Around the SUNY Oswego campus

A twinkling Marano Campus Center arena on Aug. 25 highlights the 28th annual Welcoming Torchlight Ceremony, which greets incoming students and shares the torch of lifelong learning and SUNY Oswego's legacy. The ceremony serves to bookend the college experience -- Commencement Eve Torchlight celebrates graduating seniors joining the Oswego Alumni Association.

College President Deborah F. Stanley (left), torchbearer and Student Association President Dalton Bisson of the class of 2019, and many of the new students arriving for the start of the fall semester take part Aug. 25 in Marano Campus Center arena for Welcoming Torchlight, presented by the Future Alumni Network and the Oswego Alumni Association, with support from The Fund for Oswego. The speaker was Olivia Munn and the emcee was Madelyn Muckey, both of the class of 2017.

Red Carpet crewmembers Tylea McCarthy-Walker (foreground), a sophomore biology major, and Dilenny Nunez (left), a sophomore majoring in psychology, help new freshmen move into Johnson Hall on Aug. 25. The college welcomed an estimated 1,480 freshmen in the Class of 2021, along with about 730 transfer students.

International students arrive from Syracuse International Airport on Aug. 22 to move into Hart Hall Global Living and Learning Center, where graduate and faculty resident mentors live alongside students from the United States and around the world. The unique residential community enables students to focus on academic excellence and social responsibility within a global context.

College President Deborah F. Stanley (center) greets many of the 133 new students from other countries in Rich Hall at a session of International Student Orientation, which took place Aug. 23 to 25. The orientation, organized by the college's Office of International Student and Scholar Services, assisted the new arrivals with residence life, health services and insurance, academic advisement, phone plans, banking, immigration regulations, library and learning support, and much more. 

Jo Richardson (second from right) helps new SUNY Oswego students check in at Park Hall on Aug. 24 during international student orientation, hosted by Richardson's International Student and Scholar Services team, which welcomes and assists international students, scholars and their families to promote a culturally diverse learning environment and to enrich the quality of teaching and research at SUNY Oswego.

The college welcomes freshmen and new transfers Aug. 25 with a picnic -- catered by Auxiliary Services -- on the academic quad between Penfield Library and Hewitt.

Michael Johnston (in Hawaiian shirt) of Facilities Engineering joins students showing their moves to the beat of a DJ's tunes Aug. 25 at the welcome picnic for freshmen and new transfers.

Volunteers staffing a table for the college's Habitat for Humanity Club at the Student Involvement Fair Aug. 30 in Marano Campus Center arena answer questions for students and look to recruit those interested in the work of the not-for-profit organization. Members of the club have used breaks from school to help build or rebuild houses in New Orleans; Florence, Alabama; Elizabethtown, Kentucky; and many other locales hit by natural disasters and other hardships. (Photo by MacKenzie Hungerford)

Breaking it down, impromptu style, are members of the Latino Student Union (from left) Kathleen Tapia, a senior childhood education major; Bryan Hernandez, a sophomore broadcasting and mass communication major; and senior human development major Yherelly Almanzar on Aug. 30 at the Student Involvement Fair in Marano Campus Center arena. Tapia, president of the Latino Student Union, is among the organizers planning the 31st annual ALANA — African, Latino, Asian, Native American — Student Leadership Conference coming up Sept. 13 to 19. 

Green-shirted Team Mini members Brooke Ebersold (second from left), a junior technology education major, and Lindsey Kregel, a technology management graduate and current senior technology education major, raise awareness for the popular miniature Zamboni and demonstrate a small robot Aug. 30 at the Student Involvement Fair in Marano Campus Center arena. Hundreds of students at a time -- thousands over its five-hour run -- attended the annual fair.

Oswego State Equestrian Team member Emily Sprague (left), a junior dual major in adolescence education and geology, shows her affection for Chester, an 11-year-old male making a visit to the academic quad Aug. 30 to help highlight the team, which competes regionally and nationally. Team members and coaches offer lessons to riders from first-timers through advanced. Chester, owned by J.D. Performance Horses, normally resides in Scriba.

