Southern Italy Tours for Southern Tier Students
While Sant'Anna Institute and Alfred State College (ASC) are separated by 4,500 miles, their approach to applied learning and hands-on experiences are very closely aligned. Both schools are also located in scenic small towns but in strikingly different locales. Leaders of the two schools recently signed extended partnership agreements in the institute's hometown of Sorrento, a village perched atop hundred-foot cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Naples.
“As an early partner with the institute, ASC has enjoyed a great relationship and it is my impression that it is poised for continued growth,” said Alfred State College President Dr. Steve Mauro. “Other schools are constantly expressing interest in following ASC's lead with Sant'Anna and it's easy to see why. Sorrento is a friendly community not far from architectural and historic wonders such as Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii. It was thrilling to see our students at work. Their lives are shaped and transformed by this immersion in the region.”
Since 2009, Alfred State Pioneers have explored Southern Italy during the spring semester. When Architecture and Design Department Chair Bill Dean and his students left Western New York in February, low temperatures were near zero. They arrived in Naples where it was 55 degrees warmer that day, and they had every reason to look forward to a very bright experience.
After more than 12 weeks overseas and enjoying the Mediterranean climate, they're coming home with new architectural skills, a wealth of knowledge about European culture, not to mention an extensive sampling of the cuisine, and a life-changing appreciation for how to work in an ever-shrinking world community.
“Such an experience develops a fully evolved worldview for students,” said Mauro. “This is important because they will soon be employed and interacting with a wide diversity of people and cultures. Changes half a world away also impact economies and American society at lightning speed. Providing opportunities like this as part of what they've learned at Alfred State positions our students to be more adaptive and prepared for great success.”
A group of Alfred State nursing students is also traveling internationally this summer. They will learn firsthand how nurses in Ireland comfort and care for their patients. Previously business students have been in Italy for multi-week internships. Alfred State students have provided nursing, veterinary, electrical, and construction assistance to earthquake victims in Haiti. Traveling to Japan, ASC digital media and animation students have visited the home of anime artists.
President Mauro also notes, “William Dean is an excellent ambassador for this experience of a lifetime in Italy. It's so important and gratifying to see the commitment made by faculty who make study abroad possible for students.”
Professor Dean faced tremendous challenges in 2020 when Italy was hit by the pandemic. The college quickly arranged for returning flights as Italy was in crisis. Through it all, the trust students and parents had in their faculty leader was well earned as he didn't rest until everyone was safely home.
With all the extra work and responsibility, why do Alfred State professors do it? Every year, Dean says he sees how students who have the opportunity for international studies are forever changed. “I am just the most recent in a line of faculty including Professors Emeriti Richard Carlo, Rex Simpson, and program founder, the late Jeff Johnston who care about providing students with this unique experience. However, we don't do it alone, and there are countless individuals across the campus who work very hard to make this study abroad opportunity happen for the students”.
Alfred State College holds 112th Commencement Ceremony
Alfred State College honored over 1,000 eligible graduates at the 112th commencement ceremony held at Pioneer Stadium. Graduates celebrated with faculty and staff along with their families and friends.
In lieu of a speech, Alfred State President Dr. Steve Mauro shared a video that allowed graduating students to thank those that were influential in their journey at the college. View the video
Student Senate President Soumya Konar (Dutchess, India) was one of four student speakers and reflected on her time at the college. “I have been fortunate to observe the dedication and passion of our student body firsthand. Your perseverance, resilience, and ingenuity have transformed our campus into a space where ideas flourish, and where we are encouraged to challenge the status quo in the pursuit of knowledge and progress. Our time has prepared us to be architects of our own destiny.”
A major component of the ceremony was the presentation of the Paul B. Orvis Award for Excellence to five graduating students. The award honors Paul B. Orvis, a former president of Alfred State and State University of New York dean for two-year college. Recipients meet the criteria of service, leadership, character, and scholarship.
Receiving the award were Madison Graham (Andover, NY - School of Applied Technology associate degree recipient); Sofia Baldwin (Troy, NY- School of Architecture, Management and Engineering Technology baccalaureate degree recipient); Hector Hernandez (Wellsville, NY - School of Architecture, Management and Engineering Technology associate degree recipient); Jazmin Phommavanh (Spencerport, NY - School of Arts and Sciences baccalaureate degree recipient); and Ashley Ameis (Arcade, NY - School of Arts and Sciences associate degree recipient).
