Alumni Profiles is an ongoing series highlighting successful graduates who, with a SUNY education, achieved interesting and influential careers.
Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier is a musician, serviceman, and family man. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from SUNY Potsdam in 1975, and went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts degree in music from Truman State University. He also later completed a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College.
Col. Palmatier was appointed ninth leader and commander of the U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” in August 2011. He previously served as commander and conductor of the U.S. Army Field Band, making him the first officer to command both of the Army’s top premier bands. He is currently the senior military musician in the Department of Defense.
Among his accomplishments, Col. Palmatier has led the White House Herald Trumpets, performing at every ceremony the President of the United States attended and has conducted performances at five Presidential Inaugurations. He was the first Army Band officer to earn both the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges, and earned the right to wear a combat patch for service in El Salvador and Iraq.
His support for his alma mater has been unwavering, as he has returned to campus to lead masterclasses and conduct at The Crane School of Music, as well as for the Crane Youth Music camp and was honored with the 2010 Minerva Award by the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association.
Col. Palmatier has also generously established the Band Guest Artist Fund at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music to provide financial support for Crane’s band program in order to raise the program’s national profile. He and his wife, Shirley, are campaign leadership donors for Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which aims to raise $27 million to support the SUNY Potsdam student experience by the College’s bicentennial in 2016.
Students explore the TEC-SMART GE Wind Technology Lab at Hudson Valley CC, which is one of 30 SUNY community colleges to be affected by the $14.6M U.S. Dept. of Labor grant.
For those in the job market, many skills can be acquired, while others you need to learn before you apply for that dream job. SUNY Community Colleges are looking to make learning those skills a little easier. As a result of a $14.6 million U.S. Department of Labor grant, SUNY is partnering with New York State businesses to develop and deliver new education programs with targeted workforce training. At a meeting at the SUNY Global Center today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer joined Chancellor Nancy Zimpher to announce some of the community college programs that have been developed as a result of this grant.
The grant is a part of the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program. Monroe Community College is leading the consortium of 30 SUNY community colleges and working with over 150 New York State business and economic development organizations to design programs that meet the needs of employers in high-need industries, including nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
SUNY’s Office of the Education Pipeline is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for SUNY campuses to participate in a collaborative project designed to strengthen the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education pipeline in New York State. In September 2012, SUNY was awarded a $2.95 million grant from the National Science Foundation, in collaboration with the New York Academy of Sciences and SUNY Empire State College, to bring to scale a successful afterschool program in which SUNY graduate students and postdoctoral fellows studying in the STEM disciplines serve as mentors to students in high-need middle schools.
Alumni Profiles is an ongoing series highlighting successful graduates who, with a SUNY education, achieved interesting and influential careers.
Erin Coon is a community member, leader, and advocate. She was recently named the Executive Director of the Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls, NY–the same city that one of her alma maters, SUNY Adirondack, is located.
Ms. Coon attended SUNY New Paltz to earn her Bachelor’s degree following her attendance at SUNY Adirondack in high school, then returned to the North Country to refresh her business skills at SUNY Adirondack more recently. For two years before being named the Executive Director, Ms. Coon was the theater’s operations manager after completing an internship with Adirondack Theatre Festival, a group that the theater continues to host.
The Charles R. Wood Theater is a 30,000 square-foot community facility with a theater, rehearsal hall, and reception area that hosts year-round art events. It is this year celebrating 10 years in operation. Learn more about the Charles R. Wood Theater, including the history and schedule of events at their website.
As this spring semester comes to a close, thousands of SUNY students are preparing to graduate. Whether the student is graduating with a certificate, Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or doctorate degree, each graduate’s story is unique and will be continued as they join the massive SUNY alumni base, which totals nearly 3 million today. SUNY graduates dot the globe on every continent in every imaginable sector of the economy; we are proud to spread SUNY’s influence internationally and just as honored that a majority of the Class of 2013 will stay to live, work, and play in New York.
We compiled the entire schedule of Class of 2013 commencement ceremonies from all 64 SUNY campuses. Continue reading →
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Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier is a musician, serviceman, and family man. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from SUNY Potsdam in 1975, and went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts degree in music from Truman State University. He also later completed a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College.
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