Campus Champion

Senior social philosophy and psychology major Alex Jackson offers evidence of the dedication that transfer students demonstrate at SUNY Cortland. Since arriving on campus in 2023, Alex has been active with the Disability Resources Office, Campus Safety Committee, Student Government Association and the local New York Public Interest Research Group chapter. Alex, who identifies as disabled and transmasculine, also has presented at the TransAction Conference and he will speak at the upcoming Student Conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice. Always an advocate for his peers, Alex’s service has touched many corners of campus while improving the student experience. 

A late-October debut of “The Rocky Horror Show” promises the unexpected when audiences hyped up for Halloween have a chance to dress up — or down — and join in the fun. 

A co-production by SUNY Cortland and Cortland Repertory Theatre (CRT), all eight shows will take place at Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown. Only two shows are not sold out.

Patrons can be added to a waitlist by emailing carlita.withers@cortland.edu. 

• Friday, Oct. 24: 7:30 p.m. (sold out) 
• Saturday, Oct. 25: 2 p.m. (sold out) 
• Saturday, Oct. 25: 7:30 p.m. (sold out) 
• Sunday, Oct. 26: 2 p.m. (sold out) 
• Thursday, Oct. 30: 7:30 p.m. (sold out) 
• Friday, Oct. 31: 6 p.m. 
• Friday, Oct. 31: 11 p.m. 
• Saturday, Nov. 1: 7:30 p.m. (sold out)  

Tickets are on sale at SUNY Cortland’s online Box Office. Discounts are offered for students, employees and senior citizens. 

The cult-classic musical, made famous through midnight screenings of a film adaptation led by Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick, is known for its interactive actor-audience spectacle full of costumes and call-backs.  

It is intended for mature audiences only and no outside props are allowed. An approved bag of props can be bought for $5 that supports the Alpha Psi Omega Honors Society. 

A special Halloween night performance will have games, dancing and a costume runway. 

The CRT Downtown lobby opens 45 minutes ahead of each performance, with access to the theater area 30 minutes prior. A cash-only bar and concessions will be offered that benefit the CRT Guild. Please bring an ID to purchase. 

“I’ve witnessed that spirit firsthand — the joy, the connection, the sense of belonging,” said director and choreographer Bryan Knowlton. “That’s why it continues to endure as a cultural phenomenon.” 

Knowlton is a New York City-based director, choreographer and educator.. He heard about the show from Mark Reynolds, costume designer in SUNY Cortland’s Performing Arts Department, who thought Knowlton’s experience in past productions of “Rocky Horror” would benefit the students. Knowlton discussed the opportunity with Deena Conley, associate professor and chair of the Performing Arts Department, and CRT’s artistic director Kerby Thompson. 

“We discovered that our shared values around storytelling, education and community aligned beautifully, and it became clear that this co-production was an ideal fit,” Knowlton said. 

Lizzie Fitzpatrick-Cárcamo, a senior from Staten Island, N.Y., who plays Janet Weiss, credited Knowlton and intimacy coordinator Priscilla Hummel for helping her embrace confidence in the role. 

“Doing a show like ‘Rocky Horror’ in general is light-years different from my other credits here,” said Fitzpatrick-Cárcamo, describing a fun and unique collaboration with Cortland Repertory Theatre. 

“When you walk into the theater you will be transported through time and space, and I can’t wait for the audience to experience that.” 

The rowdy give-and-take that’s become a tradition in famous songs like “Time Warp” is something that Knowlton believes will add to the education musical theatre majors get from their time inhabiting characters like Weiss, Brad Majors, Dr. Frank-N-Furter and the titular Rocky. 

Knowlton hopes the show’s lessons — which he described as self-expression, community and unapologetic individuality — give students the courage to create as they continue a future in theater. 

“It’s one of the rare musicals where the boundary between performer and spectator is intentionally blurred,” he said. “The students must learn to remain fully present and in control of the narrative while the audience actively participates — shouting, responding, sometimes even disrupting.  

“It demands a heightened sense of focus, timing, and emotional agility.” 

Gianna Simbari ’24 can wear a championship ring on a hand that’s carried the Stanley Cup. But she’s never gone top shelf on a breakaway or won a faceoff.  

