SUNY Delhi Celebrates 25 Years of Community Service
The O’Connor Center for Community Engagement (OCCE) at SUNY Delhi is celebrating its
25th anniversary. Campus community members gathered at a kick-off party to enjoy refreshments
and view displays of photographs and t-shirts from community service activities through
the years.
The Center was founded in 1999 “on a shoestring budget,” according to Barbara Jones,
Vice President for Student Life Emeritus. “It’s hard to believe it was 25 years ago.
I always felt that the O’Connor Center was the heart of the College and the Student
Life division. It’s an amazing program that brings people together.”
“Commitment to service is a very special part of our campus culture,” said John Padovani,
Interim Vice President of Student Life at SUNY Delhi. “Every year, our students and
volunteers put in many hours of community service, forming a wonderful connection
between our campus and the local community.”
Former OCCE director Abigail Brannen-Wilson, currently the Director of the Center
for Faculty Excellence and Innovation at SUNY Delhi, echoed the sentiments: “The O’Connor
Center has become more than a center for community service – it is a place for belonging
for our students, a place to build connections and make a difference. I’m so proud
of the philanthropic spirit of our campus and how it tells our story to the community.”
According to Ann-Lis Glenn, the current coordinator of OCCE, anniversary celebrations
will continue all semester long, including recognitions of SUNY Delhi’s community
partners and the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, Inc. which supports
the O’Connor Center through an annual grant. Students can participate in activities
with special monthly themes. Upcoming themes include kindness in February, philanthropy
in March, serving communities in April, and service-learning in May. SUNY Delhi’s
annual community service day will be held on Saturday, April 27.
O’Connor Center for Community Engagement
O’Connor Center Coordinator Ann-Lis Glenn (second from left) at the anniversary kick-off party with the Center’s student employees (l-r) Clarissa LeBell, Andre Byrd, and Opeyemi Adesanya.