Campus Champion

Taylor Lynch ’17, Career Services’ internship and student employment coordinator, first arrived on campus 10 years ago as a transfer student. Each of her five internships and two campus jobs before graduation provided experiences that helped her navigate toward a thriving career. Today, Taylor guides Red Dragons toward internships that encourage exploration and experiential learning and develop resumes and connections. An outstanding volunteer, she is on the Orientation and Student Leadership committees, teaches a COR 101 class and recently stepped down as the SUNY Career Development Organization’s secretary and new member coordinator to co-chair its conference committee and their 2025 event.   

A statewide publication recently confirmed what members of the SUNY Cortland community have known for years: President Erik J. Bitterbaum is one of New York’s most respected leaders in higher education.

Bitterbaum has been named to the inaugural “Trailblazers in Higher Education” list published by City & State New York, a multimedia news organization that covers local and state policy. The honor recognizes 100 individuals — college and university administrators, labor representatives, philanthropists, leaders of non-profit organizations and others — who have excelled through their work in higher education.

SUNY Cortland’s president since 2003, Bitterbaum has earned admiration across the university’s campus and the State University of New York (SUNY) system thanks to his sharp mind, optimistic outlook and tireless support of students, employees and alumni.

“This type of recognition speaks to the talents of many extraordinary colleagues,” Bitterbaum said. “I like to say that it takes a village, and I have always tried to lead with the belief that students are central to everything that we do — that our university exists to help them reach their greatest human potential. That mindset guides our most impressive work as an institution, and it’s why I am honored to serve as president of SUNY Cortland.” 

Bitterbaum holds the distinction of being the longest-serving president among the SUNY system’s comprehensive campuses. His 21-year tenure is second among 64 SUNY presidents, behind Joyce F. Brown, who has served as president of the Fashion Institute of Technology since 1998.

Under Bitterbaum’s guidance, SUNY Cortland’s campus has been transformed and the university’s reputation has grown across the state, the nation and the world. Cortland has consistently earned high marks for affordability, value and return on investment, most recently placing No. 45 in the nation among master’s universities, according to Washington Monthly.

Nearly $450 million in new construction and renovation has taken place since Bitterbaum became president, including a state-of-the-art science complex, new teacher education facility, the creation of New York’s “greenest” residence hall and the most comprehensive recreation facility in the SUNY system. 

Commitments to civic engagement, sustainability, study abroad opportunities and undergraduate research have been core components of Bitterbaum’s presidency, along with continued efforts to diversify the campus and support initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Students from underrepresented groups made up roughly 4% of SUNY Cortland’s student population when Bitterbaum arrived in 2003, compared to roughly 25% in 2024. He also implemented the President’s Council on Inclusive Excellence.

Among highlights of Bitterbaum’s SUNY Cortland tenure:

• He is a former commissioner of the national Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP). During his decades as president, SUNY Cortland has maintained the distinction of housing the largest teacher education program among New York’s public universities and one of the most respected programs in the nation.

• He was a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, continuously approving changes to infrastructure and practices that have helped make SUNY Cortland one of the most environmentally sustainable campuses in the U.S., according to annual ratings by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

• Bitterbaum has presided over the two largest capital campaigns in SUNY Cortland’s history, raising more than $57 million collectively to help support students, faculty and staff members in their educational pursuits. His tenure also has been marked by consistently strong student enrollment.

• A former member of the NCAA Division III President’s Council, Bitterbaum is a well-known supporter of an athletics powerhouse that has produced 26 national championship teams and consistently ranks among the nation’s top 30 programs. From 2009 to 2014, SUNY Cortland also partnered with the NFL’s New York Jets to hold five summer training camps on campus, which provided valuable internships for students and boosted the regional economy by an estimated $24 million.

Among SUNY Cortland community members, he is perhaps best-known for attending countless campus events with his wife, Ellen Howard Burton, and offering his constant support.

A biologist who specializes in tropical ornithology, Bitterbaum holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Occidental College and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He previously served as president of West Virginia University at Parkersburg and regional vice president at West Virginia University’s main campus.

Above right photo: SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum poses for a photo with a group of students during the university’s Welcome Week activities.

A record 287 SUNY Cortland student athletes recently earned a spot on the State University of New York Athletic Conference’s 2023-24 academic honor roll.  Three of them made the list twice because they compete in more than one sport, raising the total number of awards to 290.

 The athletes’ stellar academic performance wasn’t a fluke. It’s a trend.

 The annual number of SUNY Cortland athletes earning the SUNYAC’s academic honors has more than doubled since the honor roll was created eight years ago, rising steadily almost every academic year from 166 in 2016-17.

