Campus Champion

SUNY Cortland University Police Department investigator Melissa Keelhar '10 and her four-legged partner, Meeka, are a familiar sight on campus, most recently as the focal point of the university Employee Assistance Program’s walking program in the Student Life Center. It’s all part of Melissa's belief that the foundations of her job are integrity, empathy, compassion and building positive relationships on campus. A member of Cortland UPD for more than five years, she was sworn in last summer as the department's newest investigator. Melissa is also the catalyst behind UPD’s therapy K9 unit and bringing English Labrador retriever Meekah to campus.

The first Performing Arts production of SUNY Cortland’s spring semester promises to be a family affair, as "Eleemosynary" highlights the humor and drama in the lives of three generations of women. 

Written by Lee Blessing, the play with a mouthful of a name (pronounced el-li-moss-inary) debuted in 1985 and developed a word-of-mouth following that’s led to multiple revivals in the decades since. 

“Eleemosynary” can be seen at Cortland Repertory Theatre’s downtown Cortland location at 24 Port Watson St., at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 2. A minimum audience age of 13 is recommended. All tickets are sold through the SUNY Cortland Box Office, with discounts for seniors and SUNY Cortland faculty, staff and students. 

Director Adara Alston said that its enduring popularity is based on ideas that have proven timeless. 

“It has themes that were relatable then and still relatable now,” Alson said. “For anybody who has a family or was born even in the best familial situation, there’s always something there about how you feel about your mother, how you feel if you have a child, or how you interact with that family. It resonates with all audiences in some way.” 

The main characters of Dorothea Westbrook, played by senior Olivia Celis, her daughter Artie, played by sophomore Erin DeGraw, and Artie’s child, Echo, played by sophomore Ann Marie Thorell, experience relationships that are recognizable to anyone who’s had a sibling squabble or parental meltdown.

“All three are evenly divided in the story and given story in an interesting way,” Alston said. “They’re very complex and you get to learn why they are complex and their complexities, so it’s a very well-crafted story.” 

Alston, an Ithaca, N.Y., and New York City- based actor and director, was asked by the Performing Arts Department to direct the show after being recommended by Assistant Professor Scott Holdredge, who had worked with Alston previously. It’s her first collaboration with SUNY Cortland and Cortland Repertory Theater. 

She said it’s been a joy to see the college students work through a play with elegant dialogue that is heavy on nuance and subtext. As an added challenge to test their acting skills, the students will need to perform as three generations of characters when they’ve yet to experience two of those time periods in their own lives. 

“My cast is so open to discovery, finding new moments and being able to explore what it would mean for someone in a life that they haven’t lived,” Alston said. 

As a co-production with Cortland Repertory Theater, the cast and crew will make the best use of a different stage than their normal location on campus at the Dowd Fine Arts Center. 

“Our set is very much designed for the CRT space,” Alston said. She noted that work on the set began at SUNY Cortland before being transferred to the theater ahead of opening night. The long shape of Cortland Repertory Theater’s downtown space — once a bowling alley — allows for the stage to reach out into an audience that will sit on three sides of it. 

More than any one technical detail, it’s the overall experience of “Eleemosynary” that can be expected to leave audiences with a greater appreciation for those closest to them, Alston said. 

“I hope they walk away feeling good having spent 80 minutes with the Westbrook women,” she said. “You can see that relationships can be complicated, but you can also feel love and connection.” 

A 20-year faculty member and the chair of one of SUNY Cortland’s largest academic departments has been named dean of the university’s School of Professional Studies.

Professor Katherine Polasek, chair of the university’s Kinesiology Department, earned the promotion to dean following a national search. She begins her duties Thursday, July 3.

“This opportunity is well-deserved, and it reflects Kate’s wealth of knowledge, her leadership experience and the respect she has earned from colleagues within the School of Professional Studies,” said Ann McClellan, the university’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “For nearly two decades, Kate has developed a reputation at SUNY Cortland as a leader who brings people together — always working to ensure that our institutional efforts support faculty development and student success.”

