Explore Cortland – The moments that matter

With ESPN Job, 2017 Grad Fulfills Big-League Dreams

When Rob Galm toured ESPN’s headquarters as an eighth-grader in 2009, he made a bold promise.

“I told everyone on the tour that I was going to work there some day,” remembers Rob, who was 14 when he first visited the sports network’s main campus in Bristol, Conn.

He even took a photo behind SportsCenter’s anchor desk as proof.

Rob Galm at the SportsCenter anchor desk — Rob Galm sits at ESPN’s SportsCenter anchor desk in 2009 and in 2017. Galm toured the studio as a 14-year-old and recently was hired at the network.

True to his word, Rob didn’t waste any time working towards his big-picture career goal. A month after completing his degree as a communication studies major at SUNY Cortland, he landed a full-time job with the undisputed worldwide leader in sports.

“It was on the top of my list of places I wanted to get to,” says Rob, who grew up in Pine Plains, N.Y., roughly 90 minutes from his new employer. “So being able to have it work out, especially after graduating early, that was really cool.”

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Why Changing Your Career Path Isn’t a Bad Thing

Heather Clancy’s young life hasn’t followed a straight line.

There were several zig zags before she arrived at the University of Colorado’s Aurora campus for a Ph.D. program in cellular biology — changes in her major at SUNY Cortland, her career path after graduation and her larger life goals.

At 24, she left a good job doing quality assurance testing at Chobani, the Greek-style yogurt giant headquartered in Norwich, N.Y., to fulfill an ambition to learn more. She made a leap of faith out west.

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A Trailblazing Opportunity for New Students

SUNY Cortland students canoeing on Raquette Lake — The Adirondack Trail Blazers Program takes place the week before fall semester classes begin. It’s intended for new students — both freshmen and transfers — looking to meet new people and make new experiences.

There’s an old saying that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. That’s exactly what Elisa Knapp learned at SUNY Cortland’s one-of-a-kind outdoor campus in the Adirondacks.

“I was nervous about making friends, finding my place on campus and just succeeding in general,” said Elisa, a senior geographic information systems (GIS) major from Syracuse, N.Y., thinking back to the summer before her first year of college.

So she took a chance.

She joined the first-ever group of Adirondack Trail Blazers, a program started in 2013 for new students to build friendships and explore the outdoors. Eight students made the three-hour trip to Raquette Lake, N.Y., in the first year. That number grew to 39 students this past fall.

This fall, we’re hoping to take at least 50 new Red Dragons on a six-day adventure to the Adirondacks the week before classes begin. All incoming freshmen and transfers — including those who arrived in January — are invited.

Participants do not need to be rugged explorers of the outdoors. They just need to be interested in meeting new people, trying new things and learning about the only National Historic Landmark in the SUNY system.

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Are You Honors Material?

If you’re used to excelling in the classroom, if you’re interested in learning new things, or you’re thinking you may continue on to graduate school, then you might be honors material at SUNY Cortland.

The College’s Honors Program encourages strong students to apply for membership. High-achieving accepted students soon will receive an invitation, although others – including transfers and current students – may also apply.

Acceptance brings with it a $2,000 annual scholarship for up to four years, provided students maintain good academic standing.

Honors Program faculty and students chat on the steps of Old Main — Honors Program benefits include a $2,000 annual scholarship, early registration for classes and special designation on diplomas and transcripts.

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“So, How’s the Food Here?”

It’s a great question, and one that we hear regularly from prospective students when they visit campus.

One of our tour guides gave an honest answer today at Mini Open House, so we thought we’d share it here.

“Not going to lie,” she said. “I once cracked my phone’s screen because I was running to Chicken Parm Night.”

No doubt, our Dining Services team knocks it out of the park daily. You can read more about our dining facilities, meal plans and nutrition services online.

Just be sure your iPhone is in its case on the way to dinner.

You Studied What? From Hip Hop to Harry Potter

The aspiring business owner who understands what’s necessary to take an idea from concept to creation. The 21st-century teacher who learns how to use the iPad as a teaching tool in the classroom. The social philosophy major who contemplates what Harry Potter can teach the world about morality and human nature.

SUNY Cortland students from every major benefit from creative approaches to their studies. They discover a well-rounded education that encourages them to solve problems in new ways. And many times, that involves taking classes with interesting titles and even more impressive outcomes.

Make no mistake, every single course that appears in the College’s course catalogs are worth studying. The list below is just a sample of some titles offered during the spring semester.

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