Campus Champion

Members of the Class of 2020 returned to campus on Sunday, May 15 for a "Welcome Back" Commencement Celebration. Their ceremony was postponed two years because of the pandemic - but it was worth the wait for the many who came back. They enjoyed catching up with classmates, faculty and staff and got to walk across the stage in Alumni Arena. SUNY Cortland thanks these students for their patience and admires them for their talents, their toughness and their Red Dragon spirit. Welcome home!

Seven SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members received the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence during the 2022 Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies.

The honorees and their awards are:

• Anne Burns Thomas, professor in the Foundations and Social Advocacy Department and program coordinator for Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.), Excellence in Teaching
• AnnaMaria Cirrincione, director of Multicultural Life and Diversity, Excellence in Professional Service
• Heather Drew, administrative assistant in Information Resources, Excellence in Classified Service
• Eileen Gravani, associate dean of the School of Professional Studies, Excellence in Professional Service
• Li Jin, professor in the Geology Department and coordinator of the Environmental Science Program, Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
• Chris Widdall, assistant dean for assessment and accreditation in the School of Education and associate professor in the Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department, Excellence in Professional Service
• Kim Wieczorek, associate professor in the Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department, Excellence in Faculty Service

The Chancellor’s Awards provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and encourage the pursuit of excellence at all 64 SUNY campuses. Each campus president submits nominations, which are reviewed by the SUNY Committee on Awards.

This year’s SUNY Cortland honorees are profiled below:

Anne Burns Thomas

Every aspect of Burns Thomas’ teaching is informed by her research analyzing inequities in the U.S. educational system and the structural effects of racism on K-12 students and teachers.

Burns Thomas, the 54th Cortland faculty member to be acknowledged by SUNY for teaching excellence, joined the Foundations and Social Advocacy Department in 2006.

She is described by colleagues as a masterful, thoughtful teacher whose courses introduce students to critical contemporary issues in the field of education. Her teaching methods, course design and assessments are created to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to enter into conversations about educational policy and advocacy work.

Burns Thomas regularly revises and refines her courses based on current disciplinary research and feedback from her students, who have consistently praised the respectful, supportive environment she creates. Her classes are marked by rigorous expectations and clear learning goals.

She directs the Cortland Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.) program, which is critical to increasing the number of diverse teacher candidates the university prepares for careers in K-12 education.

“In this role, Burns Thomas has served as a campus leader, promoting efforts to expand the diversity of our students, especially in teacher education, and sharing anti-racist teaching approaches with faculty across campus,” according to one nominator.

Burns Thomas received a Ph.D. in teaching, learning and curriculum from the University of Pennsylvania.

AnnaMaria Cirrincione

Cirrincione, the 34th SUNY honoree in professional service at Cortland, has helped the campus make great strides in prioritizing its goals for diversity, equity and inclusion since arriving on campus in 2015.

Her advocacy for students is visible and well-recognized across campus and she recently was appointed as a fellow for the SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute.

“Cirrincione is a critical leader on our campus whose knowledge, support and drive benefits our students and our institution,” one nominator noted.

Cirrincione, who has an M.S. in higher education administration from Syracuse University, earned her current role just a year after she joined as assistant director of multicultural life and diversity. In 2020, she also stepped in as interim chief diversity and inclusion officer.

Cirrincione has led the development of ongoing initiatives and programs, including the Understanding and Advocating for Racial Justice Workshop, the Peer2Peer Mentor Program and the Kente Celebration.

She plays a leading role on campus-wide committees, including the Anti-Racism Taskforce, the Disability Resources Advisory Committee, the President’s Council on Inclusive Excellence, the Bias Response Team and the Latinx and Latin American Studies Committee. She has served on institution-wide committees including Middle States accreditation.

Heather Drew

A 13-year SUNY Cortland employee who has served Information Resources since 2017, Drew is a highly knowledgeable and extremely dependable member of the campus community who stands out for her problem-solving skill and timely, positive service.

“In the midst of uncertainty in her department, with the sudden retirement of her supervisor and the reorganization of our campus Information Resources office, Ms. Drew was a steady and calm influence,” one nominator noted.

Drew consistently exceeds performance expectations, distinguishing herself with her knowledge of budgeting and contracts. Her supervisor describes her as having a “can-do” attitude. Drew also demonstrates her willingness to help whenever needed, most notably with COVID-19 pandemic operations, volunteering with the State Employees’ Federated Appeal (SEFA) Campaign, and leading professional development in Information Resources.

Drew, the 14th Cortland recipient of the SUNY classified staff recognition, is credited with a dedication and capability that allows Information Resources to run as a model office on the campus.

Eileen Gravani

Gravani, associate dean of professional studies, advocates tirelessly to help students navigate the complexities of their degree requirements. She is the 35th SUNY Cortland faculty member honored for professional service,

“Her excellence is manifest in her daily work as associate dean: solving problems, advising students and collaborating with key partners across campus, including Disability Resources, Title IX, and the Student Behavioral Assessment Team,” one nominator observed.

She also:

• led the development of a selected studies major within the School of Professional Studies that has improved student retention
• coordinated a major curricular revision to ensure graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department were eligible for New York state teaching certification
• developed new study abroad opportunities for students in the school.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Gravani applied her calm, positive and proactive approach to developing temporary flexible grading policies, obtaining emergency student funding, addressing academic and medical needs for students in quarantine or isolation, and working out remote learning issues for students.

