Fall/Spring 2022

A Life Devoted to Agriculture: Beloved professor instills passion, inspires graduates to follow their purpose

salibalr — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:32:28 +0000

A Life Devoted to Agriculture: Beloved professor instills passion, inspires graduates to follow their purpose salibalr Fri, 01/06/2023 - 11:32

Walking across campus, Sheila Marshman greets a group of students with a wide grin, chatting about her daughter’s recent performance at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Visiting an alum at a local farm later that day, she doesn’t hesitate to hop up on a forage harvester to pose for a photo, striding across the hay fields with confidence.

Her dynamic personality transcends the classroom and has inspired countless graduates to find and follow their purpose.

When Marshman joined the ��Ƶ faculty in 1998, the college offered just one four-year degree program.

Her accomplishments include the development of a bachelor’s degree program in agricultural business development, which helped catapult the college into the top tiers of agriculture institutions.

She is an ardent supporter of the Nelson Farms business incubator and food processing facility, which has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs (including Morrisville students) launch their own food products.

She co-authored the college’s first master’s degree program in food & agribusiness, a project that will support professionals throughout the entire global system and help students who want to bring the family farm into the next generation.

Author

Alaina Potrikus Beckett

“As our farms get larger, the skillset of managers and owners just keeps increasing,” she said. “The industry needs students who are critically thinking and making decisions at that level.”

This spring, she received the college’s Distinguished Faculty Award for her outstanding commitment to students, the college and community.

But for Marshman, the real reward comes from the success of her students, who will be the authors of the future success of the agriculture industry.

“We are watching the rural economy change because of Morrisville students,” she said. “It’s a powerful thing.”

Her roots

Marshman traces her own personal momentum to growing up on a working dairy farm in Groton, Vermont.

“The work ethic of my parents, the 24/7 commitment to the land and agriculture — that is still what drives me today,” she said. “Those committed to the food system — it’s in our blood.”

But after college, she considered a change of fields, in part because of hardships her parents faced. Her undergraduate studies at Northern Vermont University included a semester abroad at the London School of Economics.

“I always thought there had to be a better life out there,” she said. “It is a big world out there, and I wanted to be a part of it. So, I set out to pursue that, only to realize that the best life really is the life of agriculture and the food system.”

After graduation, employment opportunities brought her to Central New York — first as part of Agway’s management training program and then as an assistant vice president in agribusiness lending with Key Bank in Syracuse.

The work ethic of my parents, the 24/7 commitment to the land and agriculture — that is still what drives me today.

Sheila Marshman

While pursuing an MBA at Le Moyne College, Marshman said her fellow students always joked that her financial acuity would translate well on Wall Street. She later went on to earn her Ph.D.

“I always said, ‘I’m going to the farm,’” she said. “Some of us have to leave our industry to truly appreciate it. With the students, I encourage each of them to leave, explore, spread their wings, see what’s out there. That’s how you find your love, your passion, your purpose.”

Her work and personal life crossed paths when she married John Marshman and settled on his family’s seventh-generation dairy farm, Tiger Lily Holsteins in Oxford, near the Norwich Campus.

“I was out and about visiting farms, and I stopped in, and the rest is sort of history,” Marshman said with a smile.

A natural fit

A teaching position at ��Ƶ was the next natural fit.

The college was founded in 1908 as a progressive public coeducational institution in response to New York’s unsafe food systems and spiraling prices in the face of the abandonment of the family farm.

More than a century later, its core mission remains steadfast: to educate and prepare graduates as future leaders in their specialized professions and their communities.

“Teaching energizes me and I strive to share my passions for the extraordinary complexities of the food system, production agriculture and finance with others, particularly college students,” Marshman said. “My goal as a professor is to instill a passion for learning within my students, one that helps each student find their purpose.”

��Ƶ student Jenna Wilbur has already applied some of her coursework to improve operations at her family’s 60-head cattle farm outside of Albany.

“It definitely helps me understand how challenging it is for my parents,” she said. “Our professors connect what we are learning in the classroom to the real world and I can already see what an asset that can be.”

Marshman’s network extends beyond New York State. Her extensive agricultural experience includes attending the International Agricultural Economics Conference in Beijing, China, and participating in a food system tour of rural China as an invited guest of the Renmin University of China. The trip prompted much of her advocacy and education for a local food system in the United States.

“On the other side of the world, we met with farmers and talked about the challenges and opportunities they face,” she explained. “It’s still agriculture. And I bring those stories back to the classroom.”

Janet Hanehan ’18 chose ��Ƶ to broaden the perspective cultivated on her family’s fifth-generation dairy farm in Saratoga County.

“I needed to figure out where I fit in the industry,” she said.

Her undergraduate years included a four-month internship at a dairy farm in New Zealand, a connection that was fostered by Marshman.

“The experience that I got over there was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said.

“I think a lot of what we’re doing here at Morrisville is just helping young people believe in themselves,” Marshman said. “They have to know that they too can be a part of the world.”

Our professors connect what we are learning in the classroom to the real world and I can already see what an asset that can be.

Jenna Wilbur

As an undergraduate, Sam Arotsky ’06 milked cows at Indian Camp Farm to make extra money, a gig that was set up by Marshman.