SUNY Cortland’s School of Professional Studies includes six highly visible academic departments spanning disciplines related to health, recreation, sport and well-being. Departments include Communication Disorders and Sciences; Health; Kinesiology; Physical Education; Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies; and Sport Management. In the Fall 2024 semester, the school enrolled more than 2,300 undergraduates and more than 300 graduate students in its programs.

“Meeting the needs of our students is central to the mission of SUNY Cortland, and this goal has helped inspire my most important work,” Polasek said. “I’m proud to serve a university that affords diverse learning experiences for all campus community members, helping them grow as engaged citizens with a strong social conscience. I’m excited to continue these efforts, to collaborate across the campus and to provide rich academic opportunities for our students and faculty, especially those in the School of Professional Studies.”

Since 2020, Polasek has served as chair of the Kinesiology Department, which includes roughly 750 students across four undergraduate majors and two graduate programs. She has guided the collective effort of more than 30 faculty and staff colleagues, helping to support a department culture that strives for academic excellence, encourages professional development and reflects the diversity of the world.

With a main research interest in sport and exercise psychology, Polasek’s scholarship includes refereed publications and professional presentations that cross disciplines within the School of Professional Studies, from kinesiology to physical education to sport management. Under her direction, the university’s Kinesiology Department has reallocated two priority research spaces, including a human performance laboratory, to promote interdisciplinary research among undergraduate and graduate students.

Polasek also has worked to support colleagues through the tenure and promotion process, strengthen curriculum through assessment practices and expand articulation agreements for graduate school opportunities. These include a recently approved accelerated five-year program in applied kinesiology and athletic training.

Polasek’s service has contributed to many important programs and initiatives across campus, including chair’s roles on the University Curriculum Review Committee, the School of Professional Studies Personnel Committee and the Educational Policy Committee. Her recognition includes the university’s 2016 Excellence in Academic Advising Award.

Polasek earned a B.S. in kinesiology from the University of Maryland, College Park; an M.S. in kinesiology from the University of Illinois, Chicago; and a Ph.D. in kinesiology, specializing in sport and exercise psychology, from Temple University. She joined SUNY Cortland as a visiting assistant professor in 2005, before being named assistant professor (2006) and earning promotions to associate professor (2012) and professor (2018).

SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Lynn MacDonald, who has served as interim dean since 2023, will continue in her role until her retirement in June.

“Lynn’s leadership and dedication has helped guide the School of Professional Studies for many years,” McClellan said. “Her service to SUNY Cortland remains a model for all to follow.”

As identical twin sisters, Alyssa Cino ’17 and Alexis Cino ’17 have always done things together.

“Alyssa and I are both creatives,” Alexis said. “Just naturally, we love to paint, we love to draw. We’ve always created whenever we are together.”

For Alyssa and Alexis — who at SUNY Cortland chose separate career paths in psychology and criminology — their most recent collaboration led to the creation of a unique children’s book.

Family of Secrets: A Beginner’s Book to Body Safety features engaging illustrations and a rhyming storyline suitable for sharing with children of all ages. The colorful book released late last year aims to create a comfortable conversation around child safety.

Most child sexual abuse occurs at the hands of a family member or family friend rather than a stranger, according to Alexis, who works for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Geared for children, families, educators, counselors and more, Family of Secrets addresses body safety, safe and unsafe secrets, disclosure empowerment, healthy coping skills and healing, and safe adults and support systems.

The project began by serendipity. Alyssa, who works as an elementary school counselor in a Western New York school district, was inspired by Erin’s Law.

“It’s named after a survivor of child sexual abuse,” Alyssa explained of the law that requires public schools to teach sexual abuse and exploitation prevention program classes to students.

Erin’s Law founder Erin Merryn, born in 1985, is an activist against child sexual abuse and the author of Stolen Innocence, Living for Today, An Unimaginable Act and several children’s books. Erin’s Law has been adopted in many states across the country, most recently in New York state.

