Chapter Chatter

Please select the chapter nearest to your location:

Adirondack

Atlanta

Boston

Capital District

Cortland

Hudson Valley

Long Island

New York City

Mid-Atlantic

Raleigh-Durham

Rochester

Southern Tier

Syracuse

Western New York

Adirondack

Alumni who live in the area and are interested in joining the chapter committee or have ideas for the chapter should contact chapter chair Beryl Cooper Szwed ’70 by e-mail at szwed@northnet.org

Atlanta

The Atlanta chapter is seeking volunteers to help organize future events. If you would like to volunteer, please contact chapter chair Lisa Falvo Santangelo ’77 at lisasan@earthlink.net or SUNY Club Coordinator Bernie LoBracco ’74 at blobracco@mindspring.com

Boston

To become involved with the chapter or to suggest event ideas, please call chapter chair Bernadette Mackin Graycar ’78 at (781)848-6480 and bernadette.graycar@epochsL.com

Capital District

Twenty-seven Alumni, their families, and guests attended the Capitol District Alumni Chapter’s Day at the Races in Saratoga, N.Y. on July 29. Alumni and guests enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Paddock Tent where they sat adjacent to the fences to see the horses and the jockeys enter the track. Even if they did not win big on the races, everyone received a free hat in Saratoga as part of a promotional giveaway.  The groups enjoyed other games and events throughout the park such as chances to win prizes at the New York State Lotto tent, a women’s hat contest and children’s costume contest.

Anyone interested in assisting the chapter with future events should contact chapter volunteers Michael Horelick ’67 at mhoreli1@nycap.rr.com or by phone at (518) 452-1412 or Bob Samaniuk '00 at tmiamid@aol.com.

Cortland

Alumni and staff opened the doors of the SUNY Cortland Alumni House for the annual Holiday Open House on Dec. 9. More than two hundred students, faculty, staff and community members took a tour of the House and its grounds.

On Nov. 29, the Cortland Alumni Chapter teamed up with SUNY Cortland Residential Services staff to raise money for holiday gifts to local Cortland County families. At the Alumni House, the chapter hosted the Holiday Wrapping Party where students, alumni and staff gathered together to wrap the gifts they purchased. Gifts were then packaged together and delivered to the families.

On April 5, the Cortland Chapter has planned another night of music at the theatre. The night will begin with a buffet and cash bar social. Alumni, family and friends can get acquainted with Thomas S. Hischak, SUNY Cortland professor of performing arts, who will later give a presentation on the “History of Rock on Broadway”. Guests will then walk across the street to the Dowd Fine Arts Center to see The Who’s musical, “Tommy”.

Anyone interested in assisting the chapter with future events should contact the Alumni Affairs Office at alumni@cortland.edu or (607) 753-2516.

Hudson Valley

To assist the chapter in planning future events, contact chapter chairs Nancy Niskin Sorbella ’82 at jsorbella@aol.com or Colleen FitzPatrick Napora ’87 at cnaora@acsdny.org.

Long Island

Join alumni of the Long Island Chapter for a night of hockey when the New Jersey Devils play the New York Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, on Tuesday, April 1. Before the game, alumni and guests will enjoy a buffet dinner at Dave and Buster’s Grand Sports Café. After dinner guests can use the time to socialize or partake in variety of entertainment options that Dave and Buster’s has to offer. There are a limited amount of tickets for this event.

Volunteers who wish to assist the Long Island chapter, may contact chapter chairs Tricia Butt ’76 at tricia10554@aol.com and Cindy Mardenfeld ’93 at cindy@mardenfeld.com.

New York City

The New York City Chapter has put together plans for a New Jersey Devils versus New York Rangers hockey night on Thursday, March 27, at Madison Square Garden. A limited number of tickets have been obtained for SUNY Cortland alumni. Guests will meet for a pre-game dinner at Fat Annie's Truck Stop, which is located within walking distance of the Garden. Alumni will also be greeted by College President Erik J. Bitterbaum. A limited amount of tickets is available for this event.

The New York City Chapter is planning another Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game for the 2008 baseball season. Mark your calendars and save the date for Thursday, Aug. 28, game at Yankees Stadium. Ticket information is not available at this time. Look for additional details and information to be mailed to the New York City area alumni over the next few months.