Instead, she’s giving the NHL’s pros a chance to play on ice that’s the envy of any frozen pond pickup game. 

The sport management grad worked as an ice technician for the recent two-time champion Florida Panthers, before heading to the New York Islanders this fall. It’s an unexpected career twist for someone who described herself as never a diehard fan of the sport. 

“It’s not the hockey that brings my love for (the job), it’s the ice making and the ice maintenance,” Simbari said. “Without the ice, you don’t have hockey. I take an immense amount of pride in what I do, and that’s what brings me the most joy.  

“I get to watch the pros and be around them, that’s like an extra bonus — but it’s really what I do that makes me love the game and the sport.” 

In Florida, Gianna maintained two sheets of ice at the Panthers’ practice facility. She found that taking care of the ice in a pro-level rink can be an interesting challenge, especially in Fort Lauderdale, close to Miami and with an average high temperature in the 80s. 

The switch to the Islanders has given her more opportunities to grow, letting her gain experience in converting an arena for concerts and other events, on top of her prior work of keeping the ice surface smooth and skaters happy. 

The memories made already have proven special, but all of Simbari’s work is building a future in an industry where building the perfect playing surface is as much gut feeling as hard numbers. 

And yes — there’s way more to it than driving the iconic Zamboni. 

“It’s been really interesting to learn how to maintain and keep a quality sheet of ice in different weather conditions and in different places in the country,” Simbari said.  

She explained that there’s a lot of background knowledge behind her work, including an awareness of the right temperatures needed for resurfacing and the thin margin of error between being properly chilled and a puddle. 

“It’s the art, the science, the mechanical knowledge,” Simbari said. “It’s a little bit of everything.” 

Simbari discovered a love for her job while still at SUNY Cortland, working on the maintenance of Alumni Arena. Her experience with the Sport Management Department came thanks to a change of heart in high school. She considered a career in music production but decided to make a change.  

“I’ve always been super into sports,” she said. “Not just as an athlete, but just the whole sport industry and how there’s the entertainment and business aspect of it and what it takes to operate.” 

Cortland’s reputation in the field got her attention. She praised the ability of her classes to show the range of sport-related careers available. 

“I truly enjoyed taking every class offered by all the professors within the major,” Simbari said, adding that she also credits Todd Malone '11, director campus event management, who hired her to work at Cortland's rink and taught her to use a Zamboni. 

Sport management majors at Cortland need to complete an internship aside from their coursework. As a junior and senior Simbari networked with ice technicians around the country, earned a full-time job with the Panthers and used her first 480 hours of that job to complete the requirement, while establishing herself in the field. 

Now, being part of a championship-winning team is just a nice prelude to Simbari’s plans for her future. She’s started courses to become a certified ice technician (CIT), a designation given by the U.S. Ice Rink Association and recognized by the NHL. 

“It would definitely help me with my career,” she said. “I definitely see myself staying in ice operations for a while, but I’d love to eventually be the general manager of a major multipurpose arena or stadium one day.” 

A rivalry that forged football’s “biggest little game in the nation” is back when the 2025 Cortaca Jug game takes place Saturday, Nov. 15 — and the SUNY Cortland campus community will have early access to tickets starting Sunday, Oct. 26. 

The three-day ticket sale takes place in Corey Union, Room 406, and is open to SUNY Cortland students, faculty, staff and Cortland Auxiliary Services employees. 

During the initial sale, campus community members will be able to purchase one ticket per person, $15 per ticket, with cash payment only. A SUNY Cortland ID is required

All seating is general admission for the game, which kicks off at noon at Ithaca College’s Butterfield Stadium. Students must present both their ticket and Cortland ID for entrance to the stadium.

Ticket sale times are: 

• Sunday, Oct. 26: 1-4 p.m. 
• Monday, Oct. 27: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. 
• Tuesday, Oct. 28: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Lost or stolen tickets cannot be replaced. Fans are reminded to keep their tickets in a safe place. 