 “Our Red Dragon teams work hard in competition and in the classroom, and this year’s historic academic achievement is further proof,” President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “I am very proud of our student-athletes, coaches and administrators. Together, they have built a model for Division III that defines academic and athletic excellence.”

 To make the honor roll, student athletes must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average.

 SUNY Cortland captured nine conference championships in 2023-24, including eight SUNYAC banners, as well as the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Cup for overall sports excellence for the 18th time overall and the first time since 2013-14.

 Previous totals were 166 in 2016-17, 174 in 2017-18, 210 in 2018-19, 253 in 2019-20, 268 in 2020-21, 267 in 2021-22 and 283 in 2022-23.

Currently, about 750 SUNY Cortland students compete in 10 Division III sports.

Cortland’s 290 academic awards are broken down by sport as follows:

Men’s Cross Country/Track and Field - 29
Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field - 29
Football - 20
Men's Lacrosse - 18
Women’s Gymnastics - 17
Men’s Soccer - 17
Women’s Ice Hockey - 16
Women’s Soccer - 16
Women’s Lacrosse - 13
Men’s Swimming and Diving - 13
Women’s Volleyball - 13
Field Hockey - 12
Men’s Ice Hockey - 12
Women’s Swimming and Diving - 12
Baseball - 10
Softball - 10
Wrestling - 9
Women’s Golf - 7
Women’s Tennis - 7
Women’s Basketball - 6
Men’s Basketball - 4
All of Cortland's sports are honored, even if they are not sports sponsored by the SUNYAC.
SUNY Cortland’s 2023-34 student-athlete honorees are listed on the SUNYAC website.

Call it extra credit for extra items — SUNY Cortland's students may have moved out for the summer, but the things they left behind are still hard at work.  

The second year of a partnership between the university and community nonprofit Cortland ReUse is giving those residence hall leftovers a new purpose. This is the second year they’ve helped collect donations. 

“There is a massive amount of material going into the landfill unnecessarily,” said John Zelson, Cortland ReUse's volunteer executive director. “We are converting an environmental liability into an asset.” 

ReUse collects the unwanted items from residence halls for resale. It also uses some for educational workshops on upcycling and related topics.

“There’s a lot of items that could be used for a very long time that have a short lifespan to a particular individual,” said Justin Neretich, assistant director for operations, residence life and housing. 

“There’s just so much opportunity to get something that was going to go sit in a landfill and wasn’t going to degrade and instead get it into the hands of somebody that could really use that item.” 

This year’s collection of reusable items exceeded last year’s successful effort. A new warehouse for ReUse helped make it possible to store the larger haul. 

“We dedicate about 3,500 square feet of our ReUse Center to processing, sale and distribution of materials and we are still digging out,” he said. 

Neretich credited Beth Klein, SUNY distinguished service professor of science education and the university’s sustainability coordinator, and Matt Brubaker, facilities project manager and campus energy manager, for seeing the potential of working with Cortland ReUse. 

They brought together custodial staff, other Facilities Management workers and volunteers to implement a program that is valuable for the university, the local environment and wider community, Neretich said. 

Zelson noted that during move-out week and three days the following week they had to constantly run trailers through campus from about 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. to pick up all the donated items. 

“Their (SUNY Cortland’s) commitment to diverting useful items from the landfill and getting them into the community is inspiring,” he said. “Besides being responsible stewards of resources — which is reason enough — we believe we can minimize mess at dumpsters and reduce the cost to SUNY Cortland associated with disposal.” 

In the future, Neretich hopes the program may expand to reach more off-campus students. Although the pickups happen when students are finishing finals and looking toward the summer, more volunteers are always welcome, he added. 

Before the current partnership, SUNY Cortland had to throw out more end-of-year items, with some sold at a smaller end-of-semester “garage sale.” Now, the operation is not only bigger, it’s helping support local community needs. Much of the useful material, like lamps and mirrors that would otherwise end up in a landfill, are taken by ReUse, fixed up and then sold at a low price to support the operation. 

“Connecting the dots between a person that needs to get rid of something and then providing that item to someone else is the challenging part,” Brubaker said. “Cortland ReUse is helping SUNY Cortland connect those dots with the Cortland Community.” 

