SUNY Oswego launched its 2026 alumni recognition season by honoring 2019 graduate Sonya Kedarnath with the Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award during the Commencement Eve Reception in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena and Convocation Hall on May 15.
Presented by Laura Pavlus Kelly, executive director of the Oswego Alumni Association and a 2009 Oswego graduate, the award recognizes alumni within 10 years of graduation who demonstrate early career impact alongside meaningful service.
Since graduating with a degree in sociology and human development, Kedarnath has built a career centered on expanding opportunity for young people. As assistant head of school for graduate support at St. James School in Philadelphia, she leads efforts to guide more than 175 students and families through high school and into college and careers. Her work has helped the program achieve a 97 percent high school graduation or GED completion rate, positioning it as a national model for student persistence.
Colleagues describe Kedarnath’s leadership as grounded and intentional. In her award citation, Kevin Todd, vice president of operations and strategy, highlighted her “humble confidence” and ability to pair strategic thinking with a deep sense of care. That approach shows up in the details — whether accompanying first-generation students on college visits or making sure they arrive on campus when transportation becomes a barrier. Many of her students, the citation noted, see her as both a mentor and a steady source of encouragement.
Kedarnath also contributes her expertise nationally through her role on the advisory committee for the NativityMiguel Coalition, where she supports efforts to strengthen graduate support programs across the country.
In her remarks, Kedarnath connected her work back to her time at Oswego, where she took on a range of student leadership roles, from resident assistant to orientation representative.
“If it wasn’t for SUNY Oswego, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do all the things that I do right now,” she said, reflecting on how her experience shaped her path.
Raised in the Bronx in a family of immigrants, Kedarnath said education became a driving force early in her life and one that continues to shape her work today.
“It’s an honor to serve children across Philadelphia and across the United States,” she said. “So thank you, SUNY Oswego.”
Kedarnath’s recognition marks the first of several alumni awards to be presented this year. Read more about this year’s winners or nominate a worthy alum for a 2027 award.