Campus Champion

Winning track races isn’t the only motivation for student-athlete Emily Pierro — she strives for balance in life. That focus has led the sophomore inclusive childhood education major to be an advocate for mental health at SUNY Cortland. Emily helps Conley Counseling and Wellness Services with various groups and activities promoting mental health awareness. She collaborated on the development of a weekly Mind/Body Self-Care Group and served on the university’s Body Appreciation Week Committee. It’s all part of Emily’s goal to encourage confidence and help her peers thrive during a key part of their lives. 

Last fall, SUNY Cortland junior Krystal Puesan spotted a campus email urging students to apply for a prestigious conservation science-related internship exchange program in Puerto Rico to be offered in late May.

Funded by the Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund, the SUNY pilot research exchange experience is undertaken in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico and the conservation organization Para La Naturaleza.

The selection process for a SUNY-Para la Naturaleza (SUNY-PLN) internship strongly encouraged students with financial need, first-generation students and those seeking research experience to apply. Puesan, a dual major in adolescence education: social studies and history from Brentwood, N.Y., met all three criteria.

Out of more than 300 students who applied, she is among nine young scholars selected from across six SUNY campuses.

“I read in the description that the program has a lot in it about water quality and things of that nature,” she said of the initiative offered by the SUNY Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development.

Puesan’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic in the early 2000s, and she has spent many summers in her family’s native home.

“There’s very similar ties between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico with water degradation and environmental degradation,” she said of the two Caribbean islands, one its own nation and the other an unincorporated territory ceded by Spain to the U.S. in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.

“I feel like being well-rounded is important, especially as a future educator,” Puesan said. “So, I thought, ‘OK, I don’t have experience on this. But this would be really cool.’”

Puesan applied for the SUNY-PLN opportunity, admitting that she put her heart and soul into the required application essay. Selected students were announced Feb. 15, and Puesan was among them.

“It was honestly a huge surprise,” Puesan said, noting that as a scholarship recipient in the Cortland Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E) program, she was relaxing in the C.U.R.E. lounge with friends when she opened the transformational email.

“I let out this really big gasp,” she said. “Everybody’s like, ‘What?’ And they all came around me and were reading the email. It was a really cool environment to receive that news.”

Starting on May 18, Puesan will spend 10 days in Puerto Rico together with a small group of SUNY students immersing themselves in interdisciplinary learning, research and cultural experiences. They will explore the El Yunque rainforest, practice identifying geological formations in canyons, observe the monitoring of water quality and discuss conservation strategies with local experts.

Puesan will have her trip expenses plus a $1,280 stipend paid by the university system as she conducts research aimed at taking climate action and improving sustainability. This program is being administered by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), which will arrange the orientation and logistics.

SUNY Cortland received 35 applications for the program, according to Daniela Baban Hurrle, director of the university’s International Programs Office. A campus review committee selected Puesan as a finalist for consideration by SUNY.

SUNY on Nov. 14 announced a second round in its growing initiative, piloted in Fall 2025 with students from SUNY Oneonta, SUNY ESF and University at Buffalo. In addition to SUNY Cortland, this year’s expanded program also will include students from ESF, SUNY Oneonta, University at Albany, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Oswego.

As a C.U.R.E. scholar, Puesan has already visited two different urban classrooms in the Syracuse (N.Y.) City School District, to observe the approaches of actual teachers. She has committed to teach in urban or disadvantaged schools for several years after graduation.

“As a future educator, Krystal will gain invaluable firsthand experience observing and engaging with these environmental and sustainability initiatives in context,” Baban Hurrle said.

“This immersive exposure will better prepare her to bring real-world examples, global perspectives and culturally responsive insights into her own classroom, ultimately enriching the learning experiences of her future students.”

Puesan said she’s looking forward to visiting Puerto Rico for many reasons.

“I’m going to visit San Juan, that’s a really popular, more urban area,” she said. “Definitely there’s a lot of history there and I’m a history junkie, so that catches my eye as well as another part of the island where the artist Bad Bunny is from. I’m really into his music.”

Baban Hurrle hopes Puesan’s experience inspires future students.

“We are very excited about this opportunity and hope it will be a highly successful program for all involved,” Baban Hurrle said. “The study away experience in Puerto Rico offers students a unique combination of academic enrichment, cultural immersion and meaningful engagement that aligns closely with our office’s mission.”

