Dr. Reaves Presents Findings from Her First 100 Days During College Town Hall
During her first 100 days as College President, Dr. Nicole Reaves conducted a Listening Tour, meeting with more than 800 people including College Trustees, community leaders, elected officials, industry leaders, education partners, and SUNY colleagues. Through meaningful discussions with members of the College community and key stakeholders, Dr. Reaves developed SUNY Schenectady’s points of pride and areas of opportunity. She presented her insights from her Listening Tour and feedback from the Presidential Listening Survey during a College Town Hall on Nov. 10, noting key observations, themes, and opportunities gathered during this important period of assessment and relationship-building, as well as her vision and priorities moving forward.
Dr. Reaves shared, “Throughout my first 100 days, one message emerged consistently: the people make SUNY Schenectady a special place. Students described faculty and staff who know their names, take time to help, and encourage them to keep going. Employees spoke with pride about their colleagues, their programs, and their commitment to students. Across conversations, participants pointed to the personal attention, close relationships, and sense of community that distinguish this College.”
The three key themes in Dr. Reaves’ 100-Day report, Listening, Learning and Engagement, are:
Strengthening Our College Community: We will build on our close-knit community by strengthening communication, transparency, and collaboration. Meaningful participation in decisions, consistent follow-through, and investment in employees will help create an environment where people feel valued, supported, and equipped to serve our students.
Advancing Student Success and Opportunity: We will strengthen teaching and learning, simplify College processes, and address barriers that interrupt students’ progress. Aligning programs, schedules, and support services with students’ needs will expand opportunities for continued education and careers that provide family-sustaining wages.
Securing a Sustainable Future: SUNY Schenectady’s future depends on clear priorities and thoughtful investment in our mission. We will align resources with student and community needs, strengthen financial planning, and pursue sustainable growth. Sharing the value of our programs and our students’ achievements will strengthen the College’s contributions to Schenectady County and the Capital Region.
These themes will provide a starting point for the Ideas to Action Summits that will take place beginning in Spring 2027 as we develop the next College Strategic Plan. Students, faculty, staff, Trustees, and community partners will come together to discuss suggestions, share new ideas, and identify priorities and strategies for action. Data and evidence will guide our decisions and help us measure our impact. Together, we will identify improvements we can make now and those that will require more time and resources.
College Inducts Newest Members Into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Congratulations to the 50 students who were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society during a special ceremony in the Taylor Auditorium on November 4. They have all achieved an impressive 3.65 or higher GPA.
College President, Dr. Nicole Reaves, said, “We are very proud of the newest members of our Alpha Zeta Upsilon chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. I join with their professors and College staff in congratulating them on a job well done. These students represent academic excellence, outstanding performance, and a strong commitment to their degree and certificate programs. Well done.”
PTK Officers are: President River Henriksen, Liberal Arts: Humanities and Social Sciences major, and Vice President Hema Singh, Criminal Justice major. Both are seniors at Schenectady High School pursuing their associate degrees through the Early College High School program at the same time they are earning their high school diplomas.
Special thanks to PTK Co-Advisors Dr. Lorena Harris, Assistant Professor in the Division of Math, Science, Technology, and Health, and Michael Niccoli, Assistant Professor in the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism.
Congratulations to:
Nicole Alvarez-Guzman
Tanesha Jean Baptiste
Tiaree Boyd
Victor Cabrera
Brian Carbonneau
Liam Crouth
Eden Dalton
Delores Davis
Varshnie De Abreu
Ebony DeRavariere
Evan Donnelly
Jordan Frank
Jenna Garcia
Philip Gauvreau
Adwa Ghazi
Evangeline Green
Zarek Hanik
Jade Hanton
Jasper Henriksen
Jonathan Henry
Stella Hostetter
Ravyn Isaacs
Levi Johnson
Diana Jovel
Darren Kesso
Ethan Lacross
KayLeigh Mackin
Tamesh Makashwar
Sacha Mangal
Shannon Martin
Richard Messina
Taylor Nicklas
Sandy Persaud
Dalia Quinones
Renee Ramundo
Fazeena Rodrigues Alli
Nicole Rossler
Bibi Saffie
Sarah Semo
Caden Sidoti
Oriana Tapia
Randy Thakoordial
Alexis Thayer
Min Tian
Amy Verasammy
Annie Verasammy
Fabian Vives
Kristina Waters
Angel Werry
Caison Wolk
Students Share Impactful Experiences From SUNY Empire State Service Corps
by Chastity Rios, Intern, Office of Marketing and Public Relations
The Empire State Service Corps is helping students at SUNY Schenectady gain valuable work experience while making a difference in our campus community. Since the program began at the College at the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, students have had opportunities to connect their interests and career goals with meaningful service.
A partnership between New York State and the State University of New York (SUNY), the Empire State Service Corps provides paid public service opportunities for students. Participants commit to at least 300 hours of service during the academic year in areas such as food insecurity, SNAP and basic needs outreach, civic engagement, and education.
Nutrition major Suhani Sah works in the Campus Food Pantry, categorizing her role in Health Futures-SNAP Basic Needs initiatives, helping students and employees access food and other essential resources. Her responsibilities include filling pantry orders, assisting visitors with pickups, and helping distribute food deliveries and donations, including fresh food.
For Suhani, the position is also an opportunity to gain her first professional work experience. “It's been my first job,” she shared, describing the experience as a positive introduction to the workforce.
