Campus Champion

Angel Alicea-Morales was drawn to medical laboratory research as a first-year Red Dragon, setting him on his path as a biomedical sciences major and chemistry minor. Around the same time his teaching assistant and former SUNY Cortland Emergency Medical Services (SCEMS) chief Kaleb Frierson ’23 recruited Angel to join the campus first-response agency. Now a senior and SCEMS president and chief, Angel leads 10 officers and about 50 members, serving as a jack-of-all-trades. The summer research fellow and biology peer mentor is on track for a future in clinical patient care. Angel’s plan includes service to his community, implementing medical trials and fulfilling his passion for research.

9/11 Remembrance: Join Angel, members of SCEMS, President Bitterbaum, alumni and members of the campus community at Wednesday’s 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the Corey Union steps.

For students of the Performing Arts Department, the new school year means classes, rehearsals and lots of hard work. For audiences, all that effort means seats to some of the best shows in Central New York. 

SUNY Cortland’s lineup of plays and musicals has been announced for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, and the lineup should be enough to keep any theater fan entertained — whether it’s drama, comedy or show tunes.  

Tickets will be available at SUNY Cortland’s online Ticket Office. Discounted prices are offered to students, faculty, staff and senior citizens. Here’s what’s in the wings: 

“By Any Other Name” 

Shakespeare’s famous trio of witches from “Macbeth” throw nine of the Bard’s other female characters into the forest in hopes of giving them a fairer shake. With a contemporary, pop/rock score, “By Any Other Name” follows favorites such as Juliet, Helena, Hermia, Viola and Ophelia as they explore life and love, while forging their own identities and understanding of gender roles. 

• Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 

• Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. 

• Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. 

• Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. 

Location: Dowd Fine Arts Center, Mainstage Theatre 

“John Proctor is the Villain” 

This thought-provoking play by Kimberly Belflower brings together a class of teenagers confronted with a small-town scandal. In class they study “The Crucible” and, in their world, the “Me Too” movement provides stark comparisons and relevance as they unravel the difference between a witch hunt and the truth. 

• Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. 

• Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. 

• Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. 

• Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. 

Location: Dowd Fine Arts Center, Lab Theatre 

“Eleemosynary” 

This play explores the complex and delicate relationship between three generations of women: a daughter’s desire for independence, a mother’s reluctant need for support as her health fails and the inspiring example our youngest generations can often provide. 

• Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. 

• Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. 

• Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. 

• Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. 

Location: Cortland Repertory Theatre (CRT), Downtown 

“Anything Goes” 

A masterful mashup of musical comedy, gangster movie, screwball antics and social satire; “Anything Goes” is one of the biggest and best from Broadway’s Golden Era. 

• Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. 

• Saturday, April 5 at 7 p.m. 

• Sunday, April 6 at 2 p.m. 

• Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. 

• Saturday, April 12 at 7 p.m. 

• Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m. 

Location: Dowd Fine Arts Center, Mainstage Theatre 

Ben Wells, publicity coordinator and production manager for the Performing Arts Department, described the shows as having a professional level of quality with ticket prices low enough to be a great choice for a night out. 

Choosing shows for a new season can begin as much as eight months ahead of the start of the academic year, he noted.  

“Decisions such as who will direct the shows, what theatre spaces will be used and/or what shows will engage the students and our audiences are part of the early conversations,” Wells said. “A season needs to have variety, but also considerations of our ability to cast based on the demographic of our musical theatre majors and budgeting are in the mix.” 

Once there’s a general idea, details like licensing still need to be finalized. It’s a lot of work, but necessary for the success not just of the program, but of the students. 

The goal of these shows as teaching tools is to elevate their ability to sing, dance and act — core skills of any stage performer. 

“Certain productions can offer more of a deep dive into some of those skills such as a need to tap dance for this season’s ‘Anything Goes’ or dramatically dealing with heavier topics such as those explored in ‘John Proctor is the Villain,’” Wells said. 

Certain scenes can be expected to push the cast past levels they had reached before. Wells, who himself has watched performances at the university since the mid-90s, said that he’s seen generations of students go on to strong careers in the industry. 

“Beyond those basic skills, certain shows may include stage fighting or combat, tumbling or gymnastic skills or even unicycle riding as exhibited in “Sweet Charity” last season. The variety in experiences ultimately results in our students being more well-rounded and marketable for their future careers.” 

Of course, anyone who's been a part of a show — from a 6th-grade version of “Peter Rabbit” play to a Broadway smash —   knows the actors could never do it alone. All crew positions, including stage manager, set crew, light and sound operators and wardrobe are filled by musical theater majors. There are also opportunities for students to become an assistant director or music director. 

Those opportunities will be hosted at three venues across the four shows. That level of variety is designed to give students an exceptional breadth of experience.  

The large main stage at the Dowd Fine Arts Center lets it be an ideal host for large, showy productions, while the smaller Lab Theatre creates a more intimate experience. The ongoing partnership with Cortland Repertory Theater enables the student actors to get out into the community as part of a successful professional theater organization. 

"Gaining a knowledge and appreciation for all aspects of theater, even for those whose main objective is to work on the stage, will ensure our graduates are more understanding, empathetic and appreciative of all aspects of the craft,” Wells said. 

