SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association Honors Kate Gigliotti ’09 of Adams, Mass., with 2019 Rising Star Award
The SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association recently honored Kate Gigliotti ’09 of Adams, Mass., with the 2019 Rising Star Award at the College’s Reunion Weekend.
The Rising Star Award is presented to alumni who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in the first decade following graduation. Gigliotti was recognized for her stellar professional achievements and dedication to her alma mater.
About the recipient:
Kate Gigliotti ’09 has spent the first 10 years of her career creating a path that combines her love of creativity and the arts with solid program management skills and administrative experience. In each of the positions she has held, Gigliotti has shown strong and impressive growth. She credits the solid foundation of skills she learned as a double major in music business and music performance at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music as the foundation of her accomplishments.
Gigliotti began her career as youth opera program coordinator for the Sarasota Opera, where she developed a marketing plan and rebranding strategy for the opera’s Children’s Chorus. She also created a team of parent volunteers and developed weekly newsletters to keep external stakeholders informed.
She then served as the manager for education and community engagement and grants administrator for the Albany Symphony Orchestra. In this role, Gigliotti was responsible for planning and implementing more than 200 events for the education program each year.
Her expertise in creating effective events earned Gigliotti the position of assistant director of alumni affairs at Albany Law School, where her work was key to the program’s success in identifying and cultivating alumni who provided their professional expertise, volunteer service and charitable giving to the school.
Most recently, Gigliotti created a robust alumni program for the University of Houston Law Center, where she serves as the director of alumni programs and events. The scope of the school’s program is international; thus, her work provides opportunities for alumni across the world to give back to the school.
In January 2019, Gigliotti was named the director of alumni engagement and donor relations for the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, in North Adams, Mass., bringing her years of experience in alumni programming and development to the college.
Throughout her flourishing career, Gigliotti has remained committed to SUNY Potsdam, serving as both an alumni chapter volunteer and member of the Alumni Association Board of Trustees. In 2017, she and several fellow graduates brought together more than 100 alumni and friends to honor the memory of two Crane School of Music vocal faculty members who passed away: Dr. Heather Eyerly and Dr. Rebecca Reames. Thanks to their efforts, and success of the concert, a new scholarship is being endowed at SUNY Potsdam in their memory.
For more information about SUNY Potsdam’s Alumni Association, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni.
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 3,600 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.