Toby White ’89 of Waddington, N.Y., Honored with 2024 Donald L . Tompkins Distinguished Service Award from SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association
Toby White ’89 of Waddington, N.Y., seen at right alongside SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne Smith, is the recipient of the 2024 Donald L. Tompkins Distinguished Service Award from SUNY Potsdam’s Alumni Association.
The SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association recently honored Toby White ’89 of Waddington, N.Y., with the Donald L. Tompkins Distinguished Service Award during Reunion 2024.
The Donald L. Tompkins Distinguished Service Award is presented to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the Alumni Association and/or the College. It was renamed in 2022 in honor of former Alumni Board Trustee Donald Tompkins ’68. White was recognized in honor of his leadership in the growth, development and success of the experiential education program, and his service to the College.
About the recipient:
Until his recent retirement, Toby White ’89 was known as the “internship guy” across campus. Any student, faculty or staff member you encountered knew who White was. He was known for his engaging presentations, his helpfulness to students on their educational journey and how enthusiastic he was about anything he was doing on campus.
In his role in the Office of Experiential Education, White helped countless students who did not know what they wanted to do for work or when they were a few credits short to graduate but needed a solution to accrue those missing credits.
He would find the perfect internship experience to help students decide what they want to do after they graduate. White was acknowledged as one of the people at SUNY Potsdam who could best guide students to develop a clearer vision of what to do after graduation.
He was an expert at navigating the details of internships, financial aid, matching with faculty sponsors, handling correspondence with sponsors, and matching students with scholarships where applicable. Going beyond just his professional role, he and his wife, Kathy, give back to the College by donating funds to assist students to finance their internship experiences.
The legacy White leaves will be impactful for students for many years to come. It would be difficult to tally how many students he has impacted in his 23-year career at his alma mater, but one thing is certain; there have been dozens of students walking across the stage at graduation because White helped them get there!
White truly embodies what it means to be a Potsdam Bear: dedication to students and their future. Personally and professionally, White shows his Potsdam spirit, whether by attending sporting events, open houses or just promoting SUNY Potsdam within the community.
To find out more about SUNY Potsdam’s committed alumni, 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 2,500 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.