The commencement ceremonies featured student speakers from each of the three schools at the college.
Peyton Comfort (Himrod, NY) represented the School of Arts and Sciences. She has been a passionate advocate for environmental issues, women’s health, and for the role of science on campus. As a health sciences major, she helped reinstate the Alfred State Science Society. As President of the group, she helped initiate a project to create a campus butterfly garden which provides a habitat for monarchs and other endangered butterfly species. She has served as a tutor and has welcomed and met with prospective and accepted students at open houses.
Sofia Baldwin (Troy, NY) represented the School of Architecture, Management, and Engineering Technology. She has served as the studio manager of the Bandwagon media center, managing a team of creatives producing podcasts and social media content for campus. She is also active in the performing arts, serving as the President of the Drama Club and as Public Relations Chair for Voices. Baldwin has also worked as a student ambassador, served on student senate, and is a sister of Zeta Psi Omega.
Breana Mest (Strykersville, NY) represented the School of Applied Technology. As a heavy equipment operations major, she has taken a team leadership role on many projects and real-world training. She has been an engaged leader on campus, serving as a tutor for various courses and has been active in both the Collegiate Agricultural Leaders and Future Farmers of America organizations.
The Alfred State faculty quarter performed the national anthem and the college’s alma mater. Dr. Aniko Constantine served as grand marshal and led the processional.™
Alfred State Welcomes Chancellor King
The Alfred State College (ASC) community welcomed John B. King Jr., Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) to campus. King, who is visiting all 64 SUNY campuses, met with faculty, staff, and students. The chancellor says he was struck by the emphasis on the development of career skills, diversity of students, campus beauty, and positive energy among Alfred State Pioneers.
“As I talk with students and faculty members, I always want to know what makes the campus special,” commented King. “I have already heard from students about the small class size and their sense of community here at Alfred. Students love the beauty of this space and have talked about the great hands-on learning experiences they get in engineering for example and in computer science. [Students also praised] internship opportunities that they have had and certainly seeing the student center [Student Leadership Center], where you can see that the extracurricular activities and student life are a very strong part of Alfred State.”
Alfred State President Dr. Steven Mauro hosted King in both Alfred and Wellsville. King was able to interact with faculty, staff, and students at both campuses. Earlier on his SUNY tour, King also visited Alfred State labs at Northland Workforce Development Center in Buffalo. One of the highlights of his ASC visit was a lunch meeting with students who invited the most influential faculty or staff member during their time at Alfred State.
Mauro was appreciative that King was able to see Pioneers in action. “It was great that the Chancellor was able to visit us today. It was wonderful that he was able to really talk to our students, our faculty, and staff and just ask them about what their world looks like.”
Alfred State was the 50th campus that King visited during his tour. “I think it is important to get a sense of what the strengths and assets are of each of our 64 campuses. To hear directly from faculty [and] from students what we could be doing better at SUNY to support all our campuses. I have learned a ton and look forward to doing a State of the University speech at the end [of the 64-campus tour], reflecting on the things I have learned along the way.”
King has learned many things in his travels to so many campuses and highlighted two of them. “The incredible value proposition at SUNY. Students can find excellent opportunities in virtually every discipline at affordable prices. We need to make sure every New York student and family knows about that value proposition. I have also been struck by the diversity on our campuses and the diversity of experiences across our campuses.”
Mauro, King, and the rest of the visiting party toured the Student Leadership Center, visited the nursing labs in the Physical and Health Sciences Building, interacted with engineering students in the Engineering Building, and toured through autobody, truck & diesel, electrical, and welding labs on the Wellsville campus. Alfred State boasts 200+ hands-on labs for applied learning.
“It was wonderful to be able to hear ideas and share stories,” commented Mauro at the conclusion of the visit. “I am always a big fan of [the saying that] seeing is believing. When you can see [what goes on here] you know what makes Alfred State so great.”™
Students and Community Enjoy Hot Dog Day
Alfred State students and the community enjoyed Hot Dog Day festivities. The annual tradition brought excitement to the valley.