Politicians, take note: Red Dragons are making moves on the global stage. 

Before the start of the spring semester, seven students traveled to the Global Model European Union (GMEU) in Belgium. There they simulated the European Council and learned just what it takes to survive and thrive in international politics. 

More than 120 students representing 12 schools from six countries made the trip in January to host city Brussels. 

In addition to the U.S., participants came from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Cortland was among five institutions from New York, a group that also included Ithaca College, the University at Albany and the University at Buffalo.Participants were welcomed to Vesalius College. Cortland’s students enrolled in a fall course on the European Union to prepare and better understand the often contradictory needs of the EU’s members. 

“I was a bit skeptical when I was invited to Brussels — at first, (the GMEU) looks like a lot of work — but I agreed and I couldn’t be more grateful that I did,” said Emma Caraher, a triple major in history, anthropology: museum studies and international studies. 

“Preparing for GMEU is a lot of work, but it’s also so ultimately rewarding. I made lots of new friends and met so many interesting people.” 

While there, Layla Myers, a double major in teaching English as a second language and international studies, represented Poland as its prime minister. Ava Graziano, a community health major, was prime minister of Denmark. Maria Fernandez, a double major in history and international studies, acted as Poland’s foreign minister while Caraher assumed the same role for Denmark.  

Maddie Houghton, a double major in archaeology and international studies, and Carly Hammond, a double major in archaeology and history, were the defense ministers of Poland and Portugal, respectively. Zach Biemer, a double major in geographic information systems and international studies, served as the Portuguese representative on the Environmental Council. 

For Fernandez, preparing for the GMEU was a prelude to what she gained from her time spent with people from around the world. 

“Actually putting that research into practice and being able to interact with peers who also dedicated their time to preparing for their roles was extremely enlightening and I am very thankful that I was able to participate in this experience,” she said. 

An array of topical discussions dug into the finer points of diplomacy. They included tariffs, the Middle East, Ukraine, cybersecurity and other challenges. 

“The way that real time events influenced the simulation was unique as the invasion of Venezuela and the debate about Greenland really unfolded just before and during the conference, and students roleplaying as foreign ministers and heads of government had to respond to those events in their negotiations,” said Professor of History Scott Moranda, who attended the conference as faculty advisor and mentor for Cortland’s delegation. 

Moranda explained that the GMEU is a great opportunity for students to travel abroad, experience European cities and build new friendships. While there, students also learn directly about the EU and its history. 

Beyond the main experience at the GMEU, the group visited museums, enjoyed a day trip to the city of Bruges and guest talks from EU dignitaries.  

Moranda credited support from the International Programs Office, the School of Arts and Sciences, the President’s Office and the Clark Center for Global Engagement for making the visit possible. 

“The simulation offered a learning experience that could not be replicated in a typical classroom,” Moranda said. “While you could technically do it online, it would not be the same as being in the same room with other students from multiple countries learning to compromise, craft proposals and find common ground in real time.” 

The current GMEU began in 2022, with Cortland making trips the past three years. But Alexandru Balas, professor of international studies, said Cortland was one of the first universities in the U.S. to take part in Model EU conferences in 1988 — then called Model European Communities conference.  

He sees it as an effective way to build negotiating skills, test EU knowledge and gain confidence in public speaking. 

It was a feeling shared by Biemer, who enjoyed chances to network while learning how countries with different goals find common ground.  

“I have gained new leadership skills ... (and) I look back on the trip with no regrets and would highly do it all over again, as I have felt like I got to embrace a new culture and enjoyed the experience to the fullest.” 

The Cortland women’s gymnastics team will be right at home for its national championship, fresh off setting a school-record score at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) East Regional. 

The Red Dragons will host the NCGA National Championships on Friday, March 20, at 2 p.m. in Corey Gymnasium. 

Cortland also hosted the NCGA Championship in 1992 and 2008. 

Six schools qualified for the national team competition, based on results from the NCGA East Regional held March 7 at Rhode Island College, where the women’s team placed second, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship held March 7 at Winona State University (Minn.). 

Tickets for the championships are $11 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for youth and college students and can be ordered online. 

