Golden Lining

Many in the resilient Laker community looked for the “golden lining” of the pandemic.

Michael Russo ’20

A Positive: “I really think this pandemic has given an opportunity for people to be good and do good for others. People check in more, I check in with people more. That type of positivity and social responsibility to do good for each other was long overdue.”

Your Degree in Action:

A Surprise: “The inherent good in most people. At the height of all of this, people would be sending us food and thank you cards to the ambulance company all of the time. People were there to help each other. As a society under lock down we really found a way to triumph against the odds and be social with each other using the internet and other means. When you look past the gloom of the situation you found some of the beauty of people. From the essential workers, delivery people and first responders, to the folks forced to stay at home, we as a society kept finding new and creative ways to be ourselves.”

—Mike Russo ’20 of Sayville, N.Y., emergency medical technician in Suffolk County, N.Y.

Karol Olson '65 A Positive: “It takes something massive, like a pandemic, to unleash very creative ideas and problem solutions that would not have seen the light of day under normal conditions.”

Your Degree in Action: “Confidence. If you have survived 4 years at Oswego, three with a car that sometimes you couldn’t find because it was under so much snow; and received a degree, I think you can do anything.”

A Surprise: “Our daughter, a speech pathologist for a school district was working 12-14 hour days to prepare lessons and teach groups K-12 virtually. It’s like being on TV. Our young grand kids have plexiglass around their desks.”

—Karol Olson ’65 of East Quogue, N.Y., retired school teacher

Jerrell Robinson '94 M'96 A Positive: “Something positive that I have gained throughout the pandemic is the opportunity to spend more quality time with my children.”

Your Degree in Action: “My sociology and counseling majors helped me during this time in understanding how and why people respond differently, particularly in community and individual settings, and under stressful situations.”

A Surprise: “The most surprising discovering or realization for me during this pandemic is that I am able to effectively do my job from home. I am also surprised at how many people in our society do not take the pandemic seriously.”

—Jerrell Robinson ’94 M’96 of Rockville Centre, N.Y., Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Director, SUNY Old Westbury

Dori Gronich '17 A Positive: “I learned I am resilient and adaptable to these crazy times. I have found creative ways to keep myself and others entertained by starting the Positivity Poster Project.”

Your Degree in Action: “SUNY Oswego taught me perseverance. Even when times are hard keep going. Whether it’s classes, or life in general.”

A Surprise: “I realized that it’s imperative to follow the rules regarding public health. Society has these rules so we can survive. I wear a mask not only to protect myself but to protect others. Also it doesn’t hurt that they come in nice designs!”

—Dori Gronich ’17 of East Norwich, N.Y., child care worker at Plainview Old Bethpage School District

Tyler Doan '19 A Positive: “I’ve learned how to effectively communicate with my partner, and I’ve gained a love for relaxing moments. Everything has been stressful since the pandemic started, taking time to relax and live in the moment has been incredibly helpful.”

Your Degree in Action: “It helped me be prepared for change. Things happen unexpectedly, such as the pandemic. SUNY Oswego helped me be prepared to accept change and adapt.”

A Surprise: “The system is broken and change needs to happen. Access to quality health care is limited to those who can afford it. Lawyers as well as state and local governments can make this change through zoning, planning, and municipal powers, though many are reluctant to do so.”

—Tyler Doan ’19 of Albany, N.Y., law student at the Vermont Law School

A Positive: “I think people are willing to help out others in need in desperate times.”

Your Degree in Action: “During the pandemic, I actually changed jobs and now work for a much bigger and stronger company. I know my education from SUNY Oswego has been invaluable throughout my career.”

A Surprise: “I was happily surprised how many people checked in with me to make sure I was okay while I was quarantined.”

—Jeffrey Yonkers ’92 of Sayville, N.Y., chief financial officer at L.N.K. International Inc.

A Positive: “Timing is everything. We purchased a house during the scarier portion of the year. Now, the housing market is exploding with the exodus from NYC. We most likely saved a significant amount thanks to perseverance!”

Your Degree in Action: “Given I have a bio degree, I feel I have a better understanding of the pandemic than most and it has help me keep a level head.”

A Surprise: “It’s amazing how little sleep you can function on (our one year-old is a VERY early riser). My profession will always be secure because people have to eat… but it will always be unrelenting to those working in it (despite the circumstances). My family are extremely brave in the face of adversity (brother is NYPD, sister is a nurse). Society needs quality education more than ever.”

—Lee Candela ’08 of Port Washington, N.Y., sous chef at the North Hempstead Country Club

Melissa Vincent ’97

A Positive: “I’m prioritizing some things I had been putting on the back burner. I’m making a greater effort to connect with people who matter.”

