SUNY ESF Alumni Association

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SUNY ESF Alumni Association

The official page of the SUNY ESF Alumni Association. The SUNY ESF Alumni Association has served ESF alumni since 1925. Contact us at [email protected].

Association programs attract the support and participation of our more than 21,000 alumni. We look forward to serving you and welcome your suggestions for the future.

08/28/2026

You don't want to miss Dr. Don Leopold's talks during Fall Fest this year! Explore the story of the famed Robin Hood Oak and its parent, the Major Oak, along with a brief look at New York’s native oaks - their identification, ecology, and importance.

Fall Fest 2026 is happening on September 25-26. Lock in your special edition t-shirt to tie-dye by registering by September 10th at www.esf.edu/fall-fest/homecoming/🍂🌳

08/24/2026

We'd definitely agree that it's *very* chic to be a part of the ESF community!

Enjoy all these things and more this September during ESF Fall Fest, September 25-26. Register now at https://www.esf.edu/fall-fest/homecoming/ for an unforgettable weekend of fun & connection.

08/22/2026

From international headlines in wolf research to designing landscapes for Disney, the newest issue of the "ESF Alumni Magazine" showcases the people, discoveries, and experiences that make the ESF community extraordinary.

Featured stories include:
• Dr. Kyle Artelle's breakthrough wolf research
• Benjamin Boisclair '15's career with Walt Disney Imagineering
• Patricia Kaishian Ph.D. '20's path in mycology
• An Adirondack road trip through ESF's northern properties

Read the stories: magazine.esf.edu

Please note that for the best experience, we recommend viewing on a desktop computer.

08/14/2026

Introducing our 2026 Graduates of Distinction!

Rounding out this year's slate of honorees is our Incipiens Quercu (Beginning Oak) recipient, Sarah Welz '18.

Sarah is reshaping Nashville’s urban forest through science‑driven leadership and community‑centered action. As Urban Forestry Project Manager, she oversees every stage of the city’s planting efforts, guiding the care of thousands of young trees and advancing Root Nashville’s long‑term goal of 500,000 new trees by 2050. She prioritizes projects in underserved neighborhoods, strengthens partnerships across the region, and leads the city’s GIS‑based tracking system for more than 63,000 trees. Her statewide influence includes serving as president of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council and delivering research that has attracted national attention, including new NASA funding for canopy studies. Sarah’s early‑career impact reflects the Incipiens Quercu category: scientifically grounded, community minded, and already shaping the future of sustainable cities.

Come celebrate Sarah and her fellow Graduates of Distinction at the ESF Awards Dinner during ESF Fall Fest: Family & Homecoming Weekend on September 25…sign up today! https://buff.ly/NOsjwfR

08/13/2026

Introducing our 2026 Graduates of Distinction!

Next up is our Notable Achievement award recipient, Sam Gordon, AICP ’97/’01/’05.

Sam has devoted more than twenty years to strengthening communities throughout Central and Upstate New York, contributing to initiatives ranging from neighborhood reinvestment in Syracuse to climate‑resilient regional planning, award‑winning corridor design, and Onondaga County’s comprehensive plan. He now leads the planning practice at Environmental Design & Research, D.P.C. (EDR), overseeing a team that partners with municipalities across Upstate New York. Under his leadership, the practice has expanded considerably, both in the size of the team and in the range of projects it now undertakes. His work reflects the best of ESF: interdisciplinary thinking, environmental responsibility, and a commitment to helping communities thrive.

Come celebrate Sam and his fellow Graduates of Distinction at the ESF Awards Dinner during ESF Fall Fest: Family & Homecoming Weekend on September 25…sign up today! https://buff.ly/NOsjwfR

08/12/2026

Introducing our 2026 Graduates of Distinction!

First up is our Lifetime Achievement award recipient, Lewis "Lew" Payne RS '81/FRM '84.

Lew has spent four decades reshaping how the utility industry cares for the land. Raised in the Adirondacks and grounded in ESF’s forest management tradition, Lew became a national leader in integrated vegetation management, turning transmission corridors into habitat and pushing utilities toward real ecological responsibility. At NYPA, he oversees 24,000 acres of ROW and helped set the gold standard for pollinator conservation, native vegetation, and long‑term stewardship. His influence reaches millions of acres across North America, and his leadership has earned industry awards, national recognition, and a lasting legacy of conservation.

