Around the SUNY Oswego campus

More than 1,600 students had reason to celebrate for being eligible to take part in SUNY Oswego’s three Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 12: 9 a.m. for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; 1 p.m. for the School of Business; and 4 p.m.  for the School of Education and the School of Communication, Media and the Arts.

Alumni banner presenter Abigail McCormick-Foley of Oswego’s Honors Program, who earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Spanish at the 9 a.m. ceremony, unfurls the Class of 2018 banner with President Deborah F. Stanley.

A 1991 Oswego alumna, global editor-in-chief and co-founder of the award-winning women’s media company Refinery29 and a bestselling author, Christene Barberich offered wisdom and advice as the guest speaker at the 9 a.m. May 12 Commencement ceremony for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She also received an honorary doctorate at the ceremony.

At the 1 p.m. School of Business ceremony, speaker and honorary degree recipient Robert Moritz  -- a 1985 graduate who is global chair of PwC -- not only inspired the crowd but offered a very generous gift to three graduates.

Jeff Hoefer, a 1980 Oswego graduate who heads Google’s Digital Imaging Group for Brand Marketing and Hardware, shared his amazing journey through groundbreaking companies like Apple and Atari with graduates of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts and the School of Education at the 4 p.m. Commencement ceremony on May 12. (Photo by Madison Plyler/Ivy Image Studios)

Dana Segall Murphy, a 1999 SUNY Oswego alumna and sales manager of WideOrbit, served as the mistress of ceremonies for the May 11 Commencement Eve activities including Torchlight.

Senior torchbearer Lucas Ellison, Dean of Education Pamela Michel and Dean of Graduate Studies Kristen Eichhorn light the flame from the torch of knowledge, a Torchlight tradition stretching back around 80 years.

An audience that included graduating seniors, faculty, staff, families and alumni lit up the night at the May 11 Torchlight ceremony.

The State Singers including Alexis Bruening (center) under the direction of music faculty member Mihoko Tsutsumi performed Senior Sing as part of the May 11 Commencement Eve ceremonies.

Oswego State Jazz Ensemble, directed by music faculty member Eric Schmitz, provided some of the atmosphere for the Commencement Eve ceremonies on May 11.

Communication and social interaction major Kayla Murphy of Amesbury, Mass., was one of two recipients of the Outstanding Senior Award at Torchlight. Presenting are Laura Pavlus Kelly (left), director of alumni and parent relations, and Betsy Oberst, associate vice president of alumni relations and stewardship.

Olivia Botting of North Syracuse, a geology major, was one of two Outstanding Senior Award recipients honored during Torchlight. Presenting are Laura Pavlus Kelly (left), director of alumni and parent relations, and Betsy Oberst, associate vice president of alumni relations and stewardship.

Torchlight features alumni -- some ranging back decades -- participating in passing the torch of knowledge. These included 1950 alumna Jean Church Goodwin, 1993 master’s graduate Nancy MacDonald and her mother 1950 alumna JoAn Burns MacDonald, plus 1950 graduate Beverly Shuler Fish.

Robert Moritz -- a 1985 SUNY Oswego graduate, global chair of PwC and the May 12 Commencement speaker for School of Business -- and his wife Lynne Holicky Moritz, also a 1985 graduate, were among those on hand for Torchlight.

Trumpeters signal the start of the 1 p.m. School of Business ceremony.

Geology graduate Kimberly Smith celebrates as she comes down the ramp with other students-turned-alumni on May 12 at Commencement.

A group of School of Business graduates pause for a photo before going into the Marano Campus Center convocation hall and arena for the 1 p.m. ceremony on May 12. From left are Daniel DiBlasi, Michael Fusco, Michael Ferrara, Eli VanOrman, Anthony Fedele, Nicholas Dicecca and Dylan Diaz.

Biological sciences graduate Aleyah Johnson enjoys getting a seal of approval with her family after the 9 a.m. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ceremony.

Accounting graduate Yan Carlos Minaya celebrates his accomplishments with loved ones at Commencement.

Business administration graduate Joel Kilung and his family from Myanmar gather after the School of Business ceremony.