Gravani earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Cornell University. At Cortland, she served what is now called the Communication Disorders and Sciences Department from 1980 until 2008, when the associate professor and former department chair was appointed to her current role.

Li Jin

An internationally-known researcher in the long-term, global impacts of climate change and water contamination, Jin is the 19th SUNY Cortland faculty member to receive the Chancellor’s Award for scholarship and creative activities.

Jin, who earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in geochemistry from Nanjing University in China and a Ph.D. in geology/hydrology from Syracuse University, joined the SUNY Cortland Geology Department faculty in 2011 and attained the rank of professor in 2019.

A prolific scholar in the fields of aqueous geochemistry, hydrochemistry and hydrogeology, since coming to Cortland she has written 37 peer-reviewed papers published in high-impact international journals. Jin also boasts an impressive record of presentations at national and international conferences. A valuable mentor for undergraduate students, she has directed 17 undergraduate research projects since 2012.

“Jin’s sustained record of water quality modelling scholarship is interdisciplinary and collaborative, and she has long-standing partnerships with scholars and research teams around the world to study water systems and their human impact,” wrote one nominator. What makes her research stand out is its solution-driven approach and consideration of the social, economic, agriculture and environmental impacts of water systems.

Jin has secured funding for her research, including two recent grants from Water Resource Associations/University of Oxford to study metal transport in river systems in southeast Asia and Africa.

Chris Widdall ’00, M ’03

Widdall’s colleagues across campus regard her as a dependable, upbeat and highly collaborative professional who uses her expertise to solve problems both within her division and in other areas.

The 36th SUNY Cortland faculty member to be awarded by SUNY for professional service, she joined the SUNY Cortland faculty in 2008. In 2016, she was appointed to a full-time professional position as the Watermark and edTPA coordinator for SUNY Cortland’s Teacher Education Unit. In 2021, she was appointed as assistant dean of assessment and accreditation in the School of Education.

Widdall, who has a Ph.D. in education with specialization in instructional design for online learning from Capella University, is credited with a deep knowledge of online learning, programmatic assessment and teacher certification that has been essential for leading the campus through several initiatives directly tied to accreditation efforts. She worked to establish an online database that supports ongoing institutional and programmatic assessment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she created a course that introduced teacher education candidates to principles of online learning and helped the institution acquire and use digital tools to continue supporting student teachers in the field.

Widdall also serves on the university’s Faculty Senate and fulfills many other campus and community volunteer commitments.

Kim Wieczorek

Wieczorek, who currently chairs the Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department, excels at cultivating and sustaining collaborations that benefit all the stakeholders involved.

“This can be clearly seen in her work with school partnerships, fieldwork sites that bring together SUNY Cortland teacher education faculty, SUNY Cortland teacher candidates and the students, teachers and administrators in local schools,” one nominator said.

“In all of her service work, her joy and passion for learning is contagious, and she is a well-respected, life-long mentor for her students and colleagues alike,” said another.

Wieczorek leads several of the school’s partnerships and has frequently secured grant funding for them.

Wieczorek is a key player in the campus-wide teacher education accreditation efforts and a member of the board of the SUNY Cortland Child Care Center.

Her long-standing state-wide and national service includes having served as president of the New York State Association for Teacher Educators (NYSATE).

The 18th SUNY Cortland faculty member to be honored by SUNY for faculty service, she joined the university in 2013 as an associate professor.

Wieczorek earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

SUNY Cortland professor Lynn Couturier MacDonald, former chair of SUNY Cortland’s Physical Education Department, recently was appointed to the rank of Distinguished Service Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees in recognition of a dedicated career that raised the bar for physical education instruction at the university and well beyond.

The Distinguished Service Professorship is conferred upon instructional faculty who have achieved a distinguished reputation for applying their intellectual skills and research to interests of public concern in their community, New York state or nationwide.

The appointment constitutes a promotion to the SUNY’s highest academic rank.

“It is clear that Dr. MacDonald’s institutional, professional, community, state and national service has been extensive, exceptional and impactful,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “The standard-setting and assessment work Dr. MacDonald has done over decades has involved careful, nuanced attention to detail, clear and visionary leadership and coordination with other physical education scholars and practitioners.”

MacDonald was formally honored during SUNY Cortland’s 2022 Commencement Ceremonies on May 14 in the Park Center Alumni Arena.

She earned a Doctor of Physical Education from Springfield College in 1986. MacDonald has a B.S. in physical education from Springfield College and received a Master of Science in Biomechanics from University of Illinois and a Master of Arts in American Studies with honors from Trinity College. She has a graduate certificate for advanced feminist studies from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

MacDonald began her college teaching career at Springfield College, continuing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the United States Coast Guard Academy before joining SUNY Cortland in 2008 at the rank of professor and chair of physical education. She chaired the department for the next nine years.

MacDonald, who was recognized in 2017 by the State University with a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, approaches her work in a way that colleagues consistently describe as embodying the “servant-leader” ethos.

“In her work with program and college-wide accreditation, Dr. MacDonald sets the course as well as conducts the necessary research, data collection and analysis that inform that vision,” one nominator said. “She has a generative capacity as a leader, someone who can marshal disparate groups toward a collective goal.”

