Even though Marie Wise Ellis ’53 hasn’t visited her alma mater in a long time, she keeps up on all things SUNY Oswego by reading her copy of the OSWEGO Alumni Magazine “from front to back.”
After a career in teaching, Ellis enjoys her retirement ballroom dancing, square dancing and—twice weekly—artistic dance roller skating. She has also won awards for her bird and flower photographs. All are hobbies she has enjoyed since childhood.
“Florida is great for taking photos because of the weather and surrounding nature,” Ellis said. “It’s much warmer than Oswego. I remember there was one time at Oswego, we couldn’t get home in time for Easter because the buses weren’t running.”
Ellis first came to Oswego in January 1950 to study childhood education. “It was the only college I applied to,” she said.
“In my class, there were only 50 students who entered in January,” Ellis said. “Many of them left or joined the service, so only 25 students graduated from our class. We all did it in three and a half years, because you can’t find a job teaching mid-year.”
She stayed involved at Oswego. “I did every sport there was at Oswego, I went with the seasons,” Ellis said. “I received the Oswego ‘O’ for playing softball.”
After leaving Oswego, Ellis pursued her master’s degree at Queens College in Flushing, N.Y., and her doctorate in reading at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. She taught in East Meadow, N.Y., and North Port, N.Y., before moving to Florida in 1990.
“I loved Oswego very much,” Ellis said. “I got a good education there. I think most everyone would say that.”
—Tyler Edic ’13
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