Around the SUNY Oswego campus

Senior public relations major Alexa Carrascal (right) assists senior studio art major Jennifer Varvaro (left) with a form Sept. 27 during a Vote Oswego registration event on the quad near Penfield Library. Students in political science faculty member Allison Rank's "Vote Oswego" course have registered hundreds of students on and off campus to vote and/or to request absentee ballots. Looking on is senior psychology major Selena Gancasz, who volunteered on behalf of her public justice class on American courts and the judicial system. Vote Oswego made coalitions with many student organizations across campus to assist with a "blitz week" series of registration events last week.

Campus volunteers, donors and other supporters of the annual Totally Teal campaign to fight ovarian cancer gather Sept. 27 on the steps outside Culkin Hall. Many in the group then walked around campus to bring attention to and gather donations for the cause, which benefits the Hope for Heather ovarian cancer awareness organization. 

At a town hall-style "Conversations with the President" meeting with students Sept. 29 in Marano Campus Center auditorium, President Deborah F. Stanley (center) takes time for a photo with students Sarah Woods (left) and Emily Nassir, president of the Student Association. The college president provides the forum several times a year to address students' questions in person. "This is our opportunity to get feedback from students -- to adapt and adjust Oswego, and to provide the highest quality education at our institution," the president has said.

Unveiling the banner Sept. 22 in Sheldon Hall ballroom for the college's observance of the International Year of Brazil are Institute for Global Engagement Director Ulises Mejias (right), a member of the communication studies faculty, and Gonzalo Aguiar, a faculty member in modern languages and literatures. Sally Crimmins Villela, SUNY assistant vice chancellor for global affairs, made brief remarks.The world’s fifth-largest country, Brazil was chosen to lead off the annual series as a result of a survey the IGE conducted. The ALANA Student Leadership Conference on Sept. 18 held a Brazil Cultural Festival to kick off a year's worth of opportunities to learn more about Brazil, including lectures such as the one at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, featuring Patricia Rodriguez of Ithaca College speaking on "The Brazilian Landless Rural Movement (MST) and Their Challenge for Social Justice and Democracy."

Niall Pope, class of 2012, delivers the keynote address Sept. 19 in Marano Campus Center auditorium for the ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) Student Leadership Conference. A graduate in finance as well as broadcasting and mass communication, the accountant/financial coach for Turing Pharmaceuticals and Primerica Financial Services spoke about leadership development and professional growth in a global and diverse world. Pope's many involvements while on campus included Caribbean Student Association (treasurer), Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Financial Management Association (public relations coordinator), Accounting Society (vice president), Auxiliary Services Board of Directors (vice president), Student Association (director of finance), Greek Council and The Oswegonian campus newspaper (contributing writer).

Howard Gordon (center), executive assistant to college President Deborah F. Stanley (right) and co-founder (with former Oswego employee Tyrone Holmes) of the ALANA Student Leadership Conference, receives the Oswego Alumni Association's 2016 Lifetime Award of Merit on Sept. 24 at the 30th annual ALANA Banquet. Betsy Oberst (left), OAA executive director and associate vice president of alumni relations and stewardship, co-presented the award. First arriving at SUNY Oswego 46 years ago, Gordon, a member of the classes of 1974 and 1977 (the latter for his master's degree), was recognized for providing consistency in leadership for the campus and being the voice for not only students and employees of color, but the entire campus community as well. In staff titles ranging from counselor in the Office of Special Programs to assistant provost for academic affairs and social equity, Gordon's countless contributions have made him one of the most recognizable people on the college's campus. (Submitted photo by Nicole Lightfoot, class of 2018)

Alumni successful in their careers interact with audience members at the Alumni-Student Leadership Panel Sept. 23 in Room 114 of Marano Campus Center during the 30th annual ALANA Student Leadership Conference. From left are Sherrille Shabazz, classes of 2003 and master's degree 2005, associate dean of student development and campus life at Berkeley College in White Plains, where she manages student leadership programs and training; Ebony Coleman-Hunley of the class of 2005, a health insurance navigator for ACR Health; and 2003 graduate Shanelle Calvin, an inspirational speaker and owner of SC Coaching, where she founded Empowering Her Events, an events production company that hosts interactive events to empower women to find their voice, communicate their worth and reach their goals.

