Donor Impact

Redefined at Crane

Within her first year as a Crane School of Music student, pianist Johanna Saint-Vil ’25 was offered a multitude of hands-on learning opportunities to augment her education—from a masterclass with a renowned performer to a piano pedagogy workshop. After a year of exceptional experiences, however, the double major was unsure whether she could afford another year of tuition and expenses. Then, Johanna received the Virginia Rose Cayey '60 Music Education Scholarship, allowing her to continue her studies in the community that has redefined her as a musician and educator. 

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A Passion for Community

Ian Love is a recipient of the Don Allen Edrington Scholarship which supports students from St. Lawrence County studying art at SUNY Potsdam.

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A Soft, Sweet and Beautiful Legacy

To honor Reames’s impact at Crane, her former students, colleagues and friends came together to establish the Dr. Rebecca Reames Memorial Scholarship. In 2021, the first scholarship was awarded to Haven Gotham ’21, a music education student from Edwards, N.Y. who perfectly emulates the vision and passion of Dr. Reames.

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The Value of Connections

Emily Morse ’21 is primed for success in the computer science industry because of the many SUNY Potsdam alumni who dedicate time and resources to the computer science department. This summer, Emily took part in a remote internship with the Griffiss Institute and the Air Force Research Laboratory, made possible by her connections with alumni and support from a generous scholarship established by Haden Land ’84.

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Fulfilling Dual Dreams

Canadian student Brooke Graham ‘21 is working toward completing her Master of Science in Teaching—not only to fulfill her own dreams but also her late grandmother’s. Her goal will be realized this December because of the Krista Fordham ’08 Education Scholarship.
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Paying It Forward Together

Receiving support through the Pay It Forward Scholarship Program has enabled Myriam Butikima ’23 to discover her path to success at SUNY Potsdam. She shared, “The scholarship helped me want to stay at Potsdam even more because it was like, ‘Here is a start-up for you. We hope you have a great four years.’"

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SUNY Potsdam’s summer musical returned this July with the Community Performance Series (CPS) production of “Once Upon A Mattress.” CPS was able to revive the beloved summer tradition due to generous gifts from members of the SUNY Potsdam Family over the past year. “Once Upon A Mattress,” a comedic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and The Pea,” featured the talent of local community members—including current and incoming students, alumni and faculty from across the campus. Read More

In May, more than 40 students presented their research to faculty, staff and classmates in the Barrington Student Union during the annual Learning & Research Fair, hosted by the Office for Student Research & Creativity. Projects ranged from using virtual reality to assist the elderly to exploring the thermostability of heteropolymer ferritin. Following the fair, six student scholars were recognized with awards made possible by donor support. Read More

This April, SUNY Potsdam dedicated HEARTH (Handcrafted Experiential Archaeological Research and Teaching Hub)—a timber-frame structure intended to facilitate hands-on learning opportunities for SUNY Potsdam students and local community members. HEARTH is the first initiative launched under the umbrella of the Marqusee Center for Archaeology and Anthropology, a publicly facing teaching and learning center focused on the preservation and revitalization of cultural heritage. The center is named in honor of Dean Emeritus Dr. Steven J. Marqusee (Hon. ’19). It was established thanks to a generous leadership gift from Donald (Hon. ’54) and Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed ’54, as well as contributions and support from local businesses, alumni, faculty, volunteers and friends. Read More

Environmental Club president Grace Romer ’24 (front, second from left) joined President Emeritus Dr. John Graham (Hon. ’22) (back, middle)—as well as students and faculty from the environmental studies program—at the unveiling of SUNY Potsdam’s new 3.5 kilowatt wind turbine. Installed last October, the turbine is an important milestone in the College’s progress toward SUNY’s ambitious renewable energy goals and will provide power for HEARTH (page 1). It will also be used as an educational resource for the environmental studies program and other courses across the curriculum. Read More

David ’73 and Carol “Kickie” Holloway Britt ’69 & ’74, both of whom graduated and retired from the College, have spent decades investing time and resources into the students, programs and community of SUNY Potsdam. Because they know their alma mater so well, they are specific about what areas of campus they support. “We have always tried to target our donations, our giving to the College, to activities that are going to have an immediate impact. Working where I did, I know how tight funds are on a real-time, day-to-day basis, so that’s where we tend to put our giving over the years,” shared David. Read More

Phil Shatraw ’79

“My experiences at Potsdam, without question, have made me who I am today both professionally and personally. For that reason, I am extremely grateful to the College. I figure the best way to ‘repay’ Potsdam for this is through donations and volunteering my time."

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Dr. Jude ’91 and Renee Turck Kiah ’92

“It has always been important to us both to provide other people the same opportunities and experiences that we had. It gets me emotional because Potsdam had such a huge impact on our lives. When I go back and see Satterlee and Raymond and all the other places, I realize that the campus still has what it had and has gone into the future as well. We remain committed to that future.”

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