Andrew Crumrine ’14, a marketing major in Oswego’s School of Business, is the first student to participate in Oswego’s newest exchange program — and one of the only business-focused international programs — in Kempten, Germany. Here, he showed his Oswego pride at the famous Castle Neuschwanstein.

Oswego is No. 8 on the list of master’s level institutions for mid-length study-abroad programs.

The Open Doors Reports on International Educational Exchange list the top 20 colleges and universities in a variety of categories, and Oswego has appeared several times on the lists in past years.

John Christian ’87, president and chief executive officer of CAPA International Education and CAPA have pledged nearly $200,000 over three years to foster international education at SUNY Oswego.

“Through this extremely generous gift, John Christian and CAPA pass on to future students the transformative cultural experience he enjoyed through his education at Oswego. We are profoundly grateful,” said President Deborah F. Stanley.

Christian shared his own story including humble roots in Troy and a life-changing experience at Oswego.

“Study abroad doesn’t just have an impact, but can truly transform lives,” Christian said. His experiences both as a study abroad student and his work with Oswego’s International Education Program under Dr. José Ramon Pérez would inform his life’s work.

Christian praised

Oswego’s global engagement and dedication to making it a prominent part of the academic experience. “I’ve been in this field for 23 years and I’ve worked with a multitude of institutions that are looking to do similar things,” he said. “The global thinker is on all of our agendas, the global doer is the Oswego agenda.”

A gift of $100,000 over three years will support the Presidents’ International Initiatives, creating opportunities for Oswego students, faculty and staff to infuse a global dimension into the teaching, learning and service mission of the college.

A separate gift will fund the José Ramon Pérez International Scholarship, to provide full need-based scholarships for Oswego studentsto CAPA’s London Program and Beijing semester program for three years.

Invariably, they would laugh, and that was just what he wanted. “A burst of laughter is like an unexpected quiz, “ he says. “It shows they understand.”

Dr. Demidowicz

For Demidowicz, humor was the first of four ingredients essential in every class, followed by mastery of the subject matter, awakening students’ confidence and potential, and planting the seed of continuing with the language.

He believes the classroom is a two-way street. “You inspire the students, impart the knowledge, but they also have to inspire you,” he says. “Mutual respect is key.”

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University and a master’s from Middlebury College, where he studied abroad in Madrid. He earned a doctorate at University of Madrid followed by four years at the University of Paris.

Demidowicz joined the Oswego faculty in 1965 and taught for 32 years, retiring in 1997. And while the classroom was the center of his life, he served on a host of committees, including the departmental curriculum committee, where he developed Spanish 340-341, “Masterpieces of Spanish Literature.” A delegate to Faculty Assembly, he also served as chair of the Spanish department.

A highlight of his career was directing Oswego’s study-abroad program at Madrid, which he did for 10 summers. “It was a tremendous experience,” he says. “You saw the students in a whole different environment.”

Two unforgettable moments marked his teaching career. In April 1994, a group of students surprised him, presenting him with a plaque in appreciation of his teaching. Several years later, upon his retirement, a group would fete him at a party in the International Center, singing a song in Spanish. “It was a tender moment,” he says.

Retirement has allowed time to pursue his scholarly interests. In 2007 he presented a paper on the Spanish writer Conde de las Navas — the subject of his dissertation —
at the renowned Ateneo Library in Madrid. He was invited by the writer’s great-grandson. He also has published two articles in the literary journal, Isidora.

His pursuit of his passion for Spanish led to another important part of his life. He met his wife, Maria, in Madrid, and the two were married 50 years ago this year.

He cherishes his family, Maria and their son, Robert. The centerpiece of his life in retirement is their grandson, Eric, an avid golfer who spends his summers in Oswego with John and Maria.

The couple loves to travel and a highlight was a 2010 trip to Germany, Austria and Hungary, a cultural and religious pilgrimage which included the Passion Play at Oberammergau. They also travel to the Shaw Festival
at Niagara-on-the-Lake each summer.

Wherever their travels take them, they always return to Oswego and their home across the street from the college that was central to John’s career. “This was my life and it was a good life. There was laughter and tears, but I don’t regret anything,” he says.