In late August, seven new SUNY Cortland students from diverse backgrounds arrived on campus a week early to immerse themselves in a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experiences.

The new first-year, sophomore and transfer students were all selected for the Central New York Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, which since 2021 has used a $1.99 million grant from the National Science Foundation intended to increase the recruitment, retention and graduation of students in a range of STEM disciplines.

“When you’re a high school student, you really don’t know what research is about,” explained Christa Chatfield, professor of biological sciences, and SUNY Cortland’s LSAMP Program co-director, about the introductory week of activities and workshops and later programming to get them involved in STEM research. “That’s our goal, to help them gain that understanding as soon as possible in their careers.”

Sophomore Michael Kosowski of Bellmore, N.Y., knew he was interested in the science of the human body and wondered if that interest would extend to other branches of science.

“I have always liked medicine, and I was originally interested in disease and virology, which was influenced by movies,” the biomedical sciences major said.

“I hoped by doing the LSAMP program I could become more interested in nature, research and other parts of science, and that most definitely happened.”

The LSAMP group consisted of students in STEM majors who had self-identified as being from historically underrepresented groups as well as students who were recommended by a faculty member. Cortland’s summer workshops helped these individuals build fundamental skills, such as study habits, time management and writing in the sciences, while introducing them to each other, the university and future professional collaborators.

Over the past three years, the program at SUNY Cortland has helped 16 aspiring STEM scholars complete an authentic, eight-week summer laboratory research experience paired with a faculty mentor, according to Chatfield.

During the introductory week before classes, the future biologists, geologists, chemists and mathematicians toured key academic buildings including Memorial Library, Sperry Center and Old Main for introductions to the resources they’ll need to succeed in STEM.

That week, they also:

• observed wolves and foxes in the wild and learned more about their key role in ecosystems at the Wolf Mountain Nature Center in nearby Chenango County
• visited the Tully, N.Y., laboratories of Syracuse pharmaceutical products research company Ichor Life Sciences
• sampled effective ways to present their research data in a Memorial Library computer lab, led by Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Andrea Davalos
• explored the geology, biology and chemistry of Fillmore Glen State Park in Moravia, N.Y., with a park ranger
• hosted a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation official to discuss internships in the outdoors, conservancy and geology

LSAMP, created to build preparedness and community in STEM among underrepresented students, is led by Ithaca College, Chatfield noted. The lead institution each fall hosts an alliance-wide seminar for networking and sharing of scientific results in poster sessions, talks and professional development sessions featuring faculty from underrepresented backgrounds. SUNY Cortland’s close collaboration through 2025 also includes the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Elmira College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Herkimer College and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

Each LSAMP participants’ highly unusual capstone experience — completed before entering their second Cortland year — consists of a paid fellowship with on campus housing to conduct eight weeks of summer research mentored by a faculty member in their chosen discipline.

“It really seems to create a curiosity that they want to explore research opportunities early on, but that’s really the goal of the program,” said Chatfield, who herself has mentored two of the summer research students.

“It’s a way to create an entry into the research experience so they can find what they are excited about. Even if that first lab that we place them in is not what they are really excited about, at least they have the confidence to seek out other opportunities.”

One former LSAMP student has completed multiple scientific studies with two different professors and presented their findings at a national conference, Chatfield said. This past summer, three LSAMP scholars completed their laboratory or fieldwork investigations.

Isabell Faydalla of Howard Beach, N.Y., a senior biology major minoring in chemistry and psychology, worked with SUNY Cortland Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Santanu Banerjee at Syracuse University to study the effect of BPA, a chemical commonly found in plastics, on the seizure behavior of zebrafish larvae.

“Participating in this program has led to an astonishing amount of self-growth in such a short period of time,” said Faydalla, who graduates next May. “The program also builds such a welcoming community of students who are going through the same successes, obstacles and even failures.”

Marissa Mc Lean of Plattsburgh, N.Y., a conservation biology major who will graduate next spring, launched her research to study flower tube length and width evolution with a summer trip to Kew Gardens in London, United Kingdom, with Assistant Professor Elizabeth McCarthy. This fall, in the Introduction to Biology lab where she serves as teaching assistant, Mc Lean’s photographed images will be measured by students. Mc Lean will then analyze the findings for her study.

“My experience as part of the LSAMP program has exposed me to more than I could have imagined when it comes to doing strictly scientific research,” Mc Lean said. “I have learned about the professional science world that will allow me to determine my future.”

For a slideshow of this year's orientation classes, select an image below.

SUNY Cortland will hold a “Festival of the Plantain” on Thursday, Sept. 19, centering the banana-like fruit in a celebration of the people of African descent in Latin America and their diaspora.

The festival, or Fiesta del Plátano, will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in Old Main Brown Auditorium.