During the collection, industrial laundry bins placed in residence halls welcome almost all items that students may leave behind when the school year ends. Zelson said that ReUse is happy to take anything the students think would be useful to someone else, even if they don’t fit into the nonprofit’s normal operations, including: 

• Nonperishable food. ReUse uses the food to first help restock the SUNY Cortland Cupboard food pantry, then gives the remainder to Seven Valleys Food Rescue and Cortland County Mutual Aid. 
• Clothing, linen and textiles. Some clothes may be sold at ReUse, with the rest given to Thrifty Shopper and other groups that help serve the local homeless population. Bedding and pillows go to Mutual Aid. 
• Foam bed toppers. This item is a uniquely common one at SUNY Cortland compared to other places ReUse collects from, Zelson said. Thankfully, local community members came to the rescue with advice on how to repurpose these campus mainstays. 
• Rough shape rags. Even the most worn-down fabrics can still find a use at the SPCA, where they make the furry residents quite comfortable and happy.

The only request to students is to be sure not to include any perishable items in the donations. Other than that, these donations will be doing good long after the original owners graduate. 

For many Americans, mention of the Transylvania region of Romania during the 19th century conjures images of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and all the gothic Hollywood stereotypes it inspired.

Not Alexandru Balas, a professor of international studies at SUNY Cortland. He understands that, beneath the surface of pop culture, the region’s culture and history was greatly enriched as a major trade route at the crossroads of Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe. He knows the stories of the Romanian people of that time who helped mediate conflict among more powerful neighbors and bravely endured extreme hardship traveling perilous trade routes to India.

“In these travelogues that I study, I like that these people write about the difficulties of traveling, and also that they’re doing it because they want to get out of their comfort zone,” Balas said.

“It’s important to challenge ourselves, to get a little bit out of our comfort zone. I mean, that’s in many ways academia. What we’re trying to do is challenge our students and challenge ourselves too, quite often.”

Balas’ desire for challenge recently resulted in a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in international relations and intercultural communication to Romania for the 2024-25 academic year.

Fulbright U.S. Scholars are faculty, researchers, administrators and established professionals who are supported by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program to teach or conduct research in more than 160 countries, worldwide.

Balas since 2013 has directed the university’s James M. Clark Center for Global Engagement, which for 24 years has aimed to advance international education, service and scholarship on campus, and coordinates the SUNY Cortland’s International Studies Program.

In the coming year, he will teach courses in international relations and intercultural communication at SUNY Cortland’s longtime international partner institution, Babes-Bolyai University in Romania’s second largest city, Cluj-Napoca.

“In many ways, whenever one of us go to a different university, we’re ambassadors for SUNY Cortland,” Balas said. “What we do reflects on the entire university.”

When not instructing within Babes-Bolyai’s College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Balas plans to organize Ph.D. program workshops on the quantitative research methods commonly used in the U.S. and advise faculty and students on how American scholars advance themselves in the academic marketplace.

While in Romania, Balas also will research academic topics related to future book chapters, including:

• The life and travels of a19th century Transylvanian-born woman enslaved in the Ottoman Empire. Sold to an English gentleman, who married her, she dedicated her life to abolishing Great Britian’s slave trade with East Africa.
• George Mantello, formerly Gyorgy Mandel, a Transylvanian Jew who saved about 200,000 people from the Nazis during the Holocaust by establishing them with new names as El Salvadoran citizens.
• An analysis of some 20 negotiationsrelating to the role of Transylvania, Moldova and Wallachia — the three principalities forming today’s Romania — in mediating conflicts between Russia, the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungary during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In addition Balas, assisted by SUNY Cortland international studies major Victoria Quick, who is studying abroad in fall 2024 at Babes-Bolyai University, will begin setting up next year’s Global Model European Union experience, to take place there with 100 international student participants. Balas has organized this annual international hands-on learning opportunity before, most recently in Brussels, Belgium.

In November, he’ll take part in the Romanian university’s conference on conflict resolution, co-organized with SUNY Cortland.

Born in Romania, Balas is fluent in Romanian, English, French and Italian; proficient in Spanish, Catalan and Turkish; and has basic knowledge of the German, Arabic and Portuguese languages.

He earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in political science in 2011 from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, where he specialized in international relations and comparative politics. Balas has an M.A. in conflict analysis and resolution from Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey, and a B.A. in political science from the University of Bucharest in Romania.

Balas is only the latest of 14 SUNY Cortland faculty members to win a spot in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program since 1962-1963, but the university’s most recent award recipient since 2007-08, according to the Fulbright website. Those scholars traveled to a wide range of countries including South Korea, Namibia, Germany, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Malaysia and United Kingdom. The university has also sent seven Fulbright Visiting Scholars abroad for the sake of research and service, in addition to having dispatched numerous faculty members abroad on more limited Fulbright Grants.

Balas is glad to advise and write recommendation letters on behalf of colleagues interested in pursuing their own Fulbright.