This year, we honor Lew with a Graduate of Distinction - Lifetime Achievement Award for a career that reflects the very best of ESF!

Come celebrate Lew and his fellow Graduates of Distinction at the ESF Awards Dinner during ESF Fall Fest: Family & Homecoming Weekend on September 25…sign up today! https://buff.ly/NOsjwfR

08/11/2026

Dan Ricci ’23 chose Environmental Resources Engineering (ERE) at ESF with a clear goal: to help the environment and build a meaningful career in sustainability. That choice shaped his academic experience and set the foundation for the work he does today.

While at ESF, Dan was active in Track, SU Ultimate Frisbee, and the ERE Club. His favorite memories come from the everyday moments…talking with friends on campus, in Trailhead Café, and in Moon Library before class. “Being able to meet and learn from the people brought together by ESF was always a joy,” he tells us.

Dan now lives and works on Long Island, serving as an Assistant Engineer and Recycling Contact for NYS DEC Region 1 in the Division of Materials Management. His day-to-day work includes inspecting landfills and recycling facilities, educating residents and elected officials on reducing waste by 85%, and reviewing permits and emerging recycling technologies. He is especially proud of helping to produce “Beyond the Bin,” an educational series that gives the public a clearer look at what really happens to materials after they leave the recycling bin.

Dan’s path to DEC was shaped directly by his ESF experience. While working at the Center for Sustainable Materials Management (CSMM), he discovered his passion for waste-reduction research. A connection made through the ESF Job Shadow Program with Kristine Ellsworth ’15, an ESF alum and composting engineer at DEC, affirmed for him that DEC was the right place to launch his career.

He credits ESF with preparing him for the technical writing, reporting, and fieldwork required in his role. “We learned a wide range of technical knowledge that gave us a solid base in many areas,” he says. That broad foundation has helped him adapt to a changing job market and pursue opportunities he hadn’t originally imagined. From groundwater wells to stormwater runoff to traffic management, the exposure he gained at ESF gave him a strong starting point for the work he does today.

We’re proud of the leadership Dan brings to waste‑reduction efforts, his commitment to public education, innovative recycling solutions, and community engagement!

Know another Stand-Out Stumpy? Nominate here: https://buff.ly/wUr3vde

08/10/2026

Thinking about joining us on the ESF trip to Peru this spring? Our info session recording is now live!

Catch all the details - what we’ll see, what to expect, and why this trip is already filling fast (half of our seats are already booked!).

Watch the info session here: https://buff.ly/sWB6FYK
-All details at our website: https://buff.ly/l779gKs
-Spots are limited, and we already have early registrants
-There is an option to add on an additional 4-night Peruvian Amazon Cruise Post-Tour Extension!
-Register by 9/25 to secure your spot

Ready for an unforgettable adventure April 25 - May 4, 2027? Register Now!

08/07/2026

We're looking for alumni artisans and makers to participate as vendors during the Saturday Quad Party at ESF Fall Fest. It's a great opportunity to showcase your work, connect with the ESF community, and be part of one of the weekend's most popular events!

Fall Fest brings together alumni, students, and families onto campus for one big celebration. Join the fun September 25-26 with a packed schedule featuring reunions, food trucks, tie‑dye shirts, the craft fair, faculty presentations, and the ESF Awards Dinner.

Interested in becoming a vendor? We'd love to hear from you! Submit an application here: https://advancement.esf.edu/f/fallfest-vendor

08/06/2026

Do these faces look familiar to you? Perhaps a classmate, a friend, or even yourself. While the years may have passed, the memories of your time at ESF remain.

The Classes of 1976 and earlier are invited to our special Evergreen Reunion (formerly Senior Reunion) events during Fall Fest Weekend, September 25-26, 2026.

Experience programming available only to Evergreen alumni, from the Evergreen Reunion Luncheon honoring the classes of 1976 and earlier, to an exclusive dendrology walking tour of campus and Oakwood Cemetery with SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, Dr. Donald Leopold.

Some places never truly leave us 💚 we hope to see you back on campus this fall!

Register online today at https://www.esf.edu/fall-fest/

Address

1 Forestry Drive
Syracuse, NY
13210

Website

http://www.esf.edu/alumni/

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