Her leadership is evident in her scholarly work, improving the state of P-12 physical education in the U.S. through standards and assessment, and in her approach to instruction in SUNY Cortland’s physical education teacher preparation programs. She has excelled at connecting service, teaching and scholarship. Her record reflects a highly commendable clarity of vision and purpose.

“[Dr. MacDonald] is a dream colleague because her work is always of the absolute highest quality and grounded in both research and practical application,” said Charlene Burgeson, the chief program officer of Action for Healthy Kids and Executive Director of Active Schools. Burgeson collaborated with MacDonald on a national P.E. standards project.

“Lynn is a quiet and confident leader who leads by example, and as such, she engenders commitment and loyalty. She is willing to work on grueling projects because she knows they will be the bedrock for high quality professional practice. She is not motivated by attention and recognition but rather by professional contribution and a job well done.”

MacDonald is a well-known scholar and prolific researcher who has published well-cited works in her field on assessment, outcomes, physical literacy and physical education teacher preparation. At Cortland, she is the published author of two books, eight peer-reviewed articles, two research reports and findings that have appeared in international journals.

A past president of the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) from 2009 to 2012, she has written invited pieces about her role in crafting the P-12 physical education standards and related learning outcomes in NASPE: Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

MacDonald drew on her scholarly expertise of physical education standards in her national service, including her long-standing involvement with NASPE and the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE, formerly the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance or AAPHERD).

She was invited both in 2006 and again in 2015 to be a member of the NASPE task force to revise the P-12 grade level physical education standards for U.S. schools.

From 2011 to 2013, she chaired the work of creating a curriculum framework with grade-level benchmarks to accompany those standards. Far from a one-off appointment, membership on this task force included research into best practices in physical education, deep study of the current accreditation standards through the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and continuous involvement with concerned stakeholders through information sharing and feedback sessions.

She was also invited by SHAPE to edit and write books aimed at helping physical educators enact the standards in their classrooms, conduct outcomes-based assessment and integrate technology in their curriculum.

MacDonald’s service to NASPE was so valued by CAEP and NASPE that she was asked to join a national team to conduct quality reviews of CAEP reports from physical education teacher education programs across the U.S.

An active participant in the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance from 2008 to 2013 and 2015 to 2017 (NYS-AHPERD), MacDonald in 2013 was recognized by the organization for her contributions with the Amazing Person Award, Higher Education Section.

At Cortland, she has led numerous accreditation efforts that have a ripple effect across the institution and programs in terms of meeting standards or strategic goals.

Currently, she co-chairs the university’s Middle States Accreditation Committee. Her expertise on student learning and experience with accreditation has been key to authentically evaluating and articulating the campus work that led to a successful reaccreditation.

MacDonald has filled other “high-profile, high-impact” roles on campus, including serving as Faculty Senate chair, a role in which she shepherded several important initiatives.

In addition to her prominent service to her department and the School of Professional Studies, MacDonald has engaged in shaping curriculum, personnel procedures and physical spaces on the campus.

At the institutional level, MacDonald also tackled the issues of expanding diversity, equity and inclusion hiring in her department. She has served on the Center for Intercultural and Gender Studies.

The Blackbird Film Festival returns to the SUNY Cortland campus and the greater Cortland community May 19 to 22.

The eighth annual festival, which is free to attend, will feature 136 films in 13 thematic blocks. The festival will include 71 films made by women writers or directors, 32 by Black, indigenous and people of color writers or directors and 30 by LGBTQ+ writers or directors.

Filmmakers from across the globe submitted a total of 1,196 films to Blackbird’s judges. The festival is directed by Samuel Avery, a SUNY Cortland associate professor of communication and media studies, and its staff includes many young alumni and student interns.

Most screening blocks will be held in Old Main Brown Auditorium, although the festival is also holding additional VIP events at downtown locations such as BRU64, the Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House and Hollywood Restaurant.

A full schedule of events is available online.

“We’re excited to be back,” Avery said. “We’ve been off campus since 2020 and it feels like a lifetime ago that we ran this festival in Brown (Auditorium). So we’re excited, and a bit anxious too.”

Thematic blocks for the 2022 festival include:

• In Loving Memory: Films about the grieving process and how we all find ways to remember the ones we loved.
• Lyrical, Satirical, Political: A mash-up of musicals, poems and satires that comment on the status of the world’s many problems.
• Brother’s Keeper: A collection of short films featuring characters who must account for their sibling in one way or another.
• Rhythm and Vibe: A first for the festival, a music video screening party will be held at BRU64 on Main St. in Cortland at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 20.
• Friday Night Feels: A series of dramatic and emotional shorts.
• Material World: Poetic documentaries, animations and science fiction thrillers about the things that make up our world.
• Micro Madness: A block of more than 20 films that are all under three minutes in length.

“This is Not a War Story,” a full-length feature drama by actor and director Talia Lugacy and executive produced by Rosario Dawson, will be screened at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15 at the Center for the Arts in Homer. The film explores the lives of combat veterans in New York City whose anti-war art, poetry and papermaking brings them together despite the challenges they face in healing from that trauma.

A detailed film guide with trailers, run times, production and cast information is available online.