Alfred State clubs and organizations participated in the parade that included Alfred University students and community groups. The parade marched right down Main Street and spirits were not dampened by the rain.
While activities continued on Main Street, the Alfred State Carnival got underway. Attendees enjoyed rides, games, music, and food in the parking lot between the Student Leadership Center and the Townhouses.
The star of the day continued to be the Hot Dog. Proceeds of the sales of Hot Dogs will be donated to local charities.™
Alfred State Officially Opens Doc Bruce Lab
Alfred State celebrated the official opening of the Doc Bruce Construction Materials Laboratory in the Engineering Technology Building. The state-of-the-art lab will support students in the civil engineering technology department along with helping develop a new industry workforce.
The new lab focuses on laboratory and field testing of construction materials, including soils, concrete, and asphalt. Students are prepared and test to become American Concrete Institute, Technician Grade I, and are prepared to move on to NYS Asphalt Technician Training as they are familiar with different aggregates and soils in their first year. Bruce’s former students and industry leaders – Jimmy Smith ’77, president of Advance Testing Company, and Gary Hill ’77, president of Union Concrete Construction Corporation, led the campaign.
For more than two decades, William “Doc” Bruce, DE, PE, was a beloved mentor for Pioneer students. He was the initial advisor to the Alfred State chapter of Association of General Contractors (AGC) and was instrumental in obtaining grants to build the labs that students like Hill and Smith learned in.
“Our involvement with Doc Bruce and the AGC student chapter led to so many opportunities,” commented Hill. “I always say that Doc Bruce was into networking before there was even the term networking. We used to go on site visits, whether it be down to a parking ramp in Elmira or a National Asphalt Paving Association meeting in Baltimore. All that networking taught many of our classmates how to interact with the industry.”
Smith echoed many of Hill’s thoughts. “Doc Bruce was always concerned about our careers. He wanted to make sure we were placed in the right job for our personalities. It is forty plus years later and we raised the money and built a beautiful facility dedicated to him. I cannot thank you all enough for your support. We look forward to showcasing the facility.”
“These (people – Jimmy and Gary) are legends of the institution and what they did allowed us to continue to cultivate that,” commented Alfred State President Dr. Steven Mauro. “That mentality still rings very true today to the legend of what Doc Bruce created. We are going to spend the time on students so that they can succeed in the real world. This is what we are all about at Alfred State and that is the kind of legacy that Doc Bruce created.”
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Craig Clark is part of Doc Bruce’s legacy. Clark was hired by Bruce and spoke of how his colleague connected students with industry. “His connection with the industry was amazing. He would take people on field trips all over. He wanted to make sure the students got outside the lab and experienced what the real world was like. He spent extra time with students. He was not just a faculty member but a true advisor.”
Clark, who recently spoke to the family of Doc Bruce, conveyed how much the family was pleased that the laboratory was built to honor William’s dedication to his students.
Vice President of Institutional Advancement Danielle White provided the audience background on the fundraising effort which was part of the college’s Major Gift Campaign that raised $9.2 million dollars. “To honor Doc Bruce and enhance the student’s education they (Jimmy and Gary) came up with the idea for this campaign to renovate the construction materials laboratory and name it on behalf of their beloved professor. They both pledged $100,000 to this project. They also had us travel all over to different industry events and introduced us to so many incredible people and companies. We want to thank them both for their endless effort and support of this program and the college.”
Smith and Hill along with their companies, provided leadership and spearheaded the campaign but countless other industry supporters of Alfred State and Doc Bruce joined the efforts at a bronze level or higher to make the vision a reality.
“Alfred State graduates will continue to be recognized for their competence and skills as a direct result of the abilities provided by this lab. Industry will also continue to find a capable partner as we produce the Future Leaders of the industry and explore some of the exciting new technologies.”John William, Dean of the School of Architecture, Management & Engineering Technology
“Thank you, Gary, and Jimmy. We could not have raised the money to do this without you and your support.”Erin Vitale, Department Chair and Professor in the Civil Engineering Technology Department
Some of the Bronze level supporters of Alfred State and Doc Bruce initiatives include:
- American Concrete Institute - Western NY
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- Associated General Contractors
- Balfour Beatty Construction, Inc.
