Ric Burns' Film Drawn from Oneonta Professor's Book
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ReflectionsA PUBLICATION OF THE SUNY ONEONTA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WINTER 2021 What's Inside: Ric Burns' Film Drawn From Oneonta Professor's Book Campaign Surpasses $17M Sustainable Fashion Week 2020 Brings Oneonta Voices to a Global Stage Alumni Weekend 2021 Reflections Volume LXXIV Number 2 Winter 2021 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Reflections is published POSTMASTER Reflections Michelle Hansen Address service Vol. LXXIV three times a year by Lonnie Mitchell requested to: Number 2 the Division of College Kevin Morrow Reflections Winter 2021 Advancement and is Sandi Mulconry funded in part by the Office of Alumni MANAGING EDITOR Danielle Tonner ’95 SUNY Oneonta Alumni Engagement Laura M. Lincoln Benjamin Wendrow ’08 Association through Ravine Parkway charitable gifts to the SUNY Oneonta EDITORS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Fund for Oneonta. Oneonta, NY Kevin Morrow Gerry Raymonda 13820-4015 Sandi Mulconry Michael Forester Rothbart SUNY Oneonta LEAD DESIGNER Illustrator Oneonta, NY 13820-4015 Reflections is printed Jonah Roberts David Owens Postage paid at on recycled paper. Oneonta, New York CONTENTS 2 10 20 FROM NETZER 301 FEATURE: TRENDS IN CAMPAIGN SURPASSES $17M HIGHER ED FUNDING IMPACT SUNY ONEONTA'S GROW. BUDGET THRIVE. LIVE. 12 THE FUTURE FEATURE: CAMP: 20 YEARS OF OF SUNY ONEONTA SUCCESS HELPING MIGRANT STUDENTS 26 FEATURE: OUR HEARTS GO 3 OUT TO THEM FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 29 BEYOND THE PILLARS - Class Notes 4 - Celebrations ACROSS THE QUAD - In Memoriam - 2020 Sustainable Fashion Show - Driving While Black - Cornell-Gladstone-Hanlon- Kaufmann Lecture 40 - Community of Scholars ALUMNI PROFILE - Annual Alumni Association Latisha Nero ’09 Awards Celebration 14 2021 ALUMNI WEEKEND - Alumni Weekend 2021 Schedule - Alumni of Distinction Honorees - Annual Alumni Association Award Recipients On the Cover: Alumni of Distinction honoree Reconnect Gretchen Sorin ’75, director Follow the Alumni Association for news, events, of the Cooperstown Graduate contests, photos, and more. For links to all of our Program and Distinguished Service Professor social media sites, visit www.oneontaalumni.com. From Netzer 301 Dennis Craig Acting President Serving the College in what is truly a pivotal moment is as much an honor as it is a challenge. On Oct. 18, I became acting president of SUNY Oneonta, Today, we are on the brink of the spring semester. Thanks succeeding President Barbara Jean Morris, under whose to the diligence and dedication of the COVID Response leadership the College adopted a new mission statement Team—more than 50 faculty and staff members, and launched the fundraising campaign Grow. Thrive. Live. administrators, students, and other stakeholders who are The Future of SUNY Oneonta. I am grateful to her for setting tackling the myriad challenges COVID-19 presents—I feel this direction for the institution. It is clear and positive, an confident that the College is prepared for what lies ahead. aspiration worthy of our support. You can learn more about the Response Team’s efforts—as well as our plans to welcome students for the new semester— Serving the College in what is truly a pivotal moment is as on our coronavirus resource page, suny.oneonta.edu/covid-19. much an honor as it is a challenge. I spent my first days here I encourage you to take a look. on campus and in the community visiting with as many constituencies as possible. Listening. Learning. What I came SUNY Oneonta, despite last year’s setback, has maintained to understand—and everyone with whom I spoke made a an admirable financial position. This is the direct result of point of this—is that SUNY Oneonta’s students, their parents, thoughtful management practices throughout the College. the employees, our neighbors and partners in government Well before my arrival, there was in place a budget process and business, and our alumni all feel a deep connection to based on accountability, restraint, and the foresight to adjust the College. I’ve found here a loyalty that is uncommon and spending in response to the pandemic. I count myself lucky the determination, talent, and resiliency needed to overcome to be leading an institution where fiduciary responsibility is the greatest test of our time, COVID-19. the rule. In this work, I am far from alone. When my dog, Beckett, I am also thankful for the faculty who volunteered to offer and I arrived last fall, we were greeted warmly. Many of you a significant number of courses in-person this spring. This offered your heartfelt encouragement. This has meant a lot to was no small ask, but it was the right thing to do. Students me over the past few months. Tough times reveal character, and their parents were consistent in their feedback on this and I know that while everyone surrounding SUNY Oneonta point: They wanted a residential experience where students feels a sense of loss over the fall semester, we also share an would engage with their