SUNY Cortland alumni and student interns with ties to this year’s event include: Cloe King, social media director; Mitch Ensman, director of event operations; and Shannon Delaney, Andy Fauvelle, Nolan Harpp, Amanda Lerch, Alyssa Marley, Madison Napoli and Owen Parseghian.

“These are all-star interns from years back before COVID,” Avery said, noting that students helped turn the festival into a drive-in and outdoor event at Greek Peak Mountain Resort in 2020 and 2021. “Blackbird would never have survived (the COVID-19 pandemic) if it wasn’t for the grit of these former interns.”

In addition to film screenings, Blackbird will hold several other events in the community throughout the weekend, such as a paint and sip, a panel discussion on independent film distribution and an award ceremony. Some of these events require tickets and fees. More information is available online.

Learn more about the 2022 Blackbird Film Festival at blackbirdfilmfest.com.

Dear campus community,

Most of you are aware of Saturday’s horrific mass shooting in Buffalo. This was a despicable act of racist terrorism that took the lives of innocent victims. My heart breaks for them, their families and for the members of any community that has been targeted by racism.

SUNY Cortland condemns racist hate and violence and is committed to be a welcoming place of acceptance and safety for all people, regardless of their race, religion or background.

I do understand that many of you are hurting now, trying to comprehend how and why this could happen and what we can do to prevent this from ever happening again. These are the sad, unfortunate and challenging questions of our time. How do we stop hate and violence?

I’m not sure if any one person can solve this on their own. But I do know that you can make a difference in our community today. I encourage you to reach out to your classmates, teammates, faculty members and coworkers to offer support or to simply check in. We also must talk to each other about our most central values: diversity, inclusion and understanding. These conversations and our actions will allow us to move forward and make the world a better place. Please speak to any university employee or use the bias related incident reporting form if you have concerns about anything you’ve seen on this campus.

Additional resources are available through the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office.

Students, if you are seeking additional support, please visit the Counseling Center or SUNY system for more information on online and in-person services.

All the best,

Erik J. Bitterbaum

President

Sawubona was created to match the quality of the recent renovations to Moffett Center.

Mission accomplished.

The café known for using premium African coffee beans recently earned silver recognition in the retail sales category of the 2022 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards presented by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS).

Located in the Moffett Center Forum, Sawubona opened for the Spring 2021 semester. Its name reflects a Zulu greeting that translates to “we see you.” Moffett Center’s recent $25 million renovation brought new space for several academic departments, including the university’s Africana Studies Department.

“We are thrilled with this award and recognition,” said Jeffrey Scott, director of dining services for Cortland Auxiliary Services. “We’ve made an effort to expand ‘globally inspired, locally connected’ menu concepts, and this honor reflects the impact of that work.”

The facility highlights a local partnership with Coffee Mania, a popular wholesaler that imports coffee beans from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya and then roasts them in the city of Cortland. Signature blends offered in the Moffett Center café include Tumaini, which translates to “hope” in Swahili, and Pamoja, which means “together.”

“We’re excited that the message behind Sawubona – ‘I see you and I value you’ – has been recognized and embraced,” said Scott, noting this is the second consecutive year SUNY Cortland has earned a NACUFS recognition.

In addition to signature coffee and tea drinks, Sawubona offers a menu that includes specialty sandwiches and other light fare. The dining spot – one of several retail dining facilities at SUNY Cortland – is open from early morning to mid-afternoon in a hub of student and faculty activity during the academic year.

SUNY Cortland’s baseball team will host a four-team, double-elimination NCAA Division III regional at Wallace Field on campus starting on Friday, May 20.

The Red Dragons, SUNYAC tournament champions with a record of 33-10, have played in 29 consecutive national tournaments, a Division III record.

Cortland will play Bridgewater State in the opening game of the regional at 10 a.m. on Friday. Endicott and St. John Fisher meet in the second game on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Games continue at 8:30 a.m., noon and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 11 a.m. on Sunday. A final elimination game will be played Sunday afternoon, if necessary.

The winner of the Cortland regional will play the winner of a SUNY Brockport-hosted regional in a best-of-three super regional round on May 27 and 28. The Division III World Series will be held June 3 to 8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Senior infielder Danny Coleman hit a home run and drove in four runs to lead Cortland to a 12-9 victory over Brockport in the SUNYAC championship game on May 14. Coleman, who was named tournament MVP, was joined by Mat Bruno, Andrew Michalski and Scott Giordano on the all-tournament team.

Women’s lacrosse

SUNY Cortland’s women’s lacrosse team has advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III tournament and will play The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 21.

Cortland defeated Western Connecticut State, 18-8, and Roger Williams, 14-11, in the first two rounds of the tournament at home on May 14 and 15, respectively.

Graduate student Hannah Lorenzen scored five goals and had two assists in the victory over Roger Williams.

Cortland, 17-4, has won 16 consecutive games and was ranked No. 16 in the nation in the May 9 poll by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.

Men’s lacrosse

The Red Dragons’ season ended with a 15-14 loss to St. Lawrence in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament on May 14. Dante Yacavone and Tyler Starrett scored three goals apiece for Cortland.

Cortland had defeated Geneseo 7-6 in the SUNYAC championship game on May 7. Troy Morris and Austin Palmer scored two goals each in the win.

