We begin the fall semester with a great deal of excitement, as many initiatives are underway designed to make a real difference in the lives of Fredonia’s students. We once again received record freshmen applications this past spring, as well as record minority applications, from those seeking to become a part of the Class of 2014.

It’s not often that a student knows what he wants to do for the rest of his life before he even walks through his dorm room door. It’s even less often that a student chooses a profession where most of his customers know their time on Earth is nearing its end. Recently, Finn has led the charge to broaden his connection to his  alma mater, especially in the form of internships and field experiences for today’s students.

Experts estimate that approximately 85 percent of all job openings are never advertised. Positions become available because of internal promotions, retirements and other employee departures. Instead of being posted, these positions are filled through personal connections established long before the opening existed.

Dr. John  Kijinski now leads 3,700 students spread across 19 departments, many with multiple major tracks, as dean of the newly formed College of Arts and Sciences -- SUNY Fredonia’s largest academic unit.  A central college of Arts and Sciences is a common model across academia, from tiny colleges to mammoth research universities.

Two longtime members of SUNY Fredonia’s thriving fine and performing arts community, Tom Loughlin and James Piorkowski, were among just 24 faculty members throughout the 64-campus SUNY system to be recently appointed to the “distinguished” ranks by the State University of New York Board of Trustees.

If Allan Wilson can develop a way to share his music industry expertise and connections with the hundreds of students and faculty on campus every year, he will have returned a very substantial gift, indeed… and perhaps one day, no one will ask what a “Fredonia” is ever again.

 With the opening of the new rehearsal room wing on Mason Hall, only 40 feet of space remains between the two buildings. Eventually, they will be joined in a master plan that calls for unifying performance, storage, and support facilities for all the arts at Fredonia.

Buffalo developer Carl Paladino, right, candidate for the 2010 New York State Governor's race, served as the keynote speaker for the 33rd annual Business Person of the Year Awards in April, at which Fredonia’s Tracy Bennett, vice president for Administration, was honored as this year’s selection.

Research by Dr. Donald Barnes, assistant professor in the School of Business, is adding to the growing material lending credence to the idea that there’s something new in the transaction of buying and selling. It’s called “customer delight,” and it’s not just a myth, Dr. Barnes said.

The first cohort of nine Fredonians will student teach abroad through the University of Sunshine Coast (USC) in Australia in Spring 2011. Fredonia has also completed a new student teaching program with the University of Puebla (UPAEP) in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The New York State Department of Education has approved a dual certification program at Fredonia that will prepare students to be certified to teach in both early childhood and elementary school settings. Also initiated last semester was a Certificate of Advanced Study in School District Leadership.

This fall, two Fredonia graduate students from the College of Education, Amanda Bogert and Catherine Riedesel, depart for Andorra and Turkey, respectively, as recipients of one-year Fulbright scholarships to become English teaching assistants. Both earned master’s degrees in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) in May.

Distance runner Nick Guarino earned two NCAA national championships – as a Fredonia State junior. As he enters his senior year, he’s set his sights on some even bigger goals…including sharing the podium with his twin brother, Josh. 

Biology graduate Jon Lelito, '03, is on a mission to stop the population explosion of the emerald ash borer beetle, an invasive species which is killing ash trees by the millions in the U.S. and Canada.  He is a researcher with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Brighton, Michigan.

Fredonia State will add four new members to its Athletics Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony Oct. 2 during Homecoming Weekend. The Class of 2010 consists of three former athletes, Tom Cordaro and Jonathan Payne (men’s soccer), and Jamie Ricigliano (baseball). In addition, former men’s basketball coach Bill Hughes will join the hall.

The annual Maytum Convocation Lecture, a tradition at SUNY Fredonia, will be offered by Dr. Howard Gardner in King Concert Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m. Dr. Gardner has also been named a Williams Distinguished Visiting Professor.  Dr. Gardner’s talk is titled, “Creativity: What we can learn from The Masters.” 

Matthew and Cheri Hahn of Severn, Md., have fully endowed a fund in support of the annual Freedonia Marxonia, the Marx Brothers Film Festival and Symposium, to provide paid student internships and help meet the expenses of the annual festival. Mr. Hahn first attended Freedonia Marxonia in 2009 and his entry for the short film contest won first place.

 The Class of ’61 has planned an alumni band concert at its 50th reunion in June 2011. To date, only three musicians have come forth. So, to better explain this title, “The Class of 1961 needs 47 more musicians for its 50th reunion concert next June.

 With words of wisdom from a SUNY Fredonia alumnus and appreciation from the graduating class, approximately 1,400 students were honored in Steele Hall as Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees and advanced certificates.

 Civic engagement, sustainability, service learning and community- based research are the four FACE Center pillars, designed to promote greater collaboration between the campus and community. 

 This year’s third annual Earth “Week” – which grew to 11 days in 2010 – took community engagement and educational outreach to a new level and generated unprecedented results.

 U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) met with new tenants of the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator in May as part of an update on one of the most creative economic development initiatives in Western New York. Congressman Higgins also took the opportunity to announce $150,000 in funding for the Incubator, which comes in addition to the $147,500 allocated previously. 

Review of baseball, basketball, hockey, softball, swimming and diving, and track and field.