SUNY Potsdam Alumni & Friends Invited to Join in Reunion Fun from July 9 to 12
SUNY Potsdam will welcome back alumni and friends for Reunion 2026, from July 9 to 12. For a full schedule and to register, visit www.potsdam.edu/reunion.
SUNY Potsdam is preparing to welcome back more than 500 alumni, emeriti and supporters for Reunion 2026, from Thursday, July 9 to Sunday, July 12.
Reunion will feature a diverse lineup of events and activities, including campus tours, engaging discussions, live performances, alumni awards and much more. Attendees will have the chance to reconnect with classmates, friends, faculty and staff, while also exploring campus and downtown.
“Reunion is a powerful tradition uniting campus and community—celebrating our shared history, reconnecting with our remarkable alumni and embracing the future together. There’s nothing quite like the energy across campus and downtown as we welcome so many back,” said President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith.
It’s not too late to register to join in the fun! All alumni and friends are invited to join in the festivities. To learn more, view the full schedule of events, or register, call (315) 267-2120 or visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion.
“Whether you graduated five years ago or fifty, Reunion is your chance to come home. We’re thrilled to welcome alumni back to campus to reconnect, reminisce, and make new memories,” said SUNY Potsdam Director of Alumni Relations Mona Ouimet Vroman ’85.
Reunion 2026 will kick off with virtual events, so alumni all over the globe can join in the fun. On Thursday, July 9, there will be a Reunion 5K Kick-Off at 10 a.m., live on the SUNY Potsdam Bears Alumni Facebook page, before participants embark on their 3.1 mile walk or run, wherever they are located. At 10:15 a.m., all are welcome to watch a live virtual campus tour led by Victoria Fitch ’19 & ’23.
The fun will kick off right away with the President’s Welcome Reception from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Bowman Commons. Come catch up with alumni and friends, enjoy delicious snacks and a cash bar, along with a live performance by Double Axel. There will be Bowman Hall dorm activities immediately afterward, allowing participants to relive campus life, with dorm decorating contests, games and a lot of nostalgia!
Reunion will hit full swing on Friday, July 10. The day will be packed with activities, including:
- Campus walking tour and tour of renovations at Crane
- Crane School of Music retrospective exhibit and presentation on historic performances of the Class of 1976
- Exhibition by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Stephan Savoia ’75, displaying his work spanning the globe, in the Gibson Gallery
- Coffee and conversation event at the Prometheus Alumni Food Pantry (donations of non-perishable food and hygiene products are welcome!)
- “Gaming Through the Ages” presentation by Dr. Tony Betrus ’93 in the new Sisson Hall Video Gaming Lab
- Open ice skate in the Maxcy Ice Arena
- 47th anniversary celebration for the Blueline Literary Magazine
- Class of 2016 10-year Reunion celebration
- Behind-the-scenes tour of the Community Performance Series production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella: Enchanted Edition”
- Exclusive 50-Year Class and Club kick-off reception for members of the Class of 1976 and older
- CPS musical performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella: Enchanted Edition”
All are welcome to take in a performance by Double Axel at Maxfield’s in downtown Potsdam that evening to close out Friday night.
The event line-up for Saturday, July 11 is no less busy. The slate of activities includes a:
- Reunion 5K Walk/Run, held in honor of Roland Moquin ’73
- Will and estate planning seminar hosted by Roger B. Linden, Esq. ’74
- 50-Year Class and Club celebratory brunch
- Brass, woodwind and string instrument repair workshops, led by Crane Instrument Technician Samson Flancbaum ’13
- Clarinet alumni and friends picnic and concert, featuring alumni representing more than 55 years of excellence
- Viewing of “The Bodacious Bears” documentary film, covering the legacy of the legendary SUNY Potsdam Bears men’s basketball team under the leadership of the late Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Welsh (Hon. ’79)
Throughout the afternoon, Reunion attendees can join in yard games, enjoy lunch on campus, check out Summer Festival activities downtown, or join affinity group events.
The SUNY Potsdam Reunion 2026 celebration will culminate with a reception and awards presentation from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, including a silent auction and live music by Jane Morale ’80 and Glen Zagorski ’87. This year’s Alumni Association award recipients will be honored and recognized as follows:
- Minerva Award: Karen Easter Butler ’75 and Stephan Savoia ’75
- Donald L. Tompkins Distinguished Service Award: Sally Farrell Partner ’78
- Honorary Lifetime Membership: John and Mia Wicke, Tim Dempsey
- Helen M. Hosmer Excellence in Music Teaching Award: Christine Pizzino-Catalano ’06
- Dr. Lonel Woods Peace and Love Award: Jamilla Fort ’12
The crowd can stick around for the Crane Clarinet Alumni Concert to be held that evening at 7:30 p.m., in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall. The performance will be conducted and performed by alumni and current clarinet majors, along with Professors Emeriti Dr. Alan Woy and Frank Wangler and current faculty members Dr. Julianne Kirk Doyle and Christine Hoerning ’09. Reunion guests are welcome to head downtown after all the festivities for the Potsdam Summer Festival fireworks, starting at sunset in Ives Park.
The closing celebrations will begin with a farewell brunch and pancakes with the President on Sunday, July 12.
Also on Sunday, SUNY Potsdam is introducing a new recreational ride for alumni, guests and community members. Bike with the Bears is a free scenic 13.1-mile bike ride beginning at the new campus Bike Shop in Maxcy Hall, and heading along rolling country roads to a refreshing water stop at Chip's Place in Hannawa Falls, proudly alumni-owned by Ed Betz ’07, before heading back toward campus past local landmarks including Bayside Cemetery, Trinity Episcopal Church and Ives Park. The marked route will include wayfinding signage, volunteer support, and a GPS map developed by Bike Adirondacks.
Meanwhile, families with younger riders are invited to participate in the free Bear Cub Family Ride, a fun campus route featuring a scavenger hunt across campus to find Max C. Bear, and his friends, Gnome and Squirrel. Both rides will finish on campus at Marshall Park, for a Picnic with the Bears, to be held from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Celebrate the beautiful morning rides with complimentary treats and live music from Nick Rycroft, plus a food truck (for an additional cost). Non-rider friends, family and community members are welcome to join the fun.
SUNY Potsdam’s Reunion is held in conjunction with the Village of Potsdam’s Summer Festival.
Registration headquarters will be located in the Barrington Student Union lobby this year. The public is invited to Reunion 2026 events, but guests must register to attend. For more information or to register for the weekend, please call (315) 267-2120 or visit www.potsdam.edu/reunion.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.