O S W E G O ParentsF A L L 2 0 0 6

A Publication of the

Office of Alumni and

Parent Relations

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 317

Oswego, NY

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Office of Alumni and Parent RelationsKing Alumni HallSUNY Oswego Oswego, NY 13126

IN THIS EDITION:• Student Summer Vacations• Family and Friends Weekend Set• Renovation Continues on Campus• Important Dates to Remember

OSWEGOParents

The sun beat down and temperaturesclimbed into the 90s at Oswego thissummer, as they did in much of the

Northeast. But students weren’t just head-ing to the beach. Many Oswego studentsspent their summer working at internships,collaborating with faculty on research proj-ects, doing community service, or just tak-ing a few extra classes.

• A pair of SUNY Oswego naturalistsand a group of students worked to identify,protect and preserve rare habitats, animalsand plants.

“It’s about supporting rare habi-tats that support rare species,”explained Dr. Peter Rosenbaum,professor of biology, who with

Andrew Nelson, director of Oswego’s RiceCreek Field Station, spearheads the effort tofind and track endangered bog turtles in aregion of Central and Western New York.Rosenbaum noted the continuing workwith rare turtles and habitats has allowedmany students opportunities for fieldresearch that may turn into independentstudy projects or careers.

• Two students worked at paid summerinternships in Baltimore, with chemicalgiant W.R. Grace, thanks to the efforts ofalumnus Fred Festa ’81, Grace CEO. The

students, one in business and one inchemistry, were chosen for the prestigiousinternships through an interview processon campus. They were among 122 stu-dents who took advantage of the summerbreak to get hands-on experiences in theirchosen fields.

• Members of an innovative new chem-istry class studied the fermentation processduring the last part of the spring semesterand left for a tour of the breweries ofBelgium right after commencement in May.

More than 67 students took advantage ofthe break in classes to study or pursueinternships abroad.

• About 2,500 students enrolled in morethan 300 courses of various lengths, timesand topics through Oswego’s SummerSessions, many in the evenings and online.Students like the condensed learningschedule and an opportunity to study by thelakeshore in summer.

Welcome from the President

Whether you are the parent of a first-year student or of an upperclassman,you may well marvel at just how muchthis campus is changing, as we fulfill ourplan to create a truly learner-centeredcampus that inspires deep learning in allour students.

This summer was no exception. Weenhanced safety and aesthetics for ourresident students, repaved campus roadsand made needed updates to academicbuildings.

Of course, all this pales in comparisonto our central campus project, rising inthe very heart of campus. Earlier thisyear, we opened a totally renovatedPoucher Hall, home to English and mod-ern languages classes and offices. Itswide-open spaces encourage the stu-dent-faculty interaction so conducive tolearning. Our Campus Center itself is wellon its way to completion. This autumnwe will celebrate the opening of thehockey arena/convocation space as ourmen’s and women’s ice hockey teamskick off their seasons on new ice.

It’s all part of our Family and FriendsWeekend festivities Oct. 20 to 22, and Ihope you will join us. Opening the week-end will be the very exciting Louis A.Borrelli Jr. ’77 Media Summit, focusingon the role of media in sports coverageand featuring alumna Linda Cohn ’81of ESPN and Myles Brand, president ofthe NCAA.

We invite you, as part of Oswego’sextended family, to take part in the life of the college— not just on Family andFriends Weekend, but all year long — byrecruiting students, developing intern-ships, creating job opportunities for grad-uates and supporting Oswego throughInspiring Horizons: The Campaign for Oswego.

Most of all, though, I hope you willvisit campus, and see for yourself why thisis such a wonderful place for your son ordaughter to learn and grow. I hope to seeyou soon.

Sincerely,President Deborah F. Stanley

Dr. Peter Rosenbaum, a professor inSUNY Oswego’s biological sciencesdepartment, and biology major WilliamNichols ’06 use radio telemetry equip-ment to track an eastern box turtle atRice Creek Field Station. They also arepart of a project that uses the process totrack the endangered bog turtle in anattempt to preserve the animal, andother rare species, in biodiverse habitats.