The Winkie Dancers from the theater and music departments’ upcoming adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" take the mobile stage Sept. 22 at the Oswego Farmers' Market on West First Street. Standing on stage (from left) are Anthony Sagrestano, Dwan Hameed, Julia Tilley, Kelci Schlierf, Joselyn Samora, Ryan Pacheco, Evan Ribaudo, Halle Paz, Asha Charles, Megan VanVorce and Scott Kesselring. Kneeling (from left) are Kristen Beyer, Megan Twamley and Elizabeth Campbell. Providing guidance are crew members (from left in front) senior Ayanna Stallings, assistant director; Moira Shaughnessy, guest costume designer; Jonel Langenfeld, director; and Dexter Jones, class of 1986, guest choreographer. (Submitted photo by Kelly Cullinan)

Kristi Eck (left), the college president's chief of staff, and Brad Korbesmeyer (right), dean of graduate studies, flank the 2016 Festa Fellowship recipients (from left) Erin Conway, a history master of arts candidate, who worked as an archival intern at the Custom House Maritime Museum in Newburyport, Massachusetts; Veronica Clavell, an MBA candidate in business management, who worked this summer with the research team at NBC Sports in Connecticut; and Sharon Souva, a master of arts candidate in art, who assisted the director in a wide range of activities at the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia. SUNY Oswego's Festa Fellows Program is funded by alumnus Fred Festa, class of 1981, chairman and CEO of W.R. Grace & Co. It provides graduate students with stipends of up to $10,000 each, along with tuition and arrangement of a high-level professional placement. (Submitted photo by Zach DeMarsh)

Warren St. John, author of this year's Oswego Reading Initiative book "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference," speaks Sept. 28 in Sheldon Hall ballroom to a large audience that included many student athletes. In the book, the author and journalist tells the story of Clarkston, Georgia -- a Southern town that became a center for refugee resettlement -- through the lens of a soccer team of refugee boys called "the Fugees" and their volunteer coach, Luma Mufleh. The book explores the difficulties the team and town face as people from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds learn to live and work together.

A standing-room-only audience in Marano Campus Center auditorium listens as anti-racism speaker Tim Wise delivers a talk Sept. 27 on "Police-Community Relations and the Black Lives Matter Movement." Wise’s most recent book, published in 2015 and titled “Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America,” explores the roots and ramifications of radical inequality.

Taking the classroom to the stage, senior broadcasting and mass communication major Jamie Mysel (left) and junior theater and economics dual major Evan Carrobis set up lights in Waterman Theatre in preparation for "The Wizard of Oz" as part of their "Stage Electronics and Mechanics" class.

Munchkins surround Dorothy (junior zoology major Megan VanVorce) as SUNY Oswego's production of "The Wizard of Oz" nears curtain time in modernized Waterman Theatre. The musical will introduce area schoolchildren chosen in public auditions as munchkins. Pictured are (from left in front) Azalia Avery, Ben Norton and Leah Norton, and (standing from left) Makayla Nadzadi, Griffin Marriner, Lyric Joseph, VanVorce, Meli Preston, Rimma Mankiewicz, Brooklyn Saternow, Liliana Springston and Xiaodao Lin. The play previews Oct. 20 and opens Oct. 21; for tickets and more information, visit tickets.oswego.edu.

Junior Colin Greenseich (pictured competing at the Sept. 10 Oswego State Invitational) put himself into the record books on Oct. 1 at Geneseo's Mike Woods Invitational. The Cicero native set a new program 8K record with a time of 25:42.0. Also breaking the record was sophomore Dylan McCarthy, who finished just six-tenths of a second behind Greenseich. The previous school record had stood for 16 years. Greenseich and McCarthy finished 12th and 13th respectively, leading the Lakers to a second-place team finish at the event. Oswego rides a four-meet streak of finishing in the top three into the Rowan Interregional Border Battle on Oct. 15, which will be its final meet before the SUNYAC Championships on Oct. 29.

Junior Jordan Sheehy fights for possession of the ball in front of the Morrisville cage during the Lakers' 2-0 SUNY Athletic Conference win over the Mustangs on Sept. 28 at Laker Turf Stadium. The Latham native went on to score during the play, giving her three goals through the first six games. Her effort in the game earned her Female Laker Athlete of the Week for the week ending Oct. 2. The Oswego State field hockey team was off to the best start in its 47-year history with a record of 6-0 heading into last night's scheduled game against 12th-ranked William Smith College in Geneva.

Sophomore Corey Marshall, here watching his ball soar at Oswego Country Club during the team's home invitational in September, helped lead the Oswego State golf team to a fourth-place finish among 15 teams last weekend at the ECAC Division III Mid-Atlantic Championship at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor. Individually, the Webster native finished in 14th place of 91 competitors with a score of four-over-par. Also tying for 14th place was senior Joshua Krause. The Lakers finished their fall season by securing a spot in the top four of every single event.