Community

SUNY Morrisville students put their dairy industry knowledge to the test at the Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge, working with students from other colleges to evaluate dairy farms, identify potential challenges and recommend solutions.   Held at Greek Peak Resort in Cortland, the competition challenged students to assess a dairy farm and develop a presentation of their recommendations within 24 hours. The following day, teams presented their findings to a panel of judges who evaluated their recommendations and presentation quality.

How far does a paycheck go when rent, groceries, transportation and unexpected expenses all compete for a share? SUNY Morrisville students will get a chance to find out during a Financial Reality Fair on Friday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m.-noon, in the Student Activities Center (STUAC). Hosted in partnership with First Source Federal Credit Union, the interactive event gives students a hands-on opportunity to explore financial decisions and responsibilities that come with living on a monthly salary, including the importance of budgeting and setting financial priorities.  

At SUNY Morrisville, Shausé Gregoire found more than support to help him through college. He found a family — people who believe in him, encourage him when life gets difficult and help him see the possibilities beyond the challenges he faces. Through the Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) program, the criminal justice student, from Watertown, NY, found a community that has helped him stay focused on his education and consider a future different from the one he once imagined.

SUNY Morrisville is looking to make it easier for students to enjoy the outdoors. Thanks to a grant through SUNY’s Outdoors for All initiative, SUNY Morrisville is one of 14 campuses receiving funding to improve outdoor spaces. The college plans to transform an area near the administrative quad into a welcoming outdoor space where students can study, relax and connect with one another.

For students navigating the challenges of college, staying on track can sometimes come down to having the right support at the right time. That support is making a difference for students at SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech, SUNY Delhi and SUNY Oneonta, who came together at SUNY Morrisville to share their experiences with SUNY’s Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) student success programs.

Today, more than 400 second-graders from six area school districts visited SUNY Morrisville for a hands-on agricultural learning experience, with Morrisville and FFA students leading the way. Morrisville students and FFA members ran nearly 20 interactive stations during this year’s Ag Day, giving their young visitors opportunities to explore agriculture, ask questions and discover just how many different paths the field offers.

SUNY Morrisville professor Elisa Livengood and aquaculture students are helping bring a native aquatic plant back to Fall Creek near Ithaca. Livengood and aquaculture & aquatic science student Mano Ali recently monitored a freshwater eelgrass restoration plot as part of a partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 7, the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith (FLI) and SUNY Morrisville.

For SUNY Morrisville agribusiness management student Hannah Castle, opportunities to learn about agriculture extend well beyond the classroom.   Castle, of Clinton, was selected to attend the 2026 National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Annual Meeting in Portland, Maine, becoming the first SUNY Morrisville student selected to attend the national gathering.

SUNY Morrisville’s Aquaculture Center recently hosted New York educators for a hands-on workshop designed to introduce teachers to aquaculture and aquaponics and give them the tools to bring those subjects into their classrooms. The one-and-a-half-day Teacher Aquaponics Workshop was hosted by New York Sea Grant in collaboration with Michigan Sea Grant and SUNY Morrisville. The workshop combined presentations, laboratory activities and hands-on learning, including water quality testing, fish handling and measurements and demonstrations of aquaponics systems.

For four SUNY Morrisville horticulture alumni, the path from the college’s greenhouses and growing fields to a career at Tap Root Fields has been a natural fit. Kate Bolen ’25, Curran McGowan ’25, Kannon Kuhlmann ’26 and Ella Williams ’26 are all SUNY Morrisville graduates who have found their way to the sustainable, regenerative farm in Skaneateles, NY. There, they are putting the knowledge and hands-on experience they gained at Morrisville to work in a professional growing operation.