A limited number of bus tickets to and from Ithaca College also can be purchased by students for $10, cash payment only. Bus tickets are offered one per student, with a SUNY Cortland ID required. Buses leave Corey Union at 11 a.m. and depart from Ithaca immediately after the game. 

If tickets remain after the initial campus community sale, general community tickets go on sale on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 406. Those tickets are limited to four per person, $15 per ticket, cash payment only. 

The annual showdown between the Red Dragons and Bombers is considered one of the greatest rivalries in Division III athletics due to the storied histories of both programs, the close distance between the two campuses and many thrilling finishes. 

In 1959, friends and team captains Tom Decker of Cortland and Dick Carmean of Ithaca originated the Cortaca Jug as the prize for the winner of the game between the schools located about 20 miles apart on Route 13. That original jug was purchased at a yard sale. 

Each year, the game’s result is printed on the Jug, with three now in existence. In 1991, Sports Illustrated referred to the game as “the biggest little game in the nation.” 

Cortland and Ithaca are playing for the Cortaca Jug for the 66th time in 2025. The schools actually started playing in 1930 and have met every year since 1948, other than in 2020 when the season was canceled. 

Ithaca leads the overall series 43-36-3 and the Jug series 38-27, but Cortland has claimed back-to-back Cortaca Jug victories. 

The rivalry accounts for the only Division III football games to ever surpass 40,000 fans, setting an attendance record of 45,161 when in 2019 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In 2022, the game was hosted at historic Yankee Stadium, welcoming 40,232 fans 

A local nonprofit partner has earned statewide recognition for its collaboration with SUNY Cortland to keep usable dorm room items out of dumpsters and recirculate them in the community.

Red Dragon Reuse, a joint effort between Cortland ReUse and SUNY Cortland, won a nonprofit sector award from the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3).

For three years, the local initiative has reduced waste by collecting gently used items during the university’s spring semester move-out and reselling them at bargain prices at Cortland ReUse’s storefront, located at 186 Homer Avenue in Cortland.

The 2025 donation collection helped divert up to 45 tons of waste from landfills and the follow-up sale generate approximately $5,000 in revenue.

“Cortland ReUse has been a pillar of sustainability and an invaluable resource for landfill diversion in our community, especially SUNY Cortland,” said Megan Swing, the university’s energy and sustainability engagement coordinator. “They are champions of donation collection, and their work benefits so many people — from our campus to many other community organizations.” 

Roughly 45 community members and 10 SUNY Cortland employees volunteered their time this past May during the multiweek effort to collect, transport and sort residence hall essentials — items that span area rugs, storage containers, trash cans, cooling fans, desk lamps, mirrors and much more. This past August, their work expanded to include a campus pop-up sale for SUNY Cortland students arriving for move-in.

In addition to reducing waste, organizers noted the program’s value in educating students and the local community about the benefits of a circular economy. They also emphasized that their collaboration extends beyond the Red Dragon Reuse sale to include crafting workshops, site visits to Cortland ReUse and other outreach aimed at finding sustainable solutions throughout the year.

This year, Bone and Joint Awareness Week held special meaning for SUNY Cortland Distinguished Professor John Foley, a national scholar in physical education who has focused much of his work on individuals with special needs.

That is because Oct. 12-20 — the commemorative week of raising awareness about bone and joint health and disease prevention — also saw the publication of a new global study that Foley coauthored with four others about  bone density in Special Olympics athletes.

The article, “Global Variation of Low Bone Mineral Density in Special Olympics Adult Athletes with Intellectual and Developmental Disability - A Cross-sectional Study,” was released in PLOS Global Public Health, a non-profit California-based publisher that aims to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy and practice.

This study, released on Oct. 7, is one of the largest and most globally inclusive bone health studies ever conducted, highlighting the striking lack of research on the health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“Drawing on data from over 25,000 athletes worldwide, the study reveals that one in four young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have low bone mineral density, a key risk factor for osteoporosis,” the Special Olympics announced about the study.

“When you think about how important bone health is globally, I think the timing of our paper’s release worked out really well,” said Foley, who since 2023 has served on the Special Olympics International Science Advisory Board.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities worldwide face a high risk of low bone mineral density, a key osteoporosis indicator, yet global data remains limited. The study provides a step forward.