“I applied because I was inspired by the Fulbright experience of  SUNY Cortland Emeritus President Jim Clark, and reminded of this opportunity when we had visiting professors from Babes-Bolyai University in April 2023,” Balas said of the visitors. The contingent visited SUNY Cortland using Erasmus+ Key Action One Mobility grants, which come from the European Commission’s EU program for education, training, youth and sport. As part of the same program, other professors from the same university will visitSUNY Cortland for the first three weeks of the fall semester to learn more on the inner workings of an American university. Fourteen SUNY Cortland professors and staff members have participated in week-long Erasmus+ Key Action One mobilities at Babes-Bolyai University over the last few years.

“One of their strength is they do a really good job of connecting with the local community,” he said of Babes-Bolyai, which he described as Romania’s top-ranked university set in a large college town of some 50,000 students comprising a quarter of the local community of some 200,000 citizens.

“We’re lucky, because of people here who have worked hard to establish ties with Babes-Bolyai,” Balas said of colleagues, noting SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus Henry Steck, and the current and most recent directors of International Programs, Daniela Baban Hurrle and Mary Schlarb. Helping Balas obtain this Fulbright award were SUNY Cortland and the individuals SUNY Distinguished Professor Sharon Steadman, Modern Languages Department Chair Codruta Temple, Dean of Arts and Sciences Bruce Mattingly, Provost Ann McClellan and President Erik J. Bitterbaum.

The dream of becoming a professional mixed martial arts fighter is taking the 20-year-old president of SUNY Cortland’s revitalized Jiu-Jitsu Club around the world.

Last summer, SUNY Cortland junior exercise science major Michael Pichardo of Bronx, N.Y., went on a two-week excursion to Japan. That trip spawned a desire to return to Asia just months later to train in muay thai, a Thai martial art, as the youngest fighter in the class.

This summer, he will be traveling to Columbia for a mixed martial arts retreat led by Corey Sandhagen, the second highest-ranking bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and then on to Greece for another martial arts training. In November, he hopes to return to Thailand.

“Look at what I clearly just got from Thailand,” he said, explaining his traveling training schedule. “Apart from the skills I got from it, the relationships. What can I get from Colombia? You know? Building the connections I could possibly have with Cory Sandhagen or his team or other fighters I meet there and just seeing how much further I can go.”

Pichardo’s passion for martial arts is reflected in his numerous activities on campus. In addition to running the Jiu-Jitsu Club, he also works with SUNY Cortland Recreational Sports,  and holds boxing, kickboxing and striking classes in the Student Life Center.

Pichardo had the opportunity to travel to Thailand as part of a muay thai retreat led by Jeff Chan, a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter for the One Championship, the biggest MMA promotion outside the United States.

A YouTuber with quite a large following, Chan also trains at his home gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., Glory Martial Arts. Pichardo, away at Cortland, found Chan through his YouTube and became a fan of his techniques and fights.

Chan promoted his trip to Thailand on his YouTube channel and Pichardo was set on going the second he heard about the opportunity.

“This is Thailand. This is the motherland. I’ve always wanted to go to Thailand, especially to train Muay Thai,” Pichardo said. “I know it’s something that would elevate my game being able to train with Jeff, specifically, someone I’ve been a fan of.”

Pichardo communicated with all his professors and got the necessary approvals. The psychology minor saved, budgeted, and took extra shifts working at the Student Life Center (SLC) to pay for the cost of the trip, his flight and miscellaneous expenses. It was a bit tight during the semester, but it didn’t matter; Pichardo was going to Thailand.

He joined Chan and about 40 other martial artists for 10 days in Bangkok, at the Khongsittha Muay Thai gym for detailed training, striking and sparring.

“It was definitely a life-changing experience,” Pichardo said. I felt truly happy because when I was there, I wasn’t worried about anything. I was 13 hours ahead. I kind of was completely out of the loop of school, and all I really focused on was training.”

He immersed himself in martial arts while in Bangkok. He participated in training sessions led every morning and evening, mixing in sessions with the local muay thai trainers in between. And once a day he sparred with the other fighters on the retreat.

Pichardo sees the trip as a glimpse of the ‘pro fighter lifestyle’: training, exploring the city, grabbing food, and training again. To many, it’s exhausting, but to Pichardo, it was a dream.

Then 19, Pichardo was the youngest and most inexperienced of the fighters. The ages ranged from early 20s to mid-30s, with fighters hailing from many different disciplines of MMA, including many pro fighters.

Instead of being intimidated, that environment lit a fire under Pichardo to soak up as much information as possible.

“These are the guys to look up to, to pick their brain, train with them, pick up stuff from them,” he said.

“Seeing how they all carried themselves, how they trained, how I fared up against some of them — or just how day-to-day, how I felt like I was growing, learning the techniques that Jeff was showing us. It made me super optimistic and made me more confident in my dreams and skills.”

