Recent Headlines
ESF Sends 88 New Environmental Leaders into the World
Graduates celebrated for resilience, innovation, and commitment to improving our world
SYRACUSE, N.Y. 鈥� Dec. 9, 2024 鈥� The (ESF) held its December commencement ceremony Dec. 9 in Hendricks Chapel on the Syracuse University Campus awarding 88 degrees, including 12 master鈥檚 degrees and six Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
ESF President Joanie Mahoney congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e reached an incredible milestone through resilience, dedication, and a commitment to learning and growth. Completing a degree at ESF is no small feat. Our programs are rigorous, our standards high, and the last few years have tested each of you in ways we couldn鈥檛 have anticipated. And yet, here you are 鈥� stronger, wiser, and ready for what lies ahead. Today, you stand as environmental stewards, scientific innovators, and thought leaders, poised to make your mark on the world.鈥�
鈥淎s you step into the world, remember that the need for your expertise, your commitment, and your vision has never been greater. We face profound challenges鈥攃limate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss鈥攁nd these require urgent action, innovation, and collaboration. Each of you is uniquely prepared to take on this call, to be part of the solution, and to lead by example.鈥�
Student speaker Abhinaya Polaka, an environmental science major with a concentration in renewable energy and an environmental policy and communication minor, drew a parallel between ESF students and the growth of an acorn to an oak tree.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been growing, just like the acorn, our school鈥檚 mascot. And today, we stand at the threshold of something big, something powerful, and something that鈥檚 just beginning to take root.
鈥淟et鈥檚 take a moment to think about the acorn. It鈥檚 small but inside it is something powerful, something with the potential to grow into a mighty oak tree. And if you look at each of us in this room today, you鈥檒l see that we too, were like those acorns when we first arrived here. We were full of potential but still figuring out exactly how to grow.
鈥淚n our time here at ESF, we鈥檝e been nurtured, challenged, and given the tools to grow strong and capable. Just like that acorn, we鈥檝e put down roots, deep into the knowledge, experiences, and values that will carry us forward. We鈥檝e learned to weather the storms, adapt to the changing seasons, and face obstacles head-on. Some of those obstacles came in the form of 8 a.m. classes, caffeine-fueled all-nighters, and the occasional lab assignment that had us questioning our life choices. But we made it through. And each one of us has grown, just like the acorn, into something much bigger than we were when we started.鈥�
Before presenting the graduates for their degrees, Dr. Zora Thomova, associate provost and dean of ESF鈥檚 Graduate School, highlighted the accomplishments of the Class of 2024 which include:
- Five bachelor鈥檚 candidates completed the ESF Honors Program
- Nine graduates were inducted into Alpha Xi Sigma, the ESF Honor Society
- One graduate participated in the ESF in the High School program
- Two graduates are U.S. Armed Forces veterans
Gail Romano, president of the Alumni Association welcomed the graduates to the as new members of the Alumni Association. 鈥淲hen you started your journey at ESF, your knowledge, skills and discernment were just beginning to grow. They were nurtured by wonderful faculty and staff and enriched by special experiences. You have matured and progressed. You began as acorns, full of potential, and have certainly grown into mighty oaks.鈥�
Dr. Samuel Mukasa, executive vice president and provost, told graduates they could either be lucky or make their own luck 鈥渂ecause you will need it during your career that begins about now.鈥�
The ceremony celebrated the achievements, growth, and potential of ESF鈥檚 newest graduates, as they step forward to tackle environmental and scientific challenges on a global scale.
糖心视频 糖心视频
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.