- Barre Stone Products, Inc.
- Bothar Construction, LLC
- BVR Construction Company, Inc.
- CATCO
- CIC of Westchester & Hudson Valley, Inc.
- Cold Spring Construction Co.
- Construction Exchange of Buffalo & Western NY
- County Line Stone Co. Inc.
- D.A. Collins Construction Co. Inc.
- Dolomite Products Co., Inc.
- Jamestown Macadam, Inc.
- Lancaster Development Inc.
- National Fuel Gas Company Foundation
- New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co.
- New York Construction Materials Association
- New York Construction Materials Association - Asphalt Council
- New York Construction Materials Association - Concrete Council
- Thalle Industries
- The Peckham Family Foundation
- The Pike Company
- Yonkers Contracting Company, Inc.
White continued, “We are so thankful for all the industry and individual support for this project. The vision would not have become a reality without the help of so many.”
Students have already started to use the new machines and tools in the lab in their coursework. The lab is one of the main sites in the state that offers New York State Construction Material Association QC/QA Asphalt certifications. Alfred State has been offering this certification since 1996.™
Pyur Tree Customs wins AHA! Startup Allegany Collegiate Competition
The Alfred State team of Edward Scroxton (Jamestown, NY - Technology Management) and Jon Jacobs (Wappingers Falls, NY - Construction Management) and their company Pyur Tree Customs won the 2023 Allegany County Collegiate Competition.
Pyur Tree Customs were mentored by Alfred State alum Reuben Zielinski (co-founder and president of Redux Corporation) and ASC assistant professor of marketing Susan Gorman. The pair won the $5,000 grand prize.
Pyur Tree Customs aims to bring uniqueness and personalization into homes and restaurants. The company handcrafts fully customizable cutting boards while allowing the customers to choose from seven different woods.
The product is manufactured and assembled in Western New York and has been sold to several restaurants already. Sales have primarily been from word of mouth thus far with the hope that additional funding will allow for a more complex marketing campaign.
Scroxton is excited to use the prize money to develop Pyur Tree Customs even more. “Winning this competition is relieving because it is going to help tremendously with website development and will allow us to purchase new tools like a larger laser engraver. Jon and I went into the beginning of the day just excited to pitch the business to the judges. We are looking forward to where this opportunity takes us.”
Jacobs echoed similar feelings. “I am feeling extremely privileged and grateful to have had the opportunity to compete with such intelligent and creative individuals. Above everything, I am feeling excited and optimistic for what the future holds for Eddie and I.”
The Alfred University duo of Madeline Shaw (Buffalo, NY – Biomaterials Engineering) and Bianca Durso (Utica, NY – Ceramic Engineering) and their company Anie Organics finished in 2nd place and earned $2,500. The team was mentored by Shelly Freyn, assistant professor marketing at AU, and Nancy Golomb, die technology program manager at Corning Incorporated.
The Constructa-Byte team of Alfred State architecture students, Jennifer Meo (Oneonta, NY), Daniel Kyle (Hanibal, NY), and Cameron Burnett (Wappingers Falls, NY) finished 3rd and was voted as the Viewers’ Choice Award winner. The team was mentored by Dr. Reza Yahollahi, ASC assistant professor in civil engineering, and Michelle Engarto, director global innovation manufacturing at Corning Incorporated.
Remainder of the teams:
- Essence of Nirvana (Alfred State)
KeShawn Barksdale and Julius Korytkowski - Personal Finance Now (Alfred University)
Ryan Hughes and Andrew Cisco - Trunk Space (Alfred University)
Artem Kolisrychenko and Joseph Adipietro - SOUND Consulting (Houghton University)
Matt Connolly, Mary Vandenbosch, and Jack Masterson - Alfred Art Commission (Alfred University)
Franmy Mateo-Tapia, Earlington Walker, Tucker Jones, James Bisaccia, and Amoi Charles - Nudge (Alfred University)
Nathan Croscut-Miller and Matthew Wedzik
The competition, titled “AHA” because it involved students from Allegany County’s three institutions of higher education (Alfred State College, Houghton University, and Alfred University), was based on solving problems faced by businesses, with a goal of promoting sustainability through entrepreneurship.