Reaching his goal of being a professional MMA fighter will require years of combat experience. Luckily for Pichardo, once he returned from Thailand, he competed in a jiu-jitsu competition with SUNY Cortland’s Jiu-Jitsu Club – that he runs.

Shifting from an intensive week-and-a-half with a complete focus on muay thai back to jiu-jitsu would be a difficult task for anyone. Pichardo was no exception. Still, in only his second jiu-jitsu tournament ever, he finished with a decent record of 3-2 on the day.

Five of his club members medaled at the event, including two gold medal finishes.

 “It was super satisfying to say, ‘Wow, like our club did that,’” said Pichardo, who helped rebuild the club since joining two years ago as a freshman.

Currently a blue belt, Pichardo runs most of the training for the members.

He initially joined the club to continue training when away from home. Unfortunately, fresh off the COVID-19 pandemic the club suffered low numbers, and the members weren’t very experienced. Now, members are trained well enough to help him with sparring.

“Clearly something is working if some of these people have only experienced jiu-jitsu through us, and now they’re thriving in those types of environments. So that was one of the cool moments where I thought, ‘I gave them this opportunity to do this, and all of them just ran with it.’” 

Pichardo, a white belt at the time, quickly took the role of teaching techniques to the rest of the club during his second semester at Cortland. Since then, he’s moved up the ladder, becoming vice president and now president.

Over the past two years, he’s grown the club’s membership and his brand on campus in the process. Pichardo worked hard to improve the club’s social media, recording and editing videos, making graphics, and documenting major events on social media. Every opportunity he gets, including class projects, he finds a way to bring up MMA.

He described himself as SUNY Cortland’s ‘Combat Guy,’ a reputation he’s earned through years because of that promotion, teaching, and outgoing personality.

“The classes allow to me reinforce the training because I’m someone’s source of information,” he said. “So, it’s just going to constantly keep me having to keep improving my skills and then providing these skills to other people.”

During breaks from Cortland, Pichardo trains at Chan’s gym. One day, when Chan was resting and had the opportunity to observe Pichardo in training, Chan told him how much better he had gotten since Thailand, saying, “you’re moving, really smooth, really sharp” and “Surprised that you’re not at a gym training.”

Chan ultimately invited Pichardo to come on another training trip to Greece this August, and potentially a return to Thailand in November.

This summer, he’s also going on a weeklong retreat to Columbia led by UFC fighter Cory Sandhagen, the #2 ranked fighter in the Bantamweight division.

Sandhagen has a long, lanky body type, someone Pichardo frequently studies. Going on this trip would be another dream of Pichardo’s to come true. But, getting a spot on this trip would be way more difficult than Chan’s, given the larger status of the fighter.

After spamming applications and emails to no avail, a Thailand connection saved the day. An MMA fighter friend Pichardo met in Bangkok who vouched for Pichardo’s work ethic and promise led to his acceptance.

“It was just crazy to think, ‘If I never went to Thailand, I (would) have never had this experience or this opportunity.’”

Pichardo is training hard to be in prime form for both of his upcoming trips. Making a good impression could be monumental for a young fighter down the line.

He views his senior year as an opportunity to leave an indelible legacy.

“I want to leave something here that people can keep building upon,” Pichardo said. “I did so well so they could run with it. So, in fact, those are really my next steps. Just making sure I lay the foundation for my underclassmen to keep growing.”

Prepared by Communications Office writing intern Jean-Andre Sassine ’23, who is pursuing a Master of Science in Sport Management at SUNY Cortland

The SUNY Cortland men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic program finished in 28th place in the 2023-24 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup competition among the approximately 430 eligible NCAA Division III programs competing nationally for the prestigious honor. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), LEARFIELD and USA Today present the award to recognize overall excellence among collegiate athletic programs.

The Red Dragons finished with a score of 522.50 points. Johns Hopkins (Md.) won the Directors’ Cup with 1,117.50 points, followed by Williams (Mass.) with 1,026.08, Emory (Ga.) with 1,009, Tufts (Mass.) with 992.50 and New York University with 964.50.

Cortland was the second-highest scoring school from New York state, behind NYU, and the top scorer among State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) schools. Geneseo placed 34th with 461 points. Cortland's finish is its best since the 2016-17 season. The Red Dragons have earned 24 top-30 finishes since the competition began in the 1995-96 school year.

Cortland had 14 teams earn points, led by the football team which claimed the 2023 NCAA Division III title last December. Points are awarded based on NCAA postseason finishes and the size of each postseason field. The national champion in each sport earns 100 points. The Red Dragon scorers were:

Football - 1st place (100 pts.)

