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As we approach the end of the semester, I encourage us all to embrace this season of appreciation and take a moment to admire the achievements, milestones, and stories of dedication from people across the university community. As you'll read below, students, employees, and alumni are making positive impacts at SUNY Oneonta and beyond. Your contributions are making a difference, and these accomplishments are a testament to our collective efforts in support of our mission as well as the ten-year outcomes and strategic pillars of our current institutional agenda, Forward Momentum.
I am very grateful to work alongside people who are committed to personal and professional growth, community improvement, and collaboration. Let's continue to build on our successes and support one another as we strive to create a dynamic and supportive educational environment for all.
Sincerely,
Alberto J.F. Cardelle
President
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SUNY Oneonta Recognized for Student Voting Engagement
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Chris Keegan, Associate Professor of Philosophy & American Democracy Project/ ALL-IN Coordinator
Bill Harcleroad, Director of Campus Activities
SUNY Oneonta has been named one of the most engaged campuses for college student voting by the ALL-IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a program dedicated to increasing college voter registration and turnout through innovative programs and activities. This recognition was due to cross-divisional collaboration on educating students about democratic engagement and voter registration.
This semester, the American Democracy Project hosted six events to establish, promote, and reinforce civic engagement, civil discourse, and democratic learning on our campus. These were all part of the ALL-IN Campus Challenge, which required our campus to submit an action plan to increase voter registration and participation on campus and grow our civic engagement and democratic education. In addition, the American Democracy Project worked with Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to encourage voter registration and participation while providing feedback about democratic dialogue in the classroom.
- On September 17th, Constitution Day, Dr. Gary Gershman, J.D., met with two groups of students and presented a talk related to civil discourse and the current state of our democracy.
- At the end of October, the first annual Democracy Dialogues Series was held, exploring topics like the use of the humanities to re-humanize incarcerated individuals and reinvigorate democracy, the evolution of decency alongside democracy, democracy in Africa and East Asia and the lessons we can learn for the American democratic journey, the value of a free press in democracy, and reflecting on our most current election and how we can constructively channel the outcomes.
The university used the TurboVote online platform to encourage and help students register to vote or check on/change their voter registration status. More than 450 campus community members used TurboVote to register to vote, and over 250 users asked for TurboVote to send them voting-related reminders. Many thanks to the thirty-seven offices, residence halls, clubs, and organizations that requested custom QR codes to encourage voter registration and participated in a friendly registration count competition.
We also partnered with the local chapter of the League of Women Voters on voter education and registration efforts, which generated over 400 inquiries/voter leads. Student volunteers, including several Empire State Service Corps students and members from the Oneonta NAACP, assisted the League at several events on campus. Service Corps members also did their own voter registration/civic engagement tabling and visited large club and organization meetings.
The work does not end here! In January, a group of stakeholders from across the university community will convene as our ALL-IN Campus Coalition. They will meet regularly to consider our campus' action plan and steer a course into 2025 and beyond for civic and democratic education on our campus.
Thank you to the offices and individuals who assisted with voter registration, democratic education, and civic engagement initiatives this fall.
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Oneonta Team Brings Home the Gold at International
iGEM Competition
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The Oneonta IGEM Team Holding their gold medal after the IGEM grand Jamborie in Paris.
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Ronald Bishop
Chair & Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
On Oct. 26, Team Oneonta won a Gold Medal at the 2024 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM) Grand Jamboree in Paris.
This is the world’s largest contest where teams use synthetic biology to solve real-world problems. This year, 410 teams competed, with 9,507 participants from more than 50 countries. Team Oneonta is comprised of 14 SUNY Oneonta and 4 Hartwick students majoring in Adolescence Education/Earth Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Early Childhood/Childhood Education, Dietetics, English, Exercise Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology. Faculty mentors were Dr. Kelly Gallagher (Chemistry and Biochemistry), Dr. Jill Fielhaber (Biology), Dr. Dan Patrone (Philosophy), and Dr. Bill Vining (Chemistry and Biochemistry) from SUNY Oneonta, and Eric Cooper (Biology), Andy Piefer (Chemistry and Biochemistry), and John Dudek (Chemistry and Biochemistry) from Hartwick College.
Their project, “pHish and CHIPS," focused on waste management challenges in semiconductor manufacturing. They invented and tested biological tools that sense and adjust pH to remove noxious contaminants from wastewater. The pHish and CHIPS team also probed ethical and regulatory issues related to the project. This led to a civic engagement effort culminating in a community dialogue and letter-writing campaign to advocate for improved regulatory policy regarding perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
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2024 SUNY Oneonta Scholars of the Year
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L to R: Provost Enrique Morales-Diaz, Dean Tracy Allen, Dr. Elizabeth Seale, Dean Mark Davies, Dr. Thor Gibbons, Dean Jeanine Minge, Dr. Kiara Pipino, Dean Darren Chase
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Earlier this month, four faculty were recognized as SUNY Oneonta's 2024 Scholars of the Year during the annual Community of Scholars event. Congratulations to Head of Collection Development, Resource Management and Sharing Michelle Hendley, Associate Professor of Secondary Education and Education Technology Dr. Thor Gibbons, Associate Professor of Theatre Dr. Kiara Pipino, and Professor of Sociology, Human Services and Crime Studies Dr. Elizabeth Seale. The Scholars of the Year were recognized for their accomplishments and contributions by the Deans from their respective schools and provided remarks to colleagues and friends.
