SUNY Potsdam, Riverview Correctional partnership sees third graduating class
Article Courtesy of the Ogdenburg Journal / Watertown Daily Times
OGDENSBURG — In a commencement ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 23, at Ogdensburg’s Riverview Correctional Facility, 24 inmates received Bachelor of Arts Degrees in sociology through a partnership with SUNY Potsdam.
The program, called Potsdam@RCF, began in the fall of 2021, beginning with three instructors teaching four courses to 19 inmates at the medium security prison. Their education is paid for through state Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and federal Pell grants that the inmates have to apply and qualify for.
Today, the program has more than 75 full-time students who are offered 18 unique courses, with 24 of them, wearing caps and gowns, receiving degrees Thursday in a ceremony held in the prison’s gymnasium. Another eight received degrees from North Country Community College and Columbia Greene Community College after finishing their coursework from SUNY Potsdam with their transfer to Riverview Correctional Facility. Those inmates were also presented with degrees.
“This is a very special day for SUNY Potsdam as we celebrate the achievements of our third graduating class from Riverview Correctional Facility. I want to start by congratulating our students and recognizing their tremendous achievements, so nice work graduates,” Dr. Suzanne Smith, president of SUNY Potsdam, said during the ceremony.
She said that SUNY Potsdam and Riverview Correctional Facility are committed to the continued success of Potsdam@RCF.
“It is indeed important work. It’s important for the students and their families, it’s important to SUNY Potsdam and to Riverview Correctional Facility. It’s important to New York State. It is most important, to our society. Providing access to higher education for incarcerated individuals is critical as we work towards equity and justice. Thank you all for being a part of this work and again, congratulations to the SUNY Potsdam/RCF graduating class,” stated Dr. Smith.
Riverview Correctional Facility Acting Superintendent Bob Brabant said that it took a lot of work from those at SUNY Potsdam and at the prison to make Potsdam@RCF a success. It also took hard work from the inmates themselves and he said that they should be proud of their accomplishment.
“ What you accomplish today will shape the rest of your life,” said Brabant. “Congratulations. Take your degrees and move forward.”
Michael Malseptic was nominated by his graduating class to speak at the commencement ceremony.
“Adversity is a subject very close to our hearts of those graduating here today and to those going through the daily struggle of attempting to get an education while being incarcerated. There are many people that believe incarcerated individuals do not deserve the opportunity of an education,” said Malseptic. “But today, today is the day that we get to stand here and announce to those people that they’re incorrect in their beliefs.”
He said that SUNY Potsdam’s program was their second chance at changing the direction of their lives and will help them navigate the world when they are released.
“For people like us, there are a lot of hurdles and challenges regardless of the credentials we have acquired, but that is the beauty of being sociologists, because we understand society for what it truly is and there is nobody better equipped to navigate the social constructs of the world than us,” he said to a round of applause.
He said that the staff at SUNY Potsdam “deserve recognition for the role they’ve played in furthering not only our education but our future as a whole.”
One of those staff members is Heather Sullivan-Catlin, who has been a professor of sociology at SUNY Potsdam since 2000. This is her third year teaching core and elective courses at Riverview Correctional Facility and she says the inmates and facility have truly embraced the program.
“I love teaching in this program. From the start I was philosophically, wholeheartedly in support of us developing this program, but I was a little nervous. But I find, especially after three years, that I feel completely at home teaching here. I feel very appreciated by the students,” said Sullivan-Catlin prior to the ceremony. “I think the students are embracing the opportunities. They respect what’s being offered and they typically go above and beyond what is expected.”
She said that despite the corrections officer strike this past winter and spring, Potsdam@RCF and prison staff worked hard to make sure the spring semester continued despite many obstacles.
“The facility has embraced this program. We couldn’t do it without their cooperation,” said Sullivan-Catlin.
Commencement Address
Ron Fishbeck — a 1980 SUNY Potsdam graduate and retired CEO of Systems Made Simple, who also serves as the vice president of the Potsdam College Foundation Board of Trustees — was the commencement speaker. In May, he had given the commencement speech to the graduates of the Class of 2025 at SUNY Potsdam’s 252nd graduation ceremony.
“Today, you celebrate not just a diploma, but your resilience, your growth, and your readiness to step forward and move on with your lives. You have been given a rare opportunity, through education, to make positive changes that will affect the rest of your lives. You are proof that the past does not define the future. For many of you, this journey has included overcoming enormous obstacles, including incarceration. Yet here you are, ready to begin anew,” stated Fishbeck.
Ron Fishbeck, left center, looks on as Bob Brabant speaks.
His message to the graduates was “now is your time!”
“But as much as today is a celebration of your accomplishment, it’s even more important to recognize that now, right at this very moment, it’s your time. It is your time to step forward, to make a difference, to shape your own future and make a positive impact on the world. I can’t express enough the importance of being in the present moment, living in the present moment and taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves in the present moment. Clarity comes in the moment; clarity drives your decisions and ultimately your ability to capitalize on your opportunities,” he said.
While the “world may want to judge you by your past,” Fishbeck said that it will their actions in the future that will define how the world remembers them.
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take action now. Trust your education, your life experiences, and your ability to overcome adversity no matter what,” he said.
Fishbeck quoted Maya Angelou, a poet and civil rights activist, who said “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. Please remember that your difficulties do not define you. They simply strengthen your ability to overcome!”
“Graduates, you will face many challenges. You will stumble and fall. But you must always rise, because the only true defeat is the moment you stop trying. But if you have passion, show resolve, and don’t let anything stand in your way of doing what’s right – you will succeed!” he concluded. “You have the power to shape your future and inspire others. Now is your time, make it count.”
Article by Matt Curatolo, The Ogdensburg Journal / Watertown Daily Times
Photos by Sophia Pleat '26