According to the researchers, their work highlights the prevalence rates of low bone mineral density for Special Olympics athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities across age-groups, sex, and World Health Organization (WHO) regions. The findings highlight regional disparities for low bone mineral density and peak bone mass by WHO Global region, sex and age.

Special Olympics plays a pivotal role in offering opportunities for bone mineral density screenings, physical activity and health education that can positively impact peak bone mass outcomes. Broader public health initiatives and policy changes are necessary to ensure people with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive the support needed to develop and maintain healthy bones throughout their lives.

Through programs like Health Promotion, a discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes, Special Olympics collects data to help inform critical research studies while providing free health screenings and education to address common risk factors for low bone mineral density, like poor nutrition.

Foley’s role on this paper was as one of the conceptualizers of the research, one of the writers and as the corresponding author.

As a physical educator, Foley emphasizes the importance of not only staying active but choosing the types of exercise that most effectively support bone health.

“Physical activity is essential,” Foley said, “but it’s also important to focus on the right kinds of movement. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises — like jumping, running, dancing or lifting weights — help stimulate bone growth and strengthen the skeleton. By contrast, non-weight-bearing activities such as swimming or cycling, while excellent for cardiovascular fitness, don’t provide the same bone-strengthening benefits.”

Although Foley has published more than 100 academic studies to date, he takes special pride in this one.

“Collaborating with the team at Special Olympics has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Foley, who joined the university in 2005. “It’s such a highly respected organization, and contributing to its mission was both inspiring and meaningful.”

Foley expressed particular pride in the work being done across the SUNY Cortland community — including by SUNY Cortland alumna Stacey Hengsterman ’93, who now serves as president of Special Olympics New York; by faculty and students who engage with Special Olympians through campus clubs; and by the community-based Adult Fitness Program run by the Physical Education Department.

“There are so many great things happening at SUNY Cortland that make us a real leader in this area,” Foley said.

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The 75th annual SUNY Cortland Recreation Conference will mark its jubilee milestone with presentations that honor the past while looking toward the future of recreation, parks and leisure studies.

The two-day event, from Thursday, Nov. 6 through Friday, Nov. 7, in Corey Union, represents the nation’s oldest continuous student-run recreation conference. It will bring together an estimated 150 college students and recreation professionals from across New York state, the greater New England area and beyond to share their knowledge and network with one another.

Additionally, the conference will feature numerous presentations in the fields of recreation management, outdoor recreation, therapeutic recreation and tourism and events.

Tickets cost $60 for college students and $140 for professionals or $110 for one-day attendance. Attendance limited to the Internship Fair costs $25 for attendees and $30 for vendors. For more information and advance registration through Sunday, Nov. 2, visit the conference website or contact 607-753-4972 or recconf@cortland.edu.

“Our diamond year honors the legacy of those who paved the way and inspires us to create even greater possibilities for tomorrow,” said Cassie Williams, a senior from Middletown, N.Y., and the conference’s marketing and outreach director. “Seventy-five years is more than a milestone, it’s a testament to the strength, resilience and unity that has defined our Cortland recreation community across generations.”

The event will open with a plenary session featuring recreation, parks and leisure studies scholars examining how society has changed over the past 75 years and exploring how those transformations have shaped the recreation profession.

“This interactive session serves as a space for professionals and students to reflect on their personal and professional experiences within this dynamic field while envisioning its future,” Williams said.

“Given the celebratory nature of this anniversary year, several sessions will focus on how the past impacts current practice and the future of the field.”

The first day will conclude with the popular Metcalf Reception, providing attendees an opportunity to network and share their experiences.

Metcalf Address

Wade Norwood, the co-CEO of Common Ground Health/Rochester Regional Health Information Organization, which champions health equity across the Finger Lakes region, will deliver this year’s Metcalf Keynote Address on Friday.

Norwood will discuss the important role recreation and tourism can play in addressing health inequity and improving quality of life, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. in the Corey Union Function Room. The presentation is free and open to the public.

With over 30 years in public service, the Rochester native serves on the New York State Board of Regents and previously chaired the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force.

