Around the SUNY Oswego campus
March 1, 2023

Larry Watson, a 1974 alumnus, brought his performance "American Fruit with African Roots: A Black Swan Song by an Affirmative Action Baby" to a Waterman Theater audience Feb. 6 with a musical program of mostly original compositions in the African American forms commonly referred to as blues, jazz, gospel, soul, Motown and commercial-popular songs. His show also featured members of the Oswego Gospel Choir and student guitarist Brandon Schmitt. During the show Watson reflected on his years at Oswego and upstate New York, as well as changing political and social movements including contemporary civil and human rights initiatives occurring in the United States and internationally. He is currently a professor in the Berklee College of Music and resident artist at Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.

SUNY Oswego’s 34th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Feb. 1 in Sheldon Hall Ballroom, featured student performances and singing by the Oswego Gospel Choir, historical recitations from King’s words and remarks from students and members of the faculty and administration. The keynote speaker was actor and activist Kendrick Sampson, pictured here interviewed on stage by criminal justice department faculty member Celinet Duran-Jimenez.

Several faculty members were recently promoted to the rank of full professor. Marking the occasion during a Feb. 16 ceremony in Tyler Hall, Provost Scott Furlong (left) and SUNY Oswego Officer in Charge Mary C. Toale (right) gather with promoted faculty, from left: Rebecca Mushtare, art and design as well as associate dean of graduate studies; Jing Lei, anthropology; and Isabelle Bichindaritz, computer science.

The Black Student Union "Black Friday" Variety Show on Feb. 24 celebrated Black culture and showcased talent and culture in ways including modeling, dancing and much more. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Kashaun Blackman)

The Love in Vegas Date Auction on Feb. 10 served as a fundraiser for the Caribbean Student Association, a fun Friday gathering and a matchmaking opportunity in advance of Valentine's Day. Pictured are Nia Slaughter and Kadisha Rollocks-Thomas at a photo station. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Kashaun Blackman)

The MLK Day of Service on Feb. 4 invited students to help during a meal packaging event to support the Rise Against Hunger organization. Around 100 students showed up to prepare about 17,000 meal kits. SUNY Oswego's Office of Student Engagement and Leadership, Student Association and Student Association Programming Board organized the day to continue the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Jolie Santiago)

The “Treasure Hunt with Electromagnets” provided a fun competition among a variety of SUNY Oswego STEM clubs and high school students working together to build electromagnets. Held Feb. 21 in the Shineman Center atrium and hosted by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, the event was part of the Engineering Week celebration.

Engineering Week events featured a Focus on Women in Engineering panel discussion with prominent local female engineers working in industry. Pictured, Hui Zhang, an electrical and computer engineering faculty member, introduces panelists, from left: Teresa Pfeifer, senior systems engineer, SRC Inc,; Francesca Neiley, managing electrical engineer, C&S Engineers Inc.; Denise Wolniak, manager and design engineering lead for Constellation Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2; and Joannie M. Cinnamon, process engineering leader at Novelis. The Feb. 23 event was sponsored by Constellation - Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station.

Avery Croucher (right), a 2022 electrical and computer engineering (ECE) graduate now with Constellation Energy, talks with Hui Zhang (center), an assistant professor in ECE, and students during the Engineering Industry Showcase where representatives from local engineering industries were on hand to meet with SUNY Oswego students. The event was held Feb. 22 in the Shineman Center atrium as part of Engineering Week.