The event will feature music by the Afro-Colombian music collective Roots of the Mangrove Without Borders, part of larger group of Afro-Columbian visitors to campus. There will also be a performance by the university’s Ritmo Latino Dance Club, exhibits and free food samples including — of course — plaintains, a vitamin- and mineral-rich food that plays an important role in meals throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

The focus on Afro-Colombians kicks off a series of cultural and educational activities encompassing the university’s Latiné Heritage Month. Latiné Heritage Month runs from Sunday, Sept. 15, to Tuesday, Oct. 15. All the events are free and open to the public.

Roots of the Mangrove, meanwhile, is more that just touring musicians. It is part of the self-help Association for the Comprehensive Development and Entrepreneurship of Afro-Colombians (AMDAE), a grassroot organization whose members during their extended visit will share the music and cultural awareness of their native country. They also will engage with students in classes and take part in a panel presentation.

AMDAE’s visit includes two public events on Monday, Sept. 16:

• Meet and greet: The Clark Center for Global Engagement will sponsor the informal gathering with AMDAE representatives from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Old Main, Room 127.
• Panel presentation: The Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee will offer a discussion with AMDAE members exploring the myriad ways education beyond the classroom delivers memorable and vibrant learning experiences and inspires new ideas. The presentation, titled “Open Air Pedagogies,” will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.

This is not AMDAE’s first visit to the U.S., but it is the first time they have hosted a Fiesta del Plátano on a college campus, according to organizer Pilar File-Muriel, an assistant professor in SUNY Cortland’s Sociology/Anthropology Department and a Diversity Faculty Fellow.

A native of Colombia, File-Muriel met and developed a connection with AMDAE founder Daira Quiñones eight years ago. Quiñones’ collective has worked with groups throughout the U.S. for roughly 20 years promoting peace and cultural activism in the U.S.

“The group is a self-help association mainly of Afro-Colombian women who were victims of Colombia’s decades-long civil war and had been displaced from the Colombian Pacific and the Caribbean,” File-Muriel said.

That low-intensity conflict never quite ends, but members acquired farmland near the capital city of Bogotá where they practice a “solidarity economy” and work to defend their cultural identity in the former Spanish colony. AMDAE practices Aulas Vivas, or “living learning spaces,” through its Ethno-Education Project, using an Afro-Colombian style of teaching called Uramba, which is based on the principle of collective responsibility, unity and relationships among humans and non-humans. Its music group performs Afro-Colombian rhythms that highlight ancestral knowledge and folklore and promote African descent connections across borders.

“Many of their projects are about developing initiatives to help them and their families, create sources of income but are also related to celebrating and continuing their Afro-Colombian practices, as well as promoting sustainable and ethical farming practices,” File-Muriel said.

Both mangrove trees and the plantain plants with their many uses are at the heart of Afro-Colombian traditions.

“I am an activist anthropologist, so that means that my research goes beyond academia, and it involves the communities that I am doing research with and students,” File-Muriel said.

Students in File-Muriel’s Social Movements of Latin America class and her Independent Studies in Anthropology course are helping her organize the fiesta.

Lucila Napolitano of Washingtonville, N.Y., a junior psychology major of Peruvian and Italian descent, encouraged Ritmo Latino, the club she dances in, to participate.

Senior international studies major Asha Younas of Woodside, N.Y., is president of the campus chapter of New York Public Interest Research Group. She brings to the project both logistical and international relations skills.

Senior sociology major Grace Galarza of Copiague, N.Y., applied her academic skills to research the origins and context of the group’s mission for the campus community. She’s also helping with event setup, exhibits, informational displays and invitations.

Each year, the campus observes Latiné Heritage Month, also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of people whose heritage came from Latin America. Sept. 15 was the day Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua gained independence. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on Sept. 15.

Organizers of SUNY Cortland’s Latiné Heritage Month calendar are accepting lecture or program proposals from faculty, staff and students until the deadline of Thursday, Sept. 12. For more information or to submit a proposal, contact AnnaMaria Omilanowicz, director of multicultural life and diversity.

For any questions about the festival, contact File-Muriel. 
The Fiesta del Plátano is supported by a Cortland Auxiliary Services Educational Excellence Grant, the Center for Ethics Peace and Social Justice, the Clark Center for Global Engagement, the Cortland College Foundation’s Equity Fund, the Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee, the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office and the Provost’s Office.

For a slideshow relating to the upcoming festival, select an image below. 

Drowning deaths are on the rise in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and New York state hopes to reverse that trend by helping more people learn to enjoy the water safely. SUNY Cortland is happy to dive in and lead the way. 

The New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative, announced Aug. 29, gives $150 million for projects to increase public access to swimming resources, with an added $2 million in the 2025 budget to make pools at 12 SUNY campuses “community anchors.” The office of Gov. Kathy Hochul called it the biggest investment in swimming in the state since the New Deal of the 1930s. 

Brian Tobin, head swimming and diving coach at SUNY Cortland, said the university is one of the campuses chosen for the program. He helped create a proposal requesting a state maximum $65,000 from the NY SWIMS budget, which was granted. 

The planned changes will add to what Tobin describes as an already robust aquatics program. In addition to lifeguard and safety instructor courses available to students for credit, there are public swim lessons offered at the Harriet Holsten Pool in Park Center and at the Student Life Center.  

NY SWIMS lets SUNY Cortland make more of those classes available on campus and in the surrounding community. 