Men's Soccer - tied for 9th place (64 pts.)

Field Hockey - tied for 9th place (53 pts.)

Women's Volleyball - tied for 17th place (50 pts.)

Women's Lacrosse - tied for 17th place (50 pts.)

Baseball - tied for 31st place (37.5 pts.)

Men's Cross Country - top-5 NCAA regional finish (32 pts.)

Women's Soccer - tied for 33rd place (25 pts.)

Women's Ice Hockey - tied for 9th place (25 pts.)

Men's Ice Hockey - tied for 9th place (25 pts.)

Wrestling - tied for 53rd place (20.5 pts.)

Women's Indoor Track and Field - tied for 55th place (18.5 pts.)

Men's Indoor Track and Field - tied for 55th place (15.5 pts.)

Men's Outdoor Track and Field - tied for 63rd place (6.5 pts.)

There are four Directors’ Cup Awards, one to honor overall champions in each of the NCAA’s Divisions (I, II and III) and the NAIA. It is the first-ever cross-sectional all-sports national recognition award for both men and women. NACDA is the professional and educational association for more than 12,500 college athletics directors, associates, assistants and conference commissioners, along with affiliate individuals or corporations. More than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada are represented in NACDA's membership.

2023-24 LEARFIELD DIRECTORS’ CUP

Final Division III Standings

Rank School, Points 

1. Johns Hopkins (Md.), 1,117.5
2. Williams (Mass.), 1,026.08
3. Emory (Ga.), 1,009
4. Tufts (Mass.), 992.5
5. New York University, 964.5

6. Middlebury (Vt.), 946.5
7. Mass. Institute of Technology, 942
8. Washington-St. Louis (Mo.), 912
9. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), 887.75
10. Wisconsin-Whitewater, 843.75

11. Wisconsin-La Crosse, 804
12. Chicago (Ill.), 796.75
13. Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 765.08
14. Christopher Newport (Va.), 749.1
15. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.), 719.75

16. Washington & Lee (Va.), 714.25
17. Wartburg (Iowa), 707.5
18. Stevens Institute (N.J.), 648
19. Lynchburg (Va.), 625.35
20. Hope (Mich.), 622.5 

21. Rowan (N.J.), 603.58
22. Trinity (Texas), 594
23. Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 589
24. Loras (Iowa), 567.08
25. Bowdoin (Maine), 535.5 

26. Denison (Ohio), 530.5
27. Amherst (Mass.), 523.5
28. CORTLAND, 522.5
29. Calvin (Mich.), 520.6
30. Rochester, 517.75 

Other New York schools in Top 100:  

32. Ithaca, 509.5
33. SUNY Geneseo, 461
34. Hobart/William Smith, 381
35. RIT, 365
36. St. John Fisher, 312.5
37. RPI, 308.58
38. St. Lawrence, 291
39. Vassar, 224.5
40. Utica, 210

Complete standings are online at: https://nacda.com/documents/2024/6/9/23.24DIII_FinalOverallStandings.pdf 

CORTLAND’S DIRECTORS’ CUP FINISHES

2023-24: 28th

2022-23: 38th

2021-22: 30th

2018-19: 57th

2017-18: 54th

2016-17: 21st

2015-16: 22nd

2014-15: 12th

2013-14: 23rd

2012-13: 11th

2011-12: 10th

2010-11: 16th

2009-10: 17th

2008-09: 5th

2007-08: 9th

2006-07: 3rd

2005-06: 5th

2004-05: 13th

2003-04: 8th

2002-03: 15th

2001-02: 12th

2000-01: 13th

1999-00: 17th

1998-99: 8th

1997-98: 2nd (tied)

1996-97: 8th

1995-96: 19th

(not conducted in 2019-20 or 2020-21)

Nick Marola, a fitness development major from Saratoga, N.Y., and the starting shortstop for the SUNY Cortland baseball team, has been honored as a recipient of the 2024 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Award of Valor.  

Marola chose to have his cheek swabbed at a NMDP (formerly the National Marrow Donor Program) event and was later identified as a match for a 45-year-old leukemia patient and father. During the early portion of the 2024 baseball season he went through a lengthy process to make a bone marrow blood donation. 

“I really was thrilled that I could potentially do something so that he can be back playing in the yards with his kids in due time,” Marola said. “That’s what it was all about for me.” 

The procedure included injections to boost his stem cell count that had to be administered an hour and a half drive away from the team's hotel during the Red Dragons' spring break trip to California in March, limiting his playing time during the week. The process continued with blood draws when he returned to New York. 

