Campus Champion

For Sahteve Lindsay, ensuring that new students feel safe and supported is a vital part of the Cortland experience. That motivation led the junior sport management major to take on an array of extra responsibilities, which include duties as a resident assistant in Dragon Hall and student assistant in The Learning Center. Sahteve is proudest of her time as a counselor for the EOP Summer Institute, where she mentored and supported 43 incoming students. She knows that that the first year of college can be challenging, so she works hard to ensure Red Dragons have a warm welcome. 

Growing up, SUNY Cortland biomedical sciences major Anthony Santiago got lessons on hard work from a dad who worked construction and a mom who cleaned houses. Now a first-generation college student, he’s used their work ethic as motivation in his studies. 

Santiago earned a donor-funded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship this year along with 16 other students — the most ever in the program’s 20 years.

“Taking on this opportunity ended up being one of the best experiences of my college career,” he said.

The fellowships help students develop strong research skills with a faculty mentor, leading them as far as Alaska and Turkey for their studies. Two additional students pursued similar summer work thanks to separate Chemistry Department funding. 

Santiago’s work is designed to have an impact on future medical treatments. He plans to attend medical school after graduation, with the goal to pursue a career in orthopedic surgery. 

“In the lab, I work on synthesizing potential DNA markers — compounds that lay the groundwork for diagnostic tools and targeted therapies,” he said. “Even if people don’t realize it, the fundamental chemical synthesis happening in research labs today is what enables early disease detection and safer, faster treatments.” 

Managed by the university’s Undergraduate Research Council, the program provides students with a $4,000 stipend, campus research space and housing for eight weeks of full-time study from late May through August. The council gives an additional $2,000 to faculty members who mentor a student. 

Research outside the classroom develops skills in self-organization, self-discipline and leadership, according to Andrea Dávalos, chair of the Undergraduate Research Council and associate professor of biological sciences.  

For some students, the opportunity helps decide whether the subject is a career they’d like to pursue. For others it’s an effective first step toward building their abilities and resume in a professional path they’ve already chosen. But for all involved, the experience provides a unique chance to strengthen skills alongside a mentor. 

“Students gain knowledge from the faculty working with them,” Dávalos said. “They're putting a lot of time and effort into their project, and they gain that insight from a person that has more experience in the field that they do. They really have an opportunity for growth.” 

A committee of close to 10 representatives from the university’s three academic schools and Memorial Library review students’ project applications, judging based on criteria including intellectual quality, merit and creative experience. 

Selected students present their results at the university’s annual Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference. 

“In the classroom, students learn what is already known; independent summer research invites students to tackle the unknown,” said Santanu Banerjee, associate professor of biological sciences and mentor to senior Rachida Ali Noma. “Solving real-world problems alongside experts and becoming proficient in using different scientific tools can completely transform a student’s resume — opening doors to top graduate programs, professional schools and high-impact jobs.” 

Noma, a biomedical sciences major with a minor in chemistry, is studying the effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, compared to replacement bisphenol AF (BPAF). The chemical compounds are often found in plastics. 

“We may not even realize it, but every time we take a receipt from a cashier, or drink from a plastic water bottle, we’re exposing ourselves to those bisphenols,” Noma explained. “As we know, industries tend to dump their waste in water — industries most of which utilize bisphenol affecting aquatic organisms and therefore directly affecting humans.” 

The tests were done on zebrafish embryos, which share close to 82% of genes associated with humans. 

Noma described her work as more than just the research. She said it provided a chance to actively apply concepts she’s learned in the classroom to practical problems. Noma’s work this summer has led her to choose a similar track once she earns her degree. 

“I’m planning on going to graduate school in pharmaceutical science,” Noma said. “While it is true that I had doubts in the beginning regarding the ‘what’ after graduation, this research experience has cleared my mind. I know for sure that I want to make a career in the research field.” 

The complete list of 2026 summer researchers includes: 

Olivia Balfe 
Majors: archaeology and history 
Faculty mentor: Sharon Steadman 
Funding: LoBracco Family Summer Research Fellowship 
Research: Archaeobotany of the relative presence of legumes during the late Chalcolithic and late Bronze Age climate events. 

Mackenzie Blackburn 
Major: anthropology 
Faculty mentor: Sharon Steadman 
Funding: LoBracco Family Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Understanding dietary change during the late Chalcolithic and late Bronze Age climate events through faunal remains analysis. 

Caitlin Bodary 
Major: geographic information systems 
Faculty mentor: Christopher Badurek 
Funding: Sandra Laghi Cerulli ’68 and Dr. Maurice Cerulli Fellowship for Undergraduate Research 
Research: Using geo artificial intelligence and machine learning to estimate exurban growth in Ontario County, N.Y. 

Hayley Harrell 
Major: art history 
Faculty mentor: Wylie Schwartz 
Funding: Nancy A. Johnson ’48, M ’56 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Ancient influences on contemporary ceramics on the Ligurian Coast. 

Madison Houghton 
Major: archaeology and international studies 
Faculty mentor: Hollis Miller 
Funding: Dr. Suad Joseph ’66 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: A legacy of beads: An analysis of imported beads in Ing'yuq, Alaska. 

Amelia Konstanty 
Major: biochemistry 
Faculty mentor: Katherine Hicks 
Funding: National Science Foundation through principal investigator Katherine Hicks 
Research: Structural characterization of the bacteria strain Streptomyces hygroscopicus jingganesis’ L-DOPA dioxygenase enzyme. 