As an aspiring nurse, Suhani sees the value of working directly with people and learning how to support others. She appreciates the welcoming environment and the opportunity to become more connected to the campus community. Through her work, she is strengthening her communication and teamwork skills while gaining experience that will support her future career in health care.
Nutrition major Payal Gupta is also working in Campus Food Pantry. As a college student, she understands the challenges of balancing academics, work, and personal responsibilities.
Her experience in the Food Pantry has given her a greater understanding of the challenges some students face while pursuing their education. By helping organize supplies, maintain pantry shelves, prepare orders, and work alongside volunteers, Payal contributes to a resource that helps students access food and focus on their studies.
“The Food Pantry allowed me to have exposure to other students who have been struggling while also focusing on their studies, and the Food Pantry takes the stress off,” she said.
Payal values the opportunity to support students who may be experiencing similar challenges. For her, the role is about more than completing an internship, it is an opportunity to give back.
“I am grateful for this experience and opportunity because I'm also gaining experience in making a difference in other students' lives,” she shared. “For me, it’s about giving back to the community and looking out for students like me.”
An aspiring nurse, Payal is developing skills in organization, responsibility, time management, and communication. She is also learning how to connect students with available resources and helping them understand how to access food assistance.
Business Administration major Rianna Singh works in the Financial Aid Office through the Empire State Service Corps program. Her experience has given her a greater appreciation for the work that goes into supporting students and providing campus services.
“My time at Empire State Service Corps has been amazing. I get to see all the work that's put into the services that we as students receive,” Singh said.
Her responsibilities include answering phone calls and emails, organizing promotional materials, and assisting with scheduling student appointments. As someone who plans to pursue a career in finance, she recognizes the importance of communication and teamwork in the workplace. Through the program, she is building transferable skills that will support her future career.
Her advice to other students applying for similar opportunities is, “Highlight the skills you have and how it can be useful to your department.”
Liberal Arts: History major Warren Baynes is a student co-host with Many Voices, One Call, SUNY Schenectady’s podcast, which brings students, faculty, staff, and community members together for open conversations about issues affecting higher education and society. Through his work with the podcast, placing his role in the category of civic engagement, Warren researches topics, explores different perspectives, and develops a deeper understanding of the issues shaping his community.
The experience encourages independent research, critical thinking and thoughtful discussion. Warren is learning how to evaluate information, communicate ideas, and approach topics with transparency and an open mind.
“So far, my experience has been good,” he said. “We come up with topics and research them on our own.”
Warren has also discovered the value of speaking up and sharing his perspective. He said he never expected to participate as actively in class, but doing so helped him find this opportunity. “I didn't expect myself to do this, speak up in class. That's really how I got this opportunity,” he said.
His experience reflects how ESSC can help students build confidence, strengthen their communication skills, and become more informed participants in their communities.
Prospective Students and Guests Visit Campus for Fall Open House
The Fall Open House garnered 232 registrations from prospective students, with a total of 514 registrations including prospective students and their guests. This is the highest number of attendees and registrations for Open House in the past several years and represents an impressive 27 percent increase in registrations for prospective students and guests since last year, and a 17 percent increase in attendees from last year.
The day was a huge success as guests were able to:
- experience the Air Traffic Control Simulator
- join Business Professor Matt Farron and Entrepreneurship Certificate major Lonny Davenport for a spotlight on the Entrepreneurship program
- extract DNA from a strawberry and tour Science labs
- learn about the chocolate-making process during a live demo by Associate Professor Vanessa Schulte
- explore state-of-the-art Culinary Arts facilities
- learn more about study abroad in Italy; visit the on-campus preschool and see how students gain real-world teaching experience in an early childhood environment
- tour the eSports Arena
- connect with an Academic Advisor
- explore the Liberal Arts degree program with a fun “would you rather” game
- enjoy a performance by the Brass Ensemble
- observe the ear training portion of a music audition
- visit the Resource Fair where they met staff who will help guide their future successes
- sit in on a recording mastering session
- tour Workforce Development and Community Education’s Mobile Training Labs.
College staff also led campus tours and information sessions on admission, financial aid, and SUNY Reconnect.
During Open House, Cynthia Decker, Associate Director of Financial Aid, spoke with the father of a high school junior who was attending Open House as a guest to check out academic programs and resources for his son. The young man’s father attended a session on admission and financial aid and while there he also learned about how the SUNY Reconnect program provides free tuition for New Yorkers ages 25 to 55 in a variety of degree programs including Aviation Science. He followed up with Cynthia during the event, asking her questions about SUNY Reconnect, and decided that he would be the first SUNY Schenectady student in the family. As a result of his Open House experience, the father has enrolled at the College for the Spring Semester as an Aviation Science major.
Mary Silvestri, Director of Admissions and Matriculated Enrollment, shared, “Open House is where curiosity becomes commitment. When prospective students and their families visit campus, meet our faculty and staff, and experience our programs firsthand, they begin to picture themselves at SUNY Schenectady. Those connections matter. They help students feel confident in their college choice and often become the reason they take the next step and enroll. The strong turnout at this year's Open House reflects not only growing interest in the College, but also the enrollment opportunities that lie ahead.”
Thank you to everyone at the College who helped make the 2026 Fall Open House a tremendous enrollment experience and showcase the amazing community that awaits our future students.
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