“New York SWIMS is a major initiative,” Tobin said. "We’re talking about life and safety, so I was excited when I heard it officially.” 

The money allows the school to train 30 more lifeguards and 20 more water safety instructors — commonly known as swim instructors — per semester. That increase includes triple the approximately 15 lifeguards who could previously take the course. 

More training equipment like pool noodles will also be bought, letting learners and instructors alike make the best use of their time in the water. 

A collaboration with the city of Cortland’s YMCA and YWCA will further improve children’s access to swim lessons in the area. Tobin noted that new training for swim instructors would help them to teach people in their classes with special needs. 

These new programs can begin this September, he said.  

“We want to have this run not just through the academic year, but also when it wraps up — May and June in particular, when Central New York weather warms up and people are thinking about swimming,” Tobin explained. “That will be absolutely critical with regard to education and giving people opportunities to make sure that they can learn how to be safe in and around the water.” 

New opportunities for Cortland students may also be available soon — even those who stay on dry land. 

“We want to offer training for physical education majors and other education majors here. Giving them a bag of tools when they’re in a classroom and don’t have access to a pool,” Tobin said. “They can still talk and work with students on water safety in a meaningful manner. It’s not just swim lessons and being confident in the water. It’s also the between the ears.” 

Tobin added that the leading cause of death in 1- to 4-year-olds is drowning, so it’s vital to get safety information to parents ahead of preschool.  

“We’d like to run some parental education because I firmly believe the best thing that we can do is make sure that parents understand how to act and how to take care of their kids in and around water.” 

Nine new members will be inducted into the SUNY Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame during its annual ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 14.

Info Page with registration link

The 2024 honorees are:

Harold "Hal" Roche '61 - Men's Swimming and Diving

Bob Devins '71 - Men's Track and Field

Larry O'Leary '80 - Men's Lacrosse, Football

Sharon Sarsen '82 - Women's Lacrosse, Field Hockey

Teresa McKinney '90, C.A.S. '23 - Women's Basketball, Softball

Corey Ryon '99, M '03 - Men's Swimming and Diving

Lindsay Abbott Byrnes '12, M '16 - Women's Lacrosse

Lucia Meola Pierce '13, M '14 - Softball

Jeannette Yeoman Mosher (honorary) - Women's Basketball Head Coach (1998-2018)

In addition to Saturday night's official ceremony, the inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Cortland football game versus Lycoming earlier that afternoon.
 
Established in 1969, the C-Club Hall of Fame recognizes Cortland alumni who competed as athletes at the College and who have since distinguished themselves in their professions and within their communities. Honorary members are recognized for their long and significant contributions to SUNY Cortland athletics. New C-Club members have been added annually and this year's ceremony will bring the Hall of Fame roster to 297 alumni and 33 honorary members.
 
Nominations for the 2025 C-Club Hall of Fame voting will be accepted until January 15, 2025. The nomination form is available online at: http://www.cortlandreddragons.com/nominations. A person must be nominated to be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame.

HALL OF FAME PAGE
 
A detailed look at this fall's inductees follows below.
 
Harold "Hal" Roche '61
 
* A native of Rochester, N.Y., he earned a bachelor's degree in recreation education from Cortland in 1961 and took 30 credit hours of graduate courses at SUNY Brockport
 
* Member of the Cortland swimming and diving team for four seasons from 1957-61; served as a team captain for the Red Dragons for three years as a sophomore, junior and senior
 
* Four-time swimming and diving Red Letter Award winner; one of only two Cortland swimmers, to date, to accomplish that feat
 
* State, regional and national swimming qualifier during his career, and swam in the 1960 Olympic Trials during his senior season
 
* Was consistently the Red Dragons' top performer in the 220-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly and 440-yard freestyle, and as a senior set the school record in the 200-yard individual medley
 
* Member of the Cortland College Recreation Association and winner of the Nu Sigma Chi "Ugly Man" contest
 
* Physical director of the Canandaigua (N.Y.) YMCA from 1962-64
 
* Professor at Monroe Community College (MCC) from 1964-2000 and granted professor emeritus status in 2000; during his tenure he coached swimming and diving and men's golf and served as director of the school's Recreation Leadership Degree Program
 
* First swimming coach at MCC; his teams enjoyed numerous undefeated seasons and regional and Northeast District titles and boasted 38 All-Americans
 
* Designed and planned the present swimming pool at MCC, one of the finest in the junior college ranks
 
* Inducted into the Monroe Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Junior College Athletic Association Men's Golf Hall of Fame in 1996
 
* College golf coach of Jeff Sluman, who won six PGA tour events, including the 1988 PGA Championship
 
* Received the National Junior College Athletic Association Service Award for his work when Monroe Community College hosted the 1981 swimming and diving national championship
 
* Included in the Marquis Who's Who in 2021 and received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022
 
* Worked more than 30 years with the Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross as an instructor in first aid, CPR and water safety and was a member of the Red Cross Water Safety Committee from 1975-80
 
