Red Dragon Fest to splash down on May 4

04/18/2023 

Just as students are yearning for a carefree outdoor study break, the university’s Residence Life and Housing Office will team up with the SUNY Cortland University Police Department (UPD) to host the 2nd annual Red Dragon Fest on Thursday, May 4.

Organizers aim to help build mutual trust and enhance effective partnerships between the UPD and the SUNY Cortland campus community by engaging in a one-day campus field day to break down barriers between students and officers.

“I wanted to do an event like this because, in my experience as a student at SUNY Oneonta and a staff member here at Cortland, some campus community members feel officers only show up when an issue occurs,” said Dovonne Adams, residence hall director and co-chair of the Red Dragon Fest Planning Committee. “While I do not expect this event to solve all problems or concerns, I think it is a starting point.”

“We had a wonderful turnout, and we were able to interact closely with our community,” said UPD Chief Mark DePaull, of last year’s inaugural event.

That featured a rope-pulling contest and staff volunteering to have a cream pie pressed into their face on behalf of charity.

This year’s free event will feature field games, refreshments, tie-dye crafts, music and more from 2 until 5 p.m. in the Bishop/Shea Quad. Also, during the Fest, interactive activities will be offered from different offices throughout campus.

Best of all, participants will have two chances to dunk an officer or campus staff member in exchange for the gift of one nonperishable food item to benefit the SUNY Cortland Cupboard.

The following staff members have volunteered to dangle over the dunk tank:

UPD Chief Mark DePaull; Amanda Wasson, UPD investigator; Katrina Hodge, assistant director of multicultural life and diversity; Travis Audenino, UPD officer; and Natalie Yoder, residence hall director.

In the event of rain, the Red Dragon Fest activities will move indoors to Corey Union Function Room.

Organizers with the Red Dragon Fest Planning Committee include co-chairs Adams and Hodge; and members Yoder; Cynthia Lake, associate director of residence life and housing, staff development and programming; UPD lieutenants Jason Welch and Danielle Salisbury; and UPD Officer Neal Brooks.

“I wanted to do something similar when planning my final project when I interned with University Police at SUNY Oneonta,” Adams said. “Due to the pandemic, I never fully executed a plan for the event as my internship was cut short. My goal was to create something that can showcase University Police officers being themselves, preferably in plain clothes, connecting with students and having a great time at a field day event.”

Adams shared his idea with former SUNY Cortland University Police Officer Jennilee Adams-Valentin, the Hayes Hall assigned community officer, who encouraged and helped the project get approved. He also credited Ann Bersani, director of residence life, for letting the planning committee develop the event, and committee members Brooks and Welch for helping to push the project forward.

DePaull said that the collaboration is natural for both the UPD and Residence Life and Housing as student-centered offices.

“Both of our offices have deep roots in community policing and community engagement," DePaull said.

"This type of event helps bring the students, UPD officers and Student Affairs staff together to bridge gaps and remove barriers,” he said.