Robyn Butterfield ’03, M’06 works on a project for an oil painting class by Glimmerglass Lagoon on campus.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Guy and Peggy Lewit have alwaysbeen involved in their children’seducation, from kindergarten

through college. “We were chaperonesfor everything our kids went to in thiscountry and abroad,” says Guy. “Weknew every teacher.” Guy even servedfor six years as president of the ParentsAssociation at Brooklyn’s MidwoodHigh School.

When their daughter, Randi BethLewit ’08 enrolled in Oswego to majorin communication studies, her parentsknew they couldn’t be involved in thesame way they were during her middleschool or high school years. But theyfound another opportunity to improveher experience and that of countlessother students — by supportingOswego as members of the President’sCircle gift club.

A graduate of SUNY Buffalo andBrooklyn Law School, Guy is passion-ate about education, especially publichigher education.

“I love it. I’m a teacher at heart,” saysthe attorney, who volunteered to teachscience for two years at a local elemen-tary school during a budget crunch.

He feels it’s important to support

institutions of higher learning. “We allplay a part in it,” he says. “We all havea responsibility.”

He remembers a budget crisis while hewas at Buffalo. The university could notexpand to meet student needs. “It had todownscale instead of upscale,” he says.

Guy and Peggy wanted Randi and sonGeoffrey Charles to attend SUNYschools. When Randi was visitingOswego with Peggy, a chanceencounter with CommunicationStudies Chair Fritz Messere ’71cemented her interest in the college.Messere had just come back fromteaching in London and Randi hadreturned from Manchester. They tradedstories. Later, at a presentation forprospective students, Messere pulled aname from a hat for a prize and calledout, “Randi from Brooklyn.” “That onemoment made her feel like she wasmeant to be there,” says Peggy.

Now that their family is a part of thelarger Oswego family, the Lewits arehappy to help out. “I just hope themoney helps make the school the bestexperience possible for the kids,” saysGuy. “I hope everybody gets out of it allthey can get. That’s the whole point.”

2 O S W E G O P A R E N T S

V isit Oswego on a weekend especially for you! Family and Friends Weekend isset this year for Oct. 20 to 22. Many activities are scheduled to showcase theacademic, athletic and creative talents of Oswego students. Experience the

excitement when the puck drops for the first time in our newCampus Center as our men’s andwomen’s hockey teams kick offtheir seasons. Take in “Antigone” byJean Anouilh in a theatre depart-ment production or enjoy a concertby Oswego’s musical ensembles.Meet Oswego faculty, staff andadministrators at the Faculty-Staff

Coffee Hour Saturday morning,sponsored by the Oswego Alumni

Association. Look for your Familyand Friends Weekend registrationform in the mail. Be sure and

make your hotel reservations early as accommodations fill up quickly. For moreinformation, call the Hewitt Union main office at 315-312-2301 or go online to http://www.oswego.edu/student/services/campus_life/mainoffice/familyandfriends.html.

Family and Friends Welcome!OSWEGO PARENTS

Published each semester by theSUNY Oswego

Office of Alumni and Parent Relations

Michele Reed, Editor

Jim Russell ’83, Photographer

Sally Van Buren, Contributing Photographer

Meagan Smith ’07, Intern

Midstate Litho, Production and Printing

Office of Alumni and Parent RelationsKing Alumni HallSUNY Oswego

Oswego, NY 13126

Betsy Oberst, Executive Director

Phone: 315-312-2258FAX: 315-312-5570

E-mail: alumni@oswego.eduwww.oswego.edu/alumni/

KUDOS

dTo seven SUNY Oswego studentswho received the Chancellor’s

Award for Student Excellence: KellyCrahan ’06, Tammie Sullivan M’05,graduate student Casey Feeney, WestonFellows ’06, Nora Gannon ’06, RyanGarney ’06 and Todd Wojnowski ’06.

dTo runner Weston Fellows ’06 ofUtica, who received the SUNY

Chancellor’s Scholar Athlete Award.

dTo Sarah Nesbitt ’06, whose workwas included in this summer’s Best

of SUNY Student Art Exhibition.

