Giving the Gift of Raquette Lake

Giving the gift of Raquette Lake

Laura Platt was always an outdoors person. But it wasn’t until she spent two weeks studying biology deep in the Adirondack Mountains at SUNY Cortland’s Raquette Lake Outdoor Education Center that she began finding a career path that might let her stay outside professionally.

 “It definitely influenced me to get more involved with field research – or adventure research as I like to call it,” said Laura, a senior biology major and recreation minor from West Almond, N.Y. “I didn’t even know about Raquette Lake when I applied here. I mainly came here for the biology program, but it turned out to be a lot better than I expected.”

 Laura isn’t the only student whose life grew richer through her Raquette Lake experience. Huntington Memorial Camp and Antlers have had that kind of effect on our Cortland family for decades.

 That’s why “Educating Champions, the Campaign for Cortland” is dedicated to making the Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education experience a reality for every Cortland student. To accomplish that, we plan to raise a total of $1.5 million to support the Raquette Lake Development and Enrichment Fund.

The gifts will not be used for capital improvements: The College has already set aside $1 million to improve and expand and improve facilities at Antlers.

Instead, they will fund an endowment to help students overcome transportation and other access issues. We want to make sure all of our students can experience SUNY Cortland’s unique and historic Adirondack jewel. The endowment allow us to significantly increase the number of courses taught at the center and expand the number of campus offerings that incorporate the Environmental and Outdoor Education Center at Raquette Lake.

 Supported by a strong endowment, the center will host SUNY Cortland orientation programs and student retreats. It will promote lifelong learning through the development of more recreational programming for students, faculty and alumni. We plan to more fully integrate Antlers and Camp Huntington into the life of the College, and give all SUNY Cortland students an opportunity to develop an appreciation for the natural world, discover a passion for healthy, outdoor pursuits and commit themselves to environmental sustainability.

 It is a sweeping vision, and we’d like you to be a part of it.