SUNY Oswego recently celebrated its 3rd annual Founder’s Weekend, an occasion that paid tribute to the bicentennial birthday of Edward Austin Sheldon and honored the institution’s remarkable 162-year history. The university orchestrated a diverse array of activities, catering to alumni, students, and faculty alike. Notable highlights included the Alumni Reunion for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the Triennial Communications Studies Dinner hosted by the Communication Department and a series of other events.

The EOP reunion commenced with a welcome at the Marano Campus Center on the morning of Sept. 29, followed by an engaging campus tour. Thaina Gonzalez, a Class of 1992 alumnus, delivered an inspiring presentation at Park Hall, emphasizing the significance of giving back to the EOP Program.

“The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) provides access to higher education for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who possess the potential to succeed in college but whose academic preparation in high school may otherwise prevent them from receiving admission,” according to the university’s official website.

 The day culminated with a reception back at Marano Campus Center. On Sept. 30, the EOP hosted a conference at the Shineman Center, where current EOP students benefited from a wide spectrum of workshops encompassing academic, social, personal and financial skills. Later that evening, a dinner and dance welcomed all attendees, lasting until 11 p.m. The program concluded with a heartwarming farewell brunch on Oct. 1.

After a four-year hiatus due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Communications Studies Alumni Dinner returned to normality on Sept. 30. This highly anticipated event, hosted every three years, brought together alumni from nearly four decades of the program’s existence, including current students and staff. The program featured not only a dinner but also a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Jennifer Knapp, the dean of the School of Communications, Media, and the Arts; Jessica Reeher, Communications chairperson; and Oswego alumnus Justin Dobrow, Class of 2017, recipient of the 2023 Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award. Dobrow, who currently serves as a Senior Manager of Partner Operations at Peacock, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, earned this accolade for his rapid ascent in the media industry and his unwavering dedication. 

Throughout the weekend, attendees also had the opportunity to delve into the rich history of Edward Austin Sheldon. A presentation titled “Honoring our Founder: The Life and Legacy of Edward Austin Sheldon,” delivered by Sheldon Scholar Don Little, was demonstrated during the morning of Sept. 29. “It is mind-blowing to see what he achieved,” Little said. “He changed the game and was a true advocate of school children. He had a deep respect for human dignity. Not only was he concerned about children, but he was an abolitionist. The Oswego Movement had extraordinary reach on American Education. Sheldon even spoke on it at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago.”

Edward Austin Sheldon, born in Perry Center, New York in 1823, was the visionary behind the foundation of the Oswego Primary Teachers’ Training School, which has since evolved into SUNY Oswego. He served as the school’s inaugural president when it was situated on West Seneca Street near Franklin Square, and he also held the position of superintendent of schools for both Syracuse and Oswego.

“Sheldon was extremely troubled by the deliquent youth in Oswego,” Little said. “He saw the need for public education to provide for misguided youth for moral and practical reasons. He wanted people to progress so that they could become meaningful and productive members of society.”

Founder’s Weekend also saw SUNY Oswego’s 37th Asian, Latino, African and Native American (ALANA) Multicultural Leadership Conference, which was “created to showcase multicultural organizations impact on campus, while providing programs for student leader development, appreciation of diversity, and the importance of being an engaged student on campus,” according to the university’s official website. 

Coinciding with Sheldon’s fierce advocacy for equity and education, ALANA, with a component of its mission being to illustrate the significance of  diversity, used this weekend as a strong anchoring point. 

Further events for the weekend included the 9th annual Scholars Brunch, an invite-only event that brought “together approximately 250 scholarship recipients, benefactors and university community members to share stories and appreciation for each other and SUNY Oswego,” according to the university’s official website, and the Green and Gold Day Campus photo.

This campus photo is the pinnacle of student pride, and was an open invitation to all members of the community to celebrate the weekend in unison. 

Previous Founder’s Weekends featured unique events. The 2021 celebration featured the dedication of the Deborah F. Stanley Arena and Convocation Hall and a spirited fundraising challenge initiated by Al Roker, the renowned NBC Weatherman and beloved Oswego alumnus. The preceding year’s event showcased a special collection of Edward Austin Sheldon memorabilia, including his death mask, writings, and personal effects.

Founder’s Weekend festivities have become an enduring tradition on campus, and anticipation is building for the fourth annual event, expected around the same time next year.