dTo Dr. Qiong June Dong, professorof management, for her SUNY

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence inScholarly and Creative Activities.

dTo Johan Godwaldt, technicaldirector in the theatre department,

for his SUNY Chancellor’s Award forExcellence in Professional Service.

dTo Dr. Florence Kirk, associate pro-fessor of accounting, and Dr. Julie

Pretzat-Merchant, professor and chair ofmusic, who received SUNY Chancellor’sAwards for Excellence in Teaching.

dTo Mark Cole ’73 of theatre, Dr.Geraldine Forbes of history and

Dr. David Valentino of earth sciences,recognized with the 2006 SUNYResearch Foundation Research andScholarship Award.

dTo Dr. Jacqueline Reihman of psychol-ogy, promoted to distinguished teach-

ing professor, a rank above full professor.

dTo Dr. Bruce Altschuler and Dr. HelenZakin, who were honored as lead-

ers by The Research Foundation of SUNY.

dTo the recipients of this year’sSUNY Oswego President’s Awards:

Judith Belt and Dr. Joyce Smith (Excellencein Academic Advisement); Dr. T. MarkMorey and Dr. Harrison Yang, (TeachingExcellence); and Dr. Steven Abraham andDr. Ding Zhang (Scholarly Activity).

dTo Katie Riegel, adjunct professor,first recipient of the college’s

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellenceby Part-time Faculty.

Be there for the excitement asthe men and women Lakerskick off their seasons at thenew Campus Center.

The Lewit family,from left,

Geoffrey Charles,Peggy, Guy and

Randi Beth

Staying Involved

Two Seniors Honored

The Oswego Alumni Association recognizedtwo Oswego seniors for their academic suc-cess and outstanding achievements through-

out their college career. Kelly Crahan ’06 andChristopher Thuman ’06 each received the2006 Outstanding Senior Award at the annualCommencement Eve dinner May 19.

Crahan, a Presidential Scholar, graduatedmagna cum laude with a dual major in histo-ry and women’s studies. She held many lead-ership roles on campus as a peer educator,through the Sheldon Leaders program, theWomen’s Center and the VEGA women’shonor society.

Crahan used her leadership positions toreach out to surrounding communities byorganizing a toy drive and clothing drive, andleading programs on campus to educate oth-ers about important women’s issues.

Crahan also worked as a teaching assistantfor history professor Mary McCune, whonominated her for the award. “Kelly is amodel student in the classroom,” McCunesaid in her recommendation, “and heractivism in both campus and in non-campussettings has made her an asset to the broaderOswego community.”

Crahan received a Scholarly and CreativeActivity Grant for her independent researchon “The Effect of Marital Status on FemaleNon-traditional College Students.” She plans

to attend the University of Hawaii’s WilliamS. Richardson School of Law to study envi-ronmental law in the fall of 2007.

Meteorology major Thuman graduated cumlaude after a highly successful four years atSUNY Oswego. In addition to his academicpursuits, which included a double minor inmathematics and astronomy, Thuman activelysought out ways to get involved in the campuscommunity. He was a member of the SheldonLeaders program, president of the Red Crossclub and meteorology club and was inductedinto several leadership and honor societies.Thuman was also a peer educator and workedas a resident assistant and as a student assis-tant at the Mary Walker Health Center.

Thuman attended and presented at meteorol-ogy conferences around the country. Hisresearch interests included urban heat islands inupstate New York, mobile Doppler radars andlake effect snow.

Dr. Scott Steiger ’99 of the meteorologydepartment and Jean Grant, coordinator ofclinical services nominated him. Grant com-mented that Thuman is “a most exceptionalexample of the ideal toward which we wish allSUNY Oswego students would strive.” Thuman plans to pursue a master’s degree inenvironmental science at Rutgers University,where he was given a full scholarship.

— Meagan Smith ’07

Kelly Crahan ’06 poses with herOutstanding Senior Award andProvost Susan Coultrap-McQuin.

Christopher Thuman ’06 receiveshis Outstanding Senior award fromBetsy Oberst, executive director ofthe Oswego Alumni Association.