Nicholas McMahon 
Major: biology 
Faculty mentor: Andrea Dávalos 
Funding: W. Hubert, Ph.D. and Ms. Sally Keen Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Effects of invasive jumping worms on terrestrial salamanders in Catskill Forest ecosystems.

Rachida Ali Noma 
Major: biomedical sciences 
Faculty mentor: Santanu Banerjee 
Funded by: Dr. David F. Berger Summer Research Fellowship  
Research: Environmental toxicants: Analysis of the toxicological effects of bisphenol A (BPA) versus bisphenol AF (BPAF) using zebrafish as a model. 

Hawa Oulale 
Majors: biochemistry and business economics 
Faculty mentor: Sarah Wolf 
Funding: Daniel G. Scheffer ’96 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Can the impact of polymers on glass-to-crystal growth help us understand the mechanism of this type of crystal growth? 

Kayla Pendergast 
Major: adolescence education: biology 
Faculty mentor: Katie Laux 
Funding: Michael J. O’Reilly ’58 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Reframing non-major biology labs: A rubric guided approach to inquiry-based redesign. 

Mary Repass 
Major: psychology 
Faculty mentor: Joshua Peck 
Funding: Dr. William M. Hopkins Undergraduate Research Fellowship 
Research: The effect of specific environmental enrichment stimuli on sex differences with ethanol consumption in male and female rats. 

Cynthia Saravia Reyes 
Major: physical education 
Faculty mentor: Jeongkyu Kim 
Funding: Paul S. Fardy ’63, Ph.D. and Judith Rice Fardy Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Exploring cultural relevance in a rural after school physical activity program: An autoethnographic reflection of a pre-service physical education teacher. 

Meghan Sainsbury 
Major: sport management 
Faculty mentor: Erin Morris 
Funding: Nancy A. Johnson ’48, M ’56 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: How participation in women’s learn-to-play ice hockey programs influences self-efficacy, motivation and sense of belonging among adult women, and the psychological factors that predict continued participation. 

Anthony Santiago 
Major: biomedical sciences 
Faculty mentor: Julius Green 
Funding: Daniel G. Scheffer ’96 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Substituent effects on the electronic and photophysical properties of N-substituted 2-Phenyl-1,3,2-Benzodiazaboroles. 

Matthew Solan 
Major: archaeology 
Faculty mentor: Hollis Miller 
Funding: Peter F. Eisenhardt ’67 and Susan Fish Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Understanding colonialism’s impact on indigenous tool making using experimental archaeology. 

William Snyder 
Major: chemistry 
Faculty mentor: Jeffrey Werner 
Funding: Arden P. Zipp Summer Research Fellowship
Research: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic degradation in simulated ocean water. 

Roberto Crisostomo Suarez 
Majors: teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and Spanish 
Faculty mentor: Jean Costa Silva 
Funding: Nancy A. Johnson ’48, M ’56 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: How learning languages changes the way we think: A study of pre-service TESOL teachers in Brazil and the U.S. 

Analie VanManen 
Major: English 
Faculty mentor: Ivana Ancic 
Funding: Nancy A. Johnson ’48, M ’56 Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: Multicultural literary ecocriticism 

Annabelle Wolchak 
Major: adolescence education: biology 
Faculty mentor: Julius Green 
Funding: Peter F. Eisenhardt ’67 and Susan Fish Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowship 
Research: The synthesis, characterization and electronic structure of pseudoaromatic heterocycles and their applications as DNA binding agents and in functional materials.

Photo, from left: Students Madison Houghton, William Kennedy, Matthew Solan, Abby De Leon (Dartmouth College) and Anna Tanzman at the Ing'yuq Village archaeological site on Sitkalidak Island, Alaska. Houghton and Solan were chosen for Undergraduate Research Fellowships this year.  

When SUNY Cortland senior Michael Annunziata reflects on his summer break, he sums it up in four words, thinking back to a 10-day study abroad experience exploring art across Italy.

“Trip of a lifetime,” said Annunziata, a communication studies major. “It left a mark on me, and it’s something that I’ve really thought about every day since.”

The university’s Arts of Italy course brought a brand-new SUNY Cortland study abroad opportunity to 20 students representing many different academic majors. Developed and led by Assistant Professor of Art and Art History Wylie Schwartz, the immersive trip explored the cities of Florence, Verona and Venice to provide an inimitable, up-close look at the rich artistic history of central and northern Italy.

Italy is the most popular study abroad destination for U.S. students, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report, and it’s now home to one of SUNY Cortland’s 40-plus faculty-led travel programs. More than 600 study abroad options exist across the SUNY system.

And while the country itself was an initial draw for many students, the course content deepened their appreciation for art and broadened their worldview.

“There was a real mixture of (academic) majors who took this because they wanted to go to Italy and they wanted to expand their cultural horizons,” said Schwartz, a well-traveled art historian whose research focuses on post-World War II collaborations rooted in northern Europe. “I feel like for every student involved, every single one would say they were completely transformed by the experience.”

That much was true for Annunziata, who grew up in Tuckahoe, N.Y., and saw the opportunity as a way to explore his heritage. In Florence, he attended a Catholic mass at the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata, a Renaissance-style church that shares his family’s name.

“That was a really special experience for me,” Annunziata said. “I was so excited to embrace that moment and tell my parents and my grandparents about it.”