Women’s golf

SUNY Cortland placed 24th at the Division III Championships held at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas earlier this month.

Claudia Winterberg shot a three-over-par 75 on the third day of the tournament and finished tied for 55th among individuals.

Cortland won the Northeast Women’s Golf Conference Championship in April, the team’s fifth consecutive league title. Paige Cerminaro won the tournament with a two-day score of 157.

Track and field

Danielle Fisk and Brett Morse set facility records in the high jump and the 110-meter hurdles, respectively, at the Nazareth College ROC City Qualifier meet on May 15.

The Red Dragons will send competitors to the AARTFC Championships this Wednesday and Thursday at Moravian College.

Softball

Cortland’s softball team finished second at the SUNYAC softball tournament, losing to Geneseo, 7-0, in its final game. The Red Dragons finished the season with a 26-15 record.

Alyssa Finno, Karlee Weeden and Gina Meyers were named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament team.

Women’s tennis

Cortland’s season ended with a 5-0 loss to top-seeded New Paltz in the SUNYAC semifinals on April 29. Abby Madigan won her first set at second singles, 6-1 and was trailing 1-0 in the second set when the team competition ended.

For more information on SUNY Cortland athletics, including live stats, video, stories and more, visit CortlandRedDragons.com.

More than 150 SUNY Cortland female athletes attended the Athletics Department's Alden '77/May '77 Athletic Leadership Speaker Series event on Thursday, April 28, at the Sperry Center celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
 
This June marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972, which states that "no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
 
The event featured presentations by the sponsors of the speaker series, Bonnie May '77, the recently retired associate athletic director and long-time women's volleyball and softball head coach at Smith College, and Betsy Alden '77, the former director of athletics at the College of Notre Dame, Webster University, San Francisco State University, and Ithaca College, and former President of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators.
 
Five Cortland women's head coaches - Heidi Axtell (soccer), Jacey Brooks (basketball), Erin Glickert (volleyball), Molly O'Donnell (softball) and Sulekha Modi Zaug '00, M '02 (gymnastics) - participated in a panel discussion following the presentations.
 
May was one of five Cortland C-Club Hall of Famers and C-Club Board of Directors members participating in the event, along with: Nancy Langham '59 (retired faculty member and coach at Cortland and the University of Rhode Island); Lin Case '77 (retired SUNY Brockport director of athletics); Sandy Morley '77 (retired principal, Bethlehem Middle School); and Toni Tiburzi (SUNY Cortland associate provost emerita, enrollment management, and former Cortland head coach).

Read more and see photos

Seven new members were inducted into the SUNY Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame during its annual ceremony on Saturday, April 30. The induction class was originally selected in 2020, but the ceremony was postponed on a few occasions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The story was originally posted on the Cortland Red Dragons website on April 29.

The spring 2022 honorees (selected in 2020) are:
 
* Robert Branham '77 M '82, men's golf
 
* James Burke '78 (posthumous), men's lacrosse 
 
* Michael Chiapparelli '78 M '86, baseball
 
* Cydney Archer Scarano '81 M '83, women's soccer
 
* Katie Finch Talbert '10 M '13, softball
 
* Jessica Laing Clark '10, women's basketball
 
* and Julie Lenhart (honorary), softball head coach (1995-2019) 

In addition to Saturday night's official ceremony, the inductees were introduced at halftime during the Cortland-Geneseo men's lacrosse game earlier that afternoon. 
 
Established in 1969, the C-Club Hall of Fame recognizes Cortland alumni who competed as athletes at the university and who have since distinguished themselves in their professions and within their communities. Honorary members are recognized for their long and significant contributions to SUNY Cortland athletics. New C-Club members have been added annually and this year's ceremony will bring the Hall of Fame roster to 276 alumni and 31 honorary members.
 
The C-Club Hall of Fame induction class for the fall of 2022 will be officially announced soon. Nominations for the 2023 C-Club Hall of Fame voting will be accepted until January 15, 2023. The nomination form is available online. 

A person must be nominated in order to be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame.
 
A detailed look at this spring's inductees follows.  
 
Robert Branham '77, M '82 
(Norwich, New York) 
 
Robert Branham was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifying golfer at Cortland, and a long-time coach and teacher, primarily in the Norwich City Schools. 
 
* The Norwich, N.Y., native earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1977 and a master's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1982 
 
* Men's golfer four seasons from 1973-77 (Red Letter Award winner all four years) 
 
* Two-time NCAA All-American – second team honoree in 1976 (tied for sixth nationally) and third team in 1977 (17th nationally); qualified for 1975 NCAA Championships (tied for 43rd) and was medalist at 1975 and 1977 NCAA qualifiers 
 
* Two-time State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) individual champion in 1973 and 1975. Four-time Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship qualifier, including medalist in 1976, tied for sixth in 1975 and tied for 11th in 1974 
 
* Medalist twice at tournaments in the fall of 1974, four in the fall of 1975 and five in 1976. Finished with a 74.6 scoring average in the fall of 1975 and 75.2 in the fall of 1976. 
 
