We asked our accepted students to share their good news using #CortlandBound on social media.
Many answered the call.
Sweet Experience Wins International Photo Contest
When German international student Johanna Klauser bit into a deep-fried Oreo for the first time in the fall, she didn’t know the moment would be captured in a photo.
Sure, she expected a sweet taste, but the end result was even sweeter.
That’s because the photo recently earned Johanna (pronounced Yo-hun-nuh) first prize in the cultural category of the “Why I Love Studying in New York” photo contest organized by Study New York. Her winning entry was snapped by a friend during a Sept. 4 trip to the New York State Fair in Syracuse.
Johanna, a business economics major at Fulda University in Germany, admits that she chose a semester-long study abroad experience at SUNY Cortland for many reasons — to learn more about the sports business world, to improve her English-speaking skills and to cross new cities off of her travel bucket list. The $100 Amazon gift card she won in the photo contest was a bonus.
International students representing more than 25 countries submitted over 80 entries across three photo categories: campus, cultural and “selfie.” Study New York, a collaborative group made up of higher education institutions throughout the state, organized the second annual contest as a way to promote New York as the premier destination for students, faculty members and other exchange visitors.
You can view all of the photos on Study New York’s Facebook page.
Johanna studied sport management during her semester abroad and recently chatted about her international experience on campus.
Nothing Great Comes Easy
Mike Guity understands that nothing great comes easy.
If it did, the senior would have changed his major from mathematics. He also might have stepped down as the president of SUNY Cortland’s Black Student Union (BSU) during his junior year in 2015, when racial tensions across the nation reached a boiling point.
“Quitting isn’t in my body,” says Mike, who grew up in Brooklyn.
No, instead Mike elected to stick with his major because he wants to be a certified public accountant. And rather than ignore the civil unrest in places like Ferguson, Mo., he helped organize two campus town hall meetings when SUNY Cortland students looked to BSU for a voice.
Mike still hangs on to the memory of standing on stage in a packed Old Main Brown Auditorium, where both open forums took place. In a crowded room, he was the smart and confident student leader that the campus needed.
“People cared,” he says, recalling the town hall events. “People were passionate about having a conversation so that we could set the example for campuses nationwide.”
Striking the Student-Athlete Balance
Allison Schumann had one free weekend without a cross country race during the fall season. But rather than use it to rest and recover, the senior exercise science major opted to attend the Mid-Atlantic American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Conference in Harrisburg, Pa.
That’s because her research project on running efficiency earned a top-five distinction among all undergraduate proposals.
Oh, and just a week earlier, she earned all-conference honors by placing 11th at the SUNYAC Championships.
“Luckily it was an off week,” joked Allison, an aspiring physical therapist from North Salem, N.Y. “It was exhausting, but it was so much fun.”
What You Need to Know About Scholarships
Scholarships tell stories on our campus. They’re the stories of generous alumni who create them, deserving students who earn them and the common bonds that unite the groups across decades.
It’s important for prospective students to know the difference between merit scholarships that are awarded at the time of admission and other endowed opportunities that invite applications once you’re enrolled at SUNY Cortland.
Did You Know?
- SUNY Cortland offered 865 scholarships to students during the 2015-16 academic year.
- More than 150 endowed opportunities are listed on our scholarships website.
- Awards range in amount from $500 to $5,500.