Today, he’s part owner of the 550-head dairy in Earlville, New York, and credits his career growth to their ongoing relationship.

“She’s just always so encouraging,” said Arotsky. “She’ll say, ‘What are you guys going to do to expand? Are you thinking about diversification?’ And that makes me think about what could be next.”

Following her students in their careers is an honor for Marshman.

“It feels like I have this looking glass, and I’m able to just watch the students as they grow and succeed,” she said. “They grow into responsible and respectable humans and so that makes me feel accomplished.”

But maintaining that connection to alumni has a bigger purpose. At the dairy show in Harrisburg, Marshman said she caught up with former students that are making a difference.

“Everywhere you go in the Northeast, you’ll find our alumni working in agriculture,” she said.

“They are out there helping us recruit and employing our graduates. That is not something that happens at every institution, and that’s what I’ve always thought is so special about Morrisville.”

Sheila Marshman, associate professor of agricultural business development, and Scott Colby, assistant professor of agribusiness, developed ��Ƶ’s new master’s degree in food & agribusiness (FAB). The fully online, two-year degree prepares professionals for careers throughout the food system, drawing from agricultural economics, food marketing, supply chain management, organizational management, econometrics, agriculture and food regulation, and more, all tailored to the special problems that food businesses face.

More than a resume

Sheila Marshman uses her knowledge of the agriculture industry to help current students and alumni.

Some of her connections include:

NY FarmNet, helping farm families across the state make financial decisions and plan for their future through succession/estate planning.

GrowNY, a business competition focusing on growing agriculture innovation throughout the region.

Farm Rancher Stress Assistance Network - Northeast, where she and her agribusiness students, in conjunction with other universities and industry leaders, wrote five case studies to improve the financial literacy of seasonal farmworkers.

Co-advisor to ��Ƶ National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Chapter and Collegiate Farm Bureau.

A noted national, state and local speaker, Marshman is engaged in the community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Development Chenango Corporation, the NBT Bank Southern Tier Regional Advisory Board, New York State Promotion Order Board, New York State Dairy Think Tank and the New York State Agricultural Foundation Board.

Her work with local organizations includes youth softball, FFA and 4-H, and involvement in dairy product giveaway efforts at the college’s Norwich Campus and in Chenango County to assist families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

A Walking Miracle: Survivor of traumatic brain injury shares her journey, reaches for the moon

salibalr — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:18:16 +0000

A Walking Miracle: Survivor of traumatic brain injury shares her journey, reaches for the moon salibalr Fri, 01/06/2023 - 11:18

Megan Viera ’18 concentrates on her footing as she walks up a wooden ramp leading to the porch of a two-story farmhouse. A prominent sign hanging by the door — “It’s so good to be home” sums up a near decade of perseverance for the 27-year-old Sherburne, New York, resident.

It’s her first step toward living independently as a survivor of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a motor vehicle accident, which left her rebuilding her life — learning how to walk, talk and perform all cognitive functions again.

Viera is thriving these days. She fulfilled her dream of going to college, earning a degree in human services from ��Ƶ’s Norwich Campus, where she made the Dean’s List and won awards. She’s also written a book, “Viera Strong: My Struggle With Traumatic Brain Injury.”

She took another step on her journey, enrolling in ��Ƶ’s applied psychology bachelor’s degree program for the Fall 2022 semester, pursuing skills toward her impassioned crusade to spread awareness about TBI.

“I want to empower and inspire people,” Viera said. “I got a second chance at life and I am going to make the best of it and help other people do the same.”

Inside her home, walls bursting with colorful acrylic paintings bring back memories for Viera, a talented artist filled with ambition, vitality and dreams of going to college to become a forensic anthropologist.

“This has always been one of my favorites,” she said pointing to artwork on a wall — of pine trees bending toward the moon.

It’s taken on a symbolic meaning for Viera, who has been reaching for the moon ever since the accident, a couple of weeks before she was headed to college at SUNY Oneonta.

While doctors doubted she would regain consciousness or lead a normal life if she did, nothing has stopped Viera.

“I have always been determined and now I am definitely more determined,” she said.

Viera shares her story through ongoing community presentations and volunteer work, hoping her journey will broaden awareness and inspire brain injury survivors.

“They call me a walking miracle,” Viera said. “After my accident, there were so many people who helped me and now my life is about empowering others.”

Twice a week, Viera volunteers at Compassionate Care in Endicott, New York, helping brain injury survivors improve their lives. They play games. They cook together. And they share frustrations of daily living and struggles of making sense of their new lives as survivors with TBI.

“I want to help people transition to their new being. It is really hard to be okay with that,” Viera said. “People with brain injuries can live full and meaningful lives. I encourage them to keep hoping and dreaming.”

That’s been a motivating force behind her own recovery and rediscovering herself again.

Defying odds and beginning again

Viera doesn’t remember the August 2013 accident in which a car slammed into the side of a vehicle where she was a backseat passenger.

Doctors told her family if she lived, they should expect extensive brain damage with significant cognitive and physical challenges, including not being able to walk, talk, eat or breathe on her own. Part of the right side of her skull was removed to relieve pressure caused by her brain injury and she spent three months in the hospital in a coma before going home.

