UPDATE SUNYADK/May 2018

The SUNY Adirondack monthly newsletter


IN THE NEWS

SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson, left, and SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy, right, pose with Theresa Betz (left photo) and Stephanie McLain (right photo) during the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence ceremony.

SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson, left, and SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy, right, pose with Theresa Betz (left photo) and Stephanie McLain (right photo) during the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence ceremony.

Chancellor recognizes SUNY Adirondack students

State University of New York Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson recognized 249 students from throughout the SUNY system, including two SUNY Adirondack students, during the 2018 Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence ceremony on April 10 in Albany.

SUNY Adirondack honorees were Theresa Betz of North Lawrence and Stephanie McLain of Pottersville.

Betz graduated in January with an associate degree in Business Administration. She was on the President’s or Dean’s list every semester during her time at SUNY Adirondack. She served as president of Phi Theta Kappa and led the group officers to the New York Regional Conference in October 2017. Betz is continuing her education in Management and Human Resources at Siena College.

McLain is double majoring in Nursing and Liberal Arts at SUNY Adirondack, while also pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from SUNY Plattsburgh. In Spring 2017, she traveled to Guatemala on a medical mission — partnering with Refuge International — to care for the people of Chocola. She volunteers with community flu clinics and organizations dedicated to Lyme research.

 

High school students learn about the college experience during the April Open House.

High school students learn about SUNY Adirondack's academic programs during the annual Open House on April 13 on the college campus.

Prospective students get taste for campus life

The SUNY Adirondack annual Open House, held April 13 for the first time in the Northwest Bay Conference Center in Adirondack Hall, attracted more than 550 people to campus, including approximately 350 prospective students.

The event included hands-on demonstrations by faculty and interactive presentations. Student Ambassadors led tours and highlighted new buildings and renovated spaces on campus.

SUNY Adirondack's Admissions Office hosted a "Discover SUNY Bus Trip" April 6, bringing 31 high school seniors from the New York City area up to campus for a day of activities. The free trip gives students who have applied and been accepted to SUNY Adirondack the opportunity to visit the college and attend an afternoon of workshops, information sharing and fun.

 

SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy; Culinary Arts instrutors Megan Diehl and Matthew Bolton; TD Bank Vice President, Field Marketing Manager, Fran Yanulavich; TD Bank Regional Vice President James Gaspo; and students from the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts program pose during a recent luncheojn marking TD Bank's $10,000 gift to support the college's Culinary Arts expansion.

SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy; Culinary Arts instrutors Megan Diehl and Matthew Bolton; TD Bank Vice President, Field Marketing Manager, Fran Yanulavich; TD Bank Regional Vice President James Gaspo; and students from the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts program pose during a recent luncheon marking TD Bank's $10,000 gift to support the college's Culinary Arts expansion.

TD Bank aids culinary center move

The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, recently donated a total of $10,000 to SUNY Adirondack as part of the bank foundation’s commitment to giving back to the community.

The funds from the TD Charitable Foundation will support the college’s new Culinary Arts Center in downtown Glens Falls. 

“TD Charitable Foundation’s $10,000 contribution will enhance our ability to implement new programs and courses to educate and train more employees to support our large hospitality-based economy, as well as provide a new dining experience in the heart of a thriving downtown Glens Falls,” said SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy.

A staunch commitment to active involvement in the local community is a vital element of the TD Bank philosophy. TD Bank and the TD Charitable Foundation provide support to affordable housing, financial literacy and education and environmental initiatives, many of which focus on improving the welfare of children and families.

 

Jacqueline Frost performs during the April 20 college drag show.

Jacqueline Frost performs a light show during the 'Ex-Drag-Va-Ganza' drag show on April 20 in the SUNY Adirondack theatre.

Drag show brings crowd, generosity

The “Ex-Drag-Va-Ganza” drag show on April 20 raised $2,775 through ticket sales and cash donations for college scholarships.

