2014 SUNY Potsdam Reunion Weekend Set to be Fun for All

Related Media

Sandra (Bosher) Thornton '03 received the Rising Star Award at 2013 Reunion Weekend

POTSDAM, NY (06/19/2014)(readMedia)-- Preparations for SUNY Potsdam's annual Reunion Weekend are in high gear, with the gathering drawing alumni, families and friends back to campus from July 10 to 13. Registration is free through Monday, June 30, so all are encouraged to register now. All SUNY Potsdam alumni and friends are invited to join in the festivities.

This year, the celebrations will include a special concert in honor of Crane School of Music Professor Emeritus Art Frackenpohl (Hon. '04), who turned 90 this year. Another highlight will be a special weeklong reunion for Department of Theatre and Dance alumni, culminating in performances at the new Performing Arts Center. In addition, for the first time, SUNY Potsdam will host a Student Affairs Symposium for alumni and friends who have gone on to higher education careers in student affairs.

Mini-reunions this year include:

• Delta Lambda Nu Sorority: 20th anniversary

• Phi Kappa Pi Alumnae Association: 20th anniversary

• Men's Basketball Team trip to the NCAA Final Four: 35th anniversary

• Women's Basketball Team SUNYAC Championship: 20th anniversary

• Crane Institute for Music Business Program mini-reunion

With a complete daily line-up of events, concerts, faculty-led seminars and delicious dining opportunities, the 2014 Reunion Weekend has something for everyone's taste.

All are welcome to relive the student experience, through the brand-new Potsdam Academy. The daylong session kicks off Reunion Weekend with interactive art and science classes led by SUNY Potsdam faculty, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 10. For the full line-up of classes and registration information, contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at (315) 267-2120 or visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion/academy.

The Potsdam Academy concludes with a "graduation" ceremony at the Early Bird Gathering, which officially opens Reunion Weekend 2014 at SUNY Potsdam. The gathering will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in Becky's Place at Pratt Commons, adjacent to the Raymond Hall lobby.

Also on Thursday, alumni from the Department of Theatre and Dance will present a dance performance at 7 p.m., and a theatre production at 8:15 p.m., both in the Performing Arts Center.

On Friday, July 11, the campus will host its first Student Affairs Symposium for alumni and friends of the College. There will be a broad array of sessions for participants to choose from, running from 10 a.m. to noon, and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Lunch is included. Sessions will cover Greek Life, storytelling, involvement in national professional organizations, preparing for doctoral programs, learning assessments and more. The College will welcome back Dean of Students Emeritus Dan Hurley '54 and Chris Strong (Hon. '02), vice president for student affairs emerita. To register, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion.

The highlights for Friday, July 11 include the annual "Cupid Breakfast" for all SUNY Potsdam-Clarkson University couples at 8:30 a.m. There will be walking tours of campus, the new Performing Arts Center, the Mary E. English Commons, Maxcy Hall and The Crane School of Music throughout the day. Alumni will lead a hike up Mount Arab, leaving from campus at 8:45 a.m. There will be a planetarium show at 11:30 a.m. SUNY Potsdam faculty will offer presentations on music education, Native American history, the legacies of Julia Crane and Helen Hosmer, the geology of Shenandoah National Park, earthquakes in New York State, and much more. Tom French '88 will speak about his book, "A History of the Thousand Island in 3D." The annual family barbecue picnic will be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Townhouse Courtyard.

On Saturday, July 12, reunion attendees will not want to miss starting off their day with the Bear Walk/Run at 8:30 a.m. There will be a walking tour of Bayside Cemetery from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Campus tours will again be offered throughout the day. Alumni and staff will present sessions on maximizing your potential, motivating students, estate planning and the Start-Up NY program. Guests can also enjoy kayaking, canoeing and other family-friendly activities at Lehman Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also on Saturday, alumni and friends will be on hand for the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in the Knowles Hall Multi-Purpose Room. This year's inductees are Ryan Hanretty '05 (lacrosse), Thomas Hutchinson '77 (basketball) and Jodi Ziemba '07 (soccer). The annual choral reading for Crane alumni will feature the Fauré "Requiem," at 1:15 p.m.

Later in the evening, a gala reception and silent auction will be held in the Barrington Student Union, beginning at 5 p.m. The class dinner will follow the reception and this year's Alumni Association award recipients will be honored and recognized.

This year's award recipients include:

• Linda Pape '65, Minerva Award

• David E. Johnson '77, Distinguished Service Award

• Kaitlyn Beachner '08, Rising Star Award

• Zachariah Galatis '08, Rising Star Award

• Ann Gatta Beaucage '64, Helen M. Hosmer Excellence in Music Teaching Award

• Linda Beaupre '74, Helen M. Hosmer Excellence in Music Teaching Award

• William H. Flynn '70, St. Lawrence Academy Medal

• Rob Zolner, Honorary Lifetime Membership

• Alex Vangellow, Honorary Lifetime Membership

• G. Michael and Barbara Maresca, Honorary Lifetime Membership

Following the class dinner and award ceremony, The Crane School of Music will host a once-in-a-lifetime concert to honor Professor Emeritus Dr. Art Frackenpohl (Hon. '04), who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year. The performance will feature Crane alumni, faculty and students, and will be offered at 8:15 p.m. in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater. This event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The College will offer a farewell breakfast on Sunday, July 13 from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by the annual Alumni Association meeting.

There will also be many other receptions, book signings, seminars and walking tours throughout reunion that will easily fill up the weekend. Maxcy Hall will be open periodically for free use by registered guests. Check the registration table for details.

SUNY Potsdam's Reunion Weekend is held in conjunction with Clarkson University's Reunion Weekend and the Village of Potsdam's Summer Festival.

The public is invited to attend Reunion Weekend events. For more information or to register for the weekend, please call Laura Stevenson at (315) 267-2120 or visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni.

Registration headquarters will be located in the Raymond Hall lobby throughout the weekend for walk-in guests.

For more information about the fun-filled events in store for SUNY Potsdam's 2014 Reunion Weekend, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion.

###

Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community recently launched Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which aims to raise $27 million by the College's bicentennial in 2016.

-www.potsdam.edu-