* NCAA Sports Camp water safety director from 1981-96
 
* Director of Water Safety for New York State Parks and Recreation from 1975-80
 
* Pool Director at Oak Hill Country Club from 1968-74 
 
 
Bob Devins '71
 
* The Peru, N.Y., native earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1971
 
* Competed in indoor track and field at Cortland from 1967-71 and outdoor track and field from 1968-71 in the long jump, high jump, triple jump and sprints; team captain/co-captain in 1970-71
 
* Three-time track and field Red Letter Award winner - indoors in 1968-69 and 1970-71 seasons and outdoors in 1970 - and the 1971 Cortland BETA Sports King
 
* NCAA College Division qualifier in both his junior and senior year and 1970 Atlantic Coast long jump regional runner-up
 
* Graduated as the school record holder in the indoor 50-yard dash, 60-yard dash, 160-yard dash, long jump and high jump and the outdoor 100-yard dash, high jump, long jump and 440-yard relay
 
* MVP of the 1970 New York State Collegiate Track and Field Association (NYSCTFA) championship and helped Cortland win three indoor and two outdoor NYSCTFA team titles
 
* Set Cortland Lusk Field House records in the long jump, high jump, 50-yard dash and 60-yard dash; also set numerous indoor facility records at Syracuse University, Union College and the University of Rochester
 
* Physical education teacher in the Malone Central Elementary Schools and Franklin Academy High School from 1971-2008
 
* Coached outdoor track and field (1971-2012), indoor track and field (1973-95, 1996-2012), JV/varsity football (1971-90), boys' cross country (1991-98), girls' cross country (1999-2012) and boys' basketball (1996) at Franklin Academy
 
* Multiple-time sectional Coach of the Year who led Franklin Academy to numerous Section Ten cross country and track and field titles and coached more than 40 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) track and field medalists, including state champions in the pole vault, 3,000 meters and 3,200-meter relay
 
* Posted a boys' track and field overall dual record of 251-34 and girls' cross country overall record of 110-11
 
* Brushton-Moira Central School board member from 2008-11 and Canton Central School board member from 2015-21
 
* Has served as an NCAA and USA Track official and Cross Country official and was the Umpire at the NCAA National Track and Field Championships in 2003 and 2015; also a New York State high school track and field official and rules interpreter for the Northern New York Zone
 
 
Larry O'Leary '80
 
* The Levittown, N.Y., native graduated from Cortland in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in physical education
 
* Competed as a men's lacrosse midfielder at Cortland for four seasons from 1977-80 and a football inside linebacker for two seasons from 1977-78
 
* Two-time lacrosse All-American (first team in 1980, third team in 1979), runner-up for USILA national Midfielder of the Year in 1980, and chosen to compete in the 1980 USILA North-South Classic
 
* Finished lacrosse career with 69 goals and 60 assists for 129 points; led team in assists (32) and points (48) in 1979 and second in goals (27) and points (35) in 1980; team advanced to the 1980 NCAA Division III championship game, the 1978 NCAA Division II semifinals, and both the 1977 and 1979 NCAA Division II quarterfinals
 
* Football starting linebacker and defensive captain as a sophomore and a junior; did not play as a senior to concentrate on lacrosse, and was a men's lacrosse player at the University of North Carolina in the fall of 1976
 
* Law enforcement professional with a 22-year career in the New York City Police Department
 
* Worked in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a detective and received the Medal of Honor from DEA and a medal of valor from the NYPD for a DEA shooting and drug bust operation in 1988
 
* Detective Sergeant in the Smuggling Unit, U.S. Customs Federal Task Force, from 1999-2002, where he spearheaded investigation and successful prosecution of drug traffickers resulting in more than 75 arrests in the U.S., Israel, Colombia and Holland
 
* Supervised search and rescue teams at the World Trade Center Ground Zero following 9/11
 
* Director of Corporate Security and Safety for 1-800-Flowers.com from 2002-09, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety Enforcement for the Town of Islip in Suffolk County from 2009-12, Director of Security and Safety for Portledge School in Locust Valley, N.Y., from 2012-17, and Director of Security for Nationwide Insurance Company, LLC from 2017-21
 
* Served as a tactical consultant for the television show Blue Bloods, starring Tom Selleck
 
* Held lacrosse, football and soccer youth coaching positions from 1995-2017, including five years as boys' lacrosse head coach from 2013-17 at Portledge School, where he earned two Coach of the Year awards
 
* Played 30 years of club lacrosse from 1985-2015 (Different Road Patriots and Sailin' Shoe Lacrosse Clubs) and 12 years of semi-pro football for the NYC Police Department from 1982-94
 
 
Sharon Sarsen '82
 
* A native of Katonah, N.Y., she graduated from Cortland in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned a master's degree in adaptive physical education from Long Island University in 1991
 
* Competed as a field hockey goalie at Cortland for four seasons from 1978-81 and as a women's lacrosse attack for four years from 1979-82
 
* Member of lacrosse teams that placed seventh at the 1982 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division II national championship and eighth at the 1980 nationals
 
* During her senior lacrosse season she registered 51 goals and 11 assists, including 10 goals and two assists in three games at nationals
 
* Member of Cortland's field hockey 1979 New York State Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW) championship team
 