Norwood spearheaded the creation of the African American Health Coalition, the Latino Health Coalition and the Partnership for Access to Healthcare.

A former Rochester City Council member, Norwood serves on the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, guiding funding for economic development and anti-poverty efforts. His work focuses on improving health outcomes and advancing community engagement for underserved populations.

Student leadership drives conference success

Presented by the university’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies Department and students in the Corporate Events class, the conference receives additional support from the Metcalf Endowment Fund.

The event is traditionally organized and run by recreation students, and this year’s Conference Planning Committee joins a long line of peers and alumni who helped plan the annual gathering.

Besides Williams, the committee includes senior Carlene Palmer of Bainbridge, N.Y., programming director; sophomore Olivia Wallick of Wallingford, Connecticut, budget and finance director; junior Ashley Schappi of Trumansburg, N.Y., sponsorship and development director; junior Kaitlyn Hartson of Rochester, N.Y., hospitality director; and senior Zackary Kreiley of Dansville, N.Y., registration and tech director.

This year’s alumni presenters will include SUNY Cortland Alumni Volunteer Award recipient John Silsby ’69, M.S.Ed. ’70, Jack Samuels ’73, Jack Fass ’77, Stephanie Grosso ’06, Jennifer Page ’06, M ’12, Steven Schaap ’06, M ’15, Jacqueline Dyke M ’08, assistant professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies, Jason Page ’08, M ’12, assistant professor of recreation, parks and leisure studies, Jennifer Wells ’08, M ’12, Caralie Fennessey ’15 and Evan Nolan ’19, M ’23.

“The Cortland Recreation Conference has polished its vision for 75 years,” Williams said. “Now we shine brighter than ever, ready to inspire the next generation.”

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SUNY Cortland students can overcome even a major hiccup on the way to earning one’s college degree, such as a change of university.

During SUNY Cortland’s Transfer and Non-Traditional Student Week from Oct. 20 to 24, when many activities are offered, students can take heart from Cortland faculty and staff members who shared their wisdom gained from finding their passion at the second or, sometimes, third college they tried.

Four university employees recently related their experiences with SUNY Cortland’s estimated 550 to 600 transfer students and approximately 200 non-traditional students:

• Yolanda Clarke, an assistant professor of health at Cortland, was looking for cultural enrichment and more campus activities when she changed horses mid-rodeo in her undergraduate career.
• Kate Graham, an instructor in the Economics Department, as an undergraduate threw herself wholeheartedly into student activities to smoothly transition to her new institution.
• Amber Pakkala, a disability service provider who is currently working as the university’s learning strategist, as a non-traditional student and disabled woman turned her challenges into a superpower. She tried the buddy system to get her to a bachelor’s degree — the buddies being her college professors.
• Cali Young ’09, the field placement coordinator at the Field Experience and School Partnerships Office with SUNY Cortland’s School of Education, immersed herself in clubs and volunteer activities.

Clarke was living in Rochester, N.Y., when she transferred from nearby tiny Nazareth College to the University of Louisiana to return to her childhood roots.

“I simply missed it and wanted to go back. I also wanted to enjoy a university setting rather than small college,” she said. “I transferred because I wanted a stronger sense of culture and enjoyment on campus. I understood college to be a place of healthy, holistic development.”

But she missed her parents back in Rochester.

“Getting involved in a couple of student orgs helped and I had a staff mentor who reminded me to stay focused.”

Clarke would advise Cortland’s latest transfer students, “Learn the culture of Cortland by getting involved in something you are passionate about and enjoy it to the fullest! Find a faculty mentor and go to class!”

Graham’s switch from Mount Holyoke College to the University of New Hampshire was made easier by her extra effort at building social connections.

“Get involved in activities and clubs on campus to meet other students,” she said. “As a transfer, it can be a bit more difficult to make friends but get yourself out there and it will happen.”

Young, as a Cortland native whose mother worked on campus, was very familiar with the college when she transferred from TC3. But SUNY Cortland’s larger campus and more populated classrooms made bonding with classmates difficult.

“I also felt like more of a non-traditional student because I lived off campus and worked a lot,” she said.