Scholarly and creative works completed by faculty across disciplines were also recognized during the Community of Scholars reception. These included published books, book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, book reviews, conference proceedings, presentations, videos, interviews, articles, juried exhibits, performances, recordings, grant funding, and awards. This event followed a highly engaging Life of the Mind Showcase, which celebrated research and scholarly/creative activity, teaching, service, and other contributions to the intellectual life of the university community and beyond made by dozens of faculty and staff.
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ExCL Center Collaborations Expand
Misty Fields
Director, Extended & Community Learning Center
SUNY Oneonta's Extended and Community Learning (ExCL) Center is committed to being a local and regional leader in lifelong learning, offering flexible and accessible educational experiences that cater to learners of all backgrounds.
Whether through credit or non-credit offerings, the ExCL Center provides pathways for learners to enhance their skills and advance toward higher education or career goals. By offering programs for personal growth, and professional development, the ExCL Center meets diverse learners' needs, aligning with regional workforce demands. Through our College in the High School program, we help local high school students earn early college credit and enhance the academic offerings at area schools. By partnering with local organizations, we leverage university and community resources to drive workforce development, foster community enrichment, and support economic mobility.
Since opening our downtown location on April 29, 2024, many community organizations have collaborated with us to host events in the ExCL Center, including the NYS Dept. of Labor, CDO Workforce, Office of the Aging, Hiscock Legal Aid Society, and more. We are also thrilled to host programs for university partners and are currently working with Global Education, Career Planning & Networking, and the Office for Off-Campus & Commuter Students. Our space on Dietz Street can be used for meetings, presentations, workshops, and other activities. We'd love to partner with your group or department! Please contact us by emailing excl@oneonta.edu if you're interested in utilizing the downtown space or otherwise working together.
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Red Dragon Wins Silver, Golden Glove at Amputee World Cup
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Alexia Michitti '25, a Business Administration major, played a pivotal role in securing Team USA second place at the Inaugural Women’s Amputee World Cup this month! Team USA worked their way to the playoffs and defeated England and Poland before playing Columbia in the championship match. All three playoff games went to penalty kicks, putting Alexia's talents as the goalkeeper in the spotlight.
Her exceptional performance earned her the Golden Glove Award, recognizing her as the best goalie in the World Cup.
The tournament was hosted from Nov. 4 -11 in Barranquilla, Columbia. Athletes from ten competitive teams representing countries from all over the globe, including Brazil, Peru, Haiti, Kenya, Ecuador, and Ukraine, came together to compete for the historic inaugural Women's Amputee World Cup title.
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Coming Soon: Dragonspire Peer Mentor Training Program
Kate McMichael
Director, Office of Student Experience
Dragonspire is an innovative, comprehensive peer mentor training program introduced by Student Affairs and designed to support any programs or departments that offer peer mentorship. Through this program, peer mentors are provided training to develop a consistent set of essential skills to excel in their mentoring responsibilities, regardless of the program.
A unified training like this provides common ground for mentors to build upon as they specialize in their respective areas, ensuring all peer mentor programs across campus operate effectively and cohesively. Training topics include "Understanding the Power, Roles, and Characteristics of Peer Educators," "The Peer Mentor's Role as a Responder," "How to Provide 'Red Dragon' Customer Service," and more.
Dragonspire development is well underway, with the next step being the formation of a peer mentoring advisory group whose responsibility will be to provide leadership and direction for the new initiative. Additionally, peer mentor supervisors and trainers who will help guide these student leaders during their training will be brought on board. Additional information will be provided as the program is finalized. If you are interested in learning more or assisting with our efforts, please reach out to me via email.
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2024 Alumni of Distinction Recognized
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 | SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association President Alice Maggiore '10, AOD Honoree & University Council Member Joe Bernier '72, and President Cardelle at the 2024 Alumni of Distinction Event
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| The SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association recognized ten SUNY Oneonta graduates during the tenth annual Alumni of Distinction Presentation of Honors in October. This year' s honorees were Joseph Bernier ’72, Lucy Pantaleoni Bernier ’77, Thomas Brinthaupt ’80, Vincent Foti ’57, Victoria Rucci Freiman ’80, Henry Goetze ’75, Carol Kiehn Kirkey ’74, Kim Notel ’85, Corey Spector ’80, and David Venghaus ’87.
This special occasion highlighted the accomplishments, affiliations, and careers of these remarkable alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities and professions. Their journeys reflect the tremendous value of SUNY Oneonta's academic experience and uphold our legacy of excellence, something students, employees, alumni, and friends of the university can be proud of.
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Employee Services Hosts U.S. Army Veteran as Skill Bridge Intern
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This fall, the Office of Employee Services hosted U.S. Army Captain Taylor Baum as an intern in a Department of Defense program. SkillBridge helps active-duty U.S. service members secure an internship in an industry they choose during their last 180 days of military service. Participants in SkillBridge continue to get their salary and benefits while gaining skills they can use to find employment after their discharge.
During her time on campus, Captain Baum worked with colleagues in providing services related to benefits, employment opportunities, recruitment searches, and more. After Thanksgiving, she will report to the Pentagon for two weeks to officially complete her Army commitment. Read more about Captain Baum and the SkillBridge program.
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Cabinet Meeting Notes
Notes from meetings of the President's Cabinet are shared with the university community monthly in Notes from Netzer. Questions can be directed to president@oneonta.edu.
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