While looking for more elementary-aged resources on the subject matter, the sisters realized the market was lacking.

“There’s not many books that approach this topic in a way that you can talk to preschool and elementary age children,” Alyssa said. “So that’s kind of where our idea came from.”

“As self-publishers, we did it all ourselves,” Alexis said. “We hired our own illustrator, found our own editor. We are our entire marketing and advertising team.”

The hard work of self-publication allowed them to retain creative control.

“We had an idea for a book that was in our heart, and we weren’t going to let that go,” Alexis said. “We wanted to ensure the quality of the book, of the art, of the words and most importantly, of the mission.”

Their illustrator, Lisa Blakeborough of Minnesota, was discovered online after research and vetting of many qualified illustrators.

“What was important to us was finding an illustrator who was passionate about our mission and our book,” Alexis said. “And Lisa was 100 percent behind what this book stands for and it shows in her work. Her talent brought our story to life.”

The pictures weave together a tale about a “family of secrets,” helping children understand that some kinds of secrets are harmless, and others must be told.

“Our book focuses on providing a resource for educators, parents and caregivers to have those challenging conversations with their child,” Alexis said.

Instead of a dark and frightening storyline, Family of Secrets uses color to promote healing and strength.

“There are stories of children who tell a trusted person who doesn’t believe them, writes them off, or ignores them,” Alexis said.

“In our book, we write ‘Tell your unsafe secret to safe adults, family and friends, until that unsafe behavior finally ends! Even if this unsafe secret is old, if it was unsafe, it needs to be told.’”

Within a few months of publishing, their book has earned raves by parents with young children.

“Our youngest child who had our book read to her was 2-and-a-half years old and loved it,” Alexis said. “It’s never too young to have a conversation as long as you’re having an age-appropriate conversation about body safety. You should talk to your child as they develop. At every stage, at every age, talk to your children about body safety and make it an ongoing conversation.”

At Cortland, Alyssa recruited her sister as a test volunteer in the university’s electroencephalography (EEG) lab in a study about how individuals perceive others’ personalities that was advised by then-associate professors of psychology Leslie Eaton and Raymond Collings. Alyssa later co-presented her findings with a classmate at the Eastern Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Boston.

As the president of Criminology Club at Cortland, Alexis fulfilled its goal to provide students with opportunities to learn more about criminology and possible future careers by setting up appearances from an assistant district attorney, an FBI agent and a university police officer. She also organized a trip to visit a local prison.

“From the start, I knew I wanted to major in psychology and Alexis knew she wanted to major in criminology,” Alyssa said. “Our mom was a teacher for over 30 years, and our father was a police officer, so it’s no surprise that we would continue along the lines of education, law enforcement and safety.”

Both sisters thank SUNY Cortland for providing them the education to pursue their current careers and intertwine them to create this resource.

“We roomed together throughout college,” Alexis said. “We are sisters but we’re best friends. It was inevitable that we would continue working together and doing things together because we have all our life.”

“Did we ever think we would become authors?” Alyssa said. “Probably not.”

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Europe is facing some big challenges. That’s why five SUNY Cortland students in January were appointed to top leadership roles in Ireland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic and tasked with negotiating solutions to stubborn issues.

No, it wasn’t a scene from a parallel universe.

It was the annual Global Model European Union Conference.

From Jan. 6 through Jan. 9, more than 100 students from 14 universities from around the world gathered at SUNY Global Center in New York City to role-play as leaders and negotiators for EU member states.

The annual conference shifts venues each year between different sides of the Atlantic. Next year, the event is hosted by the Brussels School of Governance in Brussels, Belgium.

This year, it included a visit to the United Nations in addition to the unique learning experience that students involved in the program have come to value.

“The Model EU experience was a great way to learn strengths and weaknesses in the professional field, said Asha Younas, a senior majoring in international studies who participated in the program last year. “It helps determine negotiation styles and understanding how your style pairs with others. 

