Oswego Alumni

Rain or shine Rudy's Lakeside Drive-In is open for the season! ​Check out the renovations such as new counters and floors. Rudy's is a popular stop for alumni who are back for Reunion Weekend. We hope you can make it back this June 5-8 and maybe catch a sunset while you enjoy a fish sandwich at Rudy's. Hours of operation: 10:30​ a.m​. -​ 9​ p.m. 🐠☀️ alumni.oswego.edu/reunion

Happy Fri-Yay! TEDx SUNY Oswego launches today, Reunion Weekend registration opens, University endowment outperforms peers, Greeks invited to participate in a video recruitment project — all of this and more in your April issue of Lake E-ffect — in your inbox now or available online at alumni.oswego.edu/LEApril2025.

Didn't receive your newsletter? Have a story idea to share? Email us at [email protected] or call 315-312-3003.

On April 9, Gwen Sanders, senior community relations manager within National Grid's Customer and External Affairs, visited the KidsTech program, held Wednesday evenings in Park Hall. She was greeted by SUNY Oswego's School of Education Dean Laura Spenceley; program coordinators, Mark Springston and Karin Dykeman, professors in the Department of Technology; Department of Technology Chair Rich Bush '92 M'97; and Executive Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations Jennifer Hill.

As a key driver of economic and workforce development, SUNY Oswego partners with National Grid on the KidsTech program to empower students to explore STEM disciplines through hands-on projects. Fully funded by National Grid, KidsTech provides an enriching learning experience for the kindergarten through 5th grade student participants as well as for the SUNY Oswego students teaching in the program.

KidsTech seeks to help students recognize the connection between the different components of STEM; utilize STEM principles and concepts to solve problems; develop the thought processes and motor skills necessary to design, construct and test models; and communicate their ideas while working productively in a team and/or by sharing with the entire classroom.

Attention Lakers: Registration for Reunion Weekend — June 5–8, 2025 — is officially OPEN! Whether you're celebrating a milestone year or just miss the shores of Lake Ontario, now’s the time to gather your crew, relive the memories and make some new ones. ☀️💚💛

Early-bird pricing ends Friday, May 16 — so register today at: alumni.oswego.edu/reunion

A huge THANK YOU to the amazing classes of 2015-2024! When Lynne and Bob Moritz ’85 challenged you to step up for The Fund for Oswego, you didn’t just meet the goal—you surpassed it!

Because of your generosity, 259 of you made a gift, unlocking a dollar-for-dollar match of $5,387 to the fund with the most donors – the Counseling Services Center.. 💛💚

This is the power of the Oswego community—coming together to make a difference. THANK YOU for your support!

Laker Nation, it’s time to rally!

Laker Athletics Giving Week is here! From April 1-7, 2025, we’re calling on all fans, alumni and supporters to make an impact. Your generosity fuels our student-athletes' success—helping with travel, equipment, training and recruiting.

Every gift, big or small, pushes us closer to victory. Are you in? alumni.oswego.edu/athleticsweek 🏆💚💛

The Second Annual Women’s Empowerment Summit on March 26 brought together students, alumni and professionals for an evening of inspiration and connection, featuring a powerful keynote address by Oswego Alumni Association Distinguished Alumna Award recipient Indie Lee '93 (Lisa Swengros Agona '93), a panel discussion, engaging breakout sessions and elegant reception. The summit provided attendees with actionable insights, uplifting stories and valuable networking opportunities.

A special thank you to the alumni who participated in the event: Indie Lee '93, CEO of Indie Lee; Kimberly Fischer LaForte '18 M'19, empowerment coach and voice guide; Hannah O'Brien '17 M'19, lead data analyst at National Grid; Tatiana Nobles Parker '13, director of constituent services and grant administrator for the NY State Senate and founder and CEO of Butterfly Community Innovations; Kiara Wade '21, residency and fellowship coordinator at SUNY Upstate Medical University; Christine Sweet M'22, SUNY Oswego Campus Technology Services staff member; Dresden Engle Olcott '88, director of Dresden Public Relations Inc.; University Advancement staff members, Laura Pavlus Kelly '09, Joy Westerberg Knopp '92 and Megan McGarvey Mazzoccone '07.

This event was made possible, in part, by the Feinberg Family Fund, Auxiliary Services, the Office of Experiential Learning, the Triandiflou Institute, Career Services and other units within University Advancement.

Spring has sprung on campus - just in time for our students' Spring Break. Colder weather returns with the students on Sunday- must be Mother Nature knows that the colder weather helps build stronger study habits.