teachers and one another. We are optimism and a drive to move forward. providing that to the greatest extent possible, prioritizing safety and within the parameters of a spring plan that Back in November, I recorded a video to the campus has broad support across the College, within the City of community in which I said that SUNY Oneonta doesn’t Oneonta, and from SUNY. need saving. I hope these last several weeks have affirmed my assertion. My role here is to shape an effort that creates Finally, thank you to our leadership volunteers serving on lasting change and sees the College emerge from the the College at Oneonta Foundation and Alumni Association pandemic stronger, smarter, and more aware of its place in boards of directors. I arrived at the College last fall, and the hearts and minds of those it serves. you were among the first to make me feel welcome. Now I am asking you to join me in continuing the longstanding Along the way, it will be my job to tell students, parents, tradition of excellence through Grow. Thrive. Live. The Future alumni, donors, and everyone else about our successes and of SUNY Oneonta. This is ours for the making. where we’ve come up short. This is an extraordinary period for all colleges, facing tests that were unimaginable a year Dennis Craig ago. While I do not expect our performance to be flawless, Acting President know that you can expect transparency and the truth. SUNY Oneonta 2 Winter 2021 | Reflections From The Alumni Association Christine Warnquist ’71 Alumni Association President Now, more than ever, it is so important that we maintain the fabric of a strong alumni community. On behalf of the Alumni Association, welcome, Acting President distancing, we came together online to celebrate our newest Dennis Craig! With your experience as interim president at SUNY award recipients, recognize all they have achieved, and share in Purchase—and your success there guiding Purchase’s response to their happiness. the coronavirus pandemic—we are confident in your ability to lead Further, we embraced the power of technology and networking to Oneonta through the challenges of COVID-19 and reopen the adapt our five campus-to-career programs to continue to provide campus to our students for a safe and successful spring semester. opportunities for students. In the past, these programs enabled You have our support. current students to meet with successful alumni in their place As alumni, we have so much to be proud of in our alma mater. of business. With in-person meetings no longer possible, we First, there are the phenomenal and selfless efforts of the were able to bridge geographic (and COVID-19) boundaries and faculty and staff in helping our students through the incredible synergize these programs virtually. challenges of this past fall semester. We truly have so many good Moving forward, and for years to come, students will be able to people at the College. meet with alumni in various career fields both in-person and Further, we should recognize the many award-winning academic digitally. This type of interaction is invaluable for our students in programs. SUNY Oneonta is nationally recognized for delivering gaining new perspectives, building confidence, launching their superior education and value. The College is No. 21 on the 2021 careers, and in many instances developing long-lasting personal U.S. News & World Report list of best public institutions in the relationships. region and has also been named one of the 10 best colleges in In the not-so-distant-future, there will come a day when we are all New York state for job placement. We applaud the College. able to be together again. Until then, let us embrace the resources Now, more than ever, it is so important that we maintain the fabric of social media, email, digital platforms, and other means to of a strong alumni community, as evidenced by our first virtual remain in touch as alumni, students, faculty, and staff—our Alumni Association annual meeting. More than 70 alumni joined wonderful and strong SUNY Oneonta community. us for an update on the progress of the Alumni Association over the last year. We also honored the many accomplishments of our 2020 award Christine Warnquist ’71 winners during our first-ever Virtual Alumni Association Annual President Awards Celebration. Unbowed by the necessity of social SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association SUNY ONEONTA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020-21 PRESIDENT PAST PRESIDENT Carolyn Cacciato ’79 Bob Raymond ’74 EX OFFICIO Christine Warnquist ’71 Daren Rylewicz ’93 Katie Dupuree ’07 STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS VICE PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Thomas Glennon ’09 BOARD MEMBERS Paul J. Adamo ’81 Ed Aluck ’95 Laura Madelone Lincoln AnneMarie Haumesser ’12 Francesca Lawless ’21 Dennis Craig Taylor Hogan ’14 SECRETARY BOARD MEMBERS Jessica Sinopoli ’20 SUPPORT STAFF Alice Maggiore ’10 Stephanie Peguillan ’15 Erica Skov Beams ’07 HONORARY Stacy Robinson Erikka Misrahi ’08 Kyle Beckley ’08 BOARD MEMBER TREASURER Coleen Moore ’96 C.L.