At the annual Opening Day Breakfast, college President Deborah F. Stanley (at the podium) introduces a new video -- "Together, We Are SUNY Oswego" -- capturing the sentiment of many students, faculty, staff and alumni who volunteered to participate and share their personal views about what they think makes the college a special place.   

Winners of awards presented Aug. 23 at the annual Academic Affairs Retreat gather with college President Deborah F. Stanley (left) and Scott Furlong (right), provost and vice president of academic affairs. Casey Raymond (third from right) of chemistry earned the President's Award for Teaching Excellence; Kestas Bendinskas (second from left) of chemistry and Juan Perdiguero (second from right) of art received the President's Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity; and Sandra Bargainnier (third from left) of health promotion and wellness received the President's Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement.

Recipients of Awards of Excellence in Research and Sponsored Programs, Lisa Glidden (second from left) of political science and Nichole Brown (center) of the School of Education's Field Placement Office, pose with (from left) college President Deborah F. Stanley; Bill Bowers, associate provost for research and administration; and Scott Furlong, provost and vice president of academic affairs, Aug. 23 at the annual Academic Affairs Retreat. Brown won a silver award for grants totaling over $500,000 and Glidden earned a bronze award for grants totaling over $250,000.

SUNY Oswego graduate student Suzanne Beason (center) and her husband, Kirk (left), speak with a visitor to the Aug. 12 opening of Beason's exhibition, titled "My Life in Comics/My Life in Art" at the gallery of the Art Association of Oswego on East Fourth Street. Part of the show is a display of Beason's personal collection of original drawings by well-known comic artists from her days at Marvel Comics, where she was assistant editor of such high-profile comics as Spider-Man and X-Men. Also on display are original prints and drawings from her current work in the college's master of arts program in studio arts. 

Announcing University Police's new StormReady designation from the National Weather Service are Judith Levan (white blouse) of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Dale Courrier (wearing hang tag), director of Oswego County Emergency Management, joining (from left) Lt. Evan Proulx, Vice President of Administration and Finance Nicholas Lyons, Chief John Rossi, Assistant Chief Kevin Velzy and Lt. Matthew Barbeau. Agencies earn the designation by demonstrating thorough proactive preparation for extreme weather events. University Police members went through training from experts including Levan and Courrier, who are also Oswego alumni.

More than 200 incoming students learned more about the community while helping local causes during Project Play on Saturday, Aug. 26. Coordinated by the Office of Community Service, students fanned out to 10 sites, including Trinity Catholic School (pictured) where they organized donated school uniforms and helped clean and weed the school playground. Other volunteer activities included a lakeside cleanup, visiting residents in local senior centers, and writing letters and cards to veterans and military families. (Photo submitted by Catherine Farrell)

Dara Boykin (right), a sophomore political science major, buys some fresh produce originating from Haas Farm in Red Creek on Aug. 31 during the Oswego Farmers' Market. The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce sponsors the market from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays on West First Street, between Bridge and Oneida streets, from late May into October.

Students (from left, facing camera) Andrea Noss, a senior business major; Monica Cramer, a senior majoring in wellness management; and Domenick Cook, a senior communication studies major, work with Rebecca Fowler, owner of Maple Hollow Farm in Hannibal, on Aug. 31 during the Oswego Farmers' Market on West First Street.

The Oswego Police Department and University Police at SUNY Oswego team up with student volunteers and elected officials to create "Welcome Back" patrols that walk the city's neighborhoods, meet and greet students and provide code enforcement literature. Oswego Police Sgt. Justin D'Elia (left) and University Police Officer Ryan McIntyre greet Michelle Goldberg (second from left) and her daughter, Haley, a junior English major with a minor in human development, on West Seneca Street. The patrols took place the afternoon/evenings of Aug. 28 and 29 and Sept. 1 and 2.

A therapy dog certified by PAWS of CNY Inc. greets students looking for some playtime Aug. 28 in front of Penfield Library during the first day of classes for the fall semester.

This feline helps PAWS of CNY Inc. make the most of its time Aug. 28 -- the first day of classes -- in front of Penfield Library acquainting students with therapy cats and dogs. The college often invites the presence of therapy pets on campus, including during final exams.