* Two-time medalist in 1974 and 1975 at the Brook-lea Intercollegiate Invitational in Rochester and posted a five-under-par 67 in a win over Ithaca in 1977 
 
* Selected for Outstanding College Athletes of America for 1975 for leadership, service, scholarship and outstanding athletic achievement 
 
* Physical education teacher at South New Berlin School from 1977-79, Botetourt County Middle School (Va.) in 1979-80, Schoharie Central School from 1980-87, and Norwich City Schools from 1987 until his retirement in 2011 
 
* Coached basketball, softball, football and golf at Norwich from 1987-2014 as well as golf, basketball and baseball at Schoharie, football, basketball and track at Botetourt County Middle School, and football and basketball at South New Berlin. Assisted Norwich boys' basketball to New York State Public High School Athletic Association state titles in 1993 and 1994 and a Federation state title in 1993 
 
* First amateur to ever qualify for the BC Open golf tournament in 1983; also amateur participant in a Ben Hogan Tour Tournament 
 
* Multi-year participant at NYS Amateur Golf Tournament (best finish third place) and NYS Senior Amateur Golf Tournament (first place age group finish twice) 
 
* Triple Cities Amateur champion and two-time John Grandeo Open champion 
 
* Member of Hall of Fame at Canasawacta Country Club – 24-time club champion, 10-time member-guest champion and 3-time senior member-guest champion 
 
* Member of NYS Golf Association Course Rating Team 
 
* Member of Section 4 Hall of Fame as a 1973 Oxford Academy and Central School alumnus who competed in football, basketball, baseball and golf 
 
James Burke '78 
(posthumous) 
 
James Burke was a three-time All-America defenseman for Cortland's men's lacrosse team from 1975-78 who went on to become one of the world's top lacrosse players on three U.S. world championship teams  
 
* A Huntington, N.Y., native, he earned a bachelor's degree in health science education from Cortland in 1978 
 
* Four-year men's lacrosse starting defenseman from 1975-78 
 
* Three-time All-American, earning first team honors in both 1976 and 1978 and second team recognition in 1977 
 
* Team captain in both 1977 and 1978 and North-South Senior All-Star Game participant in 1978 
 
* Helped Cortland make four straight NCAA Division II tournament appearances from 1975-78; the Red Dragons won the 1975 national title and were national quarterfinalists the other three seasons, and the team also won the inaugural SUNYAC title 
 
* Led a defensive unit that allowed less than 10 goals per game during his four seasons, compared to Cortland averaging more than 13 goals per game during that stretch  
 
* Member of U.S. national men's lacrosse team that won world championships in 1982, 1986 and 1990, and was a team alternate in 1978. In 1986 he was a team captain of the U.S. squad, was voted the Outstanding Defenseman of the World Games, and earned a spot on the All-World Team as the U.S. defeated Canada, 18-9, in the gold medal game in Toronto. The U.S. also defeated Canada, 19-15, in the 1990 championship game in Perth, Australia, with Burke taking over faceoff duties during the game to help propel the Americans to the title 
 
* 1994 National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee 
 
* 1992 Long Island Lacrosse Hall of Fame; played for more than a decade with the Long Island Lacrosse Club, where he was a perennial All-Club selection and a key to six championship teams in the USCLA, at the time the top post-collegiate field lacrosse league. He also played club lacrosse in California as well as masters tournaments in Vail, Lake Placid and Florida 
 
* 1991 Krongard Trophy winner for his contributions to the game as an active club player 
 
* Coached youth lacrosse in Florida in 2016 
 
* Graduated from the New York Chiropractic College in 1983 and was the owner and operator of Burke Family Chiropractic from 1983-2016 
 
* Passed away peacefully at his family home on April 8, 2020, following his four and a half year battle with prostate cancer 
 
Michael Chiapparelli '78, M '86 
(Mamaroneck, New York) 
 
Michael Chiapparelli, a former baseball catcher for the Red Dragons, has been one of the most successful coaches in New York State history in both baseball and ice hockey for 42 years at Mamaroneck High School 
 
* The Mamaroneck, N.Y., native earned a bachelor's degree in education from Cortland in 1978 and a master's degree in physical education, with a concentration in training, from Cortland in 1986 
 
* Played baseball for four seasons from 1975-78, primarily as a catcher, with time in the outfield as a senior 
 
* Assistant coach for the Red Dragons as a graduate student under both Bob Wallace and Al Stockholm 
 
* Elementary physical education teacher at Murray Avenue School in Mamaroneck from 1984-2000 and physical education at Mamaroneck High School from 2000-present 
 
* More than 1,300 combined victories at Mamaroneck, his alma mater, as head coach of the varsity ice hockey and baseball teams and the junior varsity football and ice hockey programs 
 
* Mamaroneck varsity baseball head coach since 1985 – has won a combined 607 games, 21 league championships, five sectional titles, three regional championships and three New York State Class AA titles (2008, 2009, 2015) 
 
* Mamaroneck varsity boys' ice hockey coach since 1998, as well as from 1985-94 – his 527 wins rank first all-time in New York State, and his teams, along with long-time assistant Art Bruno, have won eight sectional titles, nine league championships and five regional championships, won the 2016 state title and was runner-up in 2009 
 
* Three-time New York State Class AA Baseball Coach of the Year and 2009 New York State Coach of the Year, as well as league coach of the year 16 times, Section 1 Coach of the Year eight times, and 2021 NBSBCA Regional District 1 Coach of the Year 
 
