“We cannot plan the future of our State University on yesterday’s dollars,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature have said they want education to be a priority. By supporting our request in its entirety – establishing a SUNY Investment Fund, extending NYSUNY 2020, and supporting our community colleges – New York can give SUNY the tools it needs to educate more of its residents and prepare them for success in college and career.”

Presidents and representatives from seven SUNY campuses – including president Cory Duckworth from Jamestown Community College –  will meet with the press on Thursday starting at 10:30 a.m. in the lobby of Buffalo State’s new Technology Building.

State University of New York at Fredonia President Virginia Horvath will also attend.

Going forward, the university will be known officially as, “The State University of New York at Fredonia,” although in most contexts, it will be referred to simply as, “Fredonia.”

The change comes in response to growing feedback, coupled with a year-long research effort led by faculty, staff, student and alumni representatives from across the university, which revealed a degree of inconsistency, and even some confusion, among certain target audiences.

Specifically, the use of “SUNY Fredonia” in some contexts and “Fredonia State” within other settings has caused some individuals to think that two separate institutions existed.  The confusion has been greater for out-of-state and international audiences, in particular, although it existed in some cases even within Western New York.

In addition, the research showed that out-of-state respondents don’t recognize or understand the SUNY acronym, often mispronouncing it or not recognizing it as an institution of higher education without the words “college” or “university” included.  This is especially true with international audiences.

“An emphasis in Fredonia’s strategic plan is expanding our role as a global community, welcoming out-of-state and international students and encouraging all Fredonia students to learn about the world and their places in it,” said Fredonia President Virginia S. Horvath.  “A first step for us to be known is to have a single name that reflects our unique identity and our role as part of the State University of New York.”

In addition, the university has added a logo mark for the first time in its 188-year history, to provide a visual that will help more people recognize and remember Fredonia.  The campus’ branding research helped guide this process as well, including feedback gathered during a variety of focus groups, surveys, University Senate and open campus presentations throughout the most recent fall and spring semesters.

President Horvath added that the internal design and implementation team, led by Communications Designer Patty Herkey and Public Relations Director Mike Barone, did an excellent job of incorporating the architecture into the logo, while creatively incorporating a pair of three-dimensional ‘F’s – one white, and one reversed, in blue – coming together to form a multi-story structure.

The converging Fs also naturally form arrow-like visuals.  These serve as metaphors for the progress and transformation which Fredonia students often experience, as well as the leadership role the university takes in the community from an engagement and economic development perspective.

At the top and right of the logo, the converging Fs also form a mortar board and tassel — the traditional cap worn during a graduation ceremony.

The branding team is quick to add, however, that the research showed Fredonia’s students and alumni were very proud to be part of the State University of New York, with many respondents saying they felt “smarter” for having chosen such an affordable university.  Fredonia’s faculty and staff share a similar sense of pride in having chosen a career in public higher education, knowing the life-changing impact it has for many students.

The timing of the new brand identity is especially appropriate for the campus, as it prepares to open its new, 92,000-square-foot Science Center this August.  This building, which meets LEED silver standards, is designed for the hands-on, interdisciplinary ways through which students learn science. It is significantly re-shaping the way many people think about Fredonia, its commitments to sustainability and student learning, and its academic strength.

The announcement was made during a news conference hosted by the seniors in the Williams Center at SUNY Fredonia. The organizations were chosen from 16 applicants, which is the largest amount of applications the program has received since it began in 2001. This is also Fredonia’s largest class of public relations students to work on the project, marking the fourth straight year of record enrollment.

Michael Abbate, Cummins, Inc. plant manager; Dr. Cory Duckworth, Jamestown Community College President; Gregory Edwards, Gebbie Foundation CEO; Dr. Virginia Horvath, State University of New York at Fredonia president; Jim Johnson, Robert H. Jackson Center President; Ben Lindquist, Chautauqua Striders Executive Director; Greg Lindquist, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Executive Director; Tim Mains, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent; and Andrew Robson, Cummins, Inc. financial controller.

The reception will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Robert H. Jackson Center. The public is invited to attend.

Anita Cizek Moore, M.S., R.N., CCRP – program director of research quality improvement at the University of Maryland’s Greenebaum Cancer Center – delivered the keynote address at JCC’s 63rd commencement exercises on May 18 in the Physical Education Complex on JCC’s Jamestown Campus.

The ceremony honored 514 spring 2013 graduates, 189 December 2012 graduates, and 60 summer 2012 graduates.  Also during the ceremony, the JCC Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Daniel C. Josephson ’77.

And Roughly 1,500 students, including the largest senior class in SUNY Fredonia’s history, crossed the Steele Hall Arena stage Saturday, receiving congratulations from President Virginia S. Horvath as they were conferred with degrees during the 186th annual Commencement ceremony.

In addition, the campus welcomed U.S. Representative Brian Higgins as its keynote speaker at both the morning and afternoon ceremonies.  Congressman Higgins is a fifth-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving citizens of New York’s 26th Congressional District, including portions of Erie and Niagara counties.  Until recently, Congressman Higgins’ district also encompassed Chautauqua County.