SUNY ONEONTA GRADUATION MAY 14

SUNY Oneonta Honors

2 Broadway Standouts

ONEONTA – Two distinguished SUNY Oneonta alumni, Hal Luftig (1979) and Neil Mazzella (1973), will receive honorary doctorates at the Class of 2016’s commencement Saturday, May 14.

The college will offer three ceremonies in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House. The ceremony for students graduating from the School of Arts & Humanities and the School of Natural & Mathematical Sciences will be held at 9 a.m., followed by the School of Social Science ceremony at 11 a.m. and the School of Economics & Business and School of Education & Human Ecology ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Following each of the ceremonies, the graduates and their guests will participate in one of five school ceremonies, where individual diplomas and awards will be presented.

More than 1,000 students are expected to participate in this year’s commencement ceremonies, which will include graduates who have completed the requirements for bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and certificates of advanced study.

Both Luftig and Mazzella are SUNY Oneonta Alumni of Distinction who engage with SUNY Oneonta theatre majors by hosting career exploration experiences through the college’s “From Goodrich to Broadway” program.

Luftig is one of the most sought-after producers in the American theatre industry. He has produced 27 Broadway shows that have garnered 82 Tony awards. Mazzella is a Tony-award-winning Broadway set designer who is known internationally for his expertise in the field of technical theatre production.

College President Nancy Kleniewski and Provost James Mackin will recognize11 SUNY Oneonta faculty, staff and students who have received the 2015-16 SUNY Chancellor’s Award:

• Samuel Afriyie, an Africana & Latino Studies and International Development Studies major from the Bronx, has received the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
• Melissa Haig, a Mathematics and Statistics major from Levittown, NY, has received the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
• Kevin Sutton, a Mathematics and Theatre major from Afton, NY, has received the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
• Thomas Beal, Assistant Professor of History, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Karen Joest, Associate Professor of Human Ecology, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Joshua Palmatier, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
• John Schaumloffel, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
• Gregory Fulkerson, Associate Professor of Sociology, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
• Jean Yaro, Secretary I, Elementary Education & Reading, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service
• Ellen Blaisdell, Director of Gift Planning, College Advancement, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
• Monica Grau, Director of New Student Services, will receive the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service

Live web streams of three commencement ceremonies will be available online.