Author

Franci Valenzano

Giving up has never been in the cards for the Viera family. While she was in a coma, her family created a “Viera Strong” Facebook page to update the community on her progress.

Filled with pictures and messages of hope, the page led many to donate to her cause. A benefit, spearheaded by one of her former teachers, helped the family with medical costs.

That support network was a vital piece of her recovery, which was filled with triumphs and challenges.

Before regaining motor skills, Viera communicated through writing. She used a wheelchair, then a cane before walking on her own.

A “Viera Strong” Facebook post from July 11, 2016, describes one of her victories: “Last year on vacation, we were using a wheelchair for long walks. Today, we climbed a mountain 3.5 miles up and down and explored a cave for another 1.5-mile hike. It was not an easy feat for sure, but we conquered it.”

Improvements came through extensive rehabilitation, which included speech, physical and occupational therapy, much of it at Robynwood Enrichment Center, in Oneonta, New York, a structured program for individuals coping with TBI.

Support from doctors, the community and her family fueled her drive and tenacity. Her mother, Ann, left her job to provide around-the-clock care and her father, Paul, remodeled her bedroom to accommodate a wheelchair and other needs throughout her recovery.

“My mom told me to take the words ‘giving up’ out of my vocabulary,” Viera said.

Those words of wisdom carried her through many challenges, among them, attending college.

“Living out the goal I was working so hard for in my recovery was going to college,” Viera said.

“It is one of my greatest mental accomplishments.”

She took full advantage of all the support services offered on campus, including using a tutor and note-taker in classes, to achieve academic success despite all of her challenges.

“She had long-term goals and she was determined to achieve those goals,” said Julanne Burton, assistant professor of social science at ��Ƶ. “She said she wanted to work with others who had TBI, so she was going to do whatever was necessary to achieve this. We talk about grit in my classroom — that is passion and perseverance for a long-term goal. Certainly, Megan came to college with the grit we’re talking about.”

Viera flourished in the classroom, where she was an inspiration and role model to fellow classmates. “If Megan can do it, I can do it,” a fellow student once told her.

My mom told me to take the words ‘giving up’ out of my vocabulary.

Megan Viera

Her tenacity heartened faculty, staff and professors, too.

“Megan really taught me to think about the best way to teach all students and how to pay close attention to what each of my students might need from me in the classroom,” Burton said. “Some students learn by listening, some by seeing and some by doing. I had to incorporate all of those aspects in each class all of the time. I still work hard to do that even when I have students who are taking classes virtually.”

While earning her associate degree in human services, Viera completed three internships, which solidified her career change from forensic science to helping and bringing hope to others.

That focus led her back to ��Ƶ to earn a bachelor’s degree, one of many goals she’s set for the future.

“It’s baby steps that matter,” she said. “I keep telling myself, ‘I got this.’”

A new life

Going after things is what has characterized Viera’s life, even before the accident.

The gifted artist, who once displayed her work throughout the local area, aspires to paint again, despite having limited use of her left arm and fingers.

“I do daily exercises and there is improvement,” she said. “I am determined to get the movement back in my left arm and fingers to paint with both hands again.”

Aside from the visible, Viera faces other hurdles. Seizures prevent her from driving and there are lapses of memory.

“It is an invisible injury that not many understand,” she said.

Recovery from a brain injury is lifelong with many challenges, including common understanding because difficulties are unnoticeable to the average person and often lead to a stigma, one Viera hopes to lessen through championing awareness.

As she continues to recover and set new goals for herself, Viera looks back at all she has accomplished with pride.

“You learn to accept the new you. I want others to know that anything is possible,” she said. “I wake up every morning to a gift I will always treasure — my life.”

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

What is TBI?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex neurological incident where brain function is disrupted due to physical trauma. It is called the “invisible injury” because there are often no visible changes on a person’s outside, but those underneath can’t be cured, and many times are not understood.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) reports that at least 3.6 million people sustain a brain injury each year in the United States.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Field of Dreams

salibalr — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 15:56:40 +0000

Field of Dreams salibalr Fri, 01/06/2023 - 10:56

As a child, Tweh Johnson would often get in trouble for the numerous science experiments he concocted through his wild imagination.

While they didn’t always go as planned, they all played a role in helping him discover his insatiable thirst for knowledge.

That same inquisitiveness has now led him to a degree in the field of his dreams, thanks to ��Ƶ.

Johnson, a native of Staten Island, New York, is set to graduate this December with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in agricultural business development and a cannabis industry minor. The minor, one of the first of its kind in New York State, provides students a vast understanding of the cannabis industry by combining portions of the college’s agricultural science, horticulture and business programs. Hemp plants, which are very similar to the marijuana plant but lack the levels of THC that cause psychoactive effects, are used in the curriculum to study cultivation techniques.

The program was the catalyst for Johnson’s research project completed during his 15-credit capstone internship with the college’s Horticulture Department this summer (Fun fact: 95 percent of the college’s baccalaureate students fulfill an internship prior to graduation).

Taking full advantage of the 11,368-square-foot greenhouse at ��Ƶ’s George A. Spader Horticulture Center, Johnson examined the effect of fertilizer on cannabis growth during an eight-week period this past summer.

