Post written by: Matt Nuesell

This semester, 90 teams and almost 1000 students participated in one of the longest standing traditions at Cortland: intramural broomball. While our campus may not have some of the same age-old traditions that larger schools have, it does have a healthy history of this not-so-well-known sport. The late-night games, the bitter cold ice arena, the bumps, bruises, acrobatic wipeouts and the lingering question that inevitably follows the morning after your game: why did I sign up for this?!

Why? Because being a part of an intramural broomball team at Cortland is in essence being a part of our campus’s history. Because it’s fun, and it’s one of the few traditions that we have that a large majority of our population participates in willingly and with enthusiasm. And because playing broomball brings with it a feeling of connectedness to SUNY Cortland students who have gone before us. Ask any alumni you meet, or any faculty/staff member who is an alumnus of the college what they remember about playing sports during their time here, and they’re almost guaranteed to share their memories of nights spent playing broomball at 2:00am.

So if you weren’t one of the masses to have played this season, make sure you put it on your calendar for 2010. If you don’t play at least once in your time here, you’re sure to regret it, and you’ll be missing out on being a part of one of the coolest traditions on campus.

“Spending time talking with professors during office hours really helped boost my confidence and motivated me to set higher standards in my classes.”

-Class of 2007 Graduate

“Positive Connections” is a series of short features highlighting examples of ways students have felt connected to SUNY Cortland. Many of the posts will come directly from recent graduates, though any source is welcome!

“Cortland has a very unique personality- You will always find someone holding a door open for you, smiling and saying hello even you don’t know them.”

-Class of 2007 Graduate

“Positive Connections” is a series of short features highlighting examples of ways students have felt connected to SUNY Cortland. Many of the posts will come directly from recent graduates, though any source is welcome!

Post written by: Sean Sherwood, Residential Services

After SUNY Cortland, most students will lose touch with their instructors, professors, and various staff that they worked with in their undergraduate studies.  Why is this?  These relationships inside AND outside of the classroom are so important to both parties’ futures. More often than not these relationships are lost at this institution.

The importance of keeping in touch after college is immense.  For students, keeping in touch with faculty or staff is not only a good manner or of caring-nature. You never know when you will need a reference, and someone that can know you on a more personal level will be able to give your hopefully-new employer a new perspective on your personality and work-ethic.

For faculty, keeping track of students that you’ve worked with is so important.  It is a constant reminder for your students of your professionalism and the respect from your post-students will never be forgotten.  You never know when these students you had become your child’s teacher, your mortgage consultant, or even a colleague in the future.

The truth is, no one knows when a past student or faculty will enter your life once again.  The world is a strange place and the importance of “keeping in touch” with these people can yield positive results.  With today’s technology, a simple e-mail can send a big message, and a couple minutes of your time a week may someday pay off.  So keep in touch, or send a message to someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile…because, who knows?

“The two examples that I have are both positive experiences.  The first is my involvement with athletics.  I was a member of the football team for three years.  During those years I felt a very close connection to the college because I was representing my college.  I also made numerous friends through athletics that I still keep in contact with today.  The second experience came after college.  Now that I am out in the professional world of teaching I have met numerous graduates of Cortland.  Some are old and some are young, but there seems to be the same bond between all of us because of where we came from.  Knowing that there are alumni out there that are good people makes me proud to say that I graduated from Cortland.”

-Class of 2007 Graduate

“Positive Connections” is a series of short features highlighting examples of ways students have felt connected to SUNY Cortland. Many of the posts will come directly from recent graduates, though any source is welcome!

Post Written by: Amber Ingalls

On May 7, 2009 the Student Affairs Faculty Connection Award Committee will present a deserving faculty member an award for having established positive connections with students inside and outside of the classroom. Last year, Dr. Caroline Kaltefleiter was the recipient of this award and the committee is looking to recognize another deserving faculty member this year.

Nominees considered for this award hold full-time teaching faculty positions on campus and exemplify excellence in providing positive connections with students. This award allows the perfect opportunity for anyone to nominate a faculty member that has directly impacted their lives in a positive way. If you know someone that “goes the extra mile” in order to serve students, do not miss this opportunity to recognize their contributions to our college community.

Nominations for this award are being accepted now through February 23, 2009. Please check out the direct link on the Connectivities Blog to nominate a full-time teaching faculty member today.

“The experience with Raquette lake was a very positive experience and I believe that was the turning point in my developing as an educator.”

-Class of 2007 Graduate

“Positive Connections” is a series of short features highlighting examples of ways students have felt connected to SUNY Cortland. Many of the posts will come directly from recent graduates, though any source is welcome!