* Teacher and coach in the Lakeland Central School District (N.Y.) since 1983
 
* Field hockey head coach at Lakeland High School since 1982 and girls' lacrosse head coach for the combined Lakeland/Panas team for 30 years from 1986-2015, plus four years as assistant coach from 2016-19
 
* The all-time varsity field hockey head coaching wins leader in New York State history (723-81-44 entering the 2024 season) and ranks second all-time in wins for varsity girls' lacrosse coaching (381-135-45)
 
* Her Lakeland field hockey teams won 13 state titles, including nine straight from 2009-17, along with 24 sectional titles (15 straight from 2009-23) and 34 league titles (27 straight from 1997-2023)
 
* Her Lakeland/Panas lacrosse teams won 12 league titles, 10 sectional titles and advanced to the state "final four" three times (2010 Class A state runner-up, 2007 and 2011 semifinalist
 
* Inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Hall of Fame in 2020, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame in 2000, the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and the U.S. Lacrosse-Hudson Valley Chapter Hall of Fame in 2007
 
* 2018 NFHCA National High School Field Hockey Coach of the Year and two-time North Region Coach of the Year
 
* Nine-time Section One Field Hockey Coach of the Year and four-time Section One Girls' Lacrosse Coach of the Year
 
* Shrub Oak Athletic Club Field Hockey Director since 1993
 
* Organizer and Director of Lakeland Central Schools Girls in Sports Days since 2017
 
 
Teresa McKinney '90, C.A.S. '23
 
* A native of Binghamton, N.Y., she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1990, a master's degree in education from Elmira College in 1996 and a certificate of advanced study from Cortland in 2023
 
* Women's basketball starting point guard at Cortland for four years (1986-90) and three-year softball starting shortstop (1987, 89-90); team captain in both sports
 
* Played 106 basketball games (101 starts) and finished with 1,278 points, 546 assists, 328 steals and 323 rebounds; set school records for career assists (still ranks first), points (currently fourth) and steals (currently second)
 
* Three-time All-SUNYAC basketball guard and 1989 SUNYAC All-Tournament Team selection
 
* Helped basketball program register a four-year record of 75-34, win the 1989 SUNYAC title, qualify for the 1988 NCAA Division III playoffs and make two ECAC tournament appearances
 
* Three-time first team All-SUNYAC softball selection and 1990 second team All-Northeast Region
 
* Started all 95 softball games in which she appeared and posted a career .387 batting average with 43 steals, 52 RBI and 64 runs scored; team leader in batting average, hits and steals in both 1987 and 1989 and set school record for career steals (still ranks fifth)
 
* Softball team won SUNYAC postseason title and finished second at the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) tournament during her senior year
 
* Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics for the Union-Endicott (N.Y.) Central School District since 2021 and a physical education teacher, varsity soccer and tennis coach, and junior varsity lacrosse coach at Union-Endicott from 1996-2021
 
* Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA) through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Certificate Program
 
* Teacher and coach at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School (7-12) in the Bronx from 1991-94 and graduate assistant and JV soccer and softball coach at Elmira College from 1994-96
 
* Inducted into the Seton Catholic Central High School Hall of Fame in 1998, the New York State Section Four Hall of Fame in 1998, and the New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame in 2024
 
* Received the Union-Endicott School District Founders Day Award for outstanding contribution to the school community in 2015 and the NYSAHPERD Amazing People Award - Central South Zone in 2016
 
* Currently New York State Section Four Girls' Basketball Coordinator and a representative on three committees (Sportsmanship, Alignment and Handbook)
 
 
Corey Ryon '99, M '03
 
* A Farmington, N.Y., native, he earned an associate degree in physical education from Monroe Community College in 1996, a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 1999 and a master's degree in recreation from Cortland in 2003
 
* Competed as a freestyle swimmer for Cortland for two seasons from 1996-98; served as an assistant coach for the Red Dragons from 1999-2010, 2011-13, 2015-16, 2021-22 and 2023-24 (graduate assistant from 1999-2003, volunteer from 2004-10 and 2011-13)
 
* Three-time honorable mention All-American at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, placing 11th in the 1,650-yard freestyle in both 1997 and 1998 and 15th in the 500-yard freestyle in 1997; also finished 18th and missed the All-America top-16 threshold by just 0.35 seconds in 1998
 
* Two-time SUNYAC champion in the 500-yard freestyle (1997 and 1998), part of winning SUNYAC 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley relay teams in 1997, and SUNYAC runner-up in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 1998
 
* Set a school record in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:16.24) at the 1998 SUNYAC Championships that stood until 2023 as well as school records in the 500-yard freestyle (4:40.40) at the 1998 SUNYAC meet and the 1,000-yard freestyle in 1997 (9:52.72), each of which stood until 2009
 
* His 1998 team won the SUNYAC title, edging Geneseo by three points, and tied for 28th place at the NCAA Championships
 
* His 1997 team tied for second at the SUNYAC meet and finished 42nd at the NCAA Championships; he scored all of Cortland's team points at the national meet
 
* Still holds the Cortland Holsten Pool record in the 500-yard freestyle (4:43.27)
 