Author

Eugenio Mercurio

There, he studied 51 potted berry blossom hemp plants placed either inside (30 plants) or directly outside (21) using two test groups — one with organic fertilizer and the other with inorganic fertilizer — along with a control group containing no fertilizer.

With all receiving identical treatment, each week Johnson documented the height and width of each plant to the tenth of an inch, as well as any color changes or other phenotypical differences within the plant.

Naturally, Johnson came up with the experiment on his own.

“I’ve loved science since I was a kid,” Johnson said. “I grew up watching nature with my father. I’m always doing my own experiments and it’s just stuck with me.”

When the study concluded that the plants with organic fertilizer yielded the best response, it was much to the delight of Johnson, an advocate of all things organic. It also was further confirmation that he was pursuing his passion, and this time around, he faced no repercussions for his study.

“Coming to ��Ƶ was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Johnson said.

Johnson arrived at ��Ƶ as a nontraditional student in 2019, drawn in by the availability of his degree of interest and the opportunity to join the college’s football team as a student-assistant coach (Another fun fact: Johnson helped guide the Mustangs to the Clayton Chapman Bowl Championship game that season).

Coming to ��Ƶ was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Tweh Johnson

Another draw: Family and community — two important pillars in Johnson’s life — were both evident as part of the Morrisville culture as soon as he arrived on campus.

“We’re a family here,” he said. “I’m learning every day. People here are very patient and very willing to teach me.”

One such person is Sheila Marshman, associate professor of agricultural business development (and this magazine edition’s cover story!), whom Johnson often sought advice from. Turns out, Johnson has had a lasting impact on Marshman as well.

“Tweh Johnson is a gem,” Marshman said. “He is goal-oriented, has excellent interpersonal skills and he always brought these skills to group projects and class discussions. I am looking forward to staying in touch with Tweh for years to come.”

Johnson landed his internship — which also included assisting with growing and harvesting crops at the college’s certified organic Four Seasons Farm — with the help of Morrisville’s Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). He credits CSTEP and its resources and support as a major factor in completing his degree.

“I want to thank them personally,” he said of the CSTEP staff. “They would check in to see how I was doing with my grades and my goals. I appreciate CSTEP; it’s one of the best programs here.”

The difference such support can make has never been lost on Johnson. Back home, he has volunteered at a seasonal youth sports camp at Central Park since 2010, teaching football, basketball and track.

Nurture is in his nature, guided by the examples set by his mother and her ongoing philanthropic work, and proudly being named after his grandfather, who served as a reverend and community activist in Liberia for 70 years.

His own recent trip to Liberia, the birthplace of his parents, continued to shape Johnson’s desire to help others. “To see how good we have it here, and to see kids go crazy over the simplest things that we just throw away, why not give back to people while I can, while I’m healthy, while I’m alive?” he said.

Johnson now plans to use the academic and practical knowledge gained from his degree to pursue a career in holistic health. It’s a journey many of his family members also are on and where he draws his inspiration from, as his father serves as a public health advisor, two of his three brothers are CEOs of health-related organizations, and his mother and two sisters all have nursing backgrounds.

“I’m into nature and holistic health, and the more I started becoming a healthier person, I figured (growing plants) was tied to it,” said Johnson, who meditates three times a week to help provide clarity and focus. “I like to see how things connect holistically, so this was one of the lanes I can enter to expand and magnify anything else I’m doing.”

Seeing food as a main source of medicine — “eat good, feel good” — Johnson plans to grow his business endeavor focused on the distribution and sale of a variety of “super juices” and healthy food choices.

“I believe in eating food that’s full of life,” he said. “The healthy foods I eat, I want to practice what I preach and promote it.”

His busy schedule certainly puts that practice to the test at times, but Johnson wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I get home tired and I feel good, I feel accomplished,” he said. “I don’t feel right sitting around all day. There’s too much to be done.”

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Planting a new tradition to celebrate Earth Day

salibalr — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 18:01:12 +0000

Planting a new tradition to celebrate Earth Day salibalr Thu, 01/05/2023 - 13:01

As the world came together to acknowledge Earth Day this year, ��Ƶ was planting a new seed — a campus tradition that joined acts of kindness with sustainability to celebrate the day.

The college’s Administrative Quad was at the center of kindness as students joined in food and clothing drives, a Be the Match bone marrow registry, campus cleanup projects, a tree planting, cooking demonstration, building birdhouses and bat boxes, making tie-dye bags with natural products and showing native plant sowing.

The day portrayed how ��Ƶ students are already on track to become leaders in community efforts toward sustainability through academic programs and campus practices.

“Earth Day celebrations play an important role in raising awareness around environmental issues,” said Tara Shimer, workforce and partnership specialist and member of the college’s sustainability committee. “It was wonderful to see the excitement that our students, faculty and staff have when it comes to learning, teaching and researching about our environment.”

Rachel Soong, an aquaculture student, was among those showcasing a project during an Applied Learning Conference, which integrated applied learning and sustainability.

Her vibrant display explained spawning induction of two types of sea urchins — Orange Spine and Tuxedo — and their importance in the environment, grazing along rocks and traveling along the ocean floor eating algae.

Soong came to ��Ƶ from Long Island seeking a program that would bond her with nature and give her a chance to improve the environment.

