SUNY Cortland email. A verification number will be sent and then users will be prompted to create a password. From there, attendees will be able to RSVP to SUNYFest.

Anyone with access to their SUNY Cortland email, including faculty, staff and alumni can attend this virtual concert. The SUNYFest Instagram and SUNY website will have updates and additional information about the concert.

Kesha (Kesha Rose Sebert), whose first album, “Animal,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2010 and featured international top 10 singles such as “Blah, Blah, Blah,” “Your Love is My Drug,” and “Take it Off,” will perform for SUNY students across the state.

Kesha has been nominated for multiple awards, such as Artist of the Year at the 2016 American Music Awards and Best Pop Solo Performance for her song “Praying” at the 2018 Grammy Awards. She was given the Trailblazer Award at the 2016 Billboard Women in Music ceremony, which gives recognition to influential female artists who have made significant contributions to the music industry. She also has more than 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

The success of the brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Met as AJR started from their viral music video for “I’m Ready,” which samples SpongeBob Squarepants’ catchphrase “I’m ready!” and has over 35 million views on YouTube. 

AJR writes, produces,and mixes all their songs from their living room in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan. They have opened for artists including Demi Lovato and had a sold-out U.S. headline tour in 2017. They have more than 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

SAB at Cortland and student groups from other SUNY schools financially contributed to lining up these artists. The Student Activity Fee that SUNY Cortland students pay each semester made it possible for Cortland’s SAB to be a part of SUNY history.

“I’ve been on the production committee planning things behind the scenes and I’m excited to finally see it all unfold,” said AnnaMaria Jacobson, a senior communication studies major who serves as SAB president and director of student activities for the Student Government Association.

Earlier this semester, SAB emailed a survey to students asking them to rank artists in order of preference for openers and headliners. Other SUNY schools did the same for their students and ultimately, Kesha and AJR came out on top.

SUNY Cortland received special shout-outs from Kesha and AJR that can be viewed on SAB’s Instagram page.

There will be additional performances from SUNY students as well.

“I’m actually excited to see the different talents from the schools!” Garcia said.

SAB requested video audition submissions from students who were interested in performing.

Felder, a senior criminology major, will represent SUNY Cortland as a rapper whose stage name is Prince Teejay. His Linktree will direct you to his music on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Instagram.

“It is an honor to represent Cortland during this special event,” Felder said. “I have performed at many shows from state to state but this one is my favorite, even though it’s virtual, due to the fact that my own school gets to see my talent. I can’t wait for everyone to tune in and I hope they are ready to watch a great show.”

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Chelsea Grate

SUNY Cortland senior Nakeesta Langton said she likes to blend in.

“Some students ask me if I’m 21 and I say ‘Yes,’” said Langton, who plans to walk in person at Commencement with family sharing the event virtually in May. She will accept a bachelor’s degree in childhood/early childhood education, birth through sixth grade, with a concentration in environmental studies.

“There’s no wrinkles and no gray,” Langton said, revealing how she accomplishes her transformation into the typical college student despite being 18 years beyond high school. “And when I’m at campus, I’m fully involved.”

But each day reminds her she’s not like other students.

She met Chad, the love of her life, when both were in the sixth grade.

“We started dating then. When we were high school seniors instead of having a graduation party, we had a wedding,” said Langton, of Castle Creek, N.Y., a small community near Binghamton.

“Our son came shortly thereafter, and we were both passionate about me staying home,” she said. “I had wanted to be an engineer and attending SUNY Delhi was my goal. But I put that off to raise a child. I don’t look back, because within a year he was diagnosed with a sensory disorder and autism.”

She decided she  could pause her education, but she wouldn’t get a second chance to be there for her children during their early years. The couple now has three children, Ryan, now 17,  Sam, 14, and Colleen, 12.

“It’s that closer attention, that little extra work that’s needed, especially with him being diagnosed with autism and with being able to have that person come in to work with him,” Langton said. “My staying home afforded us the ability to do that.”

Once her children were older and going to school,  Langton returned to her educational dream.

In 2017, she earned an associate in liberal sciences and certificate in early childhood from SUNY Broome before transferring to Cortland.

While at SUNY Broome, she presided over the Broome Educators of Children Association (BECA) Club and coordinated events for American Sign Language Club. Langston was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for people attending community college, and graduated with high honors.

She credits Gregory Diller ’07, the SUNY Cortland coordinator of transition programs, who splits his time between the SUNY Broome and SUNY Cortland campuses, for helping maximize her credit transfer.

Since 2018, Langton has made the more distant trek to the Cortland campus and for the teaching experiences in Whitney Point School District. She does what she can to minimize the impact of a long daily commute on her home life.

“My first semester I purposely set all classes for Tuesday and Thursday from 8 or 9 o’clock in the morning until 9 o’clock at night. My husband would order takeout on those nights they knew I would be late. So, it could be leftovers or takeout for them.”

At SUNY Cortland, she has served as Student Government Association representative for the Non-traditional Student Organization and has been an active member of the SGA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion e-board. She participated in the university’s Beloved Community Narratives Project of campus posters and presentations highlighting Cortland’s rich diversity. In her poster, Langton shares her personal story of living with a hearing disability.

