Honoring 150 Years of Education and Innovation
Created by sunyoswego on Feb 28, 2011
Last updated: 08/29/11 at 10:48 AM
Tags: Education Oswego SUNY History
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SUNY Oswego broke ground in September 2010 for its Sciences and Engineering Corridor, a $110 to $120 million project that will renovate and expand Piez Hall into a 262,000-square-foot state-of-the-art complex supporting future scientists, engineers and teachers.
President Deborah F. Stanley welcomes a full house to the SUNY Oswego Metro Center's December 2008 grand opening celebration in downtown Syracuse. The Metro Center offers access to graduate and other programs to those living and working in the greater Syracuse area.
The men's ice hockey team earned the college's first national team championship in 2007 when they capped an exciting journey with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Middlebury to win the Division III NCAA Tournament.
Starting with the opening of the Campus Center in fall 2006, a new White Out tradition surfaced when the men's hockey team hosted archrival Plattsburgh. Oswego fans dressed in white and voiced their support, hoping to see the Lakers deck the Cards.
The grand ceremonies for the opening of Campus Center in fall 2006 involved a pep rally that included Myles Brand, then the president of the NCAA, visiting and participating in the initial Louis A. Borrelli Jr. Media Summit. Brand and SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley greet Jenna Kirkwood, one of the founding members of the women's ice hockey that returned to action that year.
An early look at the Campus Center, as its steel girders rose in 2005.
Ben Bradlee, the longtime editor of the Washington Post, including when the paper broke the earth-rattling Watergate break-in, was among the first participants in the Louis A. Borrelli Jr. Media Summit in 2005. Founding sponsor Borrelli and fellow Oswego alum Al Roker teamed up to rename it the Lewis B. O'Donnell Media Summit, named after the communication professor who was an influential figure to them both.
More than 1,000 members of the campus community gathered for the Oswego Family Portrait to launch the college's first comprehensive campaign, Unlimited Horizons, in September 2005. The campaign far exceeded its initial $17 million goal, finishing near $24 million in 2008
The campus community came together on the dark day of Sept. 11, 2001, when a dozen alumni were among the thousands killed by the terrorist attacks. "Tonight, in solidarity, we hold our candles to drive out the darkness of the night and in our world," President Deborah F. Stanley said at that evening's vigil, which packed the quad.
Events against violence like banner creation activities and Take Back The Night marches have long marked the spirit of social justice and desire for a better world among members of the Oswego campus community.
President Deborah F. Stanley became Oswego's tenth leader when inaugurated in 1998.
Hart Hall underwent renovations to become the Hart Global Living and Learning Center, re-opening in 1998 with a focus on international students, global culture and community service.
Both increased use of the Internet as a teaching tool and the interdisciplinary nature of Oswego's academics were noted in a 1997 Campus Update article about Virginia Fichera, then director of the languages across the curriculum project. The project's goals included the promotion of studying across traditional boundaries and the creation of more web-based content and applications to support courses.
In 1996, then-Acting President Deborah F. Stanley announced the Presidential Scholarship merit awards that helped bring more of the best and brightest students to SUNY Oswego the following year, thanks to sponsors and the Oswego State Fall Classic fundraiser.
The first-ever dedicated reunion of color, known as Return To Oz, debuted to rave reviews in 1996.
Always ready to bring fresh ideas to life, Oswego's theatre department presented the world premiere of Len Fonte's "Alchemist of Light" in 1990, directed by Mark Cole.
The campus mourned the tragic loss of Colleen Brunner and Lynn Hartunian, who were among those killed in the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie in December 1988. They were returning from a study abroad course in London.
Stephen L. Weber was named president of the college in 1988, its ninth permanent leader.
Oswego lost a legend when Max Ziel passed away in 1987. Starting at Oswego in 1921, sometimes coaching almost every sport the college fielded and always a magnetic figure, Ziel remained a staunch supporter even after retirement. The veteran of two World Wars was such a part of the athletic picture that Oswego's teams were known as the Zielmen for the most part until the nickname "Lakers" was adopted in 1954.
President Virginia Radley's tenure included the creation of an Honors Program, sometimes known as the Honors College, at Oswego. This 1986 seminar by Bat-Ami Bar On is indicative of the program's small classes, discussion-oriented format and interdisciplinary focus.
Founded in 1972, the Student Association Volunteer Ambulance Corps were the first on-campus student ambulance operation in the United States. Shown here in 1983, SAVAC has maintained an active presence at Oswego ever since.
Tyler Art Gallery has displayed the work of Oswego's talented students and faculty, traveling exhibitions and items from its robust permanent collection. Here Mindy Ostrow, then acting gallery director, prepares for a 1981 exhibition.
Some alumni may remember the old days of card registration, shown here in 1981. The first mentions of cards "for IBM data processing" appeared in the 1960s. Registration now takes place online via MyOswego.
Football returned to campus in the 1970s but disappeared again in the early 1980s due to budget cuts.