Schwartz led the trip alongside Allison DeDominick, lecturer of art and art history, with support from Martine Barnaby, professor of art and art history. It took years of planning to craft the 10-day itinerary and keep costs reasonable for students. Even though Schwartz had visited all of the sites previously, she said the course was a highlight of her teaching career so far — mostly because many students were traveling abroad for the first time.

“Being a guide and the impetus for many students having their very first international travel experience was incomparable,” she said. “It was so gratifying being able to watch students not only encounter these historic and beautiful sites — the art ranging from ancient to contemporary — but also see them navigate foreign cities, pick up some of the language, try new foods and express an interest in art and culture.”

Of the trip’s 20 students, 17 represented SUNY Cortland. Schwartz credited them for building bonds quickly, which she said created a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

The opportunity will continue for other students thanks to an international partnership that Schwartz helped establish with the University of Verona in Italy.

Daniela Baban Hurrle, the university’s director of international programs, said the program has the potential to open minds and change lives — just like it did for Annunziata.

“This program is a wonderful example of faculty innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and the global learning opportunities available to our SUNY Cortland students,” Hurrle said. “It also creates exciting new opportunities for students to study in Italy while further strengthening our international partnerships for years to come.”

On the very first day in Italy, the group pushed through jetlag and took a very short walk from its hotel to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Florence Duomo — an experience that helped set the tone for the trip.

“Being able to walk down there soon after we landed and take in this breathtaking, incredibly rich work of architecture — to see their faces when they realize how spectacular this is — that was really special,” Schwartz said.

That feeling continued in Verona, where students attended an authentic Italian opera in an open-air arena among thousands of other people. They also toured the Biblioteca Capitolare, the world’s oldest continuously operating library since 517 CE, where they learned about rare books and manuscripts at the same site where Italian poet and writer Dante frequently visited.

There was free time for gondola rides and cooking classes in Venice, along with meaningful opportunities to appreciate art. The group attended the Venice Biennale, a well-known international exhibition of contemporary art that takes place every two years, dating back to the 1890s.

“It’s like Disney World for contemporary art,” Schwartz said, explaining that advanced installations are displayed uniquely across indoor and outdoor spaces to reflect ideas and commentary about the state of the world.

Annunziata, who began the course with limited exposure to art, pointed to it as a pivotal moment in the trip.

“It really gave me such an appreciation for the world, for individuality, for creativity and imagination,” he said. “It’s easy to forget when you get lost in your everyday that people are so creative and so unique.”

On the last day of the trip, the group returned to Florence. Schwartz made arrangements to visit the studio of Adam Miller, an American artist who lives in Italy and constructs contemporary paintings in the style of monumental Renaissance work — addressing current topics such as artificial intelligence, technology and the environment in a style from centuries ago.

“(Miller) was able to speak to us about his influence in the way that the Italian Renaissance artists tried to bridge art in life,” Schwartz said. “So everywhere you go — your homes, your civic spaces — the emphasis was not how to build something cheaply, but how can we make this the most beautiful celebration of the human experience possible?”

Schwartz called that conversation “the perfect ending to the trip” — a way to see how contemporary artists continue to build on ideas that were first introduced in Renaissance Italy.

“That discussion really left people feeling like they didn’t want to leave the studio,” she said.

SUNY Cortland will honor those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with events to recognize their 25th anniversary. Seven Cortland alumni were among the 2,997 victims who lost their lives. 

Those alumni included: 

• Michael J. Boyle 

• David Garcia ’84 

• Alfred Maler ’85 

• Karen S. Navarro ’94 

• Donald Spampinato, Jr. ’84 

• Glenn Thompson 

• Kenneth VanAuken ’77 

The campus community is invited to join in remembering the heroism that resulted from one of the most tragic days in American history. 

Sandwich Seminar: Memories of 9/11
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Corey Union Fireplace Lounge 

Paul Arras, associate professor of communication and media studies and faculty advisor for the Dragon Chronicle, will lead a forum for the campus community to share their own 9/11 stories.  

“Those who were alive and remember 9/11 will never forget where they were,” Arras said. “Come and, if you are comfortable, share your own story with others in the community. This sharing of stories can be a powerful way to learn about and remember our collective past.” 

Special screening of CNN’s 2002 special, America Remembers
Friday, Sept. 11, 3 to 5 p.m.
Corey Union Exhibition Lounge   

The 90-minute video, initially broadcast to mark the first anniversary of 9/11, includes CNN footage and interviews with CNN journalists and employees. It is one of the earliest retrospectives, offering perspectives closer in time to the events. Arras will lead a discussion after the viewing. 

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
Friday, Sept. 11, 6 to 7 p.m.
Corey Union Steps 

SUNY Cortland Emergency Medical Services and the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association will host the university’s annual remembrance ceremony. The rain location will be the Corey Union Function Room. 

Special Dragon Chronicle 25th Anniversary Print Issue 

Students in Arras’ Introduction to Media Literacy class conducted interviews last fall on campus and across Cortland as well as with relatives with firsthand experiences of 9/11. During the spring semester, the editors of the Dragon Chronicle collected and edited several of those stories for a print edition. It will be available on campus during the week of 9/11. More stories will be published on the Dragon Chronicle website through September. 

A United States Geological Survey (USGS) grant continues to give SUNY Cortland students access to fisheries across New York state for undergraduate research experience. 