The sold-out event in the campus theatre featured RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Jiggly Caliente and Capital District performers Ms. Kitten Kaboodle, Kashi Golean, Pacifica Rim, Philly Piña, Klo Armani, Jacqueline Frost, Sandella and DJ Drew Carey. 

“I just can't thank SUNY Adirondack enough for having us and putting on such an amazing show. I just feel like words are not enough to express my gratitude to everyone,” said Arnold Smith, who performs as Ms. Kitten Kaboodle. “ I have always dreamed of being part of a sold out show, but I thought that dream was so far off. Life’s so funny sometimes.”

During the event, Philly Piña was crowned “Ms. Slay ADK” by the audience through text voting.

The program was presented by SUNY Adirondack Pride Club, SUNY Adirondack Senate, SUNY Adirondack Diversity Committee, SUNY Adirondack Faculty Student Association, SUNY Adirondack Office of Student Affairs, SUNY Adirondack HUB, SUNY Adirondack Foundation and Chartwells.

 

A box of buttons advertise the Girls Go Stem event.

‘Girls Go STEM’ event promotes education

More than 100 middle school girls will attend the annual “Girls Go STEM” event on May 15 on the SUNY Adirondack campus in Queensbury.

The program, organized by the Adirondack Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and SUNY Adirondack's Office of Continuing Education, focuses on science, technology, engineering and math education.

Hands-on workshops in a variety of STEM-related disciplines will give girls who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend academic enrichment opportunities a day to learn, explore and meet accomplished women in a collegiate setting.

Female academics and professionals from SUNY Adirondack, Arrow Financial Corporation, Hudson Falls School District and JMZ Architects and Planners will present workshops to students. JMZ President Tenée Rehm Casaccio will deliver the keynote address.

For more information, contact Yvonne Goodwin in the SUNY Adirondack Office of Continuing Education at 518.743.2238.

 

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman linked to Suffragette movement  

SUNY Adirondack and the Chapman Historical Museum organized Community Read programming to connect the Suffragette movement to one of America’s most iconic superheroes.

Assistant Professor of Political Science Wendy Johnston and the SUNY Adirondack Library worked with the Chapman to plan events inspired by Jill Lepore's “The Secret History of Wonder Woman.” Lepore’s historical book examines the feminist origins of the character through an examination of creator William Moulton Marston’s private papers.

Johnston facilitated a community discussion of the book on April 17 at the Chapman in Glens Falls. A “Milk and Cookies” program, where participants were encouraged to bring a pillow for a casual talk about the book, was held April 19 in the SUNY Adirondack Residence Hall.

The college will hold a screening of the 2017 biographical drama “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” inspired by the true story of the character’s creator, at 7 p.m. May 1 in Room 211 of Dearlove Hall on the Queensbury campus.

A screening of the 2017 blockbuster “Wonder Woman” will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 8 at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls. 

In conjunction with the programming, the SUNY Adirondack library staff created a LibGuide on its website, library.sunyacc.edu/home, with information on the book, author and offering supplementary feminist/Women's History Month readings available at the college library. 

All events, which were organized by The Celebrating Suffrage Committee and SUNY Adirondack, are free and open to the community.

 

Members of the Road Scholars competed in the Rotary 5K.

Michelle Waite, Yvonne Goodwin, Kate Baker, Caelynn Prylo, Jill Vogel, Laura Scott and Erin Krivitski (not pictured) particpated as the Road Scholars in the April 21 Rotary 5K on the college campus.

Group races for youth scholarships

Staff from the Office of Continuing Education and the Foundation teamed up and joined hundreds of runners and walkers from around the region to participate in the Rotary Club’s annual 5K fundraiser held April 21 on the SUNY Adirondack campus.

The Road Scholars earned an award for being the only all-female team to complete and included Kate Baker, Yvonne Goodwin, Erin Krivitski, Caelynn Prylo, Laura Scott, Jill Vogel and Michelle Waite. Many other SUNY Adirondack faculty and staff also participated in the 5K, and Ann Marie Somma earned the distinction of finishing in second place for her group.

