A lush green canopy extends in all directions, as Clifton Harcum and his students traverse through the treetops, their feet carefully balancing on metal wires leading from one obstacle to the next, before attaching to a zipline that sends them careening through the fresh mountain air.
Part of the SUNY Potsdam’s new Live Now program, the trip to Experience Outdoors in Lake Placid is just one of the many adventures that was offered in the fall of 2021, bringing together diverse groups of students to explore Northern NY and the Adirondack Mountains.
In his role as director for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at SUNY Potsdam, Clifton has infused the College with a fresh perspective since he started in the fall of 2019—creating new applied learning experiences for students, while fostering a supportive community for diverse populations on campus through the Center for Diversity. Shortly after taking on his new role at SUNY Potsdam, Clifton rolled out an alternative spring break program with the assistance of campus and community partners. In the spring of 2020, 10 students joined him on a five-day exploration of the Adirondacks— visiting everything from the Wild Center in Tupper Lake to the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, and the Saranac Lake Museum to the Pendragon Theater.
Clifton Harcum looks out across the Raquette River in Potsdam.
“Combining community service with experiences, and education, the students traveled to all of these places. They were learning, they were interacting, and they were having fun,” Clifton said. “It was great because I learned that a lot of students don’t really get off campus. One hundred percent of them were like, ‘This was probably one of the best things I’ve been involved in here at SUNY Potsdam.’”
“My experience with the alternative spring break was really great. I had the opportunity to see the North Country up close and experience something I was not used to. I really appreciate the fact I was given the chance to be a part of it.” -Jessica Semenyo ’22
For Clifton, it’s extremely important to provide these types of hands-on experiences for students without a financial burden, and for his alternative spring break, he connected with several campus and community groups to make that a reality. The Lougheed Center for Applied Learning and Student Government Association provided funding, while the Adirondack Diversity Initiative provided food, and Paul Smith’s College offered free housing for all the participants. “I remember being a student, being broke, and trying to find a job,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to provide them with opportunities where they don’t have to pay.”
More recently, Clifton helped launch the Live Now program—a collaborative effort between the Center for Diversity, the Wilderness Education Program, Venture Outdoors, and the Adirondack Diversity Initiative—with the goal of introducing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students to outdoor recreation and wilderness education career paths. In September, 2021, he took 27 students on a whitewater rafting along a 15-mile stretch of the Indian and Hudson Rivers—a beautiful patch of wilderness in the heart of the Adirondacks. Paddling hard through the rapids, students worked together to navigate through the fast-flowing waters, their cheers of excitement echoing through the air, as water splashed over the sides of their rafts.
“The program has provided many opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of on my own. Going whitewater rafting in the Adirondacks was one of those great opportunities of a lifetime, especially being from Brooklyn.” -Joseph Agori ’23
A month later, students got the adrenaline flowing again during a trip to Experience Outdoors in Lake Placid. A completely new setting for many of the students, most of whom grew up in New York City, the Live Now program has opened the door to unexpected adventures, and shown them the breadth of opportunities that await just off campus.
Clifton’s ability to collaborate with faculty and staff, and to improve the lives of diverse populations on campus, stems from his extensive work in higher education. In 2005, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. After graduating, Clifton was hired by his alma mater in the Department of Residence Life. He later transitioned to the Center for Access and Academic Success where he created the MADE (Men Achieving Dreams through Education) initiative. The program offered a supportive community for hundreds of students. They formed friendships and joined together in community service, building houses with Habitat for Humanity, marching for social justice in Washington, D.C., and embarking on outdoor adventures. “The students loved it. And I said, ‘OK, let me take those concepts to a new position,’” he said.
In 2013, he was promoted to director of university engagement and lifelong learning. In that role, he oversaw community outreach and helped students develop leadership skills. He launched his first alternative spring break—the brainchild for the program he later started at SUNY Potsdam—bringing students to the Ninth Ward in New Orleans to help with the recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. “That changed my life. It changed how I thought about education,” Clifton said. “Every single day, we got involved in a lot of service work, we explored the city, and we learned so much. It really inspired me to keep it going, no matter where I went.”
While working full time at UMES, Clifton also pursued a master’s degree in management from the University of Maryland University College. Then in 2018, he moved to Northern New York when he accepted a job at Jefferson Community College. A year later, he found his calling at SUNY Potsdam.
“One of the things that motivated me to apply for this job was that I learned that in the North Country there are a lot of issues when it comes to cultures getting together and understanding each other,” Clifton explained. “I wanted to go somewhere where I can fully focus on that and try to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive.”
Article and photos by Jason Hunter