SUNY Potsdam Names Vicki L. Templeton-Cornell an Honorary Alumna

Vice President for Advancement Vicki Templeton-Cornell is Given Honorary Lifetime Membership in the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association

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From left, SUNY Potsdam President Kristin Esterberg, honorary alumna Vicki L. Templeton-Cornell and Alumni Association President Amy Kellogg ’99.

POTSDAM, NY (07/21/2016)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association recently honored Vice President for Advancement Vicki L. Templeton-Cornell with Honorary Lifetime Membership, during the College's Bicentennial Reunion Weekend.

Honorary Lifetime Membership is presented to non-alums who have made exceptional contributions to the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association and/or the College.

Templeton-Cornell was recognized for the impact and legacy of her 18-year support to SUNY Potsdam and the Potsdam College Foundation, and her dedicated leadership of the College's Division of Advancement.

Templeton-Cornell started her fundraising career in 1998 at SUNY Potsdam, as the director of the annual fund, then as a major gift officer. For the past 16 years, she has served as the vice president of advancement and the executive director of the Potsdam College Foundation. In her current role, she leads all fundraising, alumni relations, communications, public relations, marketing and government relations work at the College.

Templeton-Cornell has led SUNY Potsdam's development staff, the Foundation Board and the College through two successful comprehensive campaigns, which have generated more than $45 million in gifts and pledges to the College. Her work in developing important relationships and networks of friends have laid the foundation for future major support well into the College's third century. She has also provided leadership to a major College rebranding effort, and has overseen several important public relations and government relations initiatives, to include securing funds for the Co-Gen plant, the Performing Arts Center and over $1 million in legislative appropriations.

Templeton-Cornell also spent a year serving part-time as the executive director of the Crane Institute for Music Business, bringing in start-up funds of more than $400,000, creating the Institute's Board of Advisors and starting the NAMM internship program, which continues with great success to this day. She is a valued leader with both the Foundation Board and the President's Council, and under her expert guidance, Potsdam now boasts one of the most successful fundraising programs among its peers in the SUNY System.

Recognized for her expertise in Advancement, Vicki was appointed by the SUNY Chancellor to serve with a select group of peers on the SUNY Advance - Executive Committee for College Advancement, and was asked personally to raise funds with the Chancellor on behalf of the SUNY system.

Although Templeton-Cornell is a graduate of SUNY Cortland, she states in her own words: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and feel much closer to Potsdam than to my own alma mater. I'm the proud mother of two Potsdam alumnae, and my time at the College has been an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world."

To learn more about the successful Take the Lead Campaign, visit www.potsdam.edu/campaign.

For more information about the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni.

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. As the College marks its bicentennial in 2016, SUNY Potsdam will celebrate a 200-year legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 4,100 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 leadership in the arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community is nearing the completion of Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which has raised $33.5 million for scholarships and programs.

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