Programs and Services

Alumni Admission Program: The College provides the opportunity for those who have enjoyed the benefit of a Cortland education to nominate applicants they believe would be successful here and contribute to the campus.

Only four to five students will be offered admission to Cortland through this program each year. A written nomination from a SUNY Cortland alumnus must be sent to the Admissions Office by Jan 15.

Sponsors must identify their year of graduation and indicate that the applicant is being nominated for the Alumni Admission Program. Sponsors should have a direct relationship with the applicant they are endorsing. We do not accept nominations from blood relatives.

The applications of nominees ineligible for regular admission will be reviewed by an Alumni Association Committee to determine whether they will be invited to campus in mid-March for an interview for further consideration. Some applicants may not need an interview for admission.

Applicants must be nominated as alumni admission candidates prior to an admission decision. This option is available to only freshman applicants interested in fall semester admission. Those denied admission cannot be reconsidered in light of recommendations from alumni. 

Alumni Lecture Series: This lecture series affords current students a broader picture of career options after graduation. Each semester alumni are invited to campus to meet with students and give lecture(s). 

Alumni Publications:
Columns: Published four times a year, Columns is an alumni newspaper mailed to all alumni.
Moments: The electronic alumni newsletter is e-mailed four times a year. 

Alumni Record Keeping: The office is responsible for helping maintain records for close to 59,000 alumni. Currently we have 43,000 addresses. Some of the ways the office assists are:

  • Alumni Reunions/Receptions: Sign-in books at these programs often provide updates and information on missing alumni.
  • New Graduates: When new graduates receive their diploma from the registrar, a biographical data form is included from the Alumni Affairs Office.
  • Publishing Alumni Missing List: Six months prior to Alumni Reunion Weekend, a missing alumni list is published in Columns.
  • Privacy Act Implementation: The Alumni Affairs Office is responsible for protecting the privacy of alumni. To this end, addresses may be released only with the prior approval from the graduate. In addition, a court order will allow the release of alumni information without prior approval.
  • Update Form: The update form is where alumni can enter or update their contact and personal information.  

Alumni Reunions: In addition to Alumni Reunion Weekend held annually in July, the Alumni Association sponsors regional reunions through its chapter structure. Reunions provide a unique opportunity for the College and its alumni to stay in contact. 

Awards and Scholarships: The Alumni Association, through its endowment, provides $40,000 annually in student scholarships. In addition to financial support, the association through its Scholarship and Awards Committee determines distinguished alumni recipient(s) annually. For the past award winners visit Distinguished Alumni Award Recipents and Distinguished Yong Alumni Award Recipients. To nominated please use the Distinguished Alumni Award Nomination Form.

Chapter Structure: Regional alumni chapters assist with social, admissions and career programs. Chapters are located in the Adirondack area, Syracuse, Western New York, Albany, Hudson Valley, Long Island, New York City, Rochester, the Southern Tier, Boston, Atlanta, the Mid-Atlantic, Raleigh-Durham, California and Florida.

Credit Card Program: Please visit the following link for information on the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Program.

Goofs and Goblets: Co-sponsored with Career Services, this program brings College staff, business leaders, alumni and SUNY Cortland students together in a dinner-interview setting. The event is hosted by Mark Westfield ’78, director of food and beverage operations at the Hempstead Country Club in Hempstead, NY. 

Insurance: The Alumni Association can help provide for your family's financial security through our sponsored Alumni Insurance Program. A variety of group term life insurance plans, long-term care insurance and an identity theft recovery service can provide protection, and whether you need basic coverage or want to supplement coverage you already have. For more information please call the administrator of The SUNY Cortland Alumni Insurance Program at (800) 922-1245. The association offers home and auto insurance through Liberty Mutual. Online information can be accessed at www.libertymutual.com/cortlandalumni

Library Databases SUNY Cortland's Memorial Library has two databases available for SUNY Cortland alumni to use to make academic source searches and business source searches.

Alumni Receptions at Professional Conferences The Alumni Association annually sponsors alumni receptions at the following conferences: National and NYS AAHPERD, NYS Recreation/Park Association, NYS Reading Association, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and the Department of Recreation Parks and Leisure Studies Conference and more. We have many alumni who are active in these organizations.

 

Special Reunions: Each year, the Alumni Affairs Office assists in bringing people together who shared a special bond while at Cortland. Examples of special reunions include Masquers, residence life, athletics, past student body presidents, fraternities/sororities, College Singers, study abroad, post World War II classes (1942-51) and more.