F A L L 2 0 0 6 3

ORI Author to SpeakParents are invited to join the rest of the Oswego State community in

reading Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains. The book is theOswego Reading Initiative selection, which forms the basis of discussion inthe upcoming academic year.

Renowned journalist Kidder will talk about his bestseller at 8 p.m.Monday, Oct. 30, in the Hewitt Union ballroom. An incredible account ofone man’s world-changing life work,Mountains Beyond Mountains followsDr. Paul Farmer who, with perseverance and unshakable courage, fights formodern medical treatment and compassionatepatient care in poverty-stricken corners of Haiti.

The free talk is presented by Office of theProvost, College of Arts and Sciences, StudentAssociation Programming Board and AuxiliaryServices.

Other activities tied in with the book will includean art exhibition, “Visions and Voices of Haiti:Photographs by Phyllis Galembo,” in Tyler ArtGallery from Sept. 8 through Oct. 8. La TroupeMankandal, featuring Haitian master drummerFrisner Augustin, will perform Sept. 23. And a“Health and Humanity” series will screen relatedfilms on Sept. 13, Oct. 11 and Nov. 15.

Campus Renewal Stayed Hot in Summer

S tudents and parents returning to campus this month will noticethat construction and renovations continued all summer underthe college’s renewal plans.

Workers raised a gabled roof on Riggs Hall (right), a residence hallwhich, when reopened, will match its elegant lakeside neighbor,Johnson Hall.

Meanwhile, progress continues on the Campus Center, the first newbuilding on the Oswego campus in more than 30 years. Plans call for aphased opening starting this fall on the 111,492-square-foot, $25.5 mil-lion structure. Just east of the new building, other Campus Centerenhancements include new walls and features appearing as renovationsto the Swetman/Poucher complex.

In all, Oswego’s campus renewal encompasses more than $160 mil-lion of campuswide renovations, construction, technical upgrades andaesthetic improvements, mostly underwritten by state capital funds.

Established milestones include the conversion of Rich Hall into the state-of-the-art center of the School of Business, reopeninga revamped Johnson Hall as home of the First-Year Residential Experience, and significant upgrades to such academic buildingsas Sheldon, Poucher and Lanigan halls.

For more information and pictures of Riggs renovations, Campus Center construction or other projects and progress, visit theRenewing Oswego Web site at http://www.oswego.edu/news/content.html?id=P107.

Power LunchStudent leaders had the opportunity to break bread andexchange ideas with the head of the State University ofNew York. SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan lunched withthe students at Johnson Hall when he visited campusApril 12. “It’s clear that this is a school going in the rightdirection,” Ryan said of Oswego. The chancellor took ahard-hat tour of the new Campus Center and met withfaculty, in addition to his lunch with students. He praisedOswego’s state-of-the-art academic buildings, callingthem “good for teaching and learning.”

Tracy Kidder, author of Mountains Beyond Mountains, will speak on campus Oct. 30.

FILE TO GRADUATE!The Registrar’s Office has sent let-ters to prospective graduates with

instructions and information on how to fileonline for graduation. Once the student hassigned in, the graduation application form islinked to the student’s registration link fromthe URL http://myoswego.oswego.edu/Deadline dates for filing are Sept. 30 forDecember 2006 graduation and Feb. 15for May and August 2007 graduation.Students are not automatically placed on agraduation list; it is the student’s responsi-bility to make sure he or she files online bythe appropriate deadline or contacts theRegistrar’s Graduation Area for help indoing so. Please note: Students must fileby the deadline dates in order to be surethat their names will be printed in thecommencement program.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTThe Institute for Professionaland Organizational

Development, headquartered at theOswego State Education Center inPhoenix, N.Y., provides programs toupdate or enhance your skills, open a gate-way to a new career, or pursue the pleas-ures of lifelong learning. A select group ofcourses from the American ManagementAssociation (AMA) are offered in Phoenixand online via the SUNY LearningNetwork. Topics range from leadership tosuccession planning to supervisory skills.For information and to learn what otherprograms and services are offered at theInstitute, please call 315-312-6430.