“This year, the event in New York City allowed me another opportunity to practice my skills. … My research was more in depth, and I practiced different negotiation techniques, some very adversarial, and others compromising, as I had the opportunity to do so in an environment where I could make mistakes and learn, but have that real-life feeling accompanied with it.” 

Younas played the role of Lithuania’s head of government. Junior international studies major Anne Austin assumed the role of Lithuania’s foreign minister.

“I gained valuable insights into negotiation, diplomacy, as well as other cultures,” Austin said. “The experience was truly something special, and I was deeply inspired by the attitudes and knowledge that the other students brought to the table.”

Other Red Dragon negotiators included:

Joshua Bates, a senior history major, representing the Czech Republic.

Layla Myers, a junior international studies major, representing Ireland. In recognition of her diplomatic skills in that role she received a conference award.

Fernanda Fernandez, a first-year international studies major, portraying the foreign minister of Ireland.

Professor Scott Moranda of the History Department served as mentor and faculty advisor for the Cortland delegation.

Participating SUNY Cortland students were supported by the International Programs Office, the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences from the Myers Family Fund, the President’s Office Haines Fund, and the Clark Center for Global Engagement. 

“This trip is such a unique event that allows people to practice connecting with others and working together for a common goal,” Myers said.  

“I made friends with people who I would never have met anywhere else, exchanged stories and made memories that will be with me for the rest of my life while continuing to help me in my future field or career.”  

Pictured in the photo are members of SUNY Cortland’s delegation at the SUNY Global Conference Center in New York City. From left to right are Asha Younas, Fernanda Fernandez, Joshua Bates, Layla Meyers and Anne Austin.

SUNY Cortland's Sustainability Office kicked off a new year of planet-friendly advancements and activities by introducing the campus to the spring team of Green Reps earlier this month in it's newsletter, "Keeping it Green."

The mission of the Green Reps is to inspire more environmentally conscious lifestyles through peer-to-peer environmental education programs that encourage a more eco-friendly and sustainable campus and lifelong behaviors.

"We are in the works of planning events that include film screenings, sustainability trivia and reuse crafting sessions in residence halls and across the greater campus community," said Megan Swing, Cortland's energy and sustainability engagement coordinator. "Keep an eye out for Green Rep programs, especially in April for Earth Day!"

Meet the Green Reps! 

Ava Brandon

She/ her
Major - Psychology | Minor- Psychology in Schools

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
To help make an environmental difference on campus and help others learn more about the benefits and importance of being a sustainable individual. 

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
Using a reusable water bottle rather than disposable water bottles. 

Favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus
All the outside seating and tables that our campus has to offer! I love studying and doing my homework outside on a nice day.

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
My biggest environmental goal is to live as much of a sustainable lifestyle as possible. I hope that in the future we see an increase in the use of renewable energy and an increase in the amount of recycling that occurs. 

Brianne Leak

She/her

Major- Early Childhood Education

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
I wanted to become a Green Rep because I have been passionate about environmental awareness for as long as I can remember. I think that all it takes to spark interest and awareness is a good educational conversation or the right media. From that point on helping to better the environment becomes a no brainer. I would love to play a role in the education of my peers on campus in regards to our environment.

One of my favorite and pretty simple eco life hacks is just taking my water bottle with me everywhere I go. It helps me refrain from using plastic bottles or purchasing drinks sold in single use cups

My favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus is pretty simple but I think that is part of the reason I love it. I like to do schoolwork and just hang out at the tables near the backend of Fitzgerald Hall. There is actually an amazing view, and the sun hits the area the perfect amount during the daytime in the fall. I have been lucky enough to see a few wandering cats around there and can usually get a pretty good up-close look at the birds and other wildlife.

Over the next 5-10 years I would love to see more environmentally conscious decisions made by bigger corporations. As we know larger groups tend to be more effective, I hope that a trend will follow in a manner that would allow us to reverse or slow down some of the damage we have caused. 