Cortland qualified for the championship meet for the third straight season with a record-breaking score of 193.00 at the NCGA East Regional. The team’s previous school record was 192.80, set earlier this season in a meet at Ithaca. 

“Beating the school record and qualifying to nationals was just the icing on the cake because I told this team that they are a 193 scoring team and I knew they have the talent and potential to be as good as they want to be,” said head coach Sulekha Modi Zaug ’00, M ’02. “It was so exciting watching them perform the way I know they can.” 

Wisconsin-La Crosse is the defending national champion after claiming the title last spring at Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.). Cortland was the top East team at the 2025 national meet with a fourth-place finish. 

In addition to Cortland, team qualifiers for the 2026 championships include Brockport, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire. 

SUNY Cortland will also host the NCGA Hall of Fame induction dinner on Thursday, March 19, at HomeTowne Studios & Conference Center in Cortland, where a five-member 2026 induction class will be honored. 

Visit the SUNY Cortland Athletics website for complete coverage of the meet. More information about the NCGA is available online. 

Author James Francisco Bonilla ’76 will share his personal story of a blind Puerto Rican boy in New York who transcends a harrowing childhood to become a lifelong advocate for social justice, in a pair of talks on Wednesday, March 11, at SUNY Cortland.

Bonilla, a former recreation education major at Cortland, last November released his memoir, An Eye For An I: Growing up with Blindness, Bigotry, and Family Mental Illness. He will participate in a student panel roundtable that afternoon and later an author’s book reading.

Presented by SUNY Cortland’s Anti-Racism Task Force Education Subcommittee, both events take place in the university’s Corey Union and are free and open to the public.

The student roundtable, titled “Exploring Disability, Bigotry and Trauma: Lessons Learned Through My Cortland Years/Reflections on Identity, Race and Resilience During College and Beyond,” will take place from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Fireplace Lounge.

During the second event from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Exhibition Lounge, Bonilla will read selections from his memoir, published Nov. 4 by University of Minnesota Press.

The volume offers an inspiring account of how he found a path through his own suffering to make a difference for others. It includes vivid anecdotes about many of his SUNY Cortland experiences, including his therapeutic recreation and outdoor education programs and his scholarship under the guidance of the colorful late Professor Emerita Marcia Carlson, and reminisces about his study abroad semester in London.

“It is my hope this book will open eyes as well as be useful to folks who struggle with trauma, disability and bigotry of all kinds,” said Bonilla, who is a professor emeritus of organizational leadership and conflict studies at Hamline University School of Business in St. Paul, Minnesota.

After graduation from SUNY Cortland, he earned an M.A. in the psychological education program and an Ed.D. in organizational development and applied group studies from the University of Massachusetts School of Education.

Hamline released an article about Bonilla’s book last fall.

Wrote one reviewer, Beverly Daniel Tatum, “With its intersectional analysis of racism, mental illness and disability, this memoir brings a fresh and inspiring voice to the world of social justice literature.”

A book description noted, “An Eye for an I presents both Bonilla and his aggressors with refreshing nuance and humility, inviting readers to empathize, be inspired and consider their own potential to be of service in a broken, yet beautiful, world.”

Born with congenital cataracts, Bonilla had limited vision in his right eye and none in his left. At age 9, after a classmate hurled a horseshoe at his face in what he recounted as a racially motivated assault, Bonilla’s right eye was injured and he became legally blind.

“Jovencito, it’s going to be lonely being different and yet strong in this world,” Bonilla’s grandmother told him when he was 10. He had come home after defending himself against a bully who had threatened him with violence, making it clear that he didn’t care that Bonilla was blind.

At home, too, he feared physical violence, experiencing the unpredictable outbursts of a single mother suffering from severe mental illness.

Throughout his youth as a Puerto Rican New Yorker, Bonilla was continually failed by educational systems that exposed him to one abuse after another. Searching for relief and inspiration, he discovered an unexpected solace in the natural world, spiritual encounters with Mother Earth that led him toward both personal healing and advocacy.

At 19, a breakthrough in medical technology restored the sight in his right eye, and Bonilla recognized his unique perspective on the struggles of the disabled and marginalized in American life — and his intense will to make a difference.

He seeks to understand generational trauma, and in documenting his growth — physically, mentally and spiritually — his memoir exemplifies the introspection necessary to participate in truly equitable and effective movement building.