“Environmental education is vital,” Shimer said. “It teaches individuals and the community about the environment and its related issues and makes them think about solutions to issues that promote sustainability.”

Other students engaged in a student-led virtual conference, The Student Efforts to Advance Sustainability in New York (SEAS NY). The student-founded conference aims to engage, inspire and empower students to enact sustainable change on campuses in New York State.

Earth Day roots are deeply planted at ��Ƶ, as one of its founding trustees, Liberty Hyde Bailey, authored many articles and monographs affirming the symbiotic relationships between agriculture, social fabric and the environment.

“As we celebrate Earth Day, let us take special pride in the knowledge that Morrisville was founded by a pioneer in both agriculture and education, one who would be proud of the commitment we have made to educate generations of leaders who have become contemporary ‘caretakers’ of his Holy Earth,” said ��Ƶ President David Rogers.

What is Earth Day?

In 1970, then Senator Gaylord Nelson, of Wisconsin, worked to establish the first Earth Day as a celebration of and a commitment to Earth. Since that time, each April 22 has offered an opportunity for organizations and individuals everywhere to review and renew commitments to preserve the many natural gifts bestowed by our planet.

Visit: earthday.org and morrisville.edu/earth-day

Author

Franci Valenzano

Published date

January 9, 2023

Gallery

News Type

The Campaign for Morrisville: First-ever comprehensive campaign “is going to change the future of our college”

salibalr — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:49:26 +0000

The Campaign for Morrisville: First-ever comprehensive campaign “is going to change the future of our college” salibalr Thu, 01/05/2023 - 11:49

With the college’s official launch of the Campaign for Morrisville, an initiative that will strengthen resources for generations of Mustangs, there’s never been a more exciting time at ��Ƶ.

“We’re laying the foundation for the next 100 years of applied education,” said Theresa Kevorkian, vice president for Institutional Advancement. “This transformative campaign is going to change the future of our college.”

The campaign kicked off in grand fashion, receiving a $100,000 pledge from ��Ƶ President David Rogers and his wife, Associate Professor Jan Rogers.

Their donation provides an important incentive to generate increased funds through the $15 million comprehensive campaign — the first in Morrisville’s history — to fund initiatives in the four pillar areas of academic opportunities, student support, scholarships and operational improvements.

“Jan and I are honored to make this commitment to ensure a strong start for the Campaign for Morrisville during this public launch,” President Rogers said. “Each of these campaign initiatives will enhance the academic experience of our students. Jan and I are both grateful for the educational opportunities that we received from public higher education, with four SUNY degrees alone in our immediate family. This campaign will make it possible for more students to take advantage of a Morrisville education that will both help them discover future pathways and to realize their own potential.”

“A Morrisville education is a driving force in our local and statewide economy and the college is training students to fill critical roles in our society,” Kevorkian said. “The campaign brings together all in the community who are invested in that future.”

It also will ensure that students are prepared to hit the ground running the day after they graduate and make an immediate impact in their industry and community, she added.

Among the campaign’s goals is to make ��Ƶ more affordable and accessible to attend, while also helping students remain enrolled and complete their degrees. Other initiatives involve providing academic opportunities that prepare students for the workforce as well as operational improvements that strengthen the long-term efficiency of the college.

“Each pillar represents an opportunity for ��Ƶ to positively impact our greater local, state and national communities,” Kevorkian said. “These initiatives will prepare students to lead their communities and address inequality in society.”

Each initiative, which will evolve and change throughout the campaign, has a faculty or staff champion who partners with the investing donor to carry out the project.

“This campaign may be different than others you have seen,” Kevorkian said. “Rather than providing you a menu of giving options, we invite you to join us as an investor by sharing your feedback and helping to both shape and fund these project initiatives. By partnering with our donors, each contributor will be able to witness substantial change and progress within the area they choose to invest in.”

Author

��Ƶ

The initiative of the $15 million campaign is to offer a best-in-class applied education that is accessible to all students and which provides the support and resources needed for each student to find success.

An overview of each pillar:

1. Scholarships

Fifty-five percent of enrolled students are Pell-eligible, meaning their families face exceptional financial need in paying for college. The cost of tools, housing, meals, textbooks, travel and other living expenses can be cost prohibitive. The Scholarships pillar includes initiatives that make attending ��Ƶ more affordable and accessible.

2. Student Support

��Ƶ serves students who are bright and capable, but often unprepared for the rigors of college academia. This pillar includes projects that impact a student’s ability to remain enrolled and complete their degree requirements by providing the resources they will need to find success in college and their career.

3. Academic Opportunities

Academic Opportunities maximize student potential, prepare graduates for the workforce, provide opportunities for prospective students to experience the ��Ƶ campus and academic programs, and provide technological advances to reach as many students as possible. It is imperative that students are trained to industry standards with current and state-of-the-art facilities, tools and equipment to provide them with the knowledge and experience they need to hit the ground running after graduation.

4. Operational Improvements

Operational Improvement initiatives build the capacity of the college and create institutional efficiency by maximizing our campus resources, strengths, infrastructure and personnel to ensure the long-term success of the college. Looking at areas of energy consumption, opportunities to educate adult learners, diversifying funding sources and expanding non-degree coursework are all vital areas of improvement for long-term, institution-wide success.