SUNY Oswego’s Engineering Week activities included an Engineering Industry Showcase and Career Fair on Feb. 22. Marquardt Switches – which has partnered with SUNY Oswego students on software development projects – was one of many participants speaking with SUNY Oswego students about career opportunities. Here representatives talk with Nathalie Wijerathaa, a senior cognitive science major. Others taking part in the week included Constellation - Nine Mile (sponsoring Women In Engineering Day), Constellation - FitzPatrick, Amazon, C&S, Knowles Precision Devices, Lockheed Martin, Novelis, SRC, TRC and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Katie Karlen)

Part of Engineering Week included a panel discussion of eight recent graduates from the electrical and computer engineering department (ECE) who spoke about the industry. Pictured are panelists, from left: Max Robertson, senior project engineer at Lockheed Martin; Alex Chambers, systems engineer for SRC; Jayme McCreary, user experience designer and creative technologist, lead designer for Alexa routines for Amazon; Zack Salvador, automation engineer for Novelis; Michael Anthony Jr., electrical engineer for Novelis; and Nathan Miller, Novelis. Missing from photo are panelists Jeff Registre, artificial intelligence search team member for Amazon. The discussion held Feb. 20 in the Shineman Center was moderated by ECE faculty member Mario Bkassiny (not in photo).

The Imagine 2023 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Alumni Panel discussion held Jan. 31 in 114 Marano Campus Center for current students, featured psychology and human-computer interaction alumna Jamie Garcia (pictured at right) '15 M'17, user experience researcher for SRC; Jackie Campbell Wallace '02 M'04, associate director of career education at SUNY Oswego; and political science and global and international studies alumnus Joe Gorsuch '16, advisory senior consultant, Deloitte. The panel, moderated by Nivieria Spearman '23, a public relations major (not in photo), talked about the various career paths available to CLAS majors, and how these graduates can articulate their diverse skillset to achieve professional success.

Brittney Rogers, a 2013 zoology alumna and an aquatic restoration and resiliency coordinator with the Nature Conservancy, visited campus to provide a talk, “Regional Invasive Species Program Overview, Initiatives, and Opportunities.” Rogers discussed her work with the Nature Conservancy and the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM) in the Feb. 24 seminar in the Shineman Center.

Students learned how to collect the sap from sugar maple trees and how that will lead to making maple syrup in a unique opportunity through the Sustainability Office, directed by Kate Spector and Jon Mills, and a Native American Studies class taught by anthropology department faculty member Michael Chaness. Pictured during the Feb. 13 outing , Maxon Ali, a junior anthropology Major, prepares collection equipment at one of the trees. The group is working in a college-owned wooded location off Cemetery Road.

The SUNY Oswego Ski and Snowboard Club once again organized its annual Rail Jam on Feb. 17. They had to overcome an unusual February problem – a lack of snow – but the Facilities Services ground crew came through to ensure the fun could go on with students like Cody Croiser taking air. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Alyssa Tirado)

The Oswego Ski and Snowboard Club's annual Rail Jam on Feb. 17 was a free and open event for enthusiasts of all skill levels. Pictured is Jack Donahue, a technology education major, using a snowboard on some jumps.

University Police Chief Scott Swayze high-fives a participant at the New York Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies with more than 500 athletes on Feb. 24 in Syracuse. Swayze and other UP officers were among many law enforcement representatives involved in supporting the games in person and/or with various fundraising efforts. (Photo courtesy of New York Special Olympics)

Syracuse area artist, photographer and educator Paul Pearce, who earned his master's degree from SUNY Oswego in 1982 and taught art and photography here from 2003 to 2013, led an artist's talk Feb. 15 about "Fire for Effect" on exhibit in Tyler Art Gallery. His work co-exhibited with the "How We Rebuild," selections of work created by grant winners and finalists from The Aftermath Project, a non-profit organization committed to addressing the effects of war upon a society.

Carly Brundige, a 2014 alumna and technical consulting engineer at Cisco, visited campus Feb. 20 to speak with Andrea Vickery's COM 490 Class in Mahar Hall.

Winterfest on Jan. 28 welcomed SUNY Oswego students back after the first week of classes. Popular activities included henna tattoos, Build-a-Buddy, food, games, a snow globe, a hot chocolate station and much more. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Jolie Santiago)

The Study Abroad Fair on Feb. 8 invited SUNY Oswego students to learn about options to explore the world while gaining academic credit. (Photo by digital storytelling intern Katie Karlen)