SUNY Potsdam graduates dodge the rain

Yahoo

17-05-2025

May 17—POTSDAM — As thunderstorms rumbled across St. Lawrence County, staff and volunteers scrambled to keep SUNY Potsdam's graduation ceremony on time and as dry as possible.
The rain stopped just before graduates gathered behind the Lougheed Learning Commons to prepare for the procession.
Aside from a little sprinkle early in the ceremony, everything was dry except for a few parents' eyes.
This year, SUNY Potsdam honored 1,280 candidates for graduation, including all students who earned their degree or were eligible to graduate in 2024-25.
Student Government Association President Eve Borrelli said her speech was a thank-you to Potsdam.
"Not just for the degree we're receiving today, but for everything in between. This isn't just a goodbye. It's a letter of gratitude to the place that challenged us, shaped us, and, whether we expected it or not, became a part of who we are."
Borrelli said she learned how to advocate for herself and she learned about community.
Community at Potsdam is real, she said.
"It's not just about shared space; it's about shared care. Bear care even," she said.
She said Potsdam doesn't just educate a student; it shapes and molds a student in ways that might not be immediately apparent.
"There are a thousand more things I could say about my time here at Potsdam and everything that I have learned, yet the most important things are not what led to the degree, though of course they matter too," she said. "Instead, it's how SUNY Potsdam gave me more than a degree. It taught me about advocacy, community and leadership. It gave me the courage to speak up, the support to keep going and the people who remind me I don't have to do it alone."
SUNY Potsdam President Suzanne Smith said Potsdam is proud of the diversity of its students, who come from 18 states and as far away as Alaska. The Class of '25 includes 174 students from Canada and two from Ukraine.
Graduates range from as young as 20 to as old as 65.
"It is another point of pride for SUNY Potsdam that we welcome so many first-generation students to our institution and we have 283 of them graduating today. We know what an extraordinary achievement this is for you and your families."
Rondald Fishbeck, a computer science major from the Class of 1980, gave the keynote address.
Fishbeck, who met his wife Teresa at Potsdam, built a successful career in technology, starting in Northern Virginia before relocating to Syracuse in 1986. In 1990, he co-founded Systems Made Simple in McLean, Virginia, which grew into a $350 million company recognized for its work primarily serving veterans.
Under Fishbeck's leadership, Systems Made Simple earned multiple accolades before being acquired by Lockheed Martin in 2014. Now retired in Aroda, Virginia, with Teresa, he remains a dedicated supporter of his alma mater. The Fishbeck Foundation has given more than $700,000 to SUNY Potsdam, notably supporting scholarships and programs.
Now is your time, he told graduates.
"It really wasn't until many years after I graduated that I could truly appreciate the value of the education I received from SUNY Potsdam," he said.
Fishbeck said it is normal to reflect on the college journey just completed, but now is the time to use that experience.
"As much as today is a celebration of your past accomplishments, it's even more important to recognize that now, right at this very moment, it's your time," he said. "It's your time to step forward, to make a difference, to shape your own future and make a positive impact on the world. I can't express enough the importance of being in the present moment, living in the present moment and taking advantage of opportunities in the present moment. Clarity comes in the moment, clarity drives your decisions and ultimately your ability to capitalize on your opportunities."
Fishbeck said early in his career he found inspiration in a quote from Maya Angelou: "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. Please remember that your difficulties do not define you. They simply strengthen your ability to overcome."
Fishbeck said the graduates will fail, but they must not give up.
"If you have passion, show resolve and don't let anything stand in your way of doing what's right, you will succeed."