For more information, visit the Campaign for Morrisville webpage.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Made in Morrisville: Alumnus continues late wife’s legacy of giving through scholarship in her name

salibalr — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:41:40 +0000

Made in Morrisville: Alumnus continues late wife’s legacy of giving through scholarship in her name salibalr Thu, 01/05/2023 - 10:41

The story of George and Barb Elias is a perfect reminder that anyone can leave an extraordinary legacy. George Elias ’70 (instrument technology) endowed a scholarship in honor of his late wife, Barb ’81 (horse husbandry), the Barbara A. Elias ’81 Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Barb left a trail of giving that spread from New York State to Colorado and many places in-between. The scholarship George created will continue her legacy.

Author

��Ƶ

The beginning

It was Oct. 4, 1969. A young George Elias had just arrived back to ��Ƶ after serving four years in the Navy. As he polished his car outside of North Hall, he witnessed some shenanigans coming from a third-floor residence hall window.

Barb Elias (then, Barb Ann Lewis) was soliciting help in math from her friends when they suggested she ask the man cleaning his car below. Barb and George spent the next few hours on the wall outside of North Hall working on her math homework. Little did he know, George had just met his soon-to-be wife.

It was only a few months later, in December of 1969, that George proposed to Barb in the lobby of her residence hall. “It wasn’t very romantic,” George joked.

By August of 1970, they were married and a year later they welcomed their daughter, Trudi Elias, to the world. Barb put her horse husbandry education on hold while George completed his degree in instrumentation technology and got a job working for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York.

In the ensuing years, Barb returned to school to complete her LPN degree, gave birth to their son, Jason Elias, completed her associate degree in horse husbandry from Morrisville, her bachelor’s degree in recreation therapy, and after her retirement in 2004, received her master’s degree in special education. All the while, she maintained her love of horses, which she owned and George inherited. “They were her horses. My pets,” George said. “I was always so proud of her varied accomplishments.”

George’s job took them to Colorado and later Barb’s took them to Georgia, before they finally relocated to Lakeland, Florida in 2016 to enjoy their retirement together.

“Barb always believed in giving back to the community and helping people achieve their highest potential,” George said.

That was evident in her educational pursuits that led to careers which always impacted the communities they resided in.

In Georgia, Barb established the first 4H riding program for handicapped children and adults — the Free Spirit 4H Riding Club. At the VA Center in Canandaigua, New York, she started a pet therapy program that enabled her to help America’s heroes through the assistance of animals.

In 2017, Barb was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away in 2019. Struggling with the loss, George was reading about coping with grief when he came upon words of advice that stuck with him. “Find a way to memorialize the person you love.”

He reached out to ��Ƶ. “Barb struggled to pay for school. My only criterion was that the scholarship would be given to someone who faced a financial need and was studying something to do with equine – that was it.”

In December 2021, George established the Barbara A. Elias ’81 Endowed Scholarship Fund.

“I’ll continue to contribute to the scholarship for as long as I am able,” George said. “It’s just great to know that Barb will always have an impact on the students of ��Ƶ.”

Kicking off the Campaign for Morrisville

President David Rogers worked in higher education for many years before coming to ��Ƶ in 1999. He has served as college president since 2015. During his tenure as president, he has directed more than $100 million in upgrades to campus facilities, including a new Agricultural and Clean Energy Technology (ACET) Center.

He also led the way in transitioning the college into a baccalaureate institution, introducing new academic programs, some of which earned the college national and international recognition, and recently introduced the college’s first master’s degree in food & agribusiness.

For nearly three decades, Jan has been a faculty member at ��Ƶ, teaching both foundational and specialized courses in the Biology Department. As an associate professor, Jan is a published scholar and has served as editor of the newsletter for the Empire State Association of College Biologists.

Her expansive service to Morrisville includes onboarding, advising and mentoring students and faculty. She has served on the executive committee of College Senate, chaired the Curriculum Committee and was an early co-chair for her division in the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Finn's Second Act: Morrisville donation program benefits students and a good horse

salibalr — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 15:23:17 +0000

Finn's Second Act: Morrisville donation program benefits students and a good horse salibalr Thu, 12/22/2022 - 10:23

Janis Barth, owner and editor of New York Horse Magazine, shares a firsthand story about donating her beloved horse to ��Ƶ’s equine program.

Sunday morning. The air is crisp with blue-ribbon dreams and the first intercollegiate horse show of the season is ramping up at the ��Ƶ Western barn.

The horses are groomed and polished and waiting their turn, including the roan Quarter Horse with number 418 pinned to his saddle pad; the one who was briefly excited when the Morrisville team passed around a box of donuts and he thought one might have his name on it. First up are the reiners, followed by the ranch horses. And then the gate releases for the Open Horsemanship Class and in walks the roan, ears flicked and listening to his rider as if he owns the place. Which of course, in his mind, he does.

Finn.

An overgrown golden retriever of a horse, Finn is the newest four-legged member of Morrisville’s equine studies faculty. Not long before that, he was mine — a good soul in need of a new career and a happy ending. The answer to what his second act might be came unexpectedly. One day I walked into the barn, said hello to my trainer, and was greeted with six life-changing words: Have you thought about donating him?

Author

Janis Barth

Every horse we own has such an important role.