The grant for the paid summer internship, led in partnership with SUNY Oswego, was first secured by Andrea Dávalos, associate professor of biological sciences, and Li Jin, professor of geology. Mary Beth Voltura, associate professor of biological sciences, worked with them to develop the project. 

“(Students) engage in original research, hone their communication skills, and learn a variety of field and lab techniques used in fisheries,” said Dávalos, who noted the students interact and learn from professionals, graduate students and professors. 

“A great aspect of the internship is networking,” she added. 

 The USGS grant began in 2023 as part of the Coregonine Restoration Framework, a plan representing eight U.S. states, three U.S. intertribal organizations and the Canadian province of Ontario to restore and conserve the coregonine subfamily of freshwater fish. 

Since then, it’s expanded to wider opportunities but keeps its focus on aquatic life. 

This year’s $73,315 portion of the grant let five Cortland and two Oswego students take part in research. 

“Although our budget is relatively small, the impact of the internships we support is substantial,” Jin said. “Thanks to this grant, students gained real-world experience that significantly enriched their undergraduate education while enabling them to pursue these valuable opportunities without the burden of financial stress.” 

Minju Kim, a senior chemistry major and geographic information systems minor, used fieldwork, lab work and analysis while at the New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University to study the effects of dam removal. 

“Participating in an active field research project has provided invaluable insight into professional workflows and project execution,” Kim said of her experience, which included bioindicator sampling and data processing. 

Cortland students and their main work sites are: 

• Jonathan Hall – Cornell Biological Field Station at Shackelton Point

• Isabella Impellizzeri – SUNY Oswego 

• Minju Kim – New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University 

• Vinoj Ramachandran – Department of Environmental Conservation, Cortland 

• Ava Schiff – SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s Thousand Islands Biological Station 

For Impellizzeri, a senior conservation biology major, the eight weeks she’s spent at SUNY Oswego have provided invaluable hands-on experience. 

“I have learned a multitude of skills regarding boat procedures and safety especially,” Impellizzeri said.  

Her work has contributed to weekly tows for larval fish at four sites, with samples then tested and identified. 

“I took the New York boater safety training and got to drive a boat for the first time,” she explained. “I also learned how to manage sample and water profile collection on the water.” 

Still considering her career options after graduation, the internship has helped her plan on what the next steps toward her career may look like. 

“I’ve found working near the water to be very interesting, so potentially finding a job at one of the Great Lakes, whether it be conservation based or just nature based in general,” Impellizzeri said. 

Kim described plans to pursue a career in environmental chemistry after graduation that lets her apply environmental monitoring and sustainable ecosystem management, with a focus on water quality. 

“This experience provided practical, professional skills in fieldwork and laboratory analysis that go beyond standard classroom theory,” she added. 

This is the fourth summer SUNY Cortland students have been a part of credit-earning internships thanks to USGS funding with it expected to continue a final year in 2027. Housing costs also are covered for all participants. 

Applications for Summer 2027 internships will open in the spring semester. 

SUNY Cortland will share a special connection to a new SUNY-wide initiative that helps students pursue paid internships through Special Olympics New York.

Internship opportunities cover five main categories — from coaching to health to event management — and they will include a special partnership development internship housed exclusively at SUNY Cortland.

That role will offer a unique student experience to promote Special Olympics New York’s engagement at SUNY Cortland and develop a sustainable partnership model between the nonprofit and the university.

The Cortland connection to Special Olympics New York starts at the top: Stacey B. Hengsterman ’93 serves as the organization’s president and chief executive officer. The longtime public service leader has earned a reputation as an advocate for people with disabilities while directing one of the largest and most prominent Special Olympics organizations in the world.

“Stacey’s extraordinary example of leadership provides a wonderful model for our students to follow,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “Her organization’s work applies to many strong academic programs at the university, from health to physical education to sport management. Stacey has consistently improved the lives of others throughout her career, and we are elated for future student interns to follow in her footsteps.”

Hengsterman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from SUNY Cortland, has shaped a bold vision to make New York the most inclusive state in the country. Under her guidance, Special Olympics New York has earned the highest rankings from both Charity Navigator and Candid.

She also recently earned an honorary degree from SUNY Cortland at the university’s 2026 Undergraduate Commencement.

“Special Olympics New York is proud to partner with SUNY Cortland and other campuses across the SUNY system to provide students with meaningful, paid experiences that will build professional skills while making a lasting impact in their communities,” Hengsterman said. “Whether students will be organizing events, supporting athletes, advancing health initiatives or promoting inclusive schools, these internships give students the opportunity to lead with purpose, gain hands-on experience, and help create a more inclusive New York. We’re excited to welcome SUNY students to our team.”

Through the partnership with Special Olympics New York, students from across the SUNY system will be able to contribute to projects and initiatives led by the organization throughout the state.

Paid internships will begin as soon as the coming fall semester in areas that include:

• Polar Plunge Event Management: Interns will serve as lead student coordinators for a Mobile Polar Plunge event hosted on campuses, a role that offers hands-on experience in event planning, peer-to-peer fundraising, marketing and community engagement. The intern will work closely with campus partners and Special Olympics New York to raise funds and awareness for athletes with disabilities.

• Unified Champion Schools: Interns will assist in the planning and implementation of Unified Champion Schools program-related activities local to their campus. Duties will be related to nonprofit program management and could include program marketing, program administration, event leadership, data management, volunteer management and outreach.