Despite the isolation he felt in childhood, Bonilla has come to commit his life to leveraging his differences and strengths toward a collective fight for justice.

He served on the Hamline University faculty from 1996 until 2014. Bonilla taught in the School of Education, the School of Public Administration and the School of Business, working with both undergraduate and graduate students.

In addition to the Anti-Racism Task Force education subcommittee, the event sponsors include Disability Resources, Conley Counseling and Wellness, the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office, the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association and the student clubs La Familia Latina and NAACP.

Contact Disability Resources for questions about accessibility, to request accommodations or for more information.

It’s a battle of the red dragons to kick off the 2026 edition of SUNY’s Mascot Madness.

Once again, the 64-campus SUNY system is hosting a competition to determine its most popular college mascot. And Blaze, Cortland’s red dragon mascot, is matched up with Oneonta’s Red in first-round action.

Students, faculty, staff, family, friends and strangers on the street can vote for Blaze on the official SUNY website.

Online voting begins Tuesday, March 10, at noon and the first round continues through Thursday, March 12, at 3 p.m.

SUNY Cortland voters are encouraged to cast ballots early and often, and they can log one vote every 12 hours from a unique device.

Assuming everyone’s favorite Red Dragon is victorious in the first round — and keeps winning — Blaze will advance through the schedule below. All voting rounds begin at noon and end at 3 p.m.

• Round 2: Monday, March 16 to Wednesday, March 18
• Round 3: Friday, March 20 to Monday, March 23
• Semifinals: Wednesday, March 25 to Friday, March 27
• Finals: Tuesday, March 31 to Thursday, April 2

Bonus votes are expected to be available through Instagram starting in Round 3. More details will be shared when they are available.

SUNY Cortland continues to celebrate Women’s History Month (WHM) through Wednesday, April 8, with a series of events that includes historical and cultural lectures, sandwich seminars and panel presentations, and a music, readings and dance event.

On Wednesday, March 4, Alena Pirok, a SUNY Cortland assistant professor of history, explored how modern U.S. ghost stories have brought buried women’s experiences to the surface in a sandwich seminar in Old Main Colloquium titled “Spectral Power: The Subversive Spirits of Silenced Women.” She showed early 20th century photos of Cortland and talked about Grace Brown, the young girl who worked in the Gillette Factory in Cortland and died in Adirondacks. Focused on murdered, incarcerated and enslaved women, the presentation illustrated how, in the hands of modern storytellers and public historians, ghost stories not only make real and collected women’s experiences known, but reveal unforgettable parts of the landscape.

For the remainder of March, WHM campus events will be posted online on the news website, in the Bulletin and on the campus calendar. Events are free and open to the public.

This year’s theme, “Women Rising: A Struggle for Freedom, Democracy, and Justice Moving Forward Together!” explores the long and ongoing fight by women across communities and generations to claim equal rights and full participation in society.

“It traces how women have challenged oppression, confronted discriminatory laws and organized collective movements to secure political voice, personal autonomy and social justice,” said organizer Anisha Saxena, associate professor of history and interim director of chair of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies (CGIS).

“From grassroots activism to global human rights efforts, the struggle reflects both hard-won victories and continuing resistance, highlighting women’s central role in shaping more democratic, just and inclusive societies,” she said.

Upcoming events include:

Sunday, March 8

Music, Readings and Dance: “Voices of HERstory, Vol. 2”

2 p.m.

Dowd Fine Arts Center, Room 110

Join the Performing Arts Department's musical theatre faculty, staff and students in celebrating female writers through music, spoken word and dance. The event will promote female voices and stories, featuring a large cast of musical theatre majors coming together to show appreciation for the women who inspire us. Admission is free, with a suggested donation for Grace Brown House. Reserve your seat or livestream the event.

Tuesday, March 10

Flower giveaway: "International Celebration of Women"

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old Main, Room 219

To celebrate International Women's Day, International Programs is handing out beautiful flowers to campus community members as an opportunity to recognize the incredible women in our lives, spread awareness about gender equality and commit to building a more equitable future for all.