Julie Corey

So it is that this is a morning, too, of new beginnings. Finn nails every transition, downshifts smoothly from lope to jog, and does not stop mid-circle because he thought he’d worked hard enough and deserved a rest. His rider, Morrisville student Victoria Epstein, takes second place and goes on to be one of the day’s high point riders.

When her class is done, Epstein walks over, asking “Are you Finn’s old owner?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“I just wanted to thank you for donating him to the program,” she said, explaining that he is one of the horses she cares for as part of her Western studies. “I love him. We all love him.”

Epstein smiles. I wipe away the joyful tears from my eyes. Finn checks everyone’s pockets for hidden carrots. He is home.

In the end, it was an easy decision. Donating Finn is an investment in education, in the next generation of equestrians and, more broadly, the future of the equine industry.

“We’re always in need,” said Julie Corey, assistant professor of equine science and a coach of the college’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Western team. “Without these horses we don’t have a program ... I lose sleep over it.

“Every horse we own has such an important role.”

Morrisville looks for donations in three broad categories: lesson horses; young stock for their breaking and training students; and show-quality horses, primarily seasoned reiners and all-around types for whom the show pen is a second home. “They’ve been there, done that, and are ready to teach our upper-level students how to show,” Corey said.

Finn is a lesson horse, ridden every day except weekends, and used in IHSA practice and shows. In his second year, as the upper-level students help him grow into a horse for every student’s stage of experience, he is finding his niche.

“These horses have to be able to teach the beginner rider. They have to give them confidence and they have to be very forgiving of the rider as they’re learning,” Corey said. “They’re the unicorns. They’re the hardest to find because no one wants to part with them.”

Parting with Finn, to be honest, was not easy. The unexpected piece was how simple and smooth Morrisville made the process. Every donation begins with contacting one of the human faculty members. The four instructors in the Western barn discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and it’s standard for the horse to have a two-week tryout to see if they’re a good fit for the program.

If they are, Theresa Kevorkian, vice president for Institutional Advancement, reaches out to the donor and walks them through the donation contract. A horse valued at more than $5,000 must go through an appraisal, but otherwise it’s a one-step process to sign.

“Gifts from alumni and friends allow academic programs at Morrisville to excel in providing students the hands-on, applied learning opportunities they need,” she said. “Gifts to student support programming mean that we can meet every student where they are in their academic journey and provide the support and resources they need to find success.”

Kevorkian, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the college’s fundraising, works with individual donors to craft contributions that meet both the needs of the college and the wishes and priorities of each benefactor. All gifts – scholarships, endowments, special roan horses named Finn -- have a significant impact on the life and education of Morrisville students, “preparing them to launch into the workforce and make a difference in their communities.”

The equine program, a premier curriculum now in its 54th year, has a 99% placement rate after graduation. Knowing that Finn will play a small role in that success, that he is cared for and will have a useful life with students who love and learn from him, is both salve and source of pride.

Spin the dial nine months and it’s an early September morning fresh with the ambitions of a new semester. In the Western barn, Epstein, now a senior, leans forward in the saddle, rests her hands on the horn and considers life after college.

She wants to be a horse trainer. Finn, she said, helped her see that was the right path.

“A lot of lesson horses are point and shoot. Finn would tell on you — if you gave him an inch, he took a mile,” said Epstein, whose hometown is Liberty, New York. “He helped me find my patience. He gave me something to work toward … He made me sit there and think about what I wanted to do with my life.

“Everybody loves him.”

And so, yes, he is home. Nickering at the kids from his stall in the lesson barn; still refusing to pick up the right lead lope unless he’s asked exactly so; ever optimistic that there is a treat lurking somewhere nearby.

If it is not the original happy ending — that would be the one where we ride off into the sunset together — it is the right one for this good horse, and for all the Morrisville students he will carry into their future.

If you are interested in donating a horse, or would like more information about the process, contact Julie Corey at coreyja@morrisville.edu.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Generations of Care: Children’s Center at ��Ƶ provides a village of growth for college and community

salibalr — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:19:33 +0000

Generations of Care: Children’s Center at ��Ƶ provides a village of growth for college and community salibalr Thu, 12/22/2022 - 09:19

Wendy Groves can still remember that first day of drop off at the Children’s Center on the ��Ƶ campus nearly 30 years ago.

Holding the hand of her 3-year-old daughter, Taylor, Groves walked down those shiny new halls wondering how her child would react to her new surroundings. And, as any new parent would be, she was a bit apprehensive about leaving Taylor in a new place for the first time as she returned to work as the administrative assistant in ��Ƶ’s Office of Technology Services.

When Groves returned for pickup at day’s end, her fear had turned into delight — Taylor wanted to stay and play.

“It was the best decision I ever made,” Groves said. “It was such a wonderful resource and service to me and my family. It was wonderful knowing she was so close by and the children are in a safe, loving and nurturing educational environment.”

Today, as Taylor (Massett) again walks those same halls with her two children, her mind is at ease knowing that they will receive that same high-quality care when she leaves for work each day.

“The Children’s Center gives such a warm and welcoming feeling,” said Massett ’14, payroll assistant in the college’s Office of Human Resources and a former intern and employee at the Center. “First and most importantly, I know my children are safe. The Center is filled with so many amazing teachers who care so much for the children and are also trained in First Aid and CPR.