The Office of Continuing Education is thrilled that youth scholarships will receive this important gift. The youth scholarship fund provides tuition and materials for area youth in grades 4-10 to attend Summer Enrichment programming on the SUNY Adirondack campus. 

 

Concert featured music faculty

SUNY Adirondack music faculty members performed April 13 at the Church of the Messiah in Glens Falls as part of the Pamela Firth Performing Artist Series.

Performers included pianists Miriam Enman, Jeremy West and Bernadette Speach; guitarist Micah Scoville; soprano Sylvia Bloom; and clarinetist Diane Bargiel. West, who is the music director at the Church of the Messiah, also performed on the venue’s organ.

The audience heard a variety of styles from the repertoire, including works by Copland, Debussy, Poulenc, Villa Lobos and MacDowell. Additionally, Scoville and Speach played pieces of their own inspired by previously existing famous compositions — “Fantasy on Two Popular Jazz Tunes by J. Kern and C. Fox” (Scoville) and “In and Out of Love,” which references “Liaisons” and “Send in the Clowns” from “A Little Night Music” (Speach).

 

High School Business Day promotes job skills

More than 300 high school students from across the region are expected to attend the 25th annual High School Business Day on May 7 on the SUNY Adirondack Queensbury campus.

Ken Kurtz, president of Bai Brands, will be the keynote speaker. Kurtz is a beverage industry executive who has been the driving force in building some of the most iconic premium beverage brands in the last 30 years. In addition to Bai, he has worked with E&J Gallo Winery, Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) and Fiji Water.

The event, organized by SUNY Adirondack and the Adirondack Business Educators, features business-related competitions, with the college offering scholarships to first-place winners for the first time in the annual event’s history.

Sponsors include Adirondack Trust Company; Cudney’s Cleaners;  Dangos Fitzgerald’s; Fort Miller Co.;  Stewarts Shops; Fitzgerald Bros. – Pepsi; Ticonderoga Federal Credit Union; Travelers; BG Lenders; State Farm Insurance; Tri County Teachers Federal Credit Union; Gore & Laney CPAs; Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli; Hiland Park Country Club; The Elms Waterfront; SUNY Adirondack; SUNY Adirondack Business Club; The FSA of SUNY Adirondack; and Adirondack Business Educators.

 

SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin from Buffalo paid a visit to our campus on April 13 and took time out to pose with Eddy Rondack. Trustee Lewin had many positive comments about her meeting with some of our students and experienced the campus in full action by touring on open house day.

SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin from Buffalo paid a visit to our campus on April 13 and took time out to pose with Eddy Rondack. Trustee Lewin had many positive comments about her meeting with some of our students and experienced the campus in full action by touring on Open House day.

 


ACCOLADES

Congratulations to the Grants Office, Marketing Department, Student Affairs, Residence Life and Counseling on being awarded a Bronze Certificate for meeting all of the requirements to kick of their 4DX commitments to advancing student success

  • Congratulations to the Grants Office, Marketing DepartmentStudent Affairs, Residence Life and Counseling on being awarded a Bronze Certificate for meeting all of the requirements to kick of their 4DX commitments to advancing student success.
  • Renee O’Brien, professor of photography, has been accepted into NAWA (National Association of Women Artists), a women’s art organization formed in the late 19th century to provide opportunities for women artists in a male-dominated art world. A formal induction ceremony will be held in November in New York City.
  • Alan Redeker, College Trustee and Foundation Board of Directors, is being honored by the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra at their 12th annual Springtime Gala on June 2 at the Lake George Club.Tickets for the event can be purchased on the Symphony website theglensfallssymphony.org.
  • Jill Vogel, assistant director of the SUNY Adirondack Foundation, been nominated to the SUNY Council for University Advancement Board of Directors. SUNYCUAD consists of more than 800 members of the development, marketing and communication profession within SUNY and has served the interests of the system, the campuses and the advancement profession for more than 60 years.
  • The SUNY Adirondack Marketing Department received two Awards of Excellence from SUNYCUAD  for the college’s Report to the Community and Viewbook. The awards, which will be presented during the SUNYCUAD conference in June, recognize excellent work within the SUNY system.
  • Peter Marino, emeritus professor and adjunct in English, published a short story titled "Eulogy" in the online journal Reedsy. He recently conducted a writing workshop centering on feminist comics at the Erma Bombeck Writers Conference in Dayton, Ohio.

