Around the SUNY Oswego campus

More than 1,100 alumni and guests came back for Reunion Weekend June 6 to 9, including members of the Oswego family greeted by perfect weather as they gather to watch the sunset from the campus shore on Saturday, June 8. More than 200 people attended the Sunset Concert on Saturday evening.

The BBQ at Fallbrook continues to be a popular feature of the annual Reunion Weekend, as graduates and guests of all ages celebrate their connections.

WRVO Public Media celebrated their 50th anniversary during Reunion Weekend, which also saw a large turnout of students who used to work for the college student stations WOCR/WNYO. Among those reconnecting and recollecting were, from left, 1976 graduate John Jarrett, 1973 graduate Hank Volpe, and 1976 graduates Benita Zahn and Michael Tafler.

David DeVillers, assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and one of four prosecutors on the Saddam Hussein trial, was honored as one of two Distinguished Alumni Award recipients at Reunion Weekend. Here the 1989 graduate receives recognition from college President Deborah F. Stanley. The other honoree is 1985 graduate Robert Moritiz, global chairman of PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers), the second largest professional services firm in the world, and a member of the Oswego College Foundation Board of Directors; Moritz received the award at an earlier date.

Christy Harrison Huynh -- a 1998 graduate of SUNY Oswego, associate director of career services at SUNY Oswego, United Way of Greater Oswego County board member and volunteer on many committees, boards and organizations -- receives the Community Service Award for outstanding achievement in service during Reunion Weekend. Dana Murphy, Oswego Alumni Association president, reads the citation.

Stephen Butler -- a 1985 graduate, executive director of CNY ARTS and a tireless arts advocate -- receives a Lifetime Award of Merit from SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley as Dana Murphy, Oswego Alumni Association president, reads the citation during Reunion Weekend. Other honorees for this award included 1965 graduate Craig Fisher, a computer programmer, information systems manager, educator, and data and information quality scholar; and 1967 graduate Diane Larsen-Freeman, a linguist, educator and scholar in second language acquisition.

The SUNY Stands with Puerto Rico initiative continues the rebuilding process after the island suffered catastrophic damage from a pair of 2017 hurricanes. Joanne O'Toole of Oswego School of Education returned to the island June 16 to 30 with a group of 14 students, nine of them SUNY Oswego students, joining others from SUNY and CUNY. (Photo provided by Joanne O’Toole)

Part of the SUNY Stands with Puerto Rico team, led by Joanne O’Toole of SUNY Oswego’s School of Education June 16 to 30, patches a roof as part of the ongoing recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. The group, including nine SUNY Oswego students, worked in teams doing roof repairs one week, while the other teams were in the National Rainforest of El Yunque and in agricultural settings; the next week they flipped work sites. (Photo provided by Joanne O’Toole)

The ninth annual Genius Olympiad international competition welcomed more than 1,400 attendees from around 70 countries June 17 to 21. Students presented projects in science, robotics, creative writing, visual performance arts and business. Fengyun Chen, a student from China, explains her project using wind force pressurization with complementary solar energy to generate electricity, to judge Robert Carter, an educational technology coach at Science Academies of New York.

Livio Gaspar (color pattern shirt) and Denilson Leandro Domingos (striped shirt), students from Angola, explain their project "Super Paper" at the GENIUS Olympiad, Listening to their description of the eco-friendly paper with natural properties that are antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial, which can make it useful for food packaging and storage, is judge Wanyi Lu, a doctoral student in earth sciences at Syracuse University.

As part of the GENIUS Olympiad, Anindya Revina Larasati, a student from Indonesia, talks about her environmental photography which depicts some of the rural farm life near waste dumping areas.

Students from Mozambique host a table at the International Fair on June 19 during the GENIUS Olympiad.

Jerry Oberst and Helena Zhao (at left) offer details about SUNY Oswego during the GENIUS Olympiad College Fair in Marano Campus Center concourse on June 21. In foreground, Zhao talks with Soi Mui Lim and Katrina Angelie Sukardi from Indonesia.

The GENIUS Olympiad wrapped up on June 21 with a closing ceremony honoring outstanding achievements and awarding gold medals to the top research presentations.

Groups of incoming Educational Opportunity Program students are supporting the community through the ARISE ramp-building program to help local residents who need assistance with accessibility. Over the course of two weekends in July, students are building sections of ramps either at First United Methodist Church or at local residents' homes within Oswego County. Among those who helped build a ramp for a home in Fulton are, from left, Michael Nova, Abdulwahab Muthana, Damien Nguyen, Diana Owusu, Tiffany Abbey, Jileiny Padilla, Lizbeth Ostorva and Sierra Orosco. (Photo courtesy of Scott Cunningham)

Laker Leaders Jade Laplante (far right, green sunglasses) and Sabrina Ventrano (next to her in dark Laker shirt) lead a "small group" in the academic quad during a June 27 Orientation session. Laplante also gave followers of the SUNYOswego Instagram account a behind-the-scenes look at Orientation through a weeklong #LakerTakeover.