“That’s why my best advice is to volunteer or help with organizations or clubs,” Young said. “You learn to support each other in stressful times and that sticks with you.”

Pakkala, a native of Lake Travis, Texas, withdrew after several years from the state’s Temple College to train at the Finger Lakes School of Massage and work as a medical massage therapist.

She then took another run at finishing a bachelor's degree, applying to Ithaca College and Wells College.

Her return to college at that point made her a non-traditional student, which the university describes as undergraduate students who are 24 years of age or older or, regardless of age, may have dependent children, be working full-time, have military experience or have made a break in education at some point after high school.

“I tried Ithaca and ended up withdrawing from the college after a month of being there,” Pakkala said. That was after her disability accommodation cost her a prestigious  scholarship.

Discouraged, she changed universities and disciplines. Pakkala arrived at the Wells College campus in Aurora, N.Y., in January without yet knowing her class placement, that is, the classmates with whom she would bond and graduate.

“Once I got into my major and had my minor declared, I found that the professors really saw me,” she said.

Prepared for a fresh start, she wrote the traditional Wells thesis but also conducted undergraduate psychology research that she presented at a conference. Upon graduation, she was now ready to help others in her situation at Cortland.

“My advice to transfer students is to take some time to learn about your professors’ research interests and areas of expertise,” Pakkala said. “When I did this at Wells College, it helped me connect more deeply with my professors and make the most of the two-and-a-half years I spent there.”

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SUNY Cortland continues to celebrate its transfer and non-traditional students — two groups that often overlap with a wide range of valuable lived experiences — with different social activities just for them planned during the week of Oct. 20 to 24.

This fall, about 400 transfer students started their SUNY Cortland journey. An additional 150 to 200 will join this coming spring.

“SUNY Cortland strives to offer a supportive and inclusive community to all new and returning transfer students,” said Gregory Diller ’07, coordinator of transition programs.

He noted that Advisement and Transition provides several social and academic programs to assist new transfer students with their transition to the university and continues to show support throughout their time on the campus.

“We are proud to continue to be a place that new transfer students can feel comfortable and find their sense of belonging,” Diller said.

Cortland also enrolls some 200 non-traditional students.

“This diverse population brings a wealth of life experiences and unique perspectives to our campus,” said Evan Mills, academic success  advisor to the Non-Traditional Student Organization.

The university defines non-traditional students as undergraduate students who are 24 years of age or older or, regardless of age, may have dependent children, be working full-time, have military experience or have made a break in education at some point after high school.

“We’re grateful for their perspective in our classrooms and are honored to support them as they work towards earning a SUNY Cortland degree,” Mills said.

The week will feature highlights on faculty and staff who experienced the transfer process, opportunities to recognize non-traditional and transfer students, and workshops and activities, including an area door decorating contest featuring prizes awarded by Tau Sigma, the national honor society for transfer students, and a weeklong Instagram Takeover by the Transfer Network Team filled with transfer student facts and campus community spotlights.

A series of profiles in the Oct. 21 Bulletin will offer reflections by campus community members who have experienced college as a transfer student or a non-traditional student.

Remaining events for these students include:

Game Night: Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. Hang out with other transfer students, enjoy cookies and lemonade, and play board games. Gluten free cookies will be available.

Donuts and cider celebration: Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — or while supplies last — at Newmark Pavilion beside the Memorial Library entrance. Transfer and non-trad students are invited to enjoy donuts and cider with classmates or faculty and staff members who are helping celebrate the week.

Study Abroad 101 transfer edition: Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. in Old Main Colloquium (Room 220). This specialized session will share more about how to get started with the study abroad process, including how to search for programs, identify courses to take abroad, get courses approved, understand program costs, apply for scholarships and more.

Rock painting and record decorating: Thursday, Oct. 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Corey Union, Room 204-205. Cortland transfers and non-trads can decorate an old record or a rock and turn it into art. All materials will be provided. Tau Sigma will offer this activity to de-stress from midterms and have some fall fun. Participants who are new students this fall are invited to join and get involved with Tau Sigma.