Wednesday, March 11 

Sandwich Seminar: “Women’s History Month Open Forum”

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Old Main Colloquium (Room 220)

Campus community members are invited to gather and share more about the women authors and artists who have made a meaningful impact on them. Whether it’s a poem, play, short story, article, installation, painting or sculpture created by a woman who has inspired, challenged, moved or transformed you, this session offers space to reflect and connect. Contact Anisha Saxena, associate professor of history. Parking is available in the Graham Avenue lots below the Miller Building.

Thursday, March 12

Visiting Lecture: “Inconvenient History: Jain Narratives of Muslim Rule and the Politics of Hindu Nationalism Today”

11 a.m. to noon

Old Main Colloquium (Room 220)

Steven Vose, an assistant professor in the Department of History at the University of Colorado, Denver, and the Bhagwan Suparshvanatha Endowed Chair of Jain Studies, will discuss children’s stories written in the Jain tradition. One of the earliest story collections written in Gujarati, Merusundara’s 15th century Śīlopadeśamālā-Bālāvabodha(ŚB) (A Primer for Children to the Garland of Teachings on Virtue), introduces the concept of śīla (virtue, chastity, piety) to novices — children and new converts — in the Jain tradition. Drawn from Jain and Hindu stories in Sanskrit, its condensed prose retellings are fast-paced and action-packed. With raucous humor and winking irony, it frequently lampoons vaunted figures, humans and gods alike. His work examines how class, gender, caste and religion intersect to form social and political identities in South Asia, focusing on Jain communities in western India from the late medieval period to the present. His first book, Reimagining Jainism in Islamic India: Jain Intellectual Culture in the Delhi Sultanate, won the Edward C. Dimock, Jr. Book Prize in the Indian Humanities from the American Institute of Indian Studies. The event is hosted by the Clark Center for Global Engagement.

Visiting Lecture: “Teaching Caste Purity as Religious Piety: Women’s Virtue in a Jain Story Collection”

4:30 to 6 p.m.

Sperry Center Hobson Lecture Hall (Room 104)

Vose later will discuss Merusundara’s vernacular text Jain narratives from the perspective of how it treats women. Over half of its stories are about exemplary, and cautionary, women. Several stories feature a young wife abandoned by her husband. Forced to rely on their piety and wits to save themselves, those who maintain their chastity and fidelity to their husbands — at seemingly great personal cost — find themselves returned to safety. Becoming nuns, they reconcile with their former husbands and achieve heaven or even liberation. In addition to his present work, a translation of a 15th century Gujarati collection of Jain stories on women’s virtue, he is also currently researching the effects of globalization and neoliberalism on transnational Jain communities. The event is hosted by the Clark Center for Global Engagement.

Sandwich Seminar and book launch: “Teacher Power: Teachers Triggering Social Justice Change”

Noon to 1 p.m.

Old Main Colloquium

Rhiannon Maton, an associate professor in SUNY Cortland’s Foundations and Social Advocacy Department, will give a presentation on how teachers mobilize their power, voice and collective agency to advance social justice. Maton’s talk will feature international examples from the Routledge Handbook on teachers’ work.

Monday, March 23

Sandwich Webinar: “History of Women and Money”

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Online

Cary Carbonaro ’90, managing wealth advisor with Ashton Thomas Wealth Advisor, is a Cortland College Foundation board member and the author of the 2015 book, The Money Queen, ranked by Amazon as the No. 1 Bestseller in wealth management new releases. Carbonaro has been a guest on major television network shows and news broadcasts and has been quoted in a long list of popular newspapers and magazines. She offers practical advice for college students on how to live on a budget and grow their savings as they go out in the working world.

Wednesday, March 25

Sandwich Seminar: “Ethics, Empathy and Women’s Political Engagement”

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Old Main Colloquium

Distinguished Professor Mecke Nagel, who chairs the Philosophy Department and the Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice, will discuss U.S. women’s political engagement and the interplay of principled alliances and opportunism. In addition to being part of WHM at Cortland, the event continues the university’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Thursday, March 26

Sandwich Seminar: “Sanctioned Bigotry: Learning about U.S. Antisemitism with Archives”

Noon to 1 p.m.