• Assistant Coach: Interns will work with athletes with intellectual disabilities in a sports training environment through existing partnerships near campuses. They will assist head coaches, athletes and families throughout a single sports season that coincides with an academic semester.

• Sport Management: Interns will assist in the planning and implementation of program-related activities in their region. Specific duties will depend on the active sports season and existence of special, high-priority, projects or partnerships during the time of placement. Work will entail a variety of tasks related to nonprofit program management and could include program marketing, program administration, event leadership, data management, volunteer management and outreach. 

• Health: Interns will be responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of Special Olympics New York Health initiatives locally. Duties may include assisting with event coordination, volunteer and stakeholder communication, organization and packing of health program supplies, resource development and electronic data entry of medical screening forms.

Students interested in participating in one of the paid internships can apply online.

A special application also exists for the Cortland-specific internship opportunity.

Special Olympics New York serves more than 51,000 athletes across the state with year-round sports training, athletic competitions and health screenings. The organization also partners with over 375 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports, where students of all abilities compete as teammates. 

All programs offered by Special Olympics New York are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. praised the new collaboration.

“SUNY’s commitment to student success and upward mobility has led us to establish the goal of an internship or other experiential learning opportunity for every undergraduate student,” King said. “Through this partnership with Special Olympics New York, our students will have the opportunity to explore careers that interest them and gain valuable hands-on skills that prepare them for the workforce. We are proud to work with Special Olympics New York to provide our students with internship opportunities that will lead to successful futures.”

A faculty member in SUNY Cortland’s Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department is part of a research team considering how young children engage with artificial intelligence and ways to address the equity challenges it creates. 

Deborah Silvis, assistant professor of childhood/early childhood education, will serve as co-principal investigator for the project, which earned a $75,000 Vision Grant to support a one-year planning period for a Spencer Foundation Transformation Research Grant proposal. The national foundation supports innovative research that aims to improve education systems. 

During the next year, Silvis will work with colleagues at the University at Buffalo to build the project’s research framework and community partnerships in Western New York. 

“As AI is increasingly integrated into our society, the project addresses the urgent need for equitable AI education in the early years, when children are forming foundational understandings of the world,” said Silvis, whose scholarship considers the relationship between technology, child development and social change. “Unfortunately, early childhood has been largely overlooked in AI education.” 

According to the researchers, two interconnected challenges exist related to children’s encounters with AI. First, the topic remains largely invisible within early childhood education systems and policy, which can create challenges for young children and their caregivers. Additionally, fragmentation of early childhood education systems across schools and communities can compound those problems. 

As part of the Spencer Foundation Vision Grant, the research team will work with local education leaders, community members and technology partners to create a four-year research agenda focused on sustainable solutions that have the potential to scale nationally. 

A SUNY Cortland faculty member since 2023, Silvis earned a Ph.D. in learning sciences and human development at the University of Washington’s College of Education.  

Her work has been published in the International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning; Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, Information & Learning Sciences; International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction; Learning, Culture and Social Interaction; and Cognition & Instruction. 

The new school year is already heating up thanks to SUNY Cortland’s common read. 

“Fire” is the latest theme for the annual interdisciplinary program that invites students, faculty, staff and the wider Cortland community to share their thoughts on a select group of texts during a free series of lectures, discussions, film screenings, guest speakers and art exhibitions. 

All events are presented by the Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee (CICC) in collaboration with the Student Government Association, Sustainability Office and Cornerstone Champions.  

Each academic year the CICC and its partners choose a central idea and texts to focus on. The program seeks to promote cultural life on campus and help the Cortland community engage in discussions connected to the environmental, cultural and social issues relevant to today's world. 

The three books for this year’s common read are Bendra Hillman’s shortform Seasonal Works with Letters on Fire, Rebecca Nagle’s nonfiction By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land and Ray Bradbury’s fiction selection of Fahrenheit 451. 

All the texts were chosen based on their power to “kindle” talk across campus on themes such as sovereignty and freedom, censorship, identity, happiness, social and environmental justice, and more. 

From new parking to a refreshed main gymnasium, SUNY Cortland is seeing changes on campus for the Fall 2026 semester thanks to summer construction and other upcoming projects. 

Major updates include: 

Residence hall construction  

The new South Campus Apartments site is located at the intersection of Pashley and Folmer drives, near the university’s Tompkins Street entrance. Perimeter fencing will be in place through the duration of the project, with the residence hall scheduled to open for the Fall 2028 semester.  

When finished, the four-story building will add approximately 220 beds in apartment-style rooms with shared kitchens, bathrooms and community spaces. Cortland Auxiliary Services expects to offer a combination of grab-and-go food options with a small selection of grocery staples.  

The goal is to bring student housing closer to a hub of activity on campus that includes the Professional Studies Building, Park Center and the Student Life Center. This will be the first new residence hall for the university since Dragon Hall opened in 2013. 

The S-57 Parking Lot near Park Center has been closed for the project with detours for nearby closed sidewalks. 

New commuter parking lot 

The new S-67 Parking Lot has been completed near the Professional Studies Building, Park Center and Dragon Field, adding 206 regular and eight accessible parking spaces for visitors to South Campus. 

This lot will be designated for commuter student use during the academic year.  

