Immerse yourself in a campus culture that's as eclectic as you are.
Through the Lens
The Fall semester at SUNY Potsdam is a magical time. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and with classes in full swing, students are busy pursuing their academic interests, and meeting new friends. Not to mention, they're engaged in extensive applied learning activities all over campus! Join us for a visual tour of student life, academics, athletics, and more.
Riley Notarthomas ’23 has taken a range of skills from his time SUNY Potsdam to positively impact struggling youth in a wilderness therapy program in Vermont, while also being a leader back at SUNY Potsdam where he has returned to teach courses in the wilderness education program.
To address the pain and discomfort that musicians often deal with from long hours of performance, Assistant Professor Tracy Lipke-Perry has responded with a new research project to analyze the posture and ergonomics of more than 20 musicians in a cutting-edge motion capture study at The Crane School of Music.
SUNY Potsdam Department of History Chair Dr. Libbie Freed explored five countries in Central Asia and brought her students along with her virtually on a trip to discover the history and modern remnants of the famed Silk Road trade route.
Raquel Acevedo Klein ’16, graduate of The Crane School of Music, taps creative wells ranging from the cosmic to the familial to constantly push her creative frontiers, bringing the five senses together in new and compelling works that are catching widespread attention.
Hustling past a rack of ukuleles and a row of cymbals, Holland Goddard '25 restocks music books at Brick & Mortar Music in downtown Potsdam. As customers enter the store, walking past a beautifully exposed brick wall featuring a mix of acoustic and electric guitars, she greets them with a smile, answers questions, and restrings instruments at the beloved local music shop. The SUNY Potsdam junior, who is pursuing a double major in music business and music performance at Crane, is gaining valuable real-world experience this semester at the community-centric music store, owned and operated by SUNY Potsdam alumni Jeremy '99 and Allison Carney '99.
In the same way that vertical aeroponic Tower Gardens help plants grow under a series of LED lights, so too have the partnerships grown between SUNY Potsdam and the community over the past decade. Through generous grant funding from the Alcoa Foundation, the WISER Center has continued to make an impact in the region—leading to educational workshops on campus, and allowing the College to supply 11 local schools, and now the Riverview Correctional Facility, with more than a dozen Tower Gardens at no cost.
As an emergency room physician with more than a decade of experience, Dr. Scott Glick still wanted more. Now, he’s making his childhood dream of working in law enforcement a reality as he completes the College’s Law Enforcement Training Institute this semester—with the goal of bringing his medical expertise to the front lines as he works with SWAT teams.
With nearly 65,000 followers on TikTok, Laura Beth Wendelin ’17 & ’19—a self-proclaimed orchestra dork teacher—has become a surprise influencer overnight, sharing witty videos about instrument repair and providing advice to other teachers in the field as she launches her career as an elementary school music teacher. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in music education from Crane, Wendelin landed a job as an orchestra director at a middle school in eastern Connecticut, now inspiring students in the classroom and music teachers and students around the world through her social media presence.
As Jada West ’24 drags a light-colored flannel sheet across the forest floor, she searches for microscopic creatures most of us hope to never encounter. Pulling the sheet over leaves, plants, and soil she captures Blacklegged ticks like a lint roller absorbing fuzz balls from a favorite sweater. Working with Dr. Kate Cleary, Dr. Glenn Johnson, Dr. Bridget Amulike, and Dr. Jessica Rogers, West and four other students were able to get hands-on experience through grant-funded research this summer, studying small mammals and examining tick abundance around Potsdam.
As a young hockey player, Travis Crickard ’11 dreamed of one day becoming a head coach in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Years later, after completing his undergraduate degree at SUNY Potsdam, a master’s degree at the University of Ottawa, and working for numerous hockey organizations around Canada, he has reached his goal. Last year, Crickard landed a job as the head coach for the Saint John Sea Dogs, one of 60 junior hockey programs in the CHL that regularly funnels athletes directly into the NHL.
When Wilber Parada ’20 arrived at SUNY Potsdam his freshman year, he already had a vision for his future. His plans to one day become a Doctor of Physical Therapy would involve years of hard work, completing undergraduate and graduate degrees, and passing the National Physical Therapy Examination. Seven years later he has made his dream a reality. Parada is now working at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, one of the top-rated hospitals in the country, where he’s conducting research on exoskeletons and robotics, and helping to rehabilitate patients suffering from chronic illnesses.
Elira Mavraj ’22 & ’24 and a dozen other graduate students, many of whom are already working as music teachers around the state, are mastering technical instrument repair skills this summer at Crane. Taught by Musical Instrument Technician Miles DeCastro, the hands-on class offers students a unique opportunity to learn how to fix everything from flutes and clarinets to trumpets and trombones—invaluable knowledge to help them launch their careers as elementary, middle and high school music teachers.