She is among the scheduled presenters at this year’s Student Conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice on Saturday, April 17.

At the special Commencement, Langton will proudly bear the honor cords for the national interdisciplinary honor society, Phi Kappa Phi, and the national honor society for non-traditional students, Alpha Sigma Lambda. She will also wear the colorful Kente stole, which weaves an African tradition into the graduation experience.

This summer, Langton hopes to begin a master’s degree in dual literacy at SUNY Cortland.

She credits her husband for making it all possible.

“He has been very supportive when I was looking after our family and now in every aspect of financial support and encouragement and love,” Langton said. “He did graduate in computer repair from Board of Cooperative Educational Services and now he does that on top of working at the family business.

“He knows I would be able to support him if he didn’t want to work sometime down the road. Because isn’t that what a marriage is about?”

Langton is among SUNY Cortland’s approximately 300 non-traditional students. The university defines non-traditional students as those undergraduate students who are 24 years of age or older or, regardless of age, may have dependent children, working, military experience or a break in education after high school (at some point).

Usually celebrated in the fall, the university will celebrate these students during Non-Traditional Students Week beginning Monday, April 12. Each day, special activities will take place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stories about  outstanding non-traditional students will be shared during the week.

The week features a host of activities both virtually and on campus. They include:

• Monday, April 12: “Cookies for Non-Trads.” Stop by the Non-Traditional Students Lounge, Cornish Hall, Room 1221, between 1-3 p.m. to pick up your free cookie-to-go.
• Tuesday, April 13: “Non-Trads Treat: Wrap Sandwiches.’” Stop by the Non-Traditional Student Lounge, Cornish Hall, Room 1221, between 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for boxed, wrapped sandwiches lunch-to-go. Pre-orders were already taken for this event. There will be a few extra available.
• Tuesday, April 13: Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society Induction Ceremony at 7 p.m. via The prestige honor society is for non-traditional students and features inductees with GPAs from 3.6 to 4.0.
• Wednesday, April 14: “Beloved Community Narratives Project Panel 3.” Nakeesta Langton is a participant in the project and will be a part of this panel via Webex, from 4 to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, April 15: “You Know You’re a Non-Trad When…”  Cortland’s non-traditional students as well as non-traditional student alumni and faculty/staff who were adult students themselves while earning their degrees are encouraged respond the discussion board.
• Friday, April 16: “Cooking Video: Preparing a Fast and Easy Meal When Time is Limited.” Billy Hentenaar, senior exercise science major, will share the recipe and prepare a quick and easy meal for our adult students’ busy lives. (Link TBA).

Also in celebration of SUNY Cortland’s non-traditional students, nominations were being accepted for the “Celebrate-a-Non-Trad” campaign. The campaign aims to recognize non-traditional students who often balance college with other commitments such as family, jobs, and long commutes. The goal is to meet the unique needs of students over 24, and those with dependent children. SUNY Cortland will present nominated non-traditional students with a certificate and campus recognition.

Nominations should include the student’s name, contact information, relationship to the student and comments about the non-traditional student. Comments will be listed on the certificate, unless otherwise noted. To nominate a fellow student, fill out the nomination form.

For more information about Non-Traditional Students Week events, contact Non-Traditional Student Support at 607-753-4726.

Relative poverty and lack of opportunities has set the bar low for children in rural Dunbar, West Virginia.

“Most of the people I grew up with went to school because you had to,” recalled Allison McDaniel, a senior inclusive education major at SUNY Cortland who is concentrating in social sciences.

“When you were in the eighth grade or 16 you just dropped out. It was almost encouraged,” said McDaniel, whose two older brothers quit school early, about her labor-oriented hometown, a community of some 7,000 residents in West-central West Virginia.

“There’s this attitude of, ‘If you don’t want to be here, leave.’”

Yet people were shocked when McDaniel ended her education in the 11th grade at 16, a few weeks after she was elected as class president at the high school in a neighboring, larger city, but before she had attended a single student council meeting.

“No matter what my home situation was, I was someone who always thrived in school,” said McDaniel.

But behind her “excellent student” façade, the teenager could no longer cope with her unstable home life, shuffled from her mother’s house to her grandmother’s house to friends’ houses while her mother fought an addiction.

“My mom had been in and out of prison,” McDaniel said. “I had to work. I didn’t even get my GED for a while. I had to support myself to some extent, as much as l loved the socialization. In that world I grew up in, it was unrealistic to believe that school was going to lead me to anything. I lived from day to day.”

Today McDaniel of Endicott, N.Y., now 28 and raising two children of her own, is on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in May 2022 with dual certification in inclusive and special education.

Her children’s grandmother is helping out with childcare, enabling her to focus on studies. McDaniel has earned a 3.68 grade point average and recently was inducted into the Tau Sigma national honor society for transfer students. SUNY Cortland has supported her studies for 2021-22 by awarding her the Angela Pace, Spina-Friedgen ’71, Ethel Mahan Theisen ’55 and Rosemary Walters ’58 scholarships. 