 


THINGS TO DO

The student photo show 'Synergy' runs through May 3 in the Student Center.

'SYNERGY.JPG,' on display in the Student Center through May 3, features work from the college's intermediate photography class.

  • SUNY Adirondack’s photo exhibit “SYNERGY.JPG” runs through May 3 in the Student Center on the Queensbury campus. The show, which highlights the college’s intermediate photography class, features work by Chris Burkett, Holly Guirard, Johannah Lavin, Whitney Monroe, Daniel Rahal, Sara Casella, Daniel Chrysler, Hannah Yarter, Emma Mahaney, Vinny Otto, Jarod Sampson and Ericka Wadleigh. A meet-the-photographers reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 3 in the Student Center. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public.
  • SUNY Adirondack will hold a Spring College Night from 6 to 8 p.m. May 1 at the gymnasium on the Queensbury campus. The event, cosponsored by the Adirondack School Counselors Association, will feature representatives from more than 100 two- and four-year colleges and universities. Both public and private colleges from across the Northeast are expected to attend. The program is open to all students and their families.
  • The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and CVB and SUNY Adirondack will hold a Spring Tourism Job Fair from noon to 4 p.m. May 2 in the Northwest Bay Conference Center in Adirondack Hall on the Queensbury campus. This event is to connect local employers with community members and students of SUNY Adirondack looking for employment in the field. To register as an employer or to see which employers will be in attendance, go to http://bit.ly/TourismFair2018.
  • The SUNY Adirondack Music Department will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. May 4at Christ Church United Methodist, 54 Bay St. in Glens Falls. The program will feature the original suite from Aaron Copland’s ballet “Appalachian Spring.” The performance, which showcases the SUNY Adirondack’s Chorale and Symphonic Band, is a collaboration with regional string players from the Sage City Symphony, Music Company Orchestra and Union College and Community Orchestra. Additional performers include students from Whitehall, Fort Ann and Warrensburg schools. The concert will benefit Community, Work & Independence and Wait House through voluntary audience donations.
  • SUNY Adirondack will hold the Festival of Hope, a benefit for Make-A-Wish of Northeast New York, on May 5 on the college’s Queensbury campus. The event, which runs from 4:30 to 8 p.m., will feature inflatables, a Hike for Hope on campus trails, giveaways, haircuts and manicures, live performances, food and drinks, a lantern-lighting ceremony and a bonfire. Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and younger. (Additional prices will be charged for specific activities.) SUNY Adirondack students will be admitted free with a school ID. All proceeds will go directly to Make-A-Wish of Northeast New York and will stay within the local community. Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that arranges special “wish” experiences to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
  • The college community is invited to attend this year's Employee Recognition ceremony at 3 p.m. May 7 in Scoville Auditorium.
  • Commencement will be held at 5 p.m. May 11 at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. Guests are asked to arrive by 4:30 p.m. and enter through the entrance on Glen Street. A few handicap accessible parking spots are available (first come, first serve) directly in front of the Civic Center. Parking is allowed in the St. Mary’s Church Parking lot. No tickets are necessary for admission. The event is free to the public, and there is no restriction on the number of guests who can attend.
  • College faculty and staff are invited to the 2018 Community Day from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May 18 in the Northwest Bay Conference Center on the Queensbury campus. The program will include interactive opportunities, information about new academic programs, a brief demo of the new student portal, lunch and a “Warming up the Workplace” presentation by Frank Pastizzo. To ensure we have plenty of food, please RSVP to Kathy Drislane at drislanek@sunyacc.edu.
     