“It is such an amazing community of people and I can honestly say we have built some great friendships with some of the families here.”

Massett is one of many who now highlight the generations of families who have walked through the doors of the Children’s Center at ��Ƶ, a licensed and nationally accredited, not-for-profit Early Care and Learning Center serving more than 80 local families and college faculty, staff and students alike.

The Children’s Center provides care to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, as well as a before- and afterschool program for children in kindergarten through fifth grade in the Morrisville-Eaton Central School District. During the summer months, the school-age program also serves out-of-district families in need of care.

The Children’s Center was the brainchild of former ��Ƶ president Frederick Woodward and his wife, Carol, who led the charge to provide childcare on campus. The task began in 1991 and carried out two years’ worth of research to discover and confirm the need and demand for daycare within the local and college community.

Author

Eugenio Mercurio

It was wonderful knowing she was so close by and in a safe, loving and nurturing educational environment.

Wendy Groves

Those results helped garner funding through capital funds, fundraising and support from different state agencies, which secured a dedicated space within the college’s Bailey Hall to house the facility. The Center broke ground in December 1993, officially opened its doors to the community in August 1994 and has since been operated by a director and governing board of directors.

Jennifer Britton, who joined the Center as a lead teacher in 1995 and has served as its director since 1998, is tasked with carrying out the Center’s mission of providing a safe, comfortable space for children to learn, explore and grow.

“We have the nutrition component, the educational component, but most importantly we have the social-emotional component, where we’re supporting the children’s needs emotionally when they can’t be with their parents, which is helping them develop that positive self-sense,” Britton said.

This past spring, right around the same time New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an initiative to expand and create high-quality childcare centers across all SUNY campuses to help eliminate childcare deserts, the Children’s Center achieved its sixth reaccreditation process after successfully meeting more than 400 standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

“We serve as a model program for other early care and education programs,” Britton said. “As an accredited and licensed center, we’re the only one in Madison, Oneida and Herkimer counties that holds a local and national certification.”

The Center continues to be ahead of the curve, recently adopting a new app to help easily communicate with parents. Direct messages can be sent to and from staff, teachers can provide daily reports for each child, and photos from the classroom or events can be provided throughout the day.

It’s yet another step in Britton’s goal of helping every parent have the same level of comfort that she did when her three children attended the Center.

“Our program is providing quality, reliable care for families who need to go to work and attend school,” she said. “It allows parents to focus on their work and school through the day and they know their child is being well-cared for. I want parents to really trust us and those relationships we build with them.”

Brandy Thurston ’95, whose two children attended the Center, can certainly vouch for that. Thurston credits the Center’s dedication to health and wellness in helping her identify and obtain intervention for her first child’s food sensory issues. That, in turn, led to her full confidence that the Center could navigate the challenges when her second child was diagnosed with severe food allergies.

“We are so incredibly grateful for each and every staff member of the Center,” said Thurston, associate athletic director for compliance and sports information at Morrisville and also a current Center board member. “The comfort they provided to us in working with children that needed special attention for matters out of our control really established a level of confidence in our children — and us as parents, too — to carry with them in the future.

“What really struck me the most is the time they took to provide extra education to parents, other teachers and Center staff regarding food allergies and the challenges it has on children and families. We will forever be grateful for the impact they had on our family during the time there.”

Our program is providing quality, reliable care for families who need to go to work and attend school.

Jennifer Britton

That genuine care extends to financial assistance. The Center helps inform families of various income-based grants they may be eligible for to assist with tuition. Morrisville students who have children in care also are notified of SUNY-funded grants available to them.

For students Jessica Matcham and Samantha Kimpel, the availability of the Children’s Center and such funding were major factors in their ability to attend ��Ƶ.

“I was able to work full time, attend classes and not have to worry about my child being in the Children’s Center,” said Matcham, an instructional support assistant for the NYS University Police Department who will graduate this December with an associate degree in individual studies. “The staff is very kind and caring and have been a wonderful transition for my child into a preschool setting.”

“I am a single parent in the last semester of my (business administration) associate degree. If it hadn’t been for the Children’s Center, I wouldn’t have childcare and would not be able to attend or complete my degree,” said Kimpel, who hopes to now continue on to pursue a business administration B.B.A. degree at Morrisville.

A common theme among families who attend the Children’s Center is the bittersweet feeling when their children “graduate” out to their next level of education. Elisa Livengood, associate professor of environmental & natural resources at Morrisville, recently shared such sentiments through a Facebook post:

“To say it takes a village is an understatement. Maxine and I have been blessed to call the Morrisville Children’s Center our home

away from home from the time she was six months to 5 years. Never once did I worry about her because I knew the teachers

loved and cared for her. She learned to be kind and so creative. We have been so lucky you have such a wonderful village helping us grow to a kindergartner.”

A village of care and growth, found right in the heart of Morrisville.

Published date

January 9, 2023

News Type

Fall/Spring 2022

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Finn's Second Act: Morrisville donation program benefits students and a good horse

Generations of Care: Children’s Center at ������Ƶ provides a village of growth for college and community

Generations of Care: Children’s Center at ��Ƶ provides a village of growth for college and community