* Cortland Men's Swimming and Diving Red Letter Award winner in 1996-97 and the team's George Breen '56 Award winner in 1997-98 for dedication to the sport of swimming
 
* Lecturer in the Cortland Health Department and Physical Education Department since 2003
 
* Cortland Environmental Health and Safety Department Specialist since 2020; helped Cortland rank among the top 10 providers of safety certifications in Upstate New York by the American Red Cross six straight years from 2018-23
 
* Cortland swimming and diving team academic advisor from 2016-20
 
* C-Club Board of Directors member as the organization's webmaster in 2005 and 2006
 
* Served as Ropes Course Facilitator at Raquette Lake for Cortland Athletics Fall and Spring Leadership Retreats from 2010-15 and for various Red Dragon teams since 2005
 
* Member of the Homer Central School District Parent-Teacher Organization since 2018
 

Lindsay Abbott Byrnes '12, M '16
 
* A native of South Onondaga, N.Y., she earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science from Cortland in 2012 and a master's degree in sport management from Cortland in 2016
 
* Competed as a midfielder on Cortland's women's lacrosse teams from 2009-12; three-time team captain (2010-12) and 2012 team Red Letter Award winner
 
* Four-time All-American – first team in 2011 and 2012; second team in 2009 and 2010 - and the 2011 womenslacrosse.com National Midfielder of the Year

* Four-time first team all-region, 2012 ECAC Mid Atlantic Offensive Player of the Year and 2010 first team All-ECAC Upstate New York
 
* Named the SUNYAC Women's Lacrosse Athlete of the Decade (2010-19); two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year (2011 and 2012) and four-time first team All-SUNYAC

* 2011 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team, 2009 SUNYAC Tournament MVP and 2010 SUNYAC All-Tournament Team
 
* Career stats of 256 goals, 185 assists, 441 points, 159 ground balls, 316 draw controls, 94 caused turnovers in 86 games played; Cortland's career leader in goals, assists and points, and currently ranked fourth in draw controls after graduating as the career leader
 
* Graduated ranked third in NCAA Division III in career points and eighth in career assists; currently ranked ninth in points
 
* Set school single-season record with 138 points (62 goals, 76 assists) in 2011 and also ranks third with 130 points (71 goals, 59 assists) in 2012; scored 72 goals as a freshman in 2009 and set school single-season record and led Division III nationally with 76 assists in 2011

* Helped the Red Dragons advance to the NCAA Division III "final four" in 2011 and 2012 and the NCAA second round in 2009 and 2010
 
* Buffalo State women's lacrosse head coach for four seasons from 2015-18 and assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator in 2017-18
 
* Women's lacrosse assistant coach at Cortland in 2014 (NCAA "final four"), Bates College in 2013 and Colgate University in 2019, and head coach of the Southern Hills girls' lacrosse team (combination of players from LaFayette, Tully, Onondaga and Fabius-Pompey High Schools) since 2023
 
* Design Specialist at Woodford Bros., Inc. since 2020; set a company record for highest sales performance in 2021
 
* Board trustee for two years on the Onondaga Central Schools Education Foundation
 
 
Lucia Meola Pierce '13, M '14
 
* A native of Liverpool, N.Y., she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in 2013 and a master's degree in sport management from Cortland in 2014
 
* Played softball for four seasons at Cortland from 2010-13, three years as an infielder (second base in 2012 and 2013, third base in 2011) and one as an outfielder (2010); assistant coach for the Red Dragons in 2014
 
* Three-time third team All-American (2011-13)

* Three-time first team all-region (2011-13), 2013 ECAC Upstate New York Player of the Year and 2011 and 2012 first team All-ECAC Upstate New York
 
* Named to SUNYAC Softball All-Decade Team (2010-19); chosen as 2013 SUNYAC Player of the Year and was a four-time first team All-SUNYAC selection

* 2011 and 2013 NCAA Division III World Series All-Tournament Team, 2011 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team, and 2012 and 2013 SUNYAC All-Tournament Team

* Career stats of 196 games played, .385 batting average, 230 hits, 45 doubles, seven triples, eight homers, 121 RBI, 155 runs scored, 82 walks and 19 steals; batted .440 in 2013, .424 in 2011 and .396 in 2012

* Currently ranks second at Cortland in career hits, doubles, walks and games played, third in runs scored and sixth in RBI; set a school single-season record with 31 walks in 2013

* Team finished with a four-year combined record of 158-40-1, including 40 or more wins each in 2010, 2011 and 2012
 
* Helped the Red Dragons win three SUNYAC titles (2010, 2011, 2013), qualify for four NCAA Division III tournaments and advance to two NCAA Division III World Series; Cortland was the national runner-up in 2013 and placed fourth nationally in 2011
 
* Winner of 2012-13 SUNYAC Dolores Bogard Award, presented to a senior women's student-athlete in the conference for outstanding combination of academic and athletic achievement

* 2013 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District

* Physical education teacher in the East Syracuse Minoa (ESM) School District since 2014
 