The event was hosted at Alfred State and was organized by IncubatorWorks of Alfred, a state-of-the-art incubator offering services and facilities to foster growth of entrepreneurial businesses.
Executive Director of IncubatorWorks Ashleigh Madison was impressed with the work of the students at the 3rd annual AHA competition. “The students provided well thought out and executed business pitches. Congratulations to the participating teams and winners! We look forward to continuing to work with the colleges every year and cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit within in the students. This is one more accolade that they will be able to use when they enter the workforce, or…start their own business.”
Amy Bennett, chief operating officer at Northern Lights Candles, Tom Murdock, clinical faculty at University at Buffalo and general manager Western New York Incubator Network, and A. Boh Ruffin, senior research manager at Corning Incorporated served as judges. The trio of judges evaluated pitches made by nine teams.
Madison continued, “Thank you to this year’s host, Alfred State College, to the Startup Allegany committee, sponsors, judges, mentors, and volunteers.”
The 2024 AHA competition is slated to be held at Houghton University in early April.™
A Call to Leadership: Alfred State hosts Students of Color Leadership Conference
Alfred State students gathered for a day of training, education, and fellowship at the 5th annual Students of Color Leadership Conference. The event featured guest speakers, panels, music, and food.
Desmond Davis, assistant director of diversity, equity, and inclusion along with Dennis Dueno, director of student engagement, and Afua Boehene, EOP academic advisor, put together the event that featured various conversations to discuss success and leadership during and after college.
Davis knows the importance of events like these. “We need to engage our students in terms of what their professional aspirations are and develop that leadership component and leadership skill set. We do these things to really give opportunities for students to network, so that we can see them grow to be the leaders that we need them to be.”
Dueno added, “This conference is allowing our students to have the ability to develop as a professional before they get out there. We want to make sure our students have the opportunity to hit the ground running.”
To start the day, students were able to attend workshops presented by Dr. Brian Saltsman, executive director of the black speakers institute, Sulaiman Aina, Jr, creative director and founder of studious.co, and Benny DeSantiago, director of the educational opportunity program at Alfred State, and Davis.
Aina, an Alfred State alum added, “I spoke to current students about the importance of leadership and the compilation of understanding yourself in relation to being a leader in today’s world.”
First year student Danielle Abihzer who works in the cultural life center enjoyed the event. “We had conversation about really hearing people, even when they have an opinion that might be in opposition with ourselves, because the way that we implement change is by understanding each other first.”
Dr. Torrance Jones, the community affair executive at the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office served as the keynote speaker. He urged students to think about what makes them come alive.
Other activities during the conference included a panel moderated by Steven Edwards, coordinator of student activities. The panel spoke on leading from the margins and featured Janel Farrell, ASC resident director, Deborah Oliveria, ASC alum and aerospace test engineer at L3 Harris, and Indaria Jones, program director for Syracuse University Blackstone LaunchPad.
During the luncheon, Ayana DelValle with special guest Kimora Smith performed.
The annual event is presented by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.™
Alfred, New York is named the Ultimate College Town
Known for being friendly and offering a warm welcome even in the winter, Alfred, NY is ranked number one in a February 2023 nationwide survey to earn the nickname College Town USA for the home of Alfred State College and Alfred University.
Data analysis by Washington Post Reporter Andrew Van Dam defined the Ultimate College Town by ranking US Census Urban Areas with the largest share of college students. Urban Areas follow population-density patterns, not municipal borders.
Winning the number one national ranking proves that Alfred's picture-perfect environment away from big city worries stands out among all other university and college towns in the country. Van Dam called Alfred “the collegiest” a term he coined.
Van Dam describes Alfred as a village wedged into Western New York’s hills that is home to both a public and private school, Alfred State College and Alfred University. As noted in the Washington Post, "Students make up an astonishing 85 percent of the town's population... If you go left at the town's only stoplight, you're on one campus. Turn right, you're on the other. Now that's a college town."
Located along the I-86 freeway, Alfred is a convenient and attractive college town for students from a wide region and around the world. According to NASA's Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), there are 104,464,746 people within 350 miles of Alfred. That amounts to approximately one-third of the US population. Visit Alfred and see for yourself.
