Alumni

SUNY Morrisville has been named to the FirstGen Forward Network for 2025-26, earning national recognition for its commitment to helping first-generation college students thrive. FirstGen Forward, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success, selected SUNY Morrisville as one of just 60 new members this year, citing the college’s dedication to improving experiences and advancing success for first-gen college students.

At sunrise, while most of the campus is still quiet, soft nickers echo through the SUNY Morrisville Equine Rehabilitation Center (ERC). Vegas and Jerry’s ears perk forward as they recognize the familiar sound of students’ voices and footsteps approaching the barn.   Jerry, a chestnut Quarter Horse, is always the first to greet them, letting out a cheerful whinny before standing patiently, ready for attention and his breakfast.

Are you a food entrepreneur in Madison or surrounding counties? SUNY Morrisville invites you to a free Foodpreneur Forum, Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at its brand new Shared-Use Kitchen, located at 102 Eaton St., Morrisville.   Participants can tour the new space, connect with fellow food creators and explore how to help shape the future of local food innovation. They can also learn about upcoming resources designed to support their food business. RSVP at: [email protected]. 

As the SUNY Morrisville campus prepares for an exciting new academic year, peer mentors in its Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) have been immersed in a week of team-building exercises and strategic planning as they welcome one of the largest incoming EOP Summer Academy cohorts in the college’s history.

Two years ago, Jennifer Gilbert Jenkins, associate professor of agricultural science at SUNY Morrisville, envisioned transforming an old apple orchard into a thriving food forest, a regenerative agricultural system that mirrors the structure of a natural forest. Her vision: a self-sustaining ecosystem filled with edible plants, supporting biodiversity and long-term sustainability.  

When Shadow LaValley ’14 was competing in the 2023 Amateur Players Golf Tour, he proudly sported a SUNY Morrisville baseball cap. Working on his golf swing is still a work in progress, he said, but he finds it a good distraction from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles city life.

When Len Montreal ’83 and Regina Riccardi Montreal ’83 think back about their time at SUNY Morrisville, they fondly remember the friendly, supportive environment, the small-town atmosphere, the close-knit community and the access to nature and the outdoors. It’s easy for them to get sentimental and nostalgic. “I remember the smallness and the quaintness of the beautiful campus surrounded by scenery,’’ Regina said. “And, of course, it’s the place where I met the love of my life.’’ (And her future business partner.)

When SUNY Morrisville cross-country head coach Derek Powers approached Nikko Recchio about joining his program four years ago, the high school senior from Waterville, New York, saw himself as a very mediocre athlete who had fallen out of love with running.

If selflessness and giving turn coaches into champions, Jonathon Stockton is in a league of his own.  The 37-year-old SUNY Morrisville student and youth coach found his calling — a cause larger than life — helping others. “I live to enrich the lives of others because that nourishes my life,” Stockton said with a radiant smile.        It’s an impassioned career emboldened in his own experiences he openly shares about struggles with depression, addiction and homelessness — and unwavering support that helped him persevere.