Your Degree in Action: “Having lived on campus in Oswego, pushing through things like blizzards to get to classes that weren’t cancelled seems to have built a flexibility and resilience in me. I also know that my work with SAVAC and as an RA further developed my grit, my ability to handle a crisis, and my ability to engage with others in difficult situations.”

A Surprise: “Seeing myself on WebEx calls all day have made it abundantly clear that I love to touch my face. The way we are able to be successful in delivering on commitments and keep business moving with almost everyone remote will likely revolutionize the perception of flexible working arrangements for generations to come. Gone are the days of “I need you here in order to…” I also think that it’s been an interesting study in society to see the country grappling with social justice while people are largely sheltering in place. Without the distractions of everyday activities, people aren’t able to tune out and move on from the things that they normally would. This may well be an infection point in American history, where truth and reconciliation come to the fore as necessary for us to move forward as a more fair and just society. That excites me.”

—Melissa E. Vincent ’97 of Monterey, Calif., special projects at Apple Inc.

A Positive: “Money saved from travel has gone to home renovations, and we’ve made a lot of changes this year!”

Your Degree in Action: “Being a business major has helped me to run my own business. While the delivery of some of our work has changed, the tasks haven’t, and in fact the volume of work for the firm has increased. Principles of organizational management and corporate communications are applied daily to keep us moving forward and serving our clients.”

A Surprise: “It’s been surprising and disappointing to see the divisiveness of society in relation to the pandemic. Protective measures like mask wearing have quickly become political. In my profession, the need for government at all levels to be even more adaptable has become very apparent. ”

—Tim Riecker ’00 of Schuyler, N.Y., founding partner and principle consultant at Emergency Preparedness Solutions LLC

A Positive: “Life goes on. We must work together to make it better for all. Theatre’s and the world of entertainment WILL return. Society needs them to! At the show i did manage to mount, over and over i heard audience members express appreciation for the opportunity to see live theatre that they had missed so much since March.”

Your Degree in Action: “I guess I would need to thank my Liberal Arts education that allows me to understand that there are ways of viewing life other than the parochial self-serving lens through which so many see.”

A Surprise: “How directionless I am without my job – my identity for the past 41 years. On top of that, of course, is that my Passion – theatre/entertainment – is non-existent; there are no shows. I did manage to direct/produce a pandemic-conscious outdoor production in September, but it’s now too cold in CNY to do any more. I will find focus but at this point I am not sure where it will be.”

—Bob Frame ’77 of Skaneateles, N.Y., retired director of theatre operations, Cayuga Community College

A Positive: “The journalism industry became an even tougher place to work. I had to find my own way. Some of my freelance work dried up. Got to keep on going. Make your own. I learned to be confident that I am a professional in my field and that I need to charge for my expertise.”

Your Degree in Action: “My major helps me every day. I got the best education at SUNY Oswego and I thank the Lord for it every day. And my parents who pushed me! I learned how to write, edit, produce, work well, be professional, network. All of this I learned at SUNY Oswego.”

A Surprise: “I discovered that I am best as an early riser.”

—Shanna Fuld ’16 of Tel Aviv, Israel, freelance writer/reporter and founder of the Israel Daily News Podcast

A Positive: “I learned the lesson that old adages are genuine truths. Cliches are real. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Life is short. Seize the day. Live every moment like it’s your last. Home is where the heart is. These cheesy sayings, but they all became like my mantra over the course of the last 6 months.”

Your Degree in Action: “As a history major, I wasn’t able to use my degree in a tangible way during the pandemic. I studied history selfishly. I mean that without a negative connotation. I used my degree in history as a medium of self-exploration. For me, history is all about perspective. If there was anything I learned, it was that history happens all the time, even in the moments when we’re not paying attention. I stayed in a state-of-awe thinking about how this place and time would surely go down in the history books. I kept finding time to introspect–to think that in the future, historian’s retelling of 2020 will have captured this experience that I lived through.”

A Surprise: “The year prior to COVID, I yearned for new experiences, new horizons. I longed to be as far away from my hometown as possible. Distance makes the heart grow fonder was just an adage that I didn’t believe applied to me. When everything started to shut down, and every day seemed uncertain, I realized the one thing I know I can always rely on is family. Nothing seemed as important as being close to the ones I love. Don’t get me wrong. I loved my family–still do. But, I never imagined a pandemic would make me want to give up the life I had started building for myself just to be closer to home.”

—Aaron Wilson ’18 of Baldwinsville, N.Y., volunteer engagement representative with the American Red Cross

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