As Dr. Karen Davis stands at the front of the classroom discussing her lifelong dedication to the examination of animal behavior, she draws on one anecdote after another as a researcher, zookeeper, and Wolf Curator. With a master’s degree in neuroscience and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology, her students benefit from her extensive education, research, and life experience.
We always love seeing all the excitement on campus during the start of the semester! Join us for a look back at some slices of life as our students get back into action.
Just four years after completing his degree at SUNY Potsdam in exercise science, Luke Vitale ’20 has already received his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Duke University, completed three clinical rotations around the country, and has now launched his career as a physical therapist.
A few hours after receiving her degree in criminal justice—and leveraging the experience of an internship in the probation department at the Oswego County Public Safety Center—Emma Hyde ’24 began a promising job as a park ranger at Selkirk Shores State Park. Now she is looking ahead to a career as a probation officer, a goal that will come to fruition after she completes her advanced degree in mental health counseling.
As wild animals travel from Canada’s Algonquin Park to the Adirondacks, their lives are in jeopardy at every intersecting road. That’s where Emily Yousey ’25 steps in. This summer she has been working on a road ecology research project to identify the locations where animals are losing their lives to passing cars. The study will inform decisions about where to create wildlife crossings, and lead to the creation of overpasses or underpasses to provide safe passage for the animals in the future.
Just days after receiving her degree, Sydney O’Melia ’24 launched her career as an archaeologist. Hired to work for Fort Drum’s Cultural Resources Program, she has been conducting research at the military base—helping to identify and protect Native American artifacts found at Fort Drum, and as needed, safeguarding parcels of land from future development.
This summer, six SUNY Potsdam students have completed hands-on internships around New York State focused on examining the local history of the Revolutionary War. Part of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Semiquincentennial Summer Fellowship Program, the students have been diving into the local history archives and helping historians plan for upcoming celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
Last month, Dr. Hadley Kruczek-Aaron and her students spent four weeks excavating artifacts from Heaven Hill Farm, a historic farmstead in the heart of the Adirondacks. The immersive hands-on experience allowed students like Sebastian Herrera ’25 and Leia’lani Dibble ’26 to use trowels and other tools to uncover food remains, shells, bone, ceramics, and glass, and reveal signs of everyday life on the farm over the past 200 years.
As the first graduate of SUNY Potsdam's dual degree program with the Kyiv National Economics University, Stephanie Bulakh '24 brought big dreams with her, as she seeks to use her degree to help build a brighter future for her war-torn country.
After being diagnosed with Leukemia, José Abel Santiago ’24 has grappled with both physical and emotional side effects, while using his artwork to reflect on his illness. This spring, doctors told him that his cancer is in remission, and he’s now looking ahead to a bright future with his undergraduate degree in hand.
Jada West ’24 is working with a team of SUNY Potsdam researchers and students to unlock the secrets of pervasive and spreading tick-borne diseases with a goal of providing better information for the public.
This spring, 11 students joined Dr. Page Quinton, Dr. Mike Rygel and Dr. Christian Schrader on an amazing journey to explore significant geological sites of west Texas and southwestern New Mexico. They plied acres of ground in search of clues and fossilized life forms, climbed 2,000 feet in elevation and hiked 10 miles roundtrip along the way—bringing to life topics discussed in their classes back home.
Weaving together academic research and applied learning experiences, Emily Bailey ’24 and Annabelle Kahle ’26 have been immersing themselves in unique hands-on research projects through the Presidential Scholars Program—examining the history of homespun garment manufacturing and using historical tools to create costumes that their ancestors would have worn.
No stranger to challenges, Theresa Adams ’24 draws from a deep well of lived experience to help remote First Nations people get the health care they need.
Building on teaching experiences in her father’s kindergarten classroom throughout her youth, Hannah McArthur ’25 is now pursuing a degree in early childhood/childhood education, and gaining valuable real-world experience through numerous elementary school classroom placements around New York state.
A standout hockey player in her youth, Olivia Cook ’24 went on to achieve great success as a Division I athlete and make a significant impact in both her Mohawk community of Akwesasne and in remote First Nation communities throughout Canada. Now, she’s a leader at SUNY Potsdam as head coach of the women’s hockey team where she mentors student-athletes, while simultaneously completing her degree in public health.
In a world with rising education costs, Dr. Michael Rygel and Dr. Page Quinton are at the forefront of reducing financial burdens, while also elevating the academic experience for their students. They recently completed an OER textbook on sedimentary geology, full of photos and illustrations from their research with SUNY Potsdam students and alumni, which is now part of the curriculum in Rygel’s 300-level course.