TIMBERWOLF TALK

College names first lacrosse coach

SUNY Adirondack has hired Peter Gryga as the college’s first lacrosse coach.

Gryga is a 2012 graduate of Queensbury High School, where he played varsity lacrosse and won a Section 2 title his senior season. He went to Plattsburgh and played varsity lacrosse his freshman season before returning to SUNY Adirondack to found the lacrosse club. After graduating from SUNY Adirondack, he transferred to SUNY Oswego, where he played a season of varsity lacrosse before graduation. Gryga was the assistant varsity lacrosse coach at Queensbury High School for two seasons and currently coaches lacrosse at South Glens Falls High School. 

SUNY Adirondack will add men’s lacrosse to its intercollegiate athletic programs beginning in Spring 2019. THE SUNY Adirondack lacrosse team will compete in the NJCAA Region III and the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference.

"Peter Gryga stood out during the interview process because of his focus on increasing the visibility of lacrosse in the community and recruiting regionally,” said Jonathan Sisk, SUNY Adirondack athletic director. “He has a passion for lacrosse, and it shows in his work. I am looking forward to us building a championship caliber lacrosse program with Peter at the helm."

Gryga looks forward to leading the lacrosse program at his alma mater.

"I am excited to grow the game of lacrosse in the local community, as well as to allow more students at SUNY Adirondack to be able to embody what it means to be a student-athlete,” he said. “It is my goal to become a nationally respected NJCAA lacrosse program by building a winning culture off the field, in the classroom and on game day." 

 

Seeking Hall of Fame nominees

SUNY Adirondack Athletics is seeking nominations for the 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame.

To be eligible, a SUNY Adirondack alum must have completed at least one full season as an athlete and not been enrolled for more than 5 years. In addition, honorary nominations for notable faculty, coaching staff, administration, contributors and supporters who have had an impact on the athletic department are all eligible for consideration. 

Nominations should include: 

  • Name
  • Contact information
  • Athletic accomplishments at SUNY Adirondack — and after (if any)
  • Athlete’s impact on the college athletic department
  • Scholarly achievements

Nominations are due by May 14 and may be submitted to:

Julie Clark, Assistant Director of Athletics
640 Bay Road
Queensbury, NY 12804

Submissions also can be made by email to clarkju@sunyacc.edu or directly online.

The induction ceremony will take place Sept. 29 on the SUNY Adirondack campus.

 


FOUNDATION

Support scholarships and win cash

The annual raffle for scholarships will take place on May 4, the final Friday of the academic year, with a live drawing at noon on Facebook.

Only 400 tickets will be sold for a chance to win cash prizes, including first prize, $1,000; second prize, $500; and third prize, $250.

Call the SUNY Adirondack Foundation to reserve your tickets at 518.743.2244 or purchase online.

 

Golfing for a good cause

The 29th annual Lyman A. Beeman Jr. Golf Tournament tees off June 1 at Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury.

Golfers of all abilities are welcome to join the fun tournament, which aids SUNY Adirondack Foundation's mission to support the financial needs of our students and the college.

Call the Foundation at 518.743.2243 for sponsorship information or sign up online.

 


FISH!

Thanks to Travis Bills for going above and beyond to solve serious technical problems during the college’s annual “Ex-DRAG-Vaganza” show on April 20. Despite various equipment issues, Bills made the performance appear seamless to the sold-out crowd.

The FISH! Philosophy is a way to be fully engaged in your life and work. It is a memorable strategy inspired by an unusual workplace — Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market — and is designed to help advance and sustain a positive and engaged workplace culture. The FISH! Philosophy invites all to Be There, Play, Choose Your Attitude and Make Their Day.

Register for the June 15 Introductory FISH! Workshop (9 a.m. to noon) by contacting the Office of Continuing Education at 518.743.2238 or conted@sunyacc.edu. Space is limited, so please register early.