Old Main Colloquium

Antisemitism in the United States remains misunderstood. Scholars and public intellectuals who have discussed anti-Jewish bigotry generally cast it simplistically, identifying it as a conspiracy theory or as an individual defect. Exploring incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry, violence and discrimination in U.S. history reveals a far more complex reality. What binds anti-Jewish episodes and movements in the U.S. is the desire to undermine and even eliminate Jews’ civil and political rights. Historically, Christian nationalism, racial science and conspiratorial thinking constitute the three forces that have inspired that objective. Using archival sources spanning from 1654 through the present, Britt Tevis, assistant professor of history at Syracuse University, illuminates an array of forgotten examples of antisemitism in the U.S. to reveal the political dimension of anti-Jewish bigotry as well as the underlying ideological motives propelling its promulgation. Tevis will team up with Nance Wilson, a professor in SUNY Cortland’s Literacy Department.

Saturday, March 28

Women of Color Presents: the 17th annual Celebration of Woman

11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge

Entry is free. The event will feature dance team Ritmo Latino, live DJ music, catered food, raffles, interactive games and professional photography. Scan the QR Code to nominate someone for an award for best scholar, best student athlete and more.

Wednesday, April 8

Tabling Event: “Period.”

1 to 3 p.m.

Corey Union steps

Health and Wellness Promotion, Sustainability Office and Conley Wellness peer educators will be on hand to inform campus community members about menstrual health and sustainability as part of this Wellness Wednesday event. Participants will explore eco-friendly period products, break stigmas and promote well-being for a healthier planet and body. Free period cups will be given away. For more information, contact Lauren Scagnelli ’12, M ’14, health and wellness program coordinator.

In addition to CGIS, sponsors include the President’s Office, Clark Center for Global Engagement, History Department, Philosophy Department, Literacy Department, Health Promotion Office, Cortland College Foundation, Conley Wellness Center, Sustainability Office and the Barbara A. Galpin ’68, M ’74 Institute for Civic Engagement.

For questions about the WHM series, contact Anisha Saxena or Joanna Hryniewicz at [email protected].

Less than one semester after celebrating the 75th year diamond jubilee of its national recreation conference with much reflection on past milestones, SUNY Cortland’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies Department decided to take the annual event in a whole new direction.

Renamed the Metcalf Summit for Professional Advocacy in Recreation and Tourism, this year the event takes place on Saturday, April 18. Conference registration is now open.

Besides the renaming, changes include:

• The formerly two-day — Thursday and Friday — November conference becomes a one-day summit to be held permanently in the spring semester.
• The Metcalf Summit will no longer be organized as a class project by students enrolled in the department’s Corporate Events class. That presents an opportunity for all undergraduates in the major, including first-year students, to participate in organizing the conference.
• The event moves to Moffett Center, departing from its Corey Union venue of several decades.

At the very heart of the redesigned conference is a new focus on participant engagement and advocacy, according to Jason Page, assistant professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies, who has taught the Corporate Events course since 2021.

“Over the last few years, we’ve been discussing what we want to do and what we’re achieving with that event,” he said. “And we made the decision as faculty that we wanted something different.”

The event’s traditional format of individual lectures on a plethora of topics is replaced by action-oriented professional development, interdisciplinary networking and measurable learning outcomes.

“Part of our rationale was that the conference was becoming more and more challenging as an event in terms of getting people to participate and showing value for our students,” Page said. “We designed the Metcalf Summit to be much more participatory, much lower cost, and it is structured to get more interaction with both students and professionals.”

Participants will engage in facilitated roundtable discussions that generate actionable outcomes and concrete 90-day pilot initiatives. Morning discipline-specific sessions will transition to afternoon interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering cross-sector partnerships.

Participants need not submit presentation proposals or prepare materials — they simply bring their professional expertise and lived experience to the conversations. Students and professionals work together throughout, creating authentic mentorship beyond typical conference interactions. Moderators compile findings into reports distributed within a month of the summit, maintaining momentum and accountability after the event.

Continuing its long tradition of lining up a national-caliber keynote speaker, this year the event begins a concerted effort to align each principal presenter with the summit’s stated goal that year.

Bryan P. McCormick, a professor in the recreational therapy program within the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health, will discuss his work that directly addresses the upcoming summit’s central focus — combating social isolation and loneliness through evidence-based recreation interventions.

Meanwhile, Page plans to update the Corporate Events course over the summer, enhancing its value to students in many different majors, in addition to recreation, parks and leisure studies.