Students across New York and from many states choose Alfred to take advantage of a caring academic community, enjoy low student-to-faculty ratios for personal attention, and be part of something special.
Alfred State College (ASC) President Dr. Steven Mauro said, “Living in the Ultimate US College Town gives you access to both beautiful campuses and a supportive tight-knit community, including world-class faculty who judge their achievements by how students succeed at launching their careers. With students making up 85 percent of all residents in our village, you know we are student-centered. Great ideas and innovations are shared across Main Street, many alumni met their spouses at the sister school, and everyone benefits from the wealth of recreation to share fun, fitness, and fellowship in such a friendly environment.”
Alfred, NY is now named the Ultimate US College Town. Students from Alfred University and Alfred State College come together on Main Street for activities including Hot Dog Day which started in 1972.
Alfred University (AU) President Dr. Mark Zupan said, “While there is only one traffic light in Alfred, there are plentiful and potent intersections that benefit faculty, students, and staff—including those offered by our sister school, Alfred State College, and the friendly surrounding village. Set in a safe, bucolic valley in the Finger Lakes region of New York, our students make bold discoveries by pursuing multiple pathways and integrating their interests. Alfred University’s purpose is to help our students identify and realize their purpose. The combination of our small size, wide range of programs, applied learning opportunities, and commitment to student engagement through mentoring allows Alfred University to be a talent incubator and socioeconomic development engine.”
Village of Alfred Mayor Becky Prophet said, “In this beautiful valley of Western New York, the word Alfred is applied to three communities that coalesce into a single multifaceted gem. The Village of Alfred, nestled between the two schools, makes an intersection and a gathering place for the valley. There is nothing like the sum of the Alfreds anywhere in the US or, perhaps, in the world. We are the most collegiate of all college towns. We are an excellent place to grow up. We are a fine place to raise a family. But most of all, Alfred is the best place to combine daily life and learning. In Alfred, we live to learn and learn to live for all of our lives.”™
Alfred State hosts Forum Focusing on Enhancing the Local Healthcare Workforce
Alfred State College (ASC) hosted a forum that focused on enhancing the local healthcare workforce. Administrators from three local hospitals, St. James, Noyes, and Jones Memorial, along with Elderwood learned more about the educational opportunities available at the college.
Department chairs from nursing, physical and life sciences, and allied health outlined the opportunities available at Alfred State. Details about the recently announced partnership between ASC and the University at Buffalo that allows students to stay in the southern tier while pursuing an Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree were outlined as well (Learn more about the partnership).
Attendees took tours of the nursing educational labs, spoke with nursing faculty, learned more about the DNP degree from University at Buffalo representatives, and the day concluded with a brainstorming session on next steps to encourage growth in the workforce.
Alfred State nursing department chair Jody Blankenship was pleased to have so many local healthcare administrators on campus. “Any time we come together with people in the field and share the opportunities we have to strengthen the professional workforce is beneficial. We were able to outline the educational programs we have to offer here and maybe more significant we were able to show them the simulation labs that we teach our students in. These labs are not only tools to educate the next wave of nurses but to build the skills of those already working in the field.”
Kristopher Green ’97, Director of Human Resources at Jones Memorial sees the importance of working closely with Alfred State and the other area hospitals. “It is significant to have the three hospitals have a collaborative partnership with Alfred State. We work together to provide health care services for our community. Any time we get to collaborate with Alfred State and with our affiliate partners is huge for our community.”
“This is huge,” commented Kate Warner ’08, interim Chief Nursing Officer at St. James. “It provides us with a lot of opportunities to collaborate and work as a team to fulfill the needs of the area.”
Vice President of Human Resources at Noyes Health, Cassie Davis ’10, echoed Warner’s thoughts. “One of our biggest problems is staffing. Not only is it beneficial for people to start off doing their education here and increase their education, but Alfred State offering the use of the different clinical spaces for our current staff to train them will be very helpful.”
Alfred State offers associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing along with numerous degree paths in health sciences and allied health. Students learn hands-on in simulation labs on campus and perform clinical hours in local hospitals.™