Around the SUNY Oswego campus

“I’m First Day” on Nov. 8 provided a daylong celebration of students who are the first in their families to attend college, inviting students and faculty to share their stories, pick up some swag and make connections. Shown celebrating at the photo booth hosted by The Compass are SUNY Oswego juniors Denasia Wilson (left), a human development major, and Deneisha Wilson, a history major.

As part of “I’m First Day” celebrating first-generation college students on Nov. 8, first-generation alumni came back to share their experiences with interested students at a luncheon in The Space. In foreground, 1987 graduate Montos Vakirtzis talks with sophomores Rashan Babb, a marketing major, and Tramar A. Wallace, a criminal justice major. Also at the table are 2007 graduate Shannon David (pink shirt) talking with senior biology major Tylea McCarthy-Walker and senior communication and social interaction major Luis Garcia.

Dianora De Marco presents the keynote talk at the Oct. 30 Upskilling in a Digital World event in Shineman Center, which connected students with alumni who presented skills that are highly sought after in today’s business and technology sectors. A 2014 undergraduate majoring in accounting and economics and a 2015 master of business administration graduate, De Marco — who is manager of Financial Accounting Advisory Services for Ernst & Young — said the seeds for the event came from a conversation during a College Foundation Board meeting about how alumni can furnish their expertise to help students in some technologically dynamic job fields.

SUNY Oswego’s Upskilling in a Digital World event on Oct. 30 provided knowledge, resources and networking for students entering technologically evolving fields. Sharing encouragement and knowledge with attendees were, from left, Oliver Medonza '16 M'18, UX researcher, Edward Jones Investments; Janette Hausler '89, global vice president of partner marketing, UiPath; master of ceremonies Jeff Knauss '07, CEO and co-founder of The Digital Hyve; President Deborah F. Stanley; Mark Lobel '85, principal, Pricewaterhouse Coopers; and keynote speaker Dianora De Marco '14 M'15, manager of Financial Accounting Advisory Services for Ernst & Young.

Laura Spenceley, assistant dean for graduate studies, staffs the "Grad-itude" event held Nov. 11, speaking with two graduate students in school psychology, Katelynn Washburn (left) and Sophie Meyer. The event, where passersby could write a note of gratitude to anybody they choose, is among Graduate Studies Week events through this Friday.

Senior double major in business administration and finance Henrry Leon is congratulated by SUNY Chancellor Kristina B. Johnson during a ceremony where Leon was one of 42 Educational Opportunity Program students to receive the inaugural statewide Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence, recognizing ability to overcome obstacles to achieve success. Read Leon’s full story and more on the award. (Photo courtesy of SUNY)

The college’s annual Veterans’ Day luncheon invited veterans and military members to gather for a meal and fellowship in the Veterans Lounge in Hewitt. Those gathering included Chanel Kung (seated left), a senior operations management and information systems major in the School of Business, and presently serving in the U.S. Army since 2014; Kenneth Cisson (seated right), a 2015 business administration graduate, U.S. Army veteran 2000-2011, and Combat 2 Careers program coordinator; and Joe Stabb (back to camera), a communication studies faculty member on the ROTC advisory committee.

Chemistry department chair Fehmi Damkaci leads a tour group through the chemistry labs in the upper Innovations Wing of the Shineman Center during the Nov. 11 Admissions Open House.

Junior defenseman Carter Allen of the Oswego men’s hockey team celebrates his first-period goal (Oswego's second score) in their 3-0 win over Plattsburgh on Nov. 8 in front of a sellout 3,000-person crowd for the annual Whiteout game. (Photo by Megan Briggs)

The annual Whiteout men’s hockey game between archrivals Oswego and Plattsburgh involves a line that starts gathering hours before the 7 p.m. puck drop. Morgan Kocher (center, facing camera), a sophomore majoring in teaching English to speakers of other languages, camps out with friends in line Friday afternoon, Nov. 8 -- and Laker fans went home happy that evening with a 3-0 Oswego win.

Criminal justice faculty member Jaclyn Schildkraut (seated, left) prepares for an interview with CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin after a crew from the network spent several hours with Schildkraut, student research assistant Kirsten Klingaman and Syracuse City School District officials conducting lockdown drills and debriefs on Nov. 8. Schildkraut has worked with the district on about 80 such drills and they will prepare findings and suggestions for best practices. The footage and interviews are expected to air as part of a CNN special series in February.

The popular State Employees Federated Appeal Bake Off fundraiser provided hundreds of dollars for local charities and treats for many campus participants, with winners selected via votes for their dessert. Holding some of the new silicone bakeware as winners from the three Bake Offs are, from left, Jenny Grass, EXCEL office; political science faculty members Allison Rank and Helen Knowles; and Angela Galvin, Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance. The SEFA campaign continues toward its $30,000 goal with Baskets of Caring events today and Thursday.

In a Nov. 9 event marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, department of modern languages and literatures faculty member Ana Djukic-Cocks (foreground) ushers participants to symbolically walk from East to West through the dismantled wall. Djukic-Cocks, who teaches German, introduced the event with a brief historical account about the wall.

Taeko Kelly of the Career Services Office makes conversation with students Alikeju Adejo (left) and Phone Paing at the Fall Etiquette Dinner Nov. 6 in Hewitt ballroom. The popular annual event hosted by Career Services provides participants tips about introductions, conversations, dining etiquette and more. (Photo by Megan Briggs)

The popular Fall Etiquette Dinner on Nov. 6 helps students understand the networking process, including how to make introductions, the art of small talk, finding common ground, situational awareness, joining groups for conversations, effective storytelling, the mechanics of table settings and more. They also heard advice and information from featured speaker Barbara Lang, owner of B. Lang Consulting. (Photo by Megan Briggs)

Student host David Hite (center) and an eclectic cast of characters celebrate wrapping up filming the upcoming Oswego Holiday TV Special. The variety show, directed by Francisco Suarez of the communication studies faculty and produced by and starring Oswego students, has been in the works for months. (Photo by Megan Briggs)

A Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) faculty and student reading group met Nov. 1 to discuss Michael Sandel's book “What Money Can't Buy.” Kelly Heed (center), a first-year student and PPE major, takes part in the discussion, part of a series the group hosts. Philosophy professor Craig Delancey, at left, was among the driving forces in adding the interdisciplinary major, which is still a rare offering on American campuses. (Photo by Megan Briggs)

Michael James Olson (left) performed in the college’s Ke-Nekt music series on Nov. 6 in the Sheldon Hall ballroom, blending live music, ambient electronics and abstract video. In addition (from left), students Nicky Radford, Clara Tribunella and Ethan Mitchell (hidden, at piano) and music faculty member Paul Leary joined him on stage. (Photo courtesy of Artswego)

Eight SUNY Oswego business students attended the annual Phi Beta Lambda Career Connections Conference in New York City on Oct. 24 and 25. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff from colleges and universities across North America attended, and SUNY Oswego students were able to network with these participants at the Thursday evening kick-off networking event. On Friday, each Oswego student toured and engaged with employers at two different companies, and had additional opportunities such as a behind-the-scenes tour of Citigroup and view of Citi's equities trading floor, thanks to 1996 SUNY Oswego graduate and Senior Vice President Karyn Rose. (Photo submitted by Taeko Kelly)