Laker Leaders Charlie Chapman and Laura Fewer (center) lead a small Orientation group in the quad in front of Penfield Library on June 27.

The 30th annual Employee Recognition Luncheon on June 13 honored SUNY Oswego employees represented by CSEA, PBA, NYSCOPBA and PEF for their longevity. Christine Finnegan of the chemistry department was recognized for her 35 years of dedication to the campus. Also noted for 35 years, but missing from the photo, is Carl Neadle of Facilities Services.

The Employee Recognition Luncheon honored 30-year employees, from left, Kelly Thompson, University Police; Shelly Reifke-Souza, School of Business; and Lori Cook, Facilities Services.

Honored for 25 years of service were, from left, Carol Carter of Penfield Library; James Ferguson and Geralyn Roy, Facilities Services; JoAnn Richardson, technology department; Traci Terpening, art department; and Deborah Haynes, physics department. Missing from photo are Lissette Alvarado and Cirilo Valentin from Facilities Services.

SUNY Oswego’s 20-year employees include, standing, from left: William Schaffer, Facilities Services; Steven Frasier, Environmental Health and Safety; Brit Hallenbeck, Facilities Services; Teresa Casanova, Institutional Research and Assessment; and Lorraine Geer, Penfield Library. Seated, from left are Dawn Greenier, Purchasing Office; Melody Scott, Admissions Office; and Earl Sanders, Facilities Services. Not included in photo are Matthew Barbeau, University Police; Janet Clyne, Scott Dubois, Keith Fetterly, Rafael Moyett, Jason Pasco and Robert Vazquez from Facilities Services; and Kenneth Parkola from Penfield Library.

Recognized for 15 years with SUNY Oswego are, from left, Aaron Johnson, Facilities Services; Tammy Lunkenheimer, Student Accounts; and Colleen Dewine, Facilities Services. Missing from photo are William Bates, Michael Bond, Scott Ford, Michael Gilliland and Andrew Jerrett, all of Facilities Services.

Rodmon King, the college’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, served as keynote speaker for the Employee Recognition Luncheon.

Students from SUNY Oswego and India have been sharing knowledge as part of an international research project co-sponsored by Oswego, Yale University, the University of Delhi and the Inter University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune. Oswego is the U.S. research lead for the astrophysics project probing the age and size of the universe, funded by Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum. Gathering on June 10 were, from left, Shashi Kanbur, professor and chair of physics, co-principal investigator; other co-principal investigator HP Singh, University of Delhi; Richa Aditya Rana, astrophysics Ph.D. student, University of Delhi; SUNY Oswego physics student Brett Meerdink; Sushmita Das, astrophysics Ph.D. student, University of Delhi; and SUNY Oswego physics students Anthony Chalmers, Ryan Mammone and Nicholas Proietti.

Representatives of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China Jun Yang (seated right), counsel and director of the education office, and Qiao Zhu (seated left), deputy counsel, visited campus on June 10 to offer thanks for Oswego taking in four students from the earthquake-ravaged Sichuan province 10 years ago as part of SUNY’s “China 150” program to help 150 Chinese students continue their studies. Standing from left, Scott Furlong, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Howard Gordon, retired executive assistant to the president who spearheaded the college’s involvement; and Joshua McKeown, associate provost for international education and programs heard about plans for a celebration with some of the 150 students returning on Aug. 21 in New York City. Gordon shared stories of how students Lili Jiang, Meng Tu, Jian Xie and Jian Xu made the most of their time at Oswego while forming bonds with the college and community. McKeown noted the exchange set the stage for Oswego’s flourishing programs and partnerships with the world’s most populous nation.

The SUNY Council of Chief Student Affairs Officers came to SUNY Oswego for two days of meetings on June 19 and 20. Here college President Deborah F. Stanley welcomes the distinguished attendees from around the state. Jerri Howland, Oswego's vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, served as host for the gathering of top student affairs leaders.

Among those addressing the two-day SUNY Council of Chief Student Affairs Officers gathering on campus last month were 2002 SUNY Oswego graduate Joseph Storch, associate counsel in the SUNY Office of General Counsel and chair of the Student Affairs Practice Group, who provided a legal update to attendees.