Chris Murphy

He/him
Major - History

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
I wanted to be a green rep to help people learn about the things they can do to help the planet.

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
I try to avoid single use bottles or cups and stick to my reusable containers.

Favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus
I like the Newmark Pavilion outside of the library where you can enjoy the fresh air.

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
I’d like to see the end of disposable vapes, which lead to significant toxic waste in our landfills, ground, and water.

Daniella Santagata

She/her

Major - Health Education

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
I have always cared deeply about the Earth and the importance of taking care of our home. I took environmental science in high school and loved learning more about the topic. My teacher and that class really left a huge impact on me so, I wanted to become a green rep to use my knowledge on the subject to spread awareness and educate other people about the environment.

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
One small thing I do every day to be eco-friendly is always shutting off lights and faucets when they are not being actively used or are not needed to be on. Not only is this good for the environment, but this also helps you to lower the costs of water and electricity bills, which is good for your wallet!

Favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus
On campus when it is warm, I love to hang out in the courtyard behind my building.

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
In the future when I have my own house it is a goal of mine to install solar panels and compost food waste to be more sustainable. In the next 5-10 years I hope that more big companies are making sustainable swaps like powering their buildings with solar panels, adding green roofs on top of buildings in cities and relying less on fossil fuels. 

Fiona Joss

She/her
Major - Therapeutic Recreation

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
Growing up, I was always disturbed by the amount of trash that lined my neighborhood. There was litter in every yard, bush line, fence, ditch, and tree. In recent years I’ve become more attuned to the problems our planet is facing, and how I can make my lifestyle less impactful on the planet. The Green Rep program here at Cortland allows me to spread awareness about environmental issues as well as offer solutions and alternatives to harmful habits. One of the three pillars of recreation is the conservation of places and spaces. I am passionate about improving the cleanliness of these areas, not only for the health of our planet but for the health of our community as well.   

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
Instead of using plastic cling wrap to keep food fresh invest in beeswax wraps! These wraps are reusable, multifunctional, and can last for years with proper care and storage.

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years I hope fast fashion is no longer being produced. My personal goal is to have nearly every new item of clothing I add to my closet be something I’ve made myself, purchased second hand, or bought from a small sustainable business.

Kat Wilburn

She/her
Major - Therapeutic Recreation

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
I chose to be a Green Rep to become educated on sustainability and share my knowledge with others!

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
I always love a reusable bag. There are many fun options, and they always come in handy!

Favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus
I really enjoy the courtyard outside of the Professional Studies building. It is near my classes and there are bird feeders that allow a great spot for bird watching and soaking up the sun!

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
My biggest environmental goal is to become a beekeeper! Bees are critically important to our planet, playing a vital role in pollinating approximately 75% of global crops and supporting biodiversity. By properly caring for bees through responsible beekeeping, we can help maintain healthy ecosystems, support food production, and contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

Mario Ruggiero

He/him
Major - Philosophy

Why did you want to be a Green Rep?
I wanted to become a Green Rep to help preserve nature.

Favorite sustainable swap / eco life hack
My favorite eco life hack is that you can keep refilling the same reusable water bottle over and over!

Favorite outdoor spot to spend time on campus
My favorite outdoor spot is the trees by DeGroat!

What is your biggest environmental goal? What change do you want to see in the next 5-10 years?
My biggest environmental goal is to try to help keep untouched land untouched.

SUNY Cortland will round out Black History Month (BHM) through February with lectures, workshops and panel presentations and will conclude with a gathering to remember one of the university’s most staunch supporters of diversity, equity and inclusion, the late Regina Grantham.

 BHM campus events will be posted online on the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office webpage. Events are open to the public and free unless otherwise noted.

Still to come are:

Ọlaọcha Nwadiuto Nwabara, assistant professor of Western African literature and culture at SUNY Geneseo’s Department of English, will share indigenous African ontologies of becoming and of one’s purpose read through contemporary Igbo literature, centering the journeys of non-heterosexual women, on Monday, Feb. 24. Her talk, titled will speak on “Becoming, Writing Home: Embodying Spirit as Gendered and Sexual Identity Representation in Igbo Literature,” will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. 