“We want to make it more focused on a variety of different events,” he said. “When it was tied to the conference, that was the entire focus for obvious reasons. Now we can expand what that course involves, to try to focus on developing community partnerships so our students can get a sense of what it is to run those kinds of events.”

Moving the event to Moffett Center goes beyond the reality of the extensive Corey Union renovation project soon to take the entire building offline.

“We wanted to try a different location, and Moffett Center offers the atrium as a beautiful space,” Page said. “It’s newly refurbished. And then the classrooms are all there, so it’s easy for us to break the groups out and bring them all back together without having to move around a lot of different spaces.”

The Metcalf Board, which manages the Metcalf Endowment that funds the annual gathering, embraced the organizers’ rapid switch.

“I think it really does reference the spirit of Metcalf, and more so, because it is bringing together leaders in the field and then having conversations with them,” Page said of Harlan Goldsbury “Gold” Metcalf, the pioneering SUNY Cortland recreation administrator who established the department in 1947 and taught there for 22 years.

“So, it’s not just having professionals present a topic and then they leave," Page said. "They’re coming here and they’re engaged in guided conversations where they can share ideas. And our students can connect with them in a meaningful way: with a structured conversation rather than just sitting through a presentation.

“That, if anything, encapsulates the idea of “surrounding yourself with excellence, or the best in your field, in a more complete way,” said Page, paraphrasing Metcalf’s core philosophy.

Love was in the air at SUNY Cortland throughout the month of February.

And it wasn’t just because of Valentine’s Day, but because a campus-wide effort encouraged students to celebrate the reasons why they enjoy pursuing their academic majors.

At least 12 academic departments joined in “Love Your Major” efforts throughout the month, hosting a range of events that offered giveaways, snacks and the opportunity to gather in an informal setting with classmates and professors. Advisement and Transition coordinates the annual initiative and asks academic departments to embrace creativity in their offerings.

This year, those programs ranged from history majors piecing together a custom puzzle of the original Cortland Normal School to anthropology and archaeology majors taking on a “Jeopardy!” category themed around facts about their professors.

Among its offerings, the Biological Sciences Department led a note-writing campaign that several other departments have adopted in recent years, where current Red Dragons write to prospective students who have been accepted in their discipline. 

This year’s participants included the following programs and departments: Biological Sciences, Childhood/Early Childhood Education, Communication and Media Studies, Economics, English, Foundations and Social Advocacy, Geology, History, International Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies, and Sport Management.

Submitted highlights are included below.

Biological Sciences Department

Multiple “Cookies, Cocoa and Cards” events offered sweet treats and hot cocoa to students along with other small giveaways. Students were encouraged to write notes to potential future Red Dragons, sharing the reasons why they enjoy the department’s majors in adolescence education, biology, biomedical sciences and conservation biology.

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History Department

A “Pop Tart and Puzzles” party provided the classic breakfast snack and the opportunity for students to work on a variety of puzzles, including a custom-made creation featuring a historic photo of the original Cortland Normal School building in Courthouse Park. Students also wrote “Why I Love My Major” notes to be shared in a letter home to accepted students.

English Department

A “Love and Literature” event followed a Valentine’s Day theme that included Shakespearean Mad Libs, crafts, literary-themed valentines and readings about love in all its forms.

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International Studies

International studies majors enjoyed a lunchtime event in a relaxed setting, where students enjoyed snacks, earned prizes and answered creative questions. Those included: “If your major was a superhero, what would their power be?” and “If your favorite professor was a world leader, who would they be?” Many participants stayed after the event’s official end time to continue their conversations.

Sociology/Anthropology Department

Nearly 20 students representing a range of majors — from anthropology and archaeology to international studies — enjoyed a spirited trivia game inspired by “Jeopardy!” and created by Anna Tanzman, an archaeology major and co-manager the university’s Archaeology Lab interns. 

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Foundations and Social Advocacy Department

Inclusive education majors celebrated love for their major with activities designed to support their future careers. Close to 50 students made lanyards for their teacher name tags and networked with faculty while enjoying food, raffles and a photo booth with Blaze, SUNY Cortland’s red dragon mascot.

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Geology Department

The Geology Department hosted a get-together for students and faculty to share more about their love for the discipline. Early-arriving students received “swag bags” containing candy, geology-themed stickers, snacks, a 3D puzzle and a mineral sample. Students spent time putting together their puzzles, participating in raffles and enjoying treats.