As an advocate for peace whose talent in combat sports made him a 2013 New York State Golden Gloves Champion, Ezra P. Scott, Jr. ’10, strives to inspire communities, bridge divides and cultivate the next generation of leaders.

Scott, currently an Empire State Fellow at the New York State Department of Public Service, will discuss his guiding principle, “I am, because we are,” from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, in the Corey Union Function Room.

A public servant, educator and community leader whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to equity, justice and empowerment, Scott will deliver the keynote speech during SUNY Cortland’s 14th annual Student Conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice.

“My message to aspiring changemakers is simple,” Scott said. “Know the process and know the people in the process. When you understand both, you amplify your impact and create lasting change.”

The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Corey Union. Anyone can attend the conference and everyone is asked to register by Friday, Oct. 10. There is no registration cost for the SUNY Cortland community. The registration cost for non-SUNY Cortland students is $25 and, for all other registrants, $30.

For more information, contact the university’s Multicultural Life and Diversity Office or visit  cortland.edu/multicultural.

The annual student-led event allows participants to examine problems and concepts across a wide range of disciplines with scholarly presentations, interactive workshops and cultural performances. Diversity-related topics — explored through the prism of the presenter — may include race/ethnicity, class, gender, culture, sexuality or orientation, disabilities/abilities, religion or age.

This year’s conference theme, “Rivers of Culture: Flowing Through Diversity,” reflects the ever-evolving and interconnected nature of students’ identities, experiences and communities, said conference organizer Kyrstin White ’25, program coordinator with Cortland’s Multicultural Life and Diversity Office.

“Just as rivers gather strength by drawing from countless streams, our collective understanding of diversity grows when we come together to share knowledge, challenge assumptions and celebrate differences,” she said. “Through this theme, we aim to honor the rich cultural currents that shape our campuses, society and future.”

SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum, Vice President for Student Affairs C. Gregory Sharer and student chair Jake Niederbuhl will welcome participants at the conference, which is expected to attract approximately 250 attendees from eight educational institutions across the state.

Sean Platt, the current president of the SUNY Cortland NAACP Chapter – Unit 29AW-B, will deliver the annual student keynote speech at noon in the Corey Union Function Room. Platt, a physical education major with a minor in Africana studies from Baldwin, N.Y., also serves as vice president of Men of Value and Excellence (MOVE), as a Male Multicultural Initiative student facilitator, and as coach of women’s club basketball. A Cortland Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.) scholar, he plans to use his career in physical education to unite people from all backgrounds through movement, physical literacy and wellness.

Ezra P. Scott Jr. ’10

As an Empire State Fellow since 2023, Scott serves as special assistant for intergovernmental and community affairs in the Executive Office of the New York State Department of Public Service. He engages to build trusted partnerships with elected officials, community organizations and agency leadership to advance New York’s clean energy goals while fostering public confidence in government.

A native of Niagara Falls, N.Y., Scott is a first-generation college graduate who earned an associate’s degree from SUNY Niagara and then a bachelor’s degree in sociology from SUNY Cortland. A student-athlete on Cortland’s men’s basketball team, he also helped organize the Save the Kids from Incarceration (STKI) Conference, using Hip Hop and Lowrider cultures to engage youth of color, advance transformative justice, dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline and challenge the criminalization of young people. During his graduation year, Scott was recognized with the CNY Peace Award by the CNY Peace Studies Consortium.

He later enrolled at Niagara University, earning graduate degrees in strategic management, human resource management and early childhood education.

As a student success coach at Niagara Falls High School, Scott helped increase graduation rates from 67% to 85.5% and partnered with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center on equity-driven public health initiatives.

At 29, Scott became the youngest African American elected city councilmember in Niagara Falls’ history, advocating for fiscal accountability, youth justice, health equity, transit protections and statewide driver’s license reform. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he championed vaccine access.

The founder of the Niagara Falls Peacemakers, Scott led a coalition dedicated to youth engagement and public safety. Under his leadership, the Peacemakers earned a 2020 Golden Apple Award for teachers and inclusion in the 2024 documentary “Tale of Two Cities: Reclaiming Niagara Falls and Salinas.”