Marola was recognized by the conference and the SUNYAC Governing Body, along with the other 2024 award recipients, at the SUNYAC Awards Banquet in Syracuse on June 3. The award, which originated in 2003, is presented to those who have used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome a life-altering event, and whose ability to overcome obstacles has served as an inspiration to others. 

“The only real discomfort is just the injections, which make you feel like you have a baby flu,” Marola said. “But like I’ve been saying to my friends and family, it pales in comparison to what these patients have to go through with chemo treatments and the other effects of dealing with these cancers, so it really puts it in perspective.”

Marola was able to play the remainder of the season for the Red Dragons. He especially shined during the SUNYAC tournament in early May, batting .571 (8-for-14) with three homers, two doubles, three walks, eight RBI and eight runs scored. His performance earned him a spot on the conference all-tournament team. 

"I'm hoping what I went through allows me to spread more awareness about the NMDP," Marola said. "With the help of SUNYAC Commissioner Tom DiCamillo, I'd like to see more testing done on other SUNY campuses." 

SUNY Cortland alumni who graduated between 2014 and 2024 now have an added incentive to return to Cortland for Alumni Reunion 2024, thanks to a money-saving deal offered by the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association. 

The first 30 Graduates of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) who register for the G.O.L.D. Deal at Alumni Reunion will have access to two Reunion special events and an overnight stay in Glass Tower Hall for only $20, normally an $80 value, according to Lima Stafford-Campbell ’12, M ’21, assistant director of alumni engagement.

Reunion runs from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14, with more than 350 alumni already registered to attend. 

Eligible alumni can get lodging in Glass Tower Hall for only $20, instead of $40, on Saturday during reunion.

“We encourage people to stay on campus because it’s affordable,” Stafford-Campbell said. “We do ask them to bring their own linen.”

The G.O.L.D. deal also includes free admission and a drink at the “Young Alumni Happy Hour” and the annual “Brews and Barbecue All-Reunion Bash” on Saturday, June 13, valued at $40.

“It would be great for them to come to Brews and Barbecue,” Stafford-Campbell said. "It’s the premier event, a chance to meet everyone in one place. There will be games, a DJ, and a casual gathering of people to have some great discussions.”

The last day to register is Sunday, June 30.

Of course, recent graduates aren’t the only alumni who have a lot to look forward to at Reunion. Milestone and featured groups include:

• Half Century Reunion groups (Class of 1974 and earlier)
• 1959 — 65th Reunion
• 1964 — 60th Reunion
• 1969 — 55th Reunion
• Class of 1974 — 50th Reunion
• Class of 1979 — 45th Reunion
• 40th Cluster Reunion — Classes of 1983, 1984, 1985
• Class of 1999 — 25th Reunion
• Delta Kappa Beta (1925-1991) fraternity
• Alpha Sigma/Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority
• Latiné/Hispanic based organizations
• Student Activities Board (SAB) Board of Governors

“While these groups are featured, we invite everyone to come back and join their classmates for a long weekend filled with fun and exciting events and activities,” said Erin Boylan, executive director of alumni engagement. “Be sure to check out our full schedule of events, including schedules for use of campus recreational facilities.”

Lodging accommodations at area hotels and on campus are available. On-campus lodging can be purchased through the registration form.

Once again, there is the opportunity to showcase a business or celebrate reuniting with friends in Cortland by purchasing one of the Sponsorship Packages to support the weekend or the annual Red and White Golf Classic. Returning alumni also are encouraged to support SUNY Cortland, the students and the Reunion Giving Challenge by making a gift to the university when registering.

“Reunion is your reason to come home to SUNY Cortland, and have a great time reminiscing and reconnecting with your fellow Red Dragons,” Boylan said. “Come back to see all the developments on campus and have a blast.”

Additional information regarding the weekend — including parking, shuttles, attire and more — can be found here. For answers to additional questions, contact Alumni Engagement at 607-753-2516.

Faculty and staff play key roles in ensuring the upcoming Alumni Reunion 2024, from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14, is stellar and memorable.

“You are the heart of alumni engagement on this campus,” said Erin Boylan, the university’s executive director of alumni engagement who works on behalf of the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association. “We want to get as much engagement as possible from faculty and staff.”

The people who taught, tutored, offered critical advice, emotional support and advocacy, or who helped students along their successful path through college in countless other ways are the biggest reason alumni look to return to campus.

“Could you reach out to alumni whom you are still in touch with and encourage them to come back?” Boylan said. “Alumni want to see you and thank you for the critical role you have played in their lives.”

The association would love to see more current and retired SUNY Cortland employees reconnect with the former students they knew by attending or volunteering to help put on one of the 36 separate Alumni Reunion 2024 events.