Human development graduate Angely Rosa celebrates with her family after the 9 a.m. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ceremony.

English graduate Shavonte Roberts and his family have plenty of reasons to smile after the 9 a.m. ceremony.

Winfield Ihlow (center), retired from the Office of Learning Services, congratulates School of Business and marketing graduates Coco Chan (left) and Autumn Caldwell.

From left, Camry Liddle and Trisha Hartnett, both communication and social interaction graduates, and Emily Motti, a dual major in communication and social interaction and creative writing, are all smiles after the 4 p.m. ceremony. (Photo by Madison Plyler/Ivy Image Studios)

OzFest returned on the last day of spring classes, May 4, with music, games, activities and even a Ferris wheel. Leaping for joy near the new attraction are, from left, Peterly Jean Baptiste (left), who graduated in May with a language and international trade degree, and friends sophomore political science and biology dual major Tamera Miller and sophomore cinema and screen studies major Tarica Thomas. The daylong free activities culminated in an evening concert featuring A$AP Ferg and H.E.R. in the arena.

A station where participants could make their own stuffed animals outside the Marano Campus Center auditorium was a very popular spot during OzFest.

Diamond Preston, a senior human development major, talks with Elizabeth Occhino of the Division of Extended Learning while getting fresh-squeezed lemonade at their courtesy booth in Marano Campus Center during OzFest.

A group of seniors have fun with the photo booth outside the Compass during OzFest.

For OzFest, free games abounded in the Marano Campus Center food and activity court, with more near the Compass. 

Joseph Diluca (center), an MBA/accounting student, was recently recognized for earning the prestigious Newman Center Civic Fellowship for 2018-19. Diluca earned the national honor for his sustained community service, including raising awareness of the dangers of food allergies as a way to share lessons from his cousin's death. Shown congratulating him in the Marano Campus Center’s Chu Atrium are, from left, Howard Gordon, executive assistant to the president; Kristi Eck, chief of staff; Catherine Farrell, coordinator of community services; and Christy Huynh of the Office of Career Services.

A pair of successful 1991 SUNY Oswego graduates -- Christene Barberich, the global editor-in-chief and co-founder of the award-winning women’s media company Refinery29 as well as a bestselling author, and Barbara Leigh Flayton, a writer, playwright and the transformative editor-in-chief for Arrive magazine for more than a decade -- conducted a fireside chat with students from arts, communications, media and creative writing disciplines in Tyler Art Gallery on May 11.

After participating in the May 11 fireside chat and before receiving an honorary doctorate and speaking at the next day’s Commencement ceremonies for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 1991 alumna Christene Barberich (top right) posed for a selfie with graphic design students (from left) Danielle Benincasa, Asli Kinsizer and Rachel Futterman.

The My Hometown Project at SUNY Oswego's Tyler Art Gallery continues to provide public space for artwork by students in the Oswego City School District. The exhibition will run until Saturday, June 16, and features an artist reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 1. Tyler Art Gallery is open noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for the exhibition. SUNY Oswego graduate students helped print, photograph, frame and mount the exhibition, including (from left) Asli Kinsizer, Yarbrielle Ingram, Mariana Diaz and Kate Percival.

SUNY Oswego alumni were well represented at CNY Career Development Organization’s 33rd Teacher Recruitment Days in April at SUNY Cortland. Top row from left: Gary Morris ‘88, director of career services at SUNY Oswego; Libarid “Libo” Alexanian M ’01, MS/CAS ‘07, principal at Lyons City School District; Erin Long CAS ‘11, principal at Lyons City School District; Charles “Chuck” Walker II ‘92, M ’98, CAS ‘07, principal at Union Springs Central School District; John Shirley ‘81, director of career services at SUNY Cortland. Bottom from left: Jackie Wallace ‘02, M ’04 assistant director of career services at SUNY Oswego; Todd Conroy ‘01, assistant principal and athletic director at USD 480 Liberal School District, Kansas; and Michael Wurster ‘02, M ’04 CAS ‘07, ‘13, principal at Union Springs City School District. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Wallace)