Bruce Springsteen and his E. Street Band (including Little Steven VanZandt, at right) rocked SUNY Oswego in 1976 during the "Born to Run" tour, about a month after appearing on the cover of Time magazine.
Oswego's media outlets have remained an active presence for decades, including this WTOP crew working in 1975.
Oswego students have long pursued alternative solutions to complex problems, such as R. Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes (shown here here design students in the 1970s) meant to provide new efficient structures. Fuller himself spoke on campus in 1974 about using physical structures to solve social challenges.
The Black Student Union, shown here in 1970s, has remained a vital cultural group on the Oswego campus for decades.
View of a physics lab, c. 1970.
Concerns about the war in Vietnam, the environment and social justice galvanized the Student Action Movement. Here members discuss demands for recruiting more black faculty and staff, and other potential steps to cultivate a multicultural environment.
By the end of the 1960s, the brand-new Academic Plaza -- also known as The Quad -- was open for business to accommodate the expanding number of programs and students at the Oswego campus. It included arts building Tyler Hall, social science building Mahar Hall, the new Hewitt Union, large-lecture facility Lanigan Hall and the current edition of Penfield Library.
Protests and a student strike marked activities from 1969 to 1970 in response to the Nixon Administration's actions in Vietnam and Cambodia. A protest march from the campus through Oswego in October 1969 drew an estimated 2,500 participants, according to the Oswegonian.
In 1967, Hewitt Union opened to fill the social needs of the ever-expanding college population. The original Hewitt Union, in what is now the Lonis-Mackin-Moreland Campus, was too small to accommodate a student body now nearing 9,000.
The presidential inauguration of James E. Perdue (center) in 1966 brought with it two lasting ceremonial touches. The presidential medallion he wears debuted, as a gift of the Class of 1966 fashioned by Dominic T. DiPasquale of the art department. The college mace, created by Joseph Shoenfelt of the art department as a gift from the Class of 1969, now appears in the hands of the Faculty Assembly chair for public ceremonies.
The soon-to-open Rice Creek Field Station is shown around 1966. The expansion to include the 400-acre preserve helped further the college's expanding science majors and offerings.
The 1964 registration, shown here, brought the process up to the modern age. Sort of. During the process "students filled out questionnaires for IBM data processing" while "[p]re-billing and pre-payment of fees speeded registration, with some students able to complete registration in less than an hour," the Palladium-Times reported.
A former drill hall acquired from Sampson Air Force Base, Golden Romney Fieldhouse is shown during its conversion into the home of Laker hockey until the program moved to the new Campus Center arena in 2006. Cold, tightly packed and loud, Romney was known as a venue other hockey teams did not look forward to visiting, in part because of rabid fans who called themselves the Romney Zoo.
Loyal, friendly and creative, Charles Turner served two terms as acting president for the college, most notably in 1963 to 1965 as Oswego added a liberal arts curriculum to broaden beyond its traditional teacher education base.
Before students could skate at Romney Fieldhouse, they had Romney Pond -- cleared with people power instead of a Zamboni.
In honor of the college's Centennial Celebration in 1961, an outdoor Commencement with special guests took place. Note the large college seal.
Oswego's Symphonic Choir, known far and wide for its performances under the direction of Maurice Boyd, were among the groups celebrating the college's centennial in 1961.
Sheldon's institution on its 100th birthday had some recognizable buildings, such as Sheldon Hall, the Lonis-Mackin-Moreland Complex, Park Hall, Lee Hall and the lakeside residence halls, but still missed science facilities Piez and Snygg halls and the whole Academic Plaza.
The Fallbrook barn hosted stables and riding space in the 1950s and 1960s.
In April 1961, a book brigade of faculty, staff and students carried the contents of the library in Sheldon Hall to the first edition of Penfield Library, in what is now Rich Hall. Fourth from left, in the light trenchcoat, is then-President Foster Brown.
The sight of workers silhouetted against the sky or digging into the ground was a common one during the 1960s, a decade where the campus opened 29 new buildings.
The Industrial Arts Conference -- now known as the Fall Technology Conference -- has created curiosity and shared knowledge since the late 1930s. This image captures the conference buzz in 1960.
Registering for classes moved to Lee Hall, yet sessions like this one in 1959 could take hours with the increasing number of students and still-primitive method of registering for classes.
During the 1950s and part of the 1960s, Fallbrook served as a residence with its own recreation room. Student volunteers worked to turn it into "a first-class housing facility" with a a new kitchen and "attractive dining room" which provided "an enjoyable mealtime atmosphere," according to a 1961 Palladium-Times article.
Women's sports in the 1950s and 1960s were more likely informal and intramural, as with this tennis image from the 1950s. Title IX legislation in 1972 mandated colleges to provide equal opportunities in activities, such as athletics, to women.
The Oswego men's soccer program found success in the 1950s and 1960s -- including the college's first-ever All-American, prolific scorer Bob Thole. Here goalie Lou Villar makes a diving save for the Lakers against Brockport.
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