Bekeh Ukelina, SUNY Cortland professor of history, will discuss the important role of a key dam in the history of Nigeria, on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The rescheduled talk “From TVA to Kainji? Damming Nigeria’s New Deal Vision for National Transformation” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. in Old Main Colloquium. Between 1964 and 1968, Nigeria built and completed Kanji Dam, one of the country's most significant infrastructural development projects following political independence from Britain. The vision of Nigerian leaders was that the dam will be socially and economically transformative like the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) did in the Appalachian region of the United States.

 Since the publication of Feminism. Now (Davis, Dent, Meiners, and Ritchie, 2022) by notable penal abolitionists, abolition feminism is starting to gain traction in feminist and social justice discourses, according to Mecke Nagel, SUNY Cortland philosophy professor. She will discuss the progress during a sandwich seminar titled “Abolition Feminism and Its Others” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Old Main Colloquium.

Assumptions and opinions can cause harm. SUNY Cortland Health Educator Lauren Scagnelli will discuss “Assumptions and Opinions” giving examples that include various aspects of diversity on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The talk, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Neubig Hall lobby, is sponsored by the Conley Wellness Wednesday series, Health Promotions, Multicultural Life and Diversity Office and wellness peer educators.

 Jihon Kim, chief of policy with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and a visiting scholar in the Harvard Asia Center, will discuss the fierce conflicts at UNESCO since 2015 over interpretations of Japan’s 20th-century colonial rule and wartime actions among Japan, Korea and China. The presentation, titled “Contested Heritage: Japan, Korea, China and the Struggle for Historical Narratives at UNESCO,” will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Corey Union Fireplace Lounge.

A panel of Black students led by Kelly Tait will share their unique recent study abroad experiences during “Black Abroad” on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Panelists will reflect on how studying abroad has shaped their identities, discuss the challenges they faced, and list the triumphs they achieved while navigating new cultural environments, during the event from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 209.

Rob Haggar, a visiting scholar in the SUNY Cortland Economics Department, will discuss “Prisons, Anarchism and Black Power” at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. They assert that New York, and specifically its vast constellation of jails and prisons, was a locus of the development of Black Anarchism. The discussion will focus on the life of Martin Sostre and the Attica Prison Revolt. International Programs sponsors this event.

Dahila Wilson and ballroom dancer will present a sandwich seminar on “Portraying Racialized Bodies in Early Modernity” Thursday, Feb. 27. The event runs from noon to 1 p.m. in Old Main Colloquium. Amid the constructs of race created by English persons during the early modern period, their investment in portraying Black, Brown, and mixed-race individuals invites reflection on what made these identities particularly essential to racial constructions. This presentation will explore the representations of these racialized bodies in drama, poetry and early modern material culture.

Dahila Wilson and ballroom dancer will later offer an educational celebration of Black excellence in arts, culture and leadership with a “Black History Exhibition” in the Corey Union Function Room from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27. Voice Office clubs will exhibit Black cultural items relating to hair, clothes, important figures, dances and more. Students, community members, faculty and staff are welcome.

A celebration of the life of the late Regina Grantham, titled “Regina Grantham: A Gentle Warrior,” will take place on Friday, Feb. 28. The event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Sperry Center Vittor Lecture Hall (Room 205). An emeritus faculty member who served in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences for more than 30 years, Grantham served as department chair for 18 years. She helped establish and obtain accreditation for the Graduate Program. Grantham also tirelessly advocated and provided leadership to a multitude of diversity initiatives at the university, in the community and in the field of speech-language pathology. The epitome of Black resistance, resilience and success, she endured significant challenges when attending a predominantly white institution in the 1960s. Ultimately, she was named an ASHA Fellow by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the field’s highest honor.