SUNY New Paltz has planned three days of on-campus festivities from April 19 through April 21 to commemorate the inauguration of Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler.
The University will celebrate its community of students, scholars, leaders, educators, alumni, community partners and friends through a series of events under the theme Our University, Our Future. The three days of events will be bookended by the sounding of the carillon at noon in the clock tower atop van den Berg Hall, which plays the Alma Mater.
In addition to the main investiture which will be held in the Athletic & Wellness Center on campus at 11 a.m., the campus community is encouraged to attend a series of events in the days before and after the official ceremony.
Planned Inaugural Events
Day 1, Wednesday, April 19, includes a powerful student-faculty forum facilitated by President Wheeler, followed by a Festival of Big Ideas. The extraordinary ways that students and faculty work together to make the world a better place will be showcased and celebrated.
Visit the Lecture Center to view more than 40 dynamic presentations from student organizations and student/faculty teams about their work, and don’t forget to have your photo taken with Hugo at the photo booth!
Forum Participants
Ken Nystrom (Anthropology) and Makayla Williamson ’23 “Bioarchaeology and Reconstructing Behavior in the Past”
Blair Proctor (Black Studies) and Britney Huston ’23 “Darkest Hues: From Black to Brown”
Kathleen Murphy (Music Therapy) and Andrew Wolfson ’23g “The Role of Music in Active Addiction, Recovery, and Recurrence”
Michael Sheridan (Management) and Alyssa Bianchini ’23g “Funding Opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act for Local Organizations”
Kara Belinsky (Biology) and Danielle Takacs ’23 “Is the Pandemic-era Increase in Off-trail Hiking Disturbing Endangered Birds in the Catskill Mountains?”
Jason Huang (Teaching and Learning) and Shannon Bernhardt ’22g “How to Combat Mathematics Anxiety Using Inquiry-Based Learning in University Mathematics Classrooms”
Day 1 events conclude when the Office of Development & Alumni Relations will host their annual scholarship reception from 4-6 p.m.
Day 3, Friday, April 21, features a panel discussion, community and campus partnership fair, and award ceremony, led by President Wheeler, that will focus on the University’s ties to our community partners and the many ways in which our students, faculty, staff and alumni serve the local, regional and global communities.
Panelists include representatives of county government, regional school districts, arts organizations and private businesses.
The University will also take time to recognize 10 community partners with “Regional Impact Awards” to honor those that serve our students and the greater region.
At the conclusion of Friday’s panel, the campus community is invited to join the University’s partnership organizations and President Wheeler for brunch and closing remarks in Science Hall where the New Paltz Rotary Club and Alpha Phi Omega Co-Ed Service Fraternity will be co-hosting a collection drive benefitting Family of New Paltz.
Learn more online about the inauguration of Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler and view a full schedule of events, including locations and start times at this link.
