As students at SUNY Oswego finished up final exams and the campus prepared for its Saturday Commencement, a lifelong educator and alumnus from the Class of 1958 returned to his alma mater on May 8 for the dedication of an atrium named in his honor.

Frank Maraviglia ’58 of Jamesville, N.Y., gathered with members of his family, including brother Raymond ’61 of Port Orange, Florida, and nephew, Mark Procopio ’95 of Warners, N.Y., for the dedication and unveiling of the Maraviglia Atrium in the School of Education.

SUNY Oswego named the atrium in honor of Maraviglia and in acknowledgement of a $2 million gift he made to the university last December. The gift establishes the Maraviglia Education Enrichment Fund in the university’s highly regarded School of Education, which will support scholarship and engagement opportunities for students as well as innovative academic programming from the faculty.

SUNY Oswego Provost Scott Furlong welcomed the Maraviglia family and the 100 faculty, staff, students and guests in attendance before introducing President Peter O. Nwosu, who expressed the university community’s deep gratitude for Maravoglia’s gift.

“We’re here today to pay tribute to Frank for his many contributions to our university by unveiling  this space that now bears his name,” President Nwosu said. “It’s a very fitting space because – I’ve been told – that your name, Maraviglia, means ‘to wonder’ or ‘to marvel,’ and let’s look around at the soaring ceilings and the wonderful light. This is a space that conveys the promise of higher education, of growth, of discovery. It is a perfect way to pay tribute to a man who has devoted a lifetime encouraging young minds to learn and to explore.”

President Nwosu shared a little background about Maraviglia’s roots as a ward of the state who was dependent on welfare as a child. 

“He wasn’t a man who came from riches,” President Nwosu said. “He understood the power of giving because he’s been in that space. He would give back when he’s able to. He felt it necessary to give back generously to this institution, and he did it so that other young men and women who came to us would have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a transformative education, which SUNY Oswego has been known for.”  

School of Education Dean Laura Spenceley also shared her gratitude to Maraviglia and explained the ways in which his gift would impact the school and its students.

Spenceley said the fund will:

  • Allow investment in students, faculty and instructional equipment;
  • Help remove barriers to students’ success and mitigate challenges that students experience on their pathway to their professional goals;
  • Enhance instrumentation in the school’s 11 technical laboratories as well as spaces of learning that haven’t been envisioned yet; 
  • Support student-faculty collaborations; and
  • Assist with transportation to and from students’ off-campus clinical experiences.

“Frank, as you’ve demonstrated throughout your career, a SUNY Oswego education often serves as a catalyst to lifelong success that retains a focus on community and empowering others toward similar success,” Spenceley said. “Your gift, in honor of your wife, Gloria, with whom you shared more than 60 years of marriage, is transformational to our School of Education mission in offering innovative educational programs, built upon the wisdom of the past, the realities of the present and a focus on the future that prepare individuals who continually strive for personal growth and become socially conscious catalysts for change.”

The formal portion of the dedication ended with remarks by Bryan Diaz-Ximello ’25, a junior double majoring in history and technology and engineering education with a minor in sustainability studies.

“Mr. Maraviglia, your legacy is a beacon of hope and an example to us all,” Diaz-Ximello said. “You have shown us that with dedication, creativity and a focus on the potential of each student. You are proof that educators can change the world. You embody the spirit of what it means to be part of the Oswego story… not just impacting those around you, but to inspire and instill passion in the generations of educators to come.”

Then, Diaz-Ximello helped to pull back the green curtain to unveil the lettering that spelled out: “Maraviglia Atrum.”

Following the ceremony, School of Education professor Rich Bush ’92 M’97 and several students gave Maraviglia and his family a tour of some of the academic spaces within the school’s Park and Wilber halls. 

To learn more about Maraviglia and his gift, visit alumni.oswego.edu/maraviglia.