SHOP FROM HOMEIf you’d like to surprise yourstudent with a little bit of

Oswego at holiday gift-giving time, youcan now order from the College Storeonline. Just surf to http://www.oswego.edu/student/services/college_store/info.htmland check out the books, computers,clothing and gift items available there.

POWERFUL NETWORKStudents looking to pursuecareers in the New York metro-

politan area have a great networkingopportunity, thanks to Oswego AlumniAssociation. The award-winning New YorkCity Career Connections 2007 is set forThursday, Jan. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. inManhattan. This is an excellent network-ing opportunity for students to meet withOswego alumni working in a variety offields in the metropolitan NYC area.Alumni will answer questions, reviewresumes, give advice and connect the stu-dents with hiring and internship person-nel. Free for students to attend! Look forinformation in the mail this fall.

DECEMBER GRADS FETEDThe Oswego Alumni Associationis hosting a Commencement EveDessert Reception and Senior

Toast for all December graduates and theirfamilies at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15. Join usand celebrate the Class of 2006’s passagefrom students to alumni, complete with anelegant dessert buffet, coffee, tea and achampagne toast. Call 315-312-2258 or goonline to www.oswegoalumni.oswego.edu/seniorclass/ for information about this andother programs for seniors by the OswegoAlumni Association.

A LITTLE HELP FROM HOMETo send your student a sweet

surprise, get a Plus Plan for snacks andother dining, check out menus in the din-ing halls or a host of other services, goonline to www.oswego.edu/auxserv/

HOW ABOUT A VIRTUAL VISIT?SUNY Oswego has an award-

winning Web site. Explore the campus atwww.oswego.edu/ and be sure to click onParents for news and features especiallyfor you.

4 O S W E G O P A R E N T S

Campus Clips CalendarFall 2006Aug. 25 Welcoming Torchlight

Ceremony

Aug 28 Classes begin

Sept. 4 Labor Day, no classes

Sept. 8– “E=MC2 Closesound: Oct. 9 A Musical Exploration

by MASS Ensemble”and “Vodou andCarnaval: HaitianImages by PhyllisGalembo,” Tyler ArtGallery

Sept. 16 MASS Ensemble,Artswego

Oct. 2 Yom Kippur, No classes

Oct. 11 Eugene FriesenEnsemble, Ballroom,Sheldon Hall

Oct. 12–22 “Antigone,” WatermanTheatre, Tyler Hall

Oct. 20 Louis A. Borrelli Jr.’77Media Summit

Oct. 20–22 Family and FriendsWeekend

Oct. 23– “Paper Cuts: The Art of Nov. 19 Contemporary Paper,”

Tyler Art Gallery

Oct. 30 Author Tracy Kidder, anORI event

Nov. 4, 5 “La Traviata,” OswegoOpera Theatre

Nov. 8 Excelsior Cornet Band,Ballroom, Sheldon Hall

Nov. 11 Mike Stern Trio,Artswego

Nov. 14–19 “Dora: A Case ofHysteria,” Lab Theatre,Tyler Hall

Nov. 22–26 Thanksgiving recess

Nov. 29 Blue Jupiter, WatermanTheatre, Tyler Hall

Dec. 1–13 Fall BFA and MA ThesisExhibition, Tyler ArtGallery

Dec. 3 “A Christmas Carol,”Waterman Theatre, TylerHall

Dec. 8, 9 “Carmina Burana,”Artswego

Dec. 8 Last day of classes

Dec. 11–15 Final exams

Dec. 15 Dessert Reception forDecember Graduates

Dec. 16 December Graduation

Spring 2007Jan. 25 Classes begin

March 19–23 Spring Recess

May 18 Torchlight Ceremony

May 19 Commencement

Dane Coyer ’80, a project executive with IBMGlobal Services, returned to campus this April topresent a talk on “Breaking the Chains,” reflec-tions on his entrepreneurial experiences. Here,he talks with Andy Walker ’06, a businessadministration major. Coyer was invited back tospeak to a broader audience after delivering thesame lecture to a class during the fall semesterof 2005. He is a former vice president of IBMand brings with him more than 22 years of high-tech engineering, sales and executive manage-ment experience. He co-founded eConvergent,an enterprise CRM integration firm.