Immerse yourself in a campus culture that's as eclectic as you are.
Isata Tarawally '19
During her last semester at SUNY Potsdam, community health major Isata Tarawally landed an internship with the American Red Cross in New York City. As part of the amazing hands-on experience, she has been traveling all over the city to speak with children about disaster preparedness. The opportunity led to a job with the American Red Cross after graduation—a position that will allow her to continue her philanthropic work as part of an Americorps program.
SUNY Potsdam alumnus John Alleyne ’14 has found great success since graduating with a BFA in studio art five years ago. He went on to work at the Museum of Modern Art, received his master’s degree from Louisiana State University and now works as an artist and adjunct professor at three universities in and around Baton Rouge.
Adjusting to a new country and culture is always challenging, but Zerrouk Bessa ’20, who worked as a financial auditor in Algeria for more than a decade, found the support and guidance that he needed in SUNY Potsdam’s management program—one of the newest academic offerings on campus.
Assistant Professor Dr. Faris Khan has spearheaded a number of projects at SUNY Potsdam since he started teaching here in the fall of 2017. Last semester he launched a new digital anthropology studio, started a digital anthropology internship and he created the inaugural anthropology film festival. His implementation of digital technologies, in and out of the classroom, is driven by an effort to make anthropology more accessible to the public.
Now in her sixth year of teaching at SUNY Potsdam, Dr. Linghong (Lily) Li is leading an initiative to create a new Nanoscience major and minor program at SUNY Potsdam. If approved, the new nanoscience program will be offered through the Interdisciplinary Studies Department, of which Li is a founding member. Li hopes to draw more international students to SUNY Potsdam with the new program—which will be the first of its kind in the North Country.
Dylan France '18 didn't waste any time after graduating last May with a degree in early childhood/childhood education. He immediately landed a month-long substitute teaching position in a fourth-grade classroom, opening the door for a fulltime position as a first-grade teacher in the Hannibal Central School District.
Anaya Phoenix ’19 was very introverted and reserved as a high school student. When she came to SUNY Potsdam she started to come out of her shell and get involved in a variety of clubs and organizations on campus. She became the president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and then found another leadership role as the vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA).
Christina Morris '21 and Stefania Owusu '21 Excel at Theater Festival
SUNY Potsdam sophomores Christina Morris and Stefania Owusu were recently chosen to perform in the final round of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions at the 51st Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Cape Cod. Over 200 actors participated in the auditions during the five-day festival, with only 16 pairs of actors advancing to the finals. This marked the first appearance by SUNY Potsdam students in the regional finals since 2013.
Alumna Kate Grisi ’16, a Geospatial Analyst for the Department of Defense, has climbed the ladder of success very quickly since graduating with a B.A. in geology three years ago. After taking just two GIS classes at SUNY Potsdam, she landed an invaluable internship with the DOD, which has since led to a full-time position.