In 2024, Scott became the founding chapter president of Albany Professionals Under 40 & Friends, which earned him the 2025 Super Connector Award during Albany Black Restaurant Week. He also serves on the executive committee of the NAACP Albany Branch, is a founding member of the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce and contributes to the Reimagine Albany Coalition, focused on reconnecting neighborhoods divided by I-787. He was a 2025 Big Benefactor — Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region.

Scott also was honored with the 2025 SUNY Niagara Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2021 Leadership Niagara Emerging Leader of the Year, Niagara University’s 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award and the Buffalo Changemakers 30 Under 30 Class of 2016.

He is the father of Ezra III and Khari.

The return of the Michael J. Bond ’75, Ph.D. Alumni/Undergraduate Science Symposium to SUNY Cortland won’t just bring together students and alums, it will unite guest speakers that trace a decades-long lineage at the university. 

Two of the symposium’s speakers, Janice Edgerly-Rooks ’77 and Michael Wolfin ’11, graduated almost 35 years apart. Yet both found inspiration for successful careers in science thanks in great part to SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences Terrence Fitzgerald, who retired last December. 

The 10th annual event will take place on Friday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 9 p.m. The symposium will feature a cross section of graduates who will speak to students. Events such as a lab crawl, student research poster presentations and a planetarium show go from 7:30 to 9 p.m. 

“I would not be working in animal behavior, ecology or entomology if I had not met Terry as an undergraduate,” said Edgerly-Rooks, the Michael and Elizabeth Valeriote Professor in the Biology Department at Santa Clara University. “His approach to science was what I was looking for, without even knowing that was the case. I was hooked almost immediately.” 

Wolfin shared a similar connection to Fitzgerald.  

While Frank Rossi, professor and chair of the Chemistry Department, was already his chemistry research advisor while he was at Cortland, Wolfin discovered a passion for entomology — the study of insects —   in his senior year through Fitzgerald. That set him on his path as a professor at Penn State. 

“I was never really interested in insects or entomology before I met Terry and then he just opened up this entire world to me,” Wolfin said. “It opened up this entire tiny world to me that before I didn't know was there.” 

The two alums’ paths first crossed just recently when Wolf was interested by a talk Edgerly-Rooks gave at an Entomological Society of America meeting. He later found out she was a fellow Red Dragon, and invited her to give a virtual seminar last year to his students. The Bond Symposium will be the first chance for the two to meet in person.

To Fitzgerald, it’s a pleasure to see two branches of Cortland’s family tree of scientists fulfill their potential — and it serves as an example of what can be achieved. 

“Both exemplify how diligence in the studies that our current students are undertaking can lead to extremely successful careers,” said Fitzgerald, who plans to meet with both alums when they come to campus. “That both became entomologists will also serve to show students that career opportunities exist in areas of biology they probably have never previously considered.  

“Also, I think that both Janice and Mike will emphasize the importance of going beyond coursework and engaging in original research with a faculty member.”   

Dr. Michael Bond ’75, M.D., who retired as the medical director of Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in Orlando, Florida, first funded the annual symposium through an endowment created with a significant planned gift.  

In the 10 years since it began as a gathering of some 40 alumni and students in the basement of the Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House, the symposium has grown to a campus event of more than 150 people, celebrating academic excellence as well as student and alumni research in Bowers Hall. 

Now Edgerly-Rooks, Wolfin and fellow speakers Adam Mathews ’07, associate professor of geography at Binghamton University, and Stephanie Grube ’10, an obstetrician-gynecologist and assistant professor at Hofstra University, will have a chance to inspire another new generation of Cortland scientists when they return to campus in late October. 

Edgerly-Rooks looks forward to sharing research lessons that were less of a focus when she was an undergrad. Wolfin hopes students walk away from the symposium knowing that they can make a career in the sciences if they stay dedicated. 

“I wish there was something like this (when I was a student) where I could talk to other people who have gone into science before me and heard what they learned and learned their lessons,” Wolfin said.  

“Work hard, work honestly, and you can do whatever you want,” he added. “I know that sounds cliche, but I would have never imagined that I would be a professor at a research one institution studying the exact same research questions that I did at SUNY Cortland.”