Alumni & Friends

The full effect of the novel coronavirus on SUNY Potsdam’s alumni programs is still unknown; however, we remain confident in the strength of our Potsdam family, near and far.

In an effort to engage our community in a season of social distancing, the Alumni Relations Office is coordinating a series of online events for alumni and friends to enjoy. Such events will include “encores” of past Crane performances, broadcasts of historic Potsdam Bears athletic games, and Zoom and Facebook Live discussions with Potsdam faculty and students.

Check out our upcoming events below:

Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Reunion Weekend 2020. We are hoping to schedule a limited number of virtual Reunion activities during the week of July 6, 2020. Be sure to follow the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Facebook Page for updates on these activities, as well as additional opportunities to connect virtually with the Potsdam family.

If you are interested in supporting our students during this difficult time, you can learn more on our giving webpage.

We are grateful for every member of our Potsdam family, and we wish all of you health and peace in this time of uncertainty. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at alumni@potsdam.edu.

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An Afternoon with Jacob Collier

Grammy award-winning musician Jacob Collier met with students from The Crane School of Music on Wednesday, May 13 during a private Zoom call. The English singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist talked with students for over an hour about the intricate beauty of music and the creative power of ideas.

Generations of Success

On a blustery winter day in New York City, two successful women (Christine Haile ’74 and Kadiatou Balde '19) pose for a photo in front of the Hudson River. On the surface, they may not seem to have much in common. One is a retired Chief Information Officer with over 38 years of experience in higher education. The other is a young scholar and entrepreneur who graduated from college less than a year ago. The pair’s connection stems from SUNY Potsdam, their shared alma mater.

Lisa ’81 and Dan Shields ’80

“Our time at Potsdam was definitely a highlight of both of our lives,” Lisa shares. “We wouldn’t have met – and maybe re-met– without it. It was an important experience and foundation for both of us in all kinds of ways.” Learn More

Rebecca Scholldorf ’15

When she was still a sophomore, alumna Rebecca Scholldorf ’15, a clarinet performance major at the Crane School of Music, decided to pursue a second degree in music business. It proved to be one of the best decisions of her life. After completing the required internship for her music business degree her senior year, she was immediately offered a job by that same company, DANSR, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Vandoren reeds, mouthpieces and accessories.

Mike Rogge '08

When he’s not carving through the fresh powder at Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe, Mike Rogge ’08 leads a successful career as the editor The Ski Journal and the founder/owner of the media production company, Verb Cabin. Since graduating with his degree in writing and literature from SUNY Potsdam over a decade ago, Rogge has turned his dream into a reality—skiing as many days as possible and writing about it professionally.

Brian Dougherty ’06

Brian Dougherty ’06 landed his first job in the music industry immediately after graduation. What started as an internship for Samson Technologies his junior year, parlayed into a full-time position that started nine days after commencement. Now he works for Sennheiser—one of the leading music industry companies in the world.

Brooke Falsion ’19

Brooke Falsion ’19 is a record setter. During her time at SUNY Potsdam, she became the first All-American in the history of the SUNY Potsdam women’s soccer program. She was also the SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year during her senior year, while setting several new SUNY Potsdam women’s soccer records, including being the all-time leading scorer with 46 career goals. Academically, she was just as impressive—recently graduating summa cum laude with a degree in exercise science.

Jillian Dolder ’17 & ’18

Finding a job after graduation is always the ultimate goal, and for Jillian Dolder, that came to fruition literally two days after Commencement. She received her diploma on a Saturday and found herself standing in front of a group of high school students on Monday morning.

John Alleyne '14

SUNY Potsdam alumnus John Alleyne ’14 has found great success since graduating with a B.F.A. 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.

Dr. Jeffrey Milroy '02

Alumnus Dr. Jeffrey Milroy ’02 has built his career around promoting physical activity and safety in collegiate sports. After being recruited from Canada to play hockey at SUNY Potsdam in 1999, he went on to graduate with a degree in community health—the stepping stone for a successful career in public health.

Jessica Petersen '11

Shortly after graduating from SUNY Potsdam, Jessica Petersen '11 landed a job as a musician on Carnival cruise ships. Over the course of seven years, she worked on 19 different ships and traveled all over the world—from South America to Singapore and from Bermuda to Hawaii.

Emma Simon '12

Emma Simon ’12 recently returned to campus as an actor in the Pendragon Theatre’s touring production of “Pride & Prejudice” during the Fall 2018 semester. She didn’t stop there, staying on for several more days to lead a clowning techniques workshop for current students and speak about her work as an actor in New York City.

Megan Bowdish '88

Despite graduating with a double major in elementary education and English literature, Megan Bowdish ’88 stumbled onto a completely different career path. After meeting Ray Bowdish ’87 as an undergraduate, she got married and ended up leaving teaching behind to run Never Tire Farm. She now grows vegetables and plants in eight greenhouses during the harsh North Country winters and sells them to more than a dozen businesses throughout the region.

Claudia (Kaufmann) Mengel '76

Claudia (Kaufmann) Mengel has always had a passion for art. Shortly after graduating from SUNY Potsdam in 1976, she established a career in the world of finance and moved to New York City. Through it all, she continued to work on art, exploring the world around her through an abstract expressionist lens. She now lives in Connecticut and works on her artwork full-time.

Logan Running ’17

After transferring to SUNY Potsdam his junior year, Logan Running ’17 quickly found his path working on cutting-edge nanoparticle research in the chemistry department—research with the potential to treat cancer more effectively, and with less harmful side effects.

Events

Crane Encore AUDIO Performance Series

Crane Encore Performance Series

Central New York Virtual Happy Hour