If anyone is interested in serving on the planning committee for New York City events, please contact chapter chair Joe Vallo ’79 at joemarkemma@aol.com

Mid-Atlantic

Alumni, family and friends attended the University of Maryland versus Villanova Wildcats football game on September 1, 2007.  The event included a pre-game tailgate in front of the Football Team Building.  President Bitterbaum attended the event and greeted alumni as they arrived to the tailgate party. A very special thank you to Gloria Spina Friedgen ’71 and her husband, head coach of the Terrapins, Ralph Friedgen whom graciously provided the tickets and food at no cost to alumni and their guests.

To become involved with the alumni group, e-mail chapter chairs Rob Demske ’85 at robdemske@comcast.net or Richard Sheehe ’88 at sheehe@gwu.edu.

Raleigh-Durham

Graduates who would like to be added to the Raleigh-Durham area e-mail list should contact the Alumni Affairs Office at alumni@cortland.edu

Rochester

Fourteen Rochester area alumni and their families attended the Seabreeze Park event on July 22. They enjoyed a beautiful day of water fun and rides at the theme park. The event was organized by Chapter Chair Art Jones ’74 and by Luther Leong ’84 who works at Seabreeze.

Graduates who would like to be added to the Rochester-area e-mail list should send an electronic message to the Alumni Affairs Office at alumni@cortland.edu

Southern Tier

Join the Southern Tier alumni, their guests and family for the annual Binghamton Senators game on Friday, March 14, at the Broome County Veteran’s Memorial Arena. Don’t miss the excitement of watching the Senators play the Albany River Rats. Food and refreshments will be available through the second intermission, as alumni meet up with old friends and make new connections. Contact the Alumni Affairs Office at (607) 753-2516 for additional information.

Anyone wanting information on the Southern Tier chapter can contact chairs Mike Kennerknecht ’01 and Megan Benjamin Kennerknecht ’02 at meganlynbenjamin@hotmail.com.

Syracuse

The Syracuse chapter had their annual Central New York Alum of the Year and Holiday Party at the Glen Loch Restaurant in Jamesville, N.Y. on Dec. 10. After the original date of Dec. 4 was rescheduled due to a major snowstorm. Twenty-seven alumni, family and friends attended the ‘snow date’ and together they honored Derek Sajnog ’90 of Chittenango as the 2007 Central New York Alumnus of the Year. SUNY Cortland President, Erik J. Bitterbaum gave guests an update on the College. To nominate an alumna who lives in the Central N.Y. area for the 2008 Alum of the Year, contact the Alumni Affairs Office at (607) 753-2516 for nomination information. Previous Recipients of Central New York Alumni Awards

St. Patrick’s Day is coming and the Syracuse Chapter is planning its annual event at Mulrooney’s Pub in Armory Square. The event is planned for Saturday, March 15 where alumni and guests can enjoy the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Guests will enjoy a buffet lunch, cash bar and easy access to the festivities in Syracuse. For additional information look for the registration pamphlet in the mail or contact the Alumni Affairs Office at (607) 753-2516.

For more information or to help plan future Cortland alumni events, please contact the Alumni Affairs Office at alumni@cortland.edu.

Western New York

The Western New York Alumni of the Year awards ceremony on October 19th. Details and location will be forthcoming.
Previous Recipients of Western New York Alumni Awards
The Western New York Chapter held its annual Scholarship Golf Tournament on a beautiful Monday, July 16 at the River Oaks Golf Club in Grand Island, N.Y., with 42 alumni, family and guests participating. Everyone received something from the prize table. Skill competitors received golf clubs for the longest drive and closest to the pin. During the buffet banquet in the clubhouse President Erik J.Bitterbaum gave an update on SUNY Cortland to the golfers.

The event raised $1,107.67 to benefit the Western N.Y. Chapter Scholarship Fund supporting a scholarship that is awarded annually to a Western New York student attending the college. Adam Dembrow, a junior physics and math education major from Akron, N.Y., was presented the scholarship award for 2007 and made a brief statement thanking the alumni, tournament coordinators and guests for providing students with an opportunity to receive this scholarship. The chapter is looking forward to next year’s tournament and will be sending out information in Spring 2008.

Western New York alumni participated in the Loughran’s Alumni Run on Sat., July 9. The 5K Race in Snyder, N.Y. offered awards to the schools with the largest alumni contingent and the fastest team based on overall and age group finishers. Congratulations to the second place winner Michael Somogyi ’07 of Amherst, N.Y.  All entrants received a commemorative T-shirt and enjoyed a post-race party.

For more information, contact chapter chair David Dengler ’78 at djdbflo@yahoo.com