* Softball head coach at ESM High School from 2016-21, assistant coach at ESM in 2015 and currently assistant softball coach at Cicero-North Syracuse High School
 
* Assistant varsity field hockey coach at ESM in 2014 and from 2016 to the present (junior varsity coach in 2015); ESM assistant varsity girls' basketball coach from 2016-18
 
* ALS fundraising baseball/softball committee member since 2017
 
 
Jeannette Yeoman Mosher (honorary)
 
* A native of Lafayette, Ind., she graduated from St. Joseph's College (Ind.) with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1990 and earned a master's degree in education administration from Northern Michigan University in 1994
 
* Cortland's women's basketball head coach for 20 seasons from 1998-2018; also served as head coach at Alfred University for four seasons from 1994-98 and three seasons at the University of Texas-Tyler from 2018-21
 
* Cortland women's basketball's winningest head coach with a combined record of 407-146 (.736)
 
* Six-time selection as SUNYAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year (co-winner in 1999-2000; outright winner in 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09 and 2009-10)
 
* Named 2009-10 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) East Region Coach of the Year
 
* 2017 inductee into the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Hall of Fame and a six-time BCANY Coach of the Year (1999-2000, 2000-01, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10)
 
* Led Cortland to five SUNYAC tournament titles and eight NCAA Division III tournament appearances, along with the 2008 ECAC Division III Upstate New York tournament title
 
* Her Red Dragon teams reached the 20-win mark 10 times (plus 19 wins on three other occasions), including a 27-3 record (school record for victories) and NCAA "Sweet 16" showing in 2000-01, a 26-2 mark and NCAA second-round appearance in 1999-2000, and a 26-3 record and NCAA second-round finish in 2006-07
 
* At St. Joseph's (Ind.), she graduated as the school's all-time scoring leader with 2,280 points (still ranked second); first team All-American and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Player of the Year as a senior as she led the Pumas to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, and the program also made two other NCAA showings
 
* Inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024 and the GLVC Hall of Fame in 2004, was chosen to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame's Silver Anniversary Team in 2011, and was inducted into the St. Joseph's College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995
 
* Currently runs Coach Mosher Basketball Training in Texas
 
* Assistant women's basketball coach at Northern Michigan University from 1990-94, during which time the program posted a combined 85-31 record and made two NCAA Division II playoff appearances; also served as a graduate assistant coach at Shippensburg (Pa.) University

The profound loss of his daughter led Bryan Saint-Louis to confront significant mental health challenges.

But he developed practical strategies that empowered him to regain control of his mind’s well-being.

Out of his despair came the concept of empathy in action, or “radical empathy, not just thought,” which he will discuss on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at SUNY Cortland.

His talk, titled “Leadership with Empathy,” will begin at 7 p.m. in Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. The event, which continues the semester’s ongoing Conley Wellness Wednesday series at the university, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

For the complete listing of series this semester, visit Health Promotion.

“Radical Empathy is more than just a strategy; it’s a game changer,” Saint-Louis said. “It’s a lifesaver.”

A national motivational speaker for more than a decade on a variety of topics including mental health, youth development, empowerment and leadership, Saint-Louis will offer practical advice on how to be a leader.

Having served as a teacher, principal, pastor, and community leader, Saint-Louis empowers young adults wherever he goes to live their best, authentic lives. He also advises educators on establishing environments that promote mental health and creativity in their students.

This summer Saint-Louis, who has a YouTube video of his work, gave his seminars in Europe and Asia.

For more information, contact Health Educator Lauren Scagnelli ’12 M ’14, CHES at 607-753-2066.

Registration is now open for SUNY Cortland’s Family Weekend 2024, which will run from Friday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Oct. 27.

Events include a Broadway musical review performed by students, an apple picking bus trip for families, opportunities to cheer on the Red Dragon athletic teams and more. A full schedule is posted on the Family Weekend webpage.

The Campus Store will be open throughout Family Weekend with the following hours: Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Faculty Development Center (FDC) is accepting applications for the Small Grant Program. The Provost's Office, in collaboration with the Cortland College Foundation, provides funding for the program of up to $500 to SUNY Cortland faculty. Eligible applicants are members of the teaching faculty, specifically those SUNY Cortland employees whose official title includes the word professor, instructor, lecturer, or librarian.

Learn more about the Small Grant Award Guidelines which includes tips for a successful small grant application, provided on the FDC website. Here is the link to the Small Grant Application Form. It can also be found on the FDC website. Deadline for the Small Grant application for the fall semester is Monday, Sept. 16.

Applications must be completed using the new online application form, requesting routing first to your department chair and then dean. Please allow adequate time for your department chair and dean to review and sign/initial to complete your online application submission. Applications are not considered officially submitted until all required documentation and signatures have been received. Any application that is incomplete, missing signatures, or lacks the necessary documentation by the deadline will not be considered for review. Please attach a copy of your proposal as well as your budget as outlined in the online award application guidelines. A final decision is made by the provost.

Applicants are eligible to receive one Small Grant per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). The Small Grant award activity dates for fall applications is Aug. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024. 

For any questions and additional information contact the Faculty Development Center, Betsy Barylski via email or by phone, at 607-753-4753.