10/22/2024
Many allies stand ready to help two very special groups of students who have taken a different path to arriving at SUNY Cortland to earn their bachelor’s degrees.
Greg Diller, coordinator of transition programs, said the university ran a campaign for students to recognize transfer and non-traditional student advocates who have made an impact on the transition to Cortland.
In total, 20 employees have assisted in some way or another the estimated 550 to 600 transfer student who this academic year will take the plunge of changing their school to Cortland.
Another eight personnel have focused positive attention on those arriving on campus as one among the roughly 200 non-traditional students, defined by the university as undergraduates who are 24 years of age or older or, regardless of age, may have dependent children, be working full-time, have military experience or have made a break in education at some point after high school.
Two extraordinary, helpful faculty members impacted both transfers and non-trads, Helene Schmid and Isa Jubran.
The recognized transfer advocates also include Abigail Droge, Amber Pakkala, Axel Norbo, Tracy Trachsler, Elizabeth McCarthy, Floradell Clarke, Giovanni Dettori, Diller, Jose Ortiz, Judy Stoddard, Kacy Vaughan, Karen Defoe, Karen Downey, Katie Ducett, Maranda Souva, Naomi Catello and Renee Potter.
Also honored for their support of non-traditional students are Anne Burns Thomas, Charlene Cornwell, Cali Young, Jason Page, Scott Stull and Kate McCormick.
SUNY Cortland is recognizing these two unique undergraduate student groups this week during Transfer and Non-Traditional Student Week from Oct. 21 to 25, when many activities are offered to engage the campus community.