Our Communities and Partnerships
“Communities we touch experience increased prosperity, social equity, sustainability, self-sufficiency and greater educational attainment.”
In addition to serving as an economic engine in our region, SUNY Oswego makes a difference in the broader community through its outreach, partnership and service. A commitment to serving, in a learning context, shapes the educational experience of our students, and has a lasting impact on our community’s economic development and quality of life.
Community engagement
and community service activities
community service volunteers
community engagement courses
civic engagement courses
Integrate arts, athletics and recreation in serving the needs of the community
Beyond the long-standing, family friendly Cruisin’ the Campus events held for the greater Oswego community during area school district breaks, SUNY Oswego continued to integrate and embed arts, athletics and recreation offerings in the community. Such programming, offered to the public on and off campus, is part of the college’s efforts to be a good neighbor and responsible contributor to the community.
My Hometown banner project
SUNY Oswego and the Oswego City School District partnered on a series of exhibitions in 2017 aimed at providing public space for the display of creative expressions by students selected to represent their schools.
Oswego makes World Series run
Following a 32-11 record in 2017 – the baseball program's second-straight 30-win season – SUNY Oswego earned the State University of New York Athletic Conference's (SUNYAC) automatic bid and the baseball team’s first-ever NCAA Division III Championship World Series appearance.
Bringing Renaissance to city neighborhoods
The ongoing revitalization of city neighborhoods, inspired by the Oswego Renaissance Association, is supported by a number of faculty members who have invested time, energy and money in leading neighborhood blocks.
Tax return services
SUNY Oswego's student-driven Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, continued to provide free tax-return services to local residents. Coordinated by Beta Alpha Psi, the honor society for accounting and finance students, the program received a 100 percent score in 2016 from an Internal Revenue Service field audit.
Elevate and support productive external partnerships
The college broadens student access to applied learning opportunities each year through experiential learning partnerships with area business, industry, non-profit and governmental partners.
Community-based learning
Art Professor Rebecca Mushtare implemented community-based learning and simulation projects into her design classes, affording students authentic learning experiences, while providing a service, product or consultation to community partners. Over the past year, students completed work on the Vote Oswego, Children’s Board of Oswego, and the Children’s Museum websites; and provided consulting work to the YMCA.
Closing an export loop in the regional economy
SUNY Oswego’s enterprising Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs at the Port of Oswego and the Shineman Center won a national Award of Excellence at the University Economic Development Association annual summit in Roanoke, Virginia. The labs—created to close an export loop in the regional economy—utilize trained student chemists to test and analyze grain shipments, meeting the needs of one of the port’s largest customers, Perdue AgriBusiness, and providing on-the-job business experience for undergraduates.
Leighton Learning Community
In partnership with the Oswego City School District, SUNY Oswego established in spring 2017 a college classroom on the grounds at Leighton Elementary. The new Leighton Learning Community classroom exposes SUNY Oswego students early to hands-on opportunities to learn from professional teachers and interact with local elementary schoolchildren during college practicum and methods coursework.
Smart Neighbors
Students from a wide range of majors participated in this year’s Smart Neighbors Project to promote Man in the Moon Candies. The project is a prime example of a large-scale applied learning collaboration involving students and faculty across disciplines and independent businesses in Oswego County. To date 380 students, 14 faculty and 24 courses have participated in The Smart Neighbors Project.
Video Spotlight
Innovative MBA model delivered on-site at SRC
SUNY Oswego designed a master’s in business administration program exclusively for SRC Inc. employees who, after three years of study, earned their MBA degrees from the college.
Video Spotlight
Teacher education
In partnership with the Oswego City School District, SUNY Oswego established in spring 2017 a college classroom at Leighton Elementary. The new Leighton Learning Community classroom exposes SUNY Oswego students early to hands-on opportunities to learn from professional teachers and interact with local elementary schoolchildren during college practicum and methods coursework.