The fourth annual edition of the One City. One Campus. One Community. photojournalism project was celebrated on May 5 in Oswego’s City Hall Common Council Chambers with nearly 100 university and community members in attendance. The project tells the stories of interns, alumni and community partners working together for the advancement of local businesses and non-profits. 

In opening remarks, City of Oswego Mayor Robert Corradino described the annual exhibition opening as one of his favorite events, showcasing people and partnerships that make the Port City remarkable. 

“This gathering reflects something truly special: The deep, enduring relationship and partnership between SUNY Oswego and the City of Oswego,” Corradino said. “Our connection is more than geography. It is a shared commitment to strengthen the place we all call home.”

He credited the Campus-Community Relations Committee for continuing to play a role in this and other initiatives designed to help the university and city continue to grow, connect and thrive together.

”The committee helps ensure that Oswego remains a welcoming, inclusive place with students, faculty, residents and local leaders working side by side to build a stronger future for all of us,” Corradino said. “The images and stories on display highlight the impact of students who have contributed their talents to this project and highlight the many ways our university and community support one another.”

“This project would not have come to life without key people saying ‘yes’ to the opportunity to collaborate and work together to make this project possible,” said SUNY Oswego Assistant Vice President for Workforce Innovation and External Relations Kristi Eck.

Eck praised the contributions of SUNY Oswego’s chapter of the International English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta, under faculty advisor Douglas Guerra, whose students wrote the insightful essays on the posters; art and design faculty member Peter Cordone, whose photography class took the stunning portraits; the Office of Experiential Learning, which coordinated interns and alumni to highlight and the associated business partners; the Office of Marketing and Communications, which designed and produced the posters; and all the businesses and agencies who welcomed the opportunity to tell these stories. 

This year’s partners included Aqua Spa, Friends of Recovery Oswego County, Operation Oswego County, Oswego City Clerk’s Office, Oswego City Police Department, Oswego County Child Advocacy Center, Oswego County Historian’s Office, Oswego County Youth Bureau and RJ Caruso Tax & Accounting.

She also credited SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu for his continued championing of the project.

“If our colleagues across the city and the university hadn’t said that we really care about consistently showing this story and telling the impact of our relationship, we wouldn't be doing this for the fourth year,” Eck said. “So I just want to say thank you to everybody.” 

“Through portraits and narratives, we see this partnership in action, highlighting student internships with local employers, as well as professional experiences of our recent graduates who are here working in Oswego County,” said Jennifer Knapp, dean of SUNY Oswego’s College of Communication, Media and the Arts.

“When you total up all the collaborators over these last four years, we had over 125 people participating in this project,” Knapp noted. “This includes current students, alumni, community partners and champions, and our amazing colleagues at the university. This project is one shining example of the over 4,000 internships, student teaching, research and service learning activities Oswego students complete annually.” 

Student experiences

Natalie Glosek, a senior English and creative writing major and president of Sigma Tau Delta, said the opportunity provides a meaningful experience to the participating students in storytelling and communication.

“As English and creative writing majors, it gives us the chance to apply our skills in a direct hands-on way,” Glosek said. “We know how to think critically, how to ask the right questions, and how to take complex ideas and turn them into something people can actually connect with.”

Glosek also had the rewarding experience of being on the other side of the project, chronicled while interning with economic development partner Operation Oswego County through SUNY Oswego’s Hometown University Internship, a joint partnership through SUNY Oswego’s Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations, Office of Experiential Learning, and Oswego County civic and non-profit organizations.

“Being written about was such a unique experience, and it really was eye opening to see how strong our writers are, asking thoughtful questions and telling their stories,” Glosek said. “Seeing my internship site brought to life for someone else's writing, it was incredibly rewarding.”

Glosek’s internship resulted in the best possible outcome, as the May 2026 graduate and Buffalo native will soon start a full-time position with Operation Oswego County as communications coordinator -– another example of a talented SUNY Oswego graduate choosing to remain local after graduation by seeking and securing employment in Oswego County. 

For more information, visit the One City. One Campus. One Community website, ww1.oswego.edu/ccrc-project-2026.