 Corey Gymnasium upgrades 

Park Center Corey Gymnasium saw major improvements this summer, replacing its wooden bleachers with 800 red seat-back chairs. Home to the university’s men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams among others, the facility’s hardcourt also was painted and resurfaced. 

In addition to creating space for Red Dragon fans and teams to gather, Corey Gymnasium added new accessibility features, including an elevator to help provide a view from the top of the stands. Accessible viewing continues to be available from the floor and lower levels. 

Relocated Corey Union offices 

In anticipation of a major renovation of the university’s student union starting in December, the following campus resources have moved to Cornish-Van Hoesen Hall’s B-Wing: 

• Vice President for Student Affairs (Room B65) 

• Care and Outreach Services (Room B65) 

• Campus Activities and Corey Union (Room B54) 

• Multicultural Life and Diversity Office (Room B44) 

• Student Conduct Office (Room B1) 

• Student Government Association (Room B117) 

• New York Public Interest Research Group (Room B111) 

• The Voice Office (Room B112) 

When Corey Union closes for renovation, many large events previously held in the Corey Union Function Room will move to expanded space in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.  

The Writing Center relocation 

To accommodate events hosted in Brockway Hall, The Writing Center is moving to Memorial Library. 

Cortland Auxiliary Services dining changes 

Main offices for Cortland Auxiliary Services, which oversees dining services and other operations on campus, have relocated to Winchell Hall. Campus community members in need of a new Cortland ID should visit this new location in Winchell Hall. 

The Chick-N-Bap dining location offering Korean-inspired street food has moved to Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. 

Neubig Hall’s first floor will welcome a relocated Dunkin’ as well as a new Jimmy John’s location offering sandwiches and wraps. 

Old Main bathroom improvements 

Accessibility upgrades are being made to restrooms in Old Main. Re-openings will take place through the summer and fall, with all work expected to be complete in October. 

Don’t worry, Red Dragons. SUNY Cortland will still run on Dunkin’ — just in a new location on campus.

The popular chain will relocate to a shared space in Neubig Hall with a brand-new Jimmy John’s specializing in sandwiches and wraps. It’s one of several dining updates beginning in the Fall 2026 semester due to the multiyear renovation of Corey Union.

Cortland Auxiliary Services (CAS), which provides dining and other retail services at SUNY Cortland, will incorporate several changes that begin Thursday, Aug. 27. They include the relocation of several Corey Union food spots as well as expanded hours for some dining facilities, including Hilltop in Brockway Hall and Bookmark in Memorial Library.

The CAS website includes an updated map of dining locations and hours of operation for all dining facilities.

Major changes for the 2026-27 academic year include:

• Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s: A new side-by-side location for the national chains will open on Neubig Hall’s main floor in a renovated space that previously housed CAS administrative offices. Those offices have relocated to Winchell Hall, where campus community members can now obtain a new Cortland ID.

• Chick-N-Bap: The university’s Korean-inspired street food location will relocate to the Hilltop dining facility in Brockway Hall, open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

• Greens & Grains: Prepackaged salads also will be available in Hilltop.

• Pomodori: Pomodori’s menu will be available at Neubig Nites in Neubig Hall from 4 to 10 p.m. daily.

• Hilltop: The facility’s hours will expand Monday through Thursday, with a limited grill menu and Chick-N-Bap available from 4 to 7 p.m.

• Bookmark: The popular beverage spot in Memorial Library will add Friday hours, open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

The CAS Catering Department will continue to operate out of Corey Union until December 2026, when it relocates to the organization’s commissary.

All Corey Union dining locations will return to the student union’s ground floor when the building’s renovation is complete, expected for 2028.

SUNY Cortland will continue to help children learn to swim with the expansion of a free major statewide initiative aimed at improving water safety. 

The New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) seeks to prevent drowning, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S. among children ages 1 to 4. The effort relies on a partnership between the New York State Department of Health, SUNY and the New York State YMCA Foundation Inc. that increases access to learn-to-swim lessons for children up to age 12. 

Established under Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2024, NY SWIMS has invested nearly $260 million in 79 projects across New York state. Cortland has participated in the program since its inception, and the university recently earned a new $82,000 grant as one of nine SUNY campuses that will lead educational efforts in the coming year.  

The program also has helped address a statewide lifeguard shortage while training additional water safety instructors. SUNY Cortland’s efforts rely heavily on college students with those skills. 

“NY SWIMS has become an important building block for children and families because it helps develop a crucial lifelong skill,” said Brian Tobin ’94, head coach of SUNY Cortland’s swimming and diving teams who has led the university’s participation in the statewide initiative. “We’ve seen so much growth in young swimmers, thanks to the work of our swim instructors and lifeguards as well as continued investment from Gov. Hochul and leaders across New York state.” 

Roughly half of the U.S. population lacks basic survival skills in water, according to Tobin, and the problem worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many swimming programs for children were paused. 

“It’s been a catch-up ever since,” Tobin said, noting that the grant’s funds previously provided free, quality swim instruction through local school district partners. 

In 2024-25, the university welcomed more than 120 third- and fourth-grade students through an optional program with the Cortland City School District and Marathon Central School District. Students were bussed to SUNY Cortland’s campus after the school day, where they participated in swim lessons in the university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center. 

Tobin said focusing on specific grade levels was intentional to reach youngsters who may not have received instruction earlier. 