With their 5-2 victory over Plattsburgh State last Saturday, the 2025 Oswego State men's ice hockey team secured the SUNYAC championship and added their names to the program's rich tradition of success. Oswego State men's ice hockey teams have been crowned SUNYAC Champions 11 times in the program's 60-year history including in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2003, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2025. Here’s a look back at those teams who took home the championship title. 🏆🏒

The Lakers will take on Trine University in Angola, Indiana, TOMORROW (Saturday, March 15) at 7 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. You can cheer on the Lakers by following the game here: https://trinethunder.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary.

🎸 Rock & Roll History Lives at SUNY Oswego—And We Need YOUR Help! 🎶

Did you know The Doors, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Sly and the Family Stone & more rocked SUNY Oswego before they became legends? Pat Benatar even graced the stage at Laker Hall just before landing on the cover of Rolling Stone! 🤯

Now, we’re calling on our amazing alumni to help us bring this golden era back to life! SUNY Oswego’s University Archives is curating a special exhibit celebrating our epic concert history—and your memorabilia could be part of it!

📀 Have any of these? Send them our way!
🎟️ Ticket stubs
📸 Photos (personal snapshots welcome!)
📰 Flyers, posters & promo materials
📼 Audio/video recordings (if they exist!)
👕 Concert merch & souvenirs

Help us preserve the sounds, sights & stories of Oswego’s unforgettable concerts. Submissions received by April 15 may even be featured in our exhibit opening before Reunion Weekend!

Drop off or mail donations to Archives & Special Collections, Penfield Library
Contact us: [email protected] | ☎️ 315-312-3537

🎧🎤 In the latest episode of the Oswego Alumni Podcast, our host, Dee McGowan Perkins '85, chats with Christine "Chrissy" Ballesteros Kreber '10, who went from bagging groceries in Buffalo, N.Y., to managing her own Wegmans store in Rochester, N.Y. On her way to her current role, Chrissy said she has held almost every position at Wegmans. 🍎🍕🥦

Subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast platform (or watch the vodcast at alumni.oswego.edu/podcast). Chrissy is a former Student Association president, and die-hard Buffalo Bills fan. She believes Wegmans’ family-first culture is the key to its success and to her own 20+ years with the company.

Have a topic or great suggestions for a future podcast episode? Reach out to us today at [email protected].

Congratulations to Oswego State men's ice hockey on their 5-2 win over Plattsburgh to become the 2025 SUNYAC Champions, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament! See Oswegolakers.com for full coverage of the game.

2025 SUNYAC Champions!

💚💛Thank you to the nearly 40 alumni who hosted a table at the Dream Big Career and Internship Fair in the Swetman Gymnasium on March 5. Our alumni and others were among the 100 organizations who interacted with hundreds of students, who were eager to learn more about career and internship opportunities. 💼✨

If your company is interested in participating in future career fairs or in connecting with SUNY Oswego students, please contact the Laker Career Services team at [email protected].

In your inbox now! 🌊🏒❄️ Get the latest alumni news in the March issue of Lake E-ffect:
✅ See how one alumnus plans to transform Oswego’s waterfront
✅ Cheer on Lakers men's and women's ice hockey teams as they battle for SUNYAC titles on home ice
✅ Compare this winter’s snowfall to your campus days
✅ Be among the first to explore Oswego’s new strategic plan
✅ Find out which Greeks & classes are celebrating big milestones at Reunion Weekend 2025

Don’t miss out! Read it now: alumni.oswego.edu/Mar25LE

📬 Didn’t get it? Have a story idea? Let us know at [email protected]!

🏀March Matchness is back!🏀 The challenge is on—if 250 alumni from classes of 2015 to 2024 make a gift to Oz this March, Lynne and Bob Moritz ’85 will match dollar for dollar up to $25,000.

Your gift to one of these four student causes: Counseling Services Center; SHOP; Student Emergency Fund or Transforming Lives Scholarship can help your favorite fund come out on top—the fund with the most donors wins the match!

Are you in? Make your move today! 👉 alumni.oswego.edu/marchmatchness

We love to see the Laker alumni network in action! Not only did PR professional Kristen Burke Stahl ’15 get one her clients featured on NBC's Today show, she also got to meet iconic Laker Al Roker '76.

Members of the Oswego Alumni Book Club are invited to an Author Talk this Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m. ET, to hear from Dr. Amy Attas, author of the group's most recent reading selection, "Pets and the City: True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian." Register for the event at https://alumlc.org/authorseries/40898. Not a member? Join the Oswego Alumni Book Club for FREE today to participate in the next reading period, featuring "A Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony" by Annabelle Tometich, at pbc.guru/oswego. 📚

Remember these days at Oswego? Ever had to dig out a car or trek through snow to a class? This week, students had online classes Monday through Wednesday due to a travel advisory--some areas in Oswego County received over 6 feet of snow in five days. This kind of weather is all part of what builds the resilience that defines Oswego alumni. ❄💨