Emma Simon '12
After graduating from SUNY Potsdam six years ago with a double degree in music performance and speech communication, Emma Simon ’12 has made a concerted effort to do what she loves every single day.
Path of the Professional
After landing her dream job as the executive director for the St. Regis Tribal Gaming Commission in Akwesasne, Jill Benedict ’01 & ’24 was still looking for ways to challenge herself. Twenty years after receiving her undergraduate degree from SUNY Potsdam, she has returned to her alma mater to pursue an M.S. in Management—a fully online degree program that has allowed her to parlay her educational experiences into transferrable leadership skills for the Mohawk government.
Fatima Simmons '16
After a long drive from New York City to SUNY Potsdam, alumna Fatima Simmons ’16 was back in the same dance studio where she was once a student—but this time she was there to lead the class.
Cathartic Brush Strokes
After losing 50 pounds in four months, José Abel Santiago’s doctor suggested running some tests. A painful bone marrow biopsy and blood work revealed that he was unknowingly battling chronic myeloid leukemia.“I was freaking out. I started crying. A hundred different things were going through my head. I thought, ‘Oh, wow, I have cancer, I’m going to die before I graduate from college.’ That was the emotion that I had,” he said.
Zerrouk Bessa ’20
After spending more than a decade as a financial auditor in Algeria, Zerrouk Bessa ’20 made the decision to put his life in Africa on hold to pursue a master’s degree in management at SUNY Potsdam—the newest program in the Department of Business Administration.
Adversity Yields Opportunity
After sustaining a season-ending ankle injury his sophomore year, followed by a serious concussion his junior year, Adam Kelley ’20 faced a potential future without soccer—the sport that he had loved and excelled at since his youth.
Radical Honesty with Chuck Lorre ’74
After years in the spotlight, Chuck Lorre has the freedom to take on nearly whatever he wants, from creative projects to philanthropy. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for a reason, after all.So, it’s perhaps no surprise that the legendary television producer’s Fall 2024 visit to SUNY Potsdam was entirely on his own terms—and entirely honest.
Undergraduate Cost of Attendance
Aid appears as a credit on the bill only after it has been certified/confirmed by the Financial Aid Office.Billed Charges (2025-2026)Tuition (Annual)In-State Residents$7,070(fewer than 1
Alaina Dochylo '17
Alaina Dochylo '17 Six Questions for an Alumna Majors: Environmental Studies and Creative Writing