Dear Students, 

Since December 2020, I’ve had the distinct honor of serving as the officer in charge of SUNY Empire State College. It’s been an exciting time for me, both professionally and personally.  

When I assumed the role of OIC, we were at the height of the pandemic and still without a vaccine. We’d just endured one of the most contentious elections in U.S. history, and the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others cast a devastating shadow on our country.  

The SUNY Empire community rose to meet these challenges head on. We quickly created the COVID-19 emergency educational relief fund, pivoted to all-virtual learning, and implemented COVID-19 protocols that would ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. In response to the sociopolitical turmoil, we launched Reason & Respect, a monthly event dedicated to civil discourse about difficult topics.  

We also continued building on our college community. We opened our new flagship location at 4 Park Ave. in Manhattan, increased our partnerships across the state, and strengthened our opportunity programs and personal supports for students. In between, we celebrated SUNY Empire’s 50th anniversary and expanded our academic offerings. Last fall, we launched our first doctoral program, an Ed.D. in educational leadership. This fall, we will debut our new bachelor’s in business administration (BBA) program. 

Now, we enter a new era, welcoming president, Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D., whose tenure began July 1. Having had the opportunity to work with her, I know that the college will be in good hands under her leadership. 

I’m enormously grateful for having had the opportunity to lead SUNY Empire State College and will always look back fondly on this time in my career. Thank you for being part of that experience and making our college the vibrant and high-quality institution that it is.   

Sincerely, 

Nathan Gonyea Ph.D. 
Acting Provost