* 2016 NYS Division 1 Ice Hockey Coach of the Year, 2014 National Eastern District Coach of the Year, league coach of the year 10 times and Section 1 Coach of the Year eight times 
 
* Earned 2010 Frank McGuire Award from the New York Athletic Club, given to top coaches in the tri-state area 
 
* 125 wins as Mamaroneck's JV ice hockey head coach from 1979-85 and 79 wins as JV football head coach from 1981-90, 1997-99 and 2006-10 
 
* Inducted into the NYS Baseball Hall of Fame (2019), Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame (2015), and Mamaroneck High School Hall of Fame (2001) 
 
* Town of Mamaroneck Youth Hockey instructor (1978-85) and director of the program (1985-2011), and also directed Town of Mamaroneck Day Camp (1978-89) and Gymnastics Camp (1978-85) 
 
* Has served 35 years on the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Little League Board of Directors 
 
Cydney Archer Scarano '81, M '83 
(Madbury, New Hampshire) 
 
Cydney Archer Scarano was an All-American on Cortland's 1980 women's soccer national championship team, and she has coached the sport on the scholastic and collegiate levels for more than 30 years since her graduation. 
 
* The Syracuse native earned a bachelor's degree in education from Cortland in 1982 and a master's degree (National Science Foundation Graduate Assistantship) in education from Cortland in 1983, in addition to earning a Juris Doctor degree in environmental law from Syracuse University in 1990 and a master's degree in education leadership from the University of New Hampshire in 2003 
 
* Midfielder/wing halfback on Cortland's first three women's soccer varsity teams from 1978-80 that posted a combined 38-4-1 record, member of club soccer team from 1976-77, four-year indoor club soccer participant from 1977-80 
 
* As a senior in 1980 earned All-America honors (first year women's All-Americans were selected) and first team Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) all-region recognition, and was an all-region honoree in 1979 
 
* Finished with a combined 27 goals and 10 assists for 64 points in three varsity seasons, including 10 goals and seven assists in 1978 and nine goals and three assists in 1980 
 
* Helped Cortland win the first-ever U.S. National Women's Soccer Championship in 1980, scoring a goal in a 5-1 win over UCLA in the national finals, and during a run to the EAIAW regional title scored goals versus top-seeded Princeton in the first round, Harvard in the semifinals, and Connecticut in the finals 
 
* Scored tying goal with less than 14 minutes left in regulation in 1979 EAIAW regional final versus Harvard; teams were declared co-champions after a 1-1 tie 
 
* Head women's soccer coach at Wells College (1984-85) and women's soccer and softball coach at Colgate University (1985-87) 
 
* Summer Wilderness Guide for Wilderness Ventures (Jackson, Wyo.) from 1983-85, helping lead teenagers to successful ascents of Mt. Rainier (14,411 feet) in Washington and The Grand (13,770 feet) in Wyoming 
 
* Environmental attorney in Syracuse from 1991-94 
 
* Teacher, paraprofessional, maple sugar coordinator and sustainability leader at Moharimet Elementary School in Durham, N.H., from 2001-13 
 
* High school coaching career included positions at head coach at Cazenovia High School (1994-96), assistant coach at Oyster River High School in New Hampshire (2007-14, including state title in 2007), head coach at Portsmouth (N.H.) High School (2015-19), and head coach at Oyster River (2020-present); also currently girls JV lacrosse coach at Oyster River 
 
* 2015 New Hampshire State Soccer Coaches Association Coach of the Year as she led Portsmouth to a state runner-up finish 
 
* Involved for more than 20 years in numerous community service efforts, including club soccer coaching, in Cazenovia, Colorado Springs and New Hampshire 
 
Katie Finch Talbert '10, M '13 
(Oneonta, New York) 
 
Katie Finch Talbert is the most successful softball pitcher in the history of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). The three-time All-American is the conference's all-time leader in wins and strikeouts and helped lead Cortland to three league crowns and two NCAA Division III World Series appearances. 
 
* A native of Amsterdam, N.Y., she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 2010 and a master's degree in physical education, with a concentration in coaching pedagogy, from Cortland in 2013 
 
* Four-year softball pitcher from 2007-10 
 
* Three-time All-American (second team in 2009 and 2010, third team in 2008) and four-time first team all-region; two-time ECAC Upstate New York Pitcher of the Year (2009-10) and 2008 First Team All-ECAC 
* Three-time SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year (2008-10), four-time first team All-SUNYAC, and 2007 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year; two-time SUNYAC Tournament MVP and three-time NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team 

* Career stats – 93-27 record, 1.16 ERA, 35 shutouts, 9 saves, 1,025 strikeouts, 161 walks, .164 opponent batting average in 133 appearances (761.2 innings), including 26 wins in a season twice and 22 wins once

* Became 11th player in NCAA Division III history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts 
 
* Named to the SUNYAC Softball All-Decade Team (players who competed at least one season from 2010-19); SUNYAC career leader in wins and strikeouts

* Holds school career records for wins, strikeouts, ERA and shutouts, single-season records for strikeouts (321) and shutouts (12), and single-game record for strikeouts (19) 
 
* Seven career no-hitters, including three perfect games 
 
* Division III national ERA leader in 2010 (0.68)