“They come out of these lessons better prepared in and around the water,” he said, noting that their enthusiasm and confidence grows with more lessons. “They’re enjoying the learning experience, which is what should happen in education all of the time.” 

Future efforts will look to encourage a younger age range — up to age 4 — through partnerships with the Cortland County Family YMCA, YWCA Cortland and local childcare providers. Tobin said the NY SWIMS program is another example of the benefits that SUNY institutions provide to the local community, specifically through college-age water safety instructors. 

“(Children) see great role models in our instructors,” Tobin said, noting that many staff members come from education-related disciplines. “It’s invaluable experience for (college students) too, so it’s a win-win all the way around.” 

For an eighth year in a row, SUNY Cortland was named by Phi Theta Kappa in its Transfer Honor Roll. 

The distinction recognizes the university’s support of community college transfer students.  

Phi Theta Kappa is an honor society for students at associate degree-granting colleges with close to 1,250 chapters in 11 countries and 220,000 active members. More than 900 four-year colleges and universities are considered for the Transfer Honor Roll, with Cortland one of 275 selected. 

“This recognition is about much more than transfer agreements,” said Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Successful transfer happens when institutions intentionally design policies, practices and campus cultures that help students thrive after they arrive. These colleges have demonstrated that transfer student success is not accidental. It is a strategic priority.” 

The university had 549 transfers last academic year and has made the list every year since 2018. Cortland is one of three SUNY comprehensive colleges that earned a place this year and New York’s only public institution to be honored each year over that eight-year span. 

Greg Diller ’07, coordinator of transition programs, said that taking classes while making friends and adjusting to new policies and professors can be difficult — especially if balancing work and a commute. Because of that, the university believes in providing strong support for its transfers, including the  549 transfers last academic year,

“This fall we have eight Transfer Network Team members who are excited to welcome our new students and help them navigate their first semester at Cortland,” said Diller, who this year earned the Joan Austin Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Transfer and Articulation Association, a professional organization focused on college transfer student success. 

“Our office, along with many other resources on campus, are happy to be the people they can turn to and get them on the right path,” he added. “We are proud to continue to be a place that new transfer students can feel comfortable and find their sense of belonging.”  

Phi Theta Kappa’s annual honor is based on analysis from the National Student Clearinghouse and data submitted by four-year institutions. 

The rating relies on 40 metric areas, including five major ones:  

• Success rates of transfer students.  

• Campus friendliness and sense of belonging.  

• Availability of need- and merit-based financial aid.  

• Acceptance of transfer credits toward a four-year degree program.  

• Recruitment experience and campus life for transfers.  

SUNY Cortland offers a wide array of transfer support, including:   

• Online tools that help students map a clear path to the university.  

• A formal transfer orientation program.  

• Transfer-specific recognition and scholarship potential through the Tau Sigma Honor Society.  

• The Transfer Network Team, a group of returning transfer students who assist new transfer students in connecting with campus resources and each other.  

• COR 201, a one-credit experience course for new transfer students, modeled after the opportunity for first-year students.  

• National Transfer Student Week, an October event series to celebrate transfer students.  

• Reverse transfer degrees, enabling transfer students to complete their community college associate degree while working toward their bachelor’s degree at SUNY Cortland.  

More information on the transfer application process at SUNY Cortland is available online.

SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College are launching a four-year partnership with Visions Federal Credit Union centered on the Cortaca Jug, one of the nation’s most celebrated NCAA Division III football rivalries.

The partnership — the first naming sponsorship in the Cortaca Jug’s history — will support the annual game between the two institutions. It begins with the 2026 season, including the Cortaca Jug game at Yankee Stadium on November 14, 2026, and continues through the 2029 game. 

Under the agreement, the regular-season rivalry game between the schools — located less than 25 miles apart in Central New York — will be known as “Cortaca Jug presented by Visions Federal Credit Union.” A co-branded logo will be developed for each year of the partnership.

“For many years, the Cortaca Jug rivalry has stood on its own as one of the most unique rivalries in Division III athletics, and this partnership with Visions Federal Credit Union serves as further proof,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “The game itself has shattered attendance records and earned national media attention. But the tradition is something far greater — a constant source of pride for two outstanding institutions. Visions’ support will help grow the Cortaca Jug game’s visibility, build ties in our community and create new opportunities for our students and alumni for years to come.”

“For generations, the Cortaca Jug has brought together two institutions with deep roots in this region,” said Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish. “Welcoming Visions Federal Credit Union to this tradition unites three organizations with a strong commitment to the people and places we serve. Together, we share a responsibility to help this region thrive, and we’re proud to have Visions as a partner as we carry this extraordinary tradition forward and expand its impact both on and off the field.”

As naming sponsor, Visions will be recognized in connection with the game throughout the agreement. The relationship will also extend beyond Cortaca itself through opportunities for Visions to contribute to financial-literacy programming at both institutions each fall and spring.

“The Cortaca Jug is easily one of the most recognized and celebrated college sports rivalries in Upstate New York, and Visions is excited to be part of it,” said Tim Strong, assistant vice president for branding and community impact at Visions Federal Credit Union. “Both SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College have incredible traditions of academics and athletics, and their passionate alumni bases reside in many of the communities Visions serves across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There is no better place to launch this long-term partnership than the iconic setting of Yankee Stadium.”

