SUNY Canton Welcomes Graduates and Distinguished Guests During Alumni Weekend

CANTON, NY (07/03/2014)(readMedia)-- SUNY Canton's Alumni Weekend will feature two dedication ceremonies and seven new Hall of Fame inductees July 18 to 20.

"This year's celebration is of great importance to the college," said Director of Alumni Affairs Peggy S. Levato. "We will recognize a great alumnus, our Greek organizations and many people who have made substantial contributions to the north country community."

The Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies Building will be renamed in honor of one of the college's most generous patrons at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 18. John L. Halford Sr., a 1949 graduate, has made a series of donations to the college. He most recently contributed funding for an equipment endowment in the Air Conditioning Engineering Technology program. Halford is a member of the New York State Senate Veteran's Hall of Fame who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

The college's oldest sorority has raised more than $31,000 to rename the atrium of SUNY Canton's dining hall as part of their centennial anniversary. Pi Nu Epsilon will dedicate the space at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19, in Chaney Dining Center. The building is named for Mary Adele Chaney, a former professor of domestic science who was instrumental in starting Pi Nu Epsilon.

Brothers from Alpha Theta Gamma, the college's oldest fraternity, will join their sisters from Pi Nu Epsilon. The Delta Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Delta Sigma Tau sorority will be celebrating their 35th anniversaries during the weekend celebration.

The annual Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday in the Miller Campus Center, Woodcock Conference Suites. The 2014 inductees are:

Thomas W. Duda taught business at SUNY Canton for 28 years. He received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1992 and emeritus status in 2008. After retirement, he continued to teach as an adjunct until his death in 2012. Dr. Duda was very respected by his students and colleagues and he made countless educational contributions and helped many students during his tenure.

Betty J. Evans is an avid supporter of education, health care, her church and the community in the North Country. She created an endowed scholarship in 2011 to honor the memory of her son, Perry Evans. She taught 5th through 12th grade students with disabilities for 18 years.

Linda L. Fay dedicated 30 years to teaching, academic duties and administrative functions for the Nursing program. She received SUNY's Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in teaching and SUNY Canton's Distinguished Faculty award. Mrs. Fay served as a role model for faculty throughout the college.

John T. Henderson, class of 1952, graduated from ATI with a degree in Drafting. He was responsible for an addition to the science building, expansion of athletic facilities, and creation of facilities master plan at Jefferson Community College. Mr. Henderson continues to support SUNY Canton.

Aaron J. and Doris H. Lasher were owners and operators of Aaron J. Lasher Plumbing and Heating in Heuvelton, New York. Mrs. Lasher established the Aaron J. Lasher Scholarship in memory of her husband. Mr. Lasher served as a volunteer firefighter, church trustee, member and chairman of various Heuvelton and Oswegatchie Boards and the scoutmaster of Heuvelton's Boy Scout Troop nine for 23 years.

Jean M. Poticher, class of 1944, worked at Canton College for 28 years. In 1961 she served as Assistant Food Service Manager before becoming Dining Hall Manager in 1971. She was promoted to Food Service Director in 1983. She was a dedicated worker who provided outstanding service to the college.

T. Urling and Mabel B. Walker are generous contributors to the Canton College Foundation. Mrs. Walker has been active in the healthcare field and helped start Hospice in Jefferson County. Mr. Walker was one of the founding members of the Jefferson Community College Foundation in 1979. He served as mayor of Watertown from 1983 to 1991. They are well known throughout Northern New York for their philanthropic efforts.

For more information on the weekend's events, or to register, contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at 315-386-7127or 800-811-6727.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-