ONE TO WATCH

Less than a month after she graduated from SUNY Potsdam in December 2005, Kathleen McDonald was one of the first mayoral appointees in the office of newly elected Binghamton Mayor Matthew T. Ryan.

The mayor-elect at the time, Ryan appointed her to the position of secretary to the mayor — one of only three people working in the mayor’s office, including the mayor himself.

McDonald became interested in politics early on as a college student and joined the Student Government Association (SGA) the second semester of her freshman year. She was elected comptroller in her sophomore year, which automatically makes that person treasurer the next year. Her senior year, McDonald ran for president of SUNY Potsdam’s SGA and won the election.

“It was an excellent experience for me at such a young age,” she said. “I participated in SUNY Day, where we went to Albany with the College administration and met with (Assemblyman) Darrell Aubertine. We made a presentation and asked him to lobby against tuition hikes for students, which he did. … The whole experience made me more confident, helped me with my speaking skills and encouraged me to stay in government.”

McDonald stayed an extra semester to complete her degree, earning a double major in philosophy and politics and a minor in psychology. While finishing her degree, she began closely following the mayoral races in both Rochester — her hometown — and in Binghamton. McDonald felt closely aligned to Ryan’s values and ideals, and her fiancé was living in the Binghamton area at the time. So she decided to send in her résumé not even knowing for what position she was applying.

By late December, the then mayor-elect appointed McDonald as the secretary to the mayor, citing her student government experience as the main reason for his decision.

Looking back less than a year after her graduation, McDonald said she felt “rewarded” as a SUNY Potsdam student and said her experiences here helped her to mature a great deal. She describes her professors as helpful and said they “took her under her wing,” discussion with her balancing her commitments as a student and future life goals.

McDonald formed a close bond with her advisors, including Professor Emeritus of Politics Dr. Richard Del Guidice.

“He helped me balance my time and really helped me with general life skills,” she said. “Having that relationship with my advisors helped me to mature more than ever.”

McDonald’s career is just beginning but her confidence as a result of her college experience and the past two years has made her a force to be reckoned with.