As part of the Cortland County Legislature’s proclamation of February as Black History Month, SUNY Cortland's Tracy Hudson, assistant professor of physical education and coordinator for a course on the foundations of education in American culture, was recognized for her contributions to the county. Hudson, one of the vice presidents and charter members of the new Tompkins/Cortland County branch of the NAACP, brought students to the local meeting and spoke to the legislature of equity and appreciating the value people bring to life, including historic names like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.

“During Black History Month, I ask my students to consider what unites these figures across time, culture and circumstances," Hudson said. "What connects them is their belief in human potential. Each understood that education is not merely the transmission of information but the affirmation of worth and the cultivation of possibilities.”

The College Writing Committee announced 15 students honored in the 2026 Outstanding Writing Awards.

The awardees will be celebrated at the 2026 Writing Gala to be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, in the Dowd Gallery. 

Winners and honorable mentions by category are:

Collin Anderson Memorial Awards in Creative Writing

• Poetry

• Winner: Kirsten Brennan
• Honorable Mention: Callie Pinnelli

• Fiction

• Winner: Kay Perry
• Honorable Mention: Hunter Williams

• Creative Nonfiction

• Winner: Hunter Williams
• Honorable Mention: Daphne Pufky

• Multimodal/Digital Writing

• Winner: Julia Strobel
• Honorable Mention: Isabella DuBois
  
  

Writing Across the Curriculum Awards

• Kathy Lattimore-First Year Writing

• Winner: Kaylee Klymkow
• Honorable Mention: Hailey Reilly

• School of Arts and Sciences

• Winner: Isabella DuBois
• Honorable Mention: William Moretti

• School of Professional Studies

• Winner: Meghan Sainsbury

• Graduate Student Writing

• Winner: Colin Saldaris
• Honorable Mention: Mamadou Diallo

SUNY Cortland will offer a week-long educational series designed to disrupt the criminalization and incarceration of children and teens, from Monday, March 23, to Saturday, March 28.  

Titled “Beloved Before Bars,” the series of six separate experiences leading up to a day-long one-day educational summit aims to teach care-focused, community-based and nonviolent approaches to accountability for youngsters. 

Events are free and open to the public. 

“Beloved Before Bars” represents a collaboration between the university’s Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, the grassroots nonprofit organization Save the Kids from Incarceration, and other campus partners. 

The initiative, which aligns with the SUNY Cortland 2024-2030 Strategic Plan Focus for a Bright Future, is grounded in principles of social and transformative justice, according to organizer River Hunter Vooris, an assistant director in the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office.  

“We are excited to cultivate meaningful spaces that raise awareness, inspire dialogue and encourage collective action,” they said. 

Throughout the week, the campus community will be invited to critically examine existing systems while learning how to actively promote and sustain alternatives to incarceration that affirm the dignity, humanity and potential of young people. 

“We welcome students, faculty, staff and community members to participate in this important series of programs as we collectively reflect on the systemic inequities that have impacted — and continue to impact — many young individuals,” Vooris said. 

Internal registration for campus community members and external registration for the general public is required to reserve a spot to attend the “Beloved Before Bars Educational Summit” on Saturday, March 28. 

For more information or to get involved, contact Kyrstin White at 607-753-4930. 

The events include: 

Monday, March 23 

Opening Social: Hip Hop, Care and Prevention with Black Student Union (BSU) 

6 to 7 p.m. 

Corey Union Exhibition Lounge 

Tuesday, March 24 

Short Film Screening and Reflective Discussion 

6 to 7 p.m. 

Cornish Screening Theatre, Room C105 

Wednesday, March 25 

Let’s Talk: Transformative Action and Reintegration Policies with the NAACP 

6 to 7 p.m. 

Corey Union Voice Office 

Thursday, March 26 

Kingian Nonviolence Training 

5 to 7:30 p.m. 

Corey Union, Room 204-205 

Friday, March 27 

“You Are Beloved” Make a Mark: Bookmark and Letters 

6 to 7:30 p.m. 

Corey Union Fireplace Lounge 

Saturday, March 28 

Save the Kids from Incarceration Educational Summit 

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Corey Union Exhibition Lounge