Event recognizes donors, highlights impact of philanthropy

Childhood education major Alison Hallinan knew that higher education could open doors for her and lead to a teaching career that could bring her great satisfaction, as it had her great-aunt. But she also was wary of incurring great debt and struggling to afford being a college student.

“My parents were not going to be able to help much,” Hallinan said. “Couple that with knowing that my dad – though he started college, had never finished. And in the process, he accrued much student loan debt. So much so that he is still paying it off even now, at age 42. For a degree he never earned. This scared me … a lot.”

But then she received the Shineman Oswego Scholars Award and the Fulton Savings Bank Scholarship, and she felt much more confident in her decision to attend SUNY Oswego and pursue a career in early childhood education to become a teacher.

Hallinan shared her experience and her gratitude during a presidential Leadership Donor Reception during Reunion Weekend over the summer. She was one of three main speakers who shared their perspectives about the impact of philanthropy on the campus to more than 75 alumni, corporate and foundation, and employee leadership donors. University Advancement Vice President Heath Wood welcomed the guests and served as the emcee.

Hallinan credited donor-funded scholarships with not only making her attendance possible but allowing her to excel as a student leader and campus employee.

“I’m a tutor on campus, I serve as a student ambassador for other prospective local students and I work at the beautiful Fallbrook Recreation Center,” said Hallinan, who maintains a 3.8 GPA. “I am part of a group of students reinstituting the cheerleading club on campus this fall, which I am most excited to do. My scholarships got me here and they kept me here, but what I wasn’t expecting was that they also allowed me to thrive here.”

Supporting students

Grace Maxon-Clarke, associate dean of students and a two-time SUNY Oswego graduate, noted that private philanthropy enables the university to provide basic needs support to an increasingly financially challenged student body. She provided data on the scale of this support, noting that the Emergency Fund provided over $56,000 to 89 students in the past academic year, while Students Helping Oz Peers (SHOP), the on-campus pantry, distributed over 16,000 pounds of items to 823 students.

“As students face challenging times personally, financially, socially, environmentally, our campus community is effectively wrapping their arms around them to support them to the finish line," Maxon-Clarke said.

President Peter O. Nwosu emphasized the university's role as a "vital anchor" for the region, contributing $420 million in economic impact. He connected donor generosity to Vision 4040, a bold plan to double the number of graduates to meet the needs of regional expansions like the $100 billion Micron investment.

“Private donations are not just 'extras,’” he said. “They are the fuel for our mission."

— Submitted by University Advancement