In past reunions, faculty and staff have swung a golf club in the Red and White Golf Classic, attended or been honored at the Saturday morning Alumni Awards Ceremony, taught informal educational seminars, led hikes at Hoxie Gorge, hosted planetarium tours, offered library exhibits and shared updates about their departments.

The former educators and administrators who attend these Reunion events greatly enhance alumni experiences.

“Our feedback forms show that meaningful interactions with faculty and staff matter to our alumni,” said Lima Stafford-Campbell ’12, M ’21, assistant director of alumni engagement and reunion manager.

The years of COVID-19 took their toll on attendance. This year, more than 300 alumni are already registered to attend but the association hopes to move that number closer to a goal of 400.

“We could use additional help, and campus support is critical to success,” Boylan said. “We would suggest that you approach your supervisor to see if you are allowed comp time to help.”

The last day to register is Sunday, June 30.

Boylan encourages current and retired college employees to check out our full schedule of events, which this year includes a new Musical Legacy website, new sculpture elements and a host of reunion events that pay tribute to the campus’ music history between 1960 and 1990.  

For university personnel who have moved outside the area, accommodations at area hotels and on campus are available. On-campus lodging can be purchased through the registration form.

Additional information regarding the weekend — including parking, shuttles, attire and more — can be found here. For answers to additional questions, contact Alumni Engagement at 607-753-2516.

The average Red Dragon may not realize that 23 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees went to SUNY Cortland.

To be clear, Jerry Garcia, Neil Diamond and Linda Ronstadt didn’t actually attend the university. They performed on campus, along with 33 Grammy Award winners and scores of other artists between 1960 and 1990, during a time when music industry economics and rising student influence created a golden age of campus concerts.

At SUNY Cortland, a group of alumni and volunteers have worked to keep the memories of that era alive through the SUNY Cortland Musical Legacy Commemoration Project.

As a result, Cortland’s golden concert history has a strong presence on campus and among alumni, ranging from a massive wall sculpture in Corey Union to a series of shadow boxes highlighting concert ads, tickets, programs and other memorabilia.

And that presence is about to get stronger. Blockbuster musicians may no longer rely on campus tours to market albums, but new projects of the Musical Legacy Committee allow more people to engage with the campus’s musical past:

New website

Members of the Musical Legacy Committee recently announced that a Cortland concert era website has gone live.  On it, visitors can explore a timeline of concerts over the decades and view the group’s collection of memorabilia. They can learn about the prominent sculpture celebrating the musicians who performed on campus and view the dedication ceremony of the Billy Joel piano - which the legendary artist played during Cortland performances in 1972 and 1974 - in the Corey Union Function Room.

Sculpture addition

Scott Oldfield ’06, a professional artist,  was commissioned to create a representation of an acoustic guitar to add to his sculpture of musical instruments originally installed in Corey Union in July 2019. Modeled on the guitar Judy Collins played when she performed in 1963, 1964 and 1965 in the old gymnasium in Moffett Center, then known as the HPER Building. The new addition, like the original pieces, will be made from copper and steel. The augmented sculpture, which celebrates the many iconic female and acoustic folk artists who played on campus in the 1960s and ’70s, is expected to be installed in time for Alumni Reunion 2024.

Complemented by LED lighting that pulses in time with recorded music from the performers it commemorates, the sculpture is a permanent installation on the food court level of Corey Union. 

Presence at Alumni Reunion 2024

The Musical Legacy Committee is collaborating with the reunion affinity featured group, Student Activities Board/Board of Governors, which will host an all-alumni social in the Corey Union Function Room on Friday, July 12. The intent of the gathering is to celebrate the events brought to campus by alumni who were active with those groups, bringing concert organizers and attendees together to share memories of those classic shows. There will be casino games with prizes totaling more than $300, a short program about the evolution of SUNY Cortland’s legendary concerts, and a performance on the 50-year-old refurbished Steinway piano played by Billy Joel and dedicated to him. Complimentary pizza, desserts and nonalcoholic beverages will be served and a cash bar will be available.

In other events, Jack Samuels ’73, Ph.D., will speak on the history of SUNY Cortland musical performances.

Meanwhile, committee members will showcase artists who performed during the featured alumni group years of 1963, 1968, 1973 and 1978 on Corey Union’s ground floor.

Also, committee members will staff concert memorabilia displays at various events throughout campus, including the Class of 1974 50th Reunion Dinner and Celebration, the President’s Welcome Reception and Brews and Barbecue All-Reunion Bash.

For more details on the dates, times and locations of Musical Legacy events during Reunion 2024, view the complete reunion schedule.