State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. Visits SUNY Potsdam as Part of his 64-Campus Tour
SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., center, speaks with Harper Barrett ’23, a senior environmental studies major, left, and SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith in the WISER Greenhouse on Monday, May 1 during the chancellor’s first visit to SUNY Potsdam.
State University of New York Chancellor Dr. John B. King, Jr. visited the oldest campus in the SUNY System today, as he toured SUNY Potsdam alongside President Dr. Suzanne Smith.
In a whirlwind tour, Dr. King and members of his senior leadership team stopped by four different campus spaces to see hands-on instruction firsthand. They also met with the College's leadership team and a group of 25 students from across campus.
“We’re deeply committed, the SUNY System, to the success of Potsdam, to the relationship between Potsdam and the surrounding community. President Smith has a great track record of leading educational institutions to make smart decisions about the allocation of resources to grow programs that tap into student interest, and we look forward to supporting her in that work here at Potsdam,” King said.
“We had an extraordinary visit with Chancellor King today. It was so exciting having him on our campus and showing him some of the amazing things that we do in applied learning. He really enjoys interacting with students, so it was fun seeing him talk to our students and ask them questions about their projects and their majors and their areas. It was a great day at SUNY Potsdam,” Smith said. “His visit was important for many reasons, but first and foremost, so he can see who we are, and why we call ourselves a family, what we have here that’s unique and different, and what makes this place special. I’m really proud of everyone on campus today and how they showcased the work that we do and the people that we are.”
The morning began with a taste of fresh-baked muffins and bread straight out of the wood-fired oven at the Handcrafted Experiential Archaeological Research and Teaching Hub (HEARTH), courtesy of faculty and students in the Department of Anthropology, who shared how they are able to utilize the center to help preserve and revitalize cultural heritage skills, from stone masonry to cider pressing, as part of their studies.
The tour continued with a flute techniques course in the Washburn Rehearsal Room at The Crane School of Music, led by Dr. Brian Dunbar. The newly renovated major ensemble rehearsal room includes a virtual acoustic environment system, allowing the room to mimic the acoustics of everything from a cathedral to an intimate recital hall.
“The Crane School of Music has an incredible reputation, so we’ve got to make sure that every music student in New York State knows about the opportunities available to them at Potsdam. The great work that [Potsdam is] doing in archaeology and anthropology, that’s something we’ve got to make sure every high school social studies teacher in the state knows about, so they can tell their students about that potential opportunity for them. There are strong programs in education and business—those are also opportunities to grow enrollment, but really ultimately grow opportunities for New York students to get a great, affordable education,” Dr. King said, partway through his visit.
The tour continued with a stop at Professor Tanya Hewitt’s exercise science class, for a session learning how to train like the legendary track and field athlete and groundbreaking Olympian Jesse Owens. The Chancellor wrapped up his morning with a stop at the Wagner Institute for Sustainability and Ecological Research (WISER Center), to learn about biology and ecology research conducted by faculty and students, and to see urban agriculture in action at the WISER Greenhouse aeroponic tower gardens, which provide fresh herbs, salad and leafy greens for campus dining year-round.
To learn more about Chancellor King, visit www.suny.edu/about/leadership/chancellor.
About SUNY Potsdam:
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. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 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 culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.