* Team advanced to NCAA World Series in 2008 (tied 5th) and 2009 (tied 7th) and won three SUNYAC titles (2007, 2008, 2010

* Two-time CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District selection (2008 and 2010) 
 
* 2010 Cortland C-Club Co-Female Senior Athlete of the Year 
 
* Teacher in the Oneonta City School District since 2010. Currently teaching high school physical education, adapted physical education and health related classes through the Broome Fast Forward program and has taught elementary physical education and adapted physical education. Coaches junior varsity softball and has coached girls' volleyball and modified girls' soccer 
 
* SUNY Oneonta's softball pitching coach since 2013 
 
* Gives private softball lessons to youth in the Oneonta area and at various camps 
 
Jessica Laing Clark '10 
(Delhi, New York)

Jessica Laing Clark is one of the best women's basketball players in the history of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). A three-time All-American, she is the conference's career scoring leader and is ranked second in league history, and first at Cortland, in rebounding. 
 
* A Bloomville, N.Y., native, she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education with a concentration in adapted physical education from Cortland in 2010, and a master's degree in elementary reading and literacy from Walden University in 2013 
 
* Four-year women's basketball forward from 2007-10 
 
* Three-time WBCA All-American – First Team in 2010, Honorable Mention in 2008 and 2009 – and two-time D3hoops.com All-American – Second Team in 2010, Third Team in 2009 
 
* 2010 Jostens Trophy Award Finalist (Division III national Player of the Year award) 
 
* 2012 D3hoops.com East Region Player of the Year, two-time ECAC Upstate NY Player of the Year (2009, 2010), and four-time All-ECAC Upstate NY (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) 
 
* Two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year (2009, 2010), four-time First Team All-SUNYAC (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), 2007 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, and 2010 SUNYAC Tournament MVP 
 
* Named the SUNYAC Women's Basketball Player of the Decade (players who competed at least one season from 2010-19) 
 
* Career Stats: 2,166 points (18.5/game), 1,305 rebounds (11.2/game), 77 double-doubles, 136 3-pointers, 79.8 free throw percentage in 117 games played 
 
* SUNYAC and school career leader in points scored; second in SUNYAC (and school leader) in rebounds; school record-holder in career fields goals (715) and free throws (600); ranked fifth at Cortland in career free throw percentage 
 
* Only player in NCAA Division III history to finish career with the combination of at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 100 made 3-pointers 
 
* Team won at least 24 games in each of her four seasons, won two SUNYAC titles, played in three NCAA tournaments (advanced to second round in 2007 and 2009), and won the 2008 ECAC Upstate NY tournament 
 
* 2010 Cortland C-Club Co-Female Senior Athlete of the Year and Women's Basketball Red Letter Award winner 
 
* Volunteered, as a student, to teach disability awareness at Marcellus Elementary School, provide activities to children with spina bifida at SUNY Upstate Medical Center, and provide activities for underprivileged children through Migrant Workers organization 
 
* Spent five years teaching physical education, coaching different levels of women's basketball, and providing services for the Delaware Academy Central School District in Delhi 
 
* Since 2018 has sponsored foster children and teens by providing them with Christmas gifts, along with providing holiday meals for families in need, through Delaware County Social Services 
 
Julie Lenhart (honorary) 
(Ithaca, New York) 
 
One of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate softball, Julie Lenhart led Cortland to more than 800 victories, 17 NCAA tournaments and 12 league titles during her 25 seasons at the College. 
 
* A native of McComb, Ohio, she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and health from Ohio Northern University in 1980 and a master's degree in counselor education, with an emphasis in school counseling, K-12, from Wisconsin-Platteville in 1990 
 
* Softball head coach at Cortland for 25 seasons from 1995-2019 
 
* Served five seasons as softball head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville from 1990-94, along with six seasons as volleyball assistant coach 
 
* Posted a combined record at Cortland of 826-329-2 (.715) and an overall record of 946-406-2 (.699); she became just the sixth coach in Division III history to reach 900 career wins and currently ranks third on the Division III all-time victories list 
 
* 2014 inductee into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame 
 
* Led Cortland to 17 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, including seven World Series; the Red Dragons were national runner-up in 2013, finished fourth nationally in 2011, tied for fifth place in 2003 and 2008, and tied for seventh in 1998, 2004 and 2009 
 
* Guided the Red Dragons to 12 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) titles, and her teams finished either first or second in the conference tournament every year from 1998-2019 
 
* Her Cortland squads between 2015-17 became the first, and still only, teams to win three consecutive SUNYAC tournament titles 
 
* Led Cortland to 30 or more wins 18 times, including 40 or more victories on five occasions (44 wins in 2009, 42 wins each in 2003 and 2011, 41 wins in 2012 and 40 wins in 2010) 
 
* Six-time SUNYAC Coach of the Year (1997, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019) 
 
* NFCA East or Northeast Region Coach of the Year (or Coaching Staff of the Year) eight times (1997-98, 2003-04, 2008-09, 2011, 2013) 
 
* Two-time Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (1990, 1992) 
 
* Softball, basketball and volleyball letterwinner at Ohio Northern University and a 1996 inductee into the ONU Athletic Hall of Fame 
 
* Taught physical education, science and health, and coached softball and volleyball, at the North Central Schools in Pioneer, Ohio, from 1980-88