As one of SUNY Cortland’s approximately 300 non-traditional students, McDaniel doesn’t mind standing out a bit in age from her classmates, knowing the almost insurmountable odds she beat to get where she is today.

“I think I would have been much more ahead in my education and my goals if I had had someone who made me feel safe and comfortable to continue my education,” she said.

“I would like to offer support and help that a lot of students don’t get, and a lot of educators think doesn’t matter,” McDaniel said of her outlook as a future teacher after she completes courses next fall and her student teaching assignment in Spring 2022. “I think it’s important for educators to know that their students have social, emotional needs that must be met.”

For most of the 12 years between age 16 and now, she made little progress.

“I bounced around with friends, I just survived,” she said. At 19, she moved back in with her mother, who urged her to complete her GED.

“I felt unfulfilled because I couldn’t finish,” said McDaniel, who heeded her parent’s advice. “I showed up and tested all day. I enjoy testing, organizing my thoughts and what I know and what I don’t know. I realized I missed school and having that intellectual challenge.”

A few weeks later, the Governor’s Office affirmed her GED completion and disclosed the exciting news that her stellar test score had won her a free year of higher education through a special program in West Virginia.

“I kind of hem-hawed on it for a while,” McDaniel said. “Then I decided, if I was going to go for free, I was just going to go and enjoy myself. I mean, people die for 50 grand where I come from.”

By choosing West Virginia University, she put more than three hours’ driving distance between herself and Dunbar.

“It was like night and day from where I’d come from and I’d never experienced that: being in a place where everyone’s goal was to be better,” McDaniel said of her year taking fun liberal arts courses. “No one had to be there, and nobody was trying to make it difficult for everyone. It kind of filled this void I had. I went for my first year and I did great, I loved it.”

But McDaniel’s early life experiences have caused her to exhibit an exaggerated startle response, even in the classroom where she feels most comfortable.

“If I hear a loud noise, like a dropped book, my hands go up and I go ‘Aww!’” she said. “People say, ‘Get ready for Allison’s reaction.’ It’s just part of who I am.”

Encouraged by faculty mentors, McDaniel began getting mental health services for post-traumatic stress disorder and general anxiety disorder.

“I went from doing good to thriving,” she said. “No one should feel embarrassed or nervous or socially conscious in dealing with mental health. This negative framing that we have keeps people from dealing with mental health concerns that we have. It’s something I actively work with in therapy with medication.”

After her year at West Virginia University was over, McDaniel worked until her first child was born, when she found herself in a government office seeking assistance from a solicitous bureaucrat.

“Her job was to help me get food stamps, but this very nice lady connected me to the right resources, and I was able to slowly take one or two classes while I was raising my baby at home,” McDaniel said.

Tragedy struck her life when she was 24 and her mother, still struggling with addiction, was killed by a home intruder, along with McDaniel’s stepfather and the family dog. The police case is unsolved.

“The aftermath made me decide that I need to help people before they get to this point,” McDaniel said. “How many unmet needs were there for my mother before she got to this point, to be silently harmed until she was killed?

“I would like to be teaching children applying that same mentality,” she said. “To be in a safe and secure setting, education will naturally come, because everyone wants it.”

The family of her children’s father in the Binghamton area then reached out to her in the wake of her trauma, although her former boyfriend has moved on.

“You can’t be in a healthy relationship when you’re in an unhealthy relationship with yourself,” McDaniel said of how she and her former partner had tried their best to make it work.

“Now we’re just friends. He’s getting married in September,” McDaniel said. His future wife is kind to McDaniel’s children and offers them treats she’d never think of. “They get the benefit of three parents, four really, with their grandma.”

The children’s grandmother is helping McDaniel raise her two girls, Amelia Mae Palermo, now 7, and Hazel Grace Palermo, 4.

“We’re a united front in raising these children,” McDaniel said.

She hopes to pay it forward in her future classroom.

“It’s why I take inclusive childhood education,” McDaniel said. “It’s because students don’t learn when human needs aren’t being met. When students are confused, struggling with mental illness, it doesn’t matter how much they want to learn, something is not giving them that opportunity to decide. It’s deciding for them. This is an opportunity for me to create equity in the classroom.”

McDaniel is being honored along with other classmates during the university's Non-traditional Students Week, which also features events from April 12 to 16.

Also in celebration of SUNY Cortland’s non-traditional students, nominations were being accepted for the “Celebrate-a-Non-Trad” campaign. The campaign aims to recognize non-traditional students who often balance college with other commitments such as family, jobs, and long commutes. The goal is to meet the unique needs of students over 24, and those with dependent children. SUNY Cortland will present nominated non-traditional students with a certificate and campus recognition.

Nominations should include the student’s name, contact information, relationship to the student and comments about the non-traditional student. Comments will be listed on the certificate, unless otherwise noted. To nominate a fellow student, fill out the nomination form.

For more information about Non-Traditional Students Week events, contact Non-Traditional Student Support at 607-753-4726.