The 2026 game will mark Cortaca’s second appearance at Yankee Stadium, following the 2022 contest that drew 40,232 fans. The teams also previously played at MetLife Stadium, home of the NFL's New York Jets and New York Giants, in 2019, drawing 45,161 fans — a Division III record. The 2027, 2028 and 2029 Cortaca Jug games are scheduled to be held on the institutions’ campuses.

About Visions Federal Credit Union

Visions Federal Credit Union is a not for profit financial institution completely owned by its members. Established in 1966, Visions proudly serves over 250,000 members in communities throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Services include banking as well as auto, home, personal, and business loans. Visit www.visionsfcu.org for more information. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.

About the Cortaca Jug

Cortland and Ithaca first met on the gridiron in 1930, and in 1959 the Cortaca Jug "traveling trophy" (utilizing portions of both the Cortland and Ithaca names) was introduced for the winning team. Cortland's Tom Decker '61, a team captain, and his friend Dick Carmean, an Ithaca captain, turned a ceramic milk jug purchased for $2 at a yard sale in Homer, N.Y., into the original Cortaca Jug. The score from each year's regular-season game between the schools was added to the jug, necessitating a second jug to be created in 1985 and a third one in 2016.

“The Biggest Little Game in the Nation” earned its nickname in 1991 from Sports Illustrated. “The biggest little game in the nation could turn out to be Ithaca vs. SUNY Cortland by the shores of New York state’s Cayuga Lake on Nov. 9, 1991,” wrote sportswriter John Walters in the Aug. 26, 1991 edition. 

After decades of drawing sellout crowds on the two campuses, the game reached new heights in 2019 when the teams played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., in front of a Division III record 45,161 fans. In 2022, the teams played at Yankee Stadium with a crowd of 40,232, the second-best attendance in Division III history. Since 2010, only eight of 25 football games at Yankee Stadium have drawn more than 40,000 fans — four involving Notre Dame, two with Penn State, the Division I Lafayette-Lehigh rivalry game, and the 2022 Cortaca Jug game.

SUNY Cortland women’s soccer and women’s ice hockey player Katie Diem ’26 and men’s track and field athlete Isaiah Brunache ’26 have been named the overall SUNY Division III Scholar Athletes of the Year for the 2025-26 school year. Diem is the top scholar athlete among all Division III women’s sports in the SUNY system, while Brunache is the top scholar athlete among all SUNY Division III men’s sports.

Diem was a defender on Cortland’s women’s soccer team and a forward on the Red Dragons’ women’s ice hockey team. A biology major with a 3.98 overall GPA, she became Cortland’s first-ever women's soccer Academic All-American with her selection last fall on the CSC Academic All-America first team. She also was named both the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and SUNY Women’s Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Diem earned United Soccer Coaches first-team all-region honors, was the SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year, and was tabbed to the SUNYAC women’s soccer all-tournament team as she helped the Red Dragons win the conference title. She finished the season with four goals and three assists in 21 games, and in 39 games had career totals of five goals and five assists.

During the women’s ice hockey season, Diem played in 22 games and registered five goals, seven assists and a plus-17 rating. She helped Cortland advance to the SUNYAC tournament championship game. Her hockey career totals were eight goals and nine assists in 39 games.

Diem was named the 2025-26 SUNYAC’s Dr. Dolores Bogard Award winner as the conference’s top senior women’s student-athlete. She was the SUNYAC Elite 20 Award winner, given to the athlete with the highest GPA among teams at each conference championship site, for both soccer and hockey, and she was also selected as the SUNY Cortland Athletics Women’s Senior Athlete of the Year.

Brunache, an exercise science major with a 3.91 overall GPA, was a seven-time All-American as a thrower on the men’s track and field team. He was the national runner-up in the shot put at both the 2023 and 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in addition to finishing fifth in the weight throw and seventh in the shot put indoors in 2026, seventh in the weight throw indoors in 2025, eighth in the discus outdoors in 2026, and eighth in the shot put indoors in 2025. He also qualified for nationals in events on six other occasions.

He is the school record-holder in the indoor weight throw (19.85 meters/65’ 1.5"), the indoor shot put (17.57 meters/57’ 7.75”) and the outdoor shot put (18.21 meters/59’ 9”). Brunache was a three-time USTFCCCA Niagara Region Field Athlete of the Year (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors, 2026 outdoors) and an 18-time All-Niagara Region honoree (indoor shot put four times, indoor weight throw four times, outdoor discus four times, outdoor hammer throw twice, outdoor shot put four times). Brunache also was a five-time All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference (AARTFC) champion and two-time runner-up (plus six other AARTFC top-8 finishes).

In Brunache’s time at Cortland he won eight SUNYAC titles, finished as a runner-up six times and placed third twice for a total of 16 All-SUNYAC honors. He was voted as the SUNYAC Field Athlete of the Year three times (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors, 2026 outdoors), was the 2024 and 2025 SUNYAC Outdoor Championship and 2026 SUNYAC Indoor Championship Most Valuable Performer of the Meet, and was named the 2023 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year

Among his other honors he was both a 2026 and 2025 CSC First Team Academic All-American and a three-time (2024-26) CSC Academic All-District selection. He’s a six-time SUNY Scholar Athlete of the Year (three indoor, three outdoor) and five-time SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year (two indoor, three outdoor), was the 2025-26 SUNYAC Dr. Sam Molnar Award winner as the conference’s top senior men's student-athlete, and he was chosen as the SUNY Cortland Athletics Men's Senior Athlete of the Year.