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SUNY Brockport

State University of New York Brockport (also known as SUNY Brockport or Brockport State, and previously The College at Brockport) is a public university in Brockport, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY).

Former name

Brockport Collegiate Institute (1835–1866)
Brockport State Normal School (1866–1942)
Brockport State Teachers College (1942–1948)
State University of New York at Brockport (1948–2005)
The College at Brockport, State University of New York (2005–2020)

1835 (1835)

$158 million (2022)

Heidi Macpherson

758

7,924[1]

Fringe town, 464 acres (1.88 km2)

The Stylus

  Green
  Gold

Ellsworth the Golden Eagle

History[edit]

SUNY Brockport was originally founded in 1835 as an institution of higher learning as the Brockport Collegiate Institute.


Over thirty years later, the school, through the leadership of principal Malcolm MacVicar, was absorbed into a New York-wide system of state-run normal schools in 1867 and changed its name to the Brockport State Normal School. For the next seven decades, the new institution would be primarily dedicated to training teachers, although other academic programs were maintained.


In 1942, the school gained the right to grant bachelor's degrees and was thus renamed as the Brockport State Teachers College. Six years later, the college joined the newly-established State University of New York system, becoming the State University of New York at Brockport. Only two years later, Brockport State began to grant graduate degrees, with the first master's degrees awarded in 1950.


Later name changes would again take place in 2005, becoming the College at Brockport, State University of New York, and 2020, when it returned to a name similar to the one originally adopted in 1948, the State University of New York Brockport.[2]

Clubs and organizations[edit]

Greek life[edit]

In 1869, with the assistance of Professor Charles Donald McLean, the principal of the school, Gamma Sigma fraternity was established at The Brockport Normal School. Gamma Sigma was the first fraternity to be formed at the high school level in the United States. On October 11 of that year, eighteen young men gathered in the chemistry room with the aim of enhancing their skills in debate, original composition, and other literary exercises. The founding members were: Edward L. Adams, John D. Burns, Charles Cunningham, William K. Dean, Martin L. Deyo, John Norris Drake, A. James Knox, S. E. Loomis, John M. Milne, A. Judson Osborn, Frederick Palmer, George T. Quinby, George Hebert Raymond, William H. Sybrandt, James W. White, Stephen D. Wilbur, Ara Wilkinson, and George F. Yeoman. Mr. Yeoman was elected as the first President, and James Knox served as the chairman of the constitution committee.


On a side note, in later years Mr. Yeoman took the oath of office as a justice of the Supreme Court for the Seventh Judicial District of the State on November 15, 1893. In the book "Notable Men of Rochester" published in 1902 by Dwight J. Stoddard, there is a mention of Mr. Yeoman's high level of respect and admiration.[3]

Talon Television and Production (previously Brockport Television)[edit]

Funded by BSG, Talon Television is the official TV station club at The College at Brockport. This student-run organization is responsible for producing videos and covering a wide range of school programs and events. The club comprises different departments, including News, Sports, Entertainment, and Promotions.[4]

Brockport Student Government (BSG)[edit]

The Brockport Student Government (BSG), funded by mandatory student fees, organizes a wide range of programming on campus. BSG encompasses the three traditional branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive. The annual budget for BSG amounts to approximately $1,400,000. Among the programming events are the Spring Break Challenge, where five individuals have the opportunity to win $5,000 to fund their preferred spring break destination. Additionally, BSG arranges major concerts featuring artists such as Big Sean, Gym Class Heroes, Machine Gun Kelly, and Kesha, as well as lectures featuring notable speakers like Abby Wambach. These events are carefully planned and executed by the Brockport Student Government in collaboration with the Union Programming Team.

Harlequins Performing Arts Club[edit]

The Harlequins Performing Arts Club (Harlequins) is a student organization. Each semester, the club organizes a variety of student performances, workshops, and social events.[5]

The Stylus[edit]

The Stylus is the student-run weekly newspaper of The College at Brockport. It is financially supported by the BSG Mandatory Fee and reaches a circulation of 5,000 copies.

WBSU 89.1 The Point[edit]

89.1 The Point is a student-run radio station located in the Seymour College Union and funded by the Brockport Student Government. The Point broadcasts to a wide audience of up to 500,000 people across the Western New York region, spanning from west Rochester to Buffalo. While the station has several communications majors as members, it also welcomes students from other majors to join. The Point operates various departments, including FM, Sports, News, Production, Circuit, Public Relations, Website, Engineering, and Sales. Additionally, The Point actively participates in community initiatives such as the Hilton Apple Fest in the fall and Coats for Kids in the winter, among other local events.

(emeritus), Founder of Garth Fagan Dance

Garth Fagan

writer, winner of the 2006 Flannery O'Connor Award and 2009 NY Professor of the Year

Anne Panning

Professor Emeritus, American sculptor

Albert Paley

Mary Mortimer, "preceptress," i.e. head, of the "female department," 1841–1844. A pioneer of higher education for women, assisted Catherine Beecher in starting the Milwaukee Female Seminary.

Liberian ex-warlord, former leader of the Liberian Peace Council

George Boley

(B.S. in Dance, 1972): Tony Award-winning choreographer and director

Wayne Cilento

(2004): football coach

Scott Donaldson

(B.A. Political Science and History, 1974) Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, from New York's 19th district

John Faso

(B.A. Criminal Justice, 1978), actor, known for his roles in Prison Break and The Dark Knight

William Fichtner

(B.A. Political Science, 1978) New York State Senator, former mayor of Rome, NY, and former county executive of Oneida County, New York

Joseph Griffo

fifth national president, Woman's Relief Corps

Emma Stark Hampton

(teaching credential, 1874), physical education professor, Oberlin College

Delphine Hanna

(B.A. in History, 1974): Professor emeritus at Rutgers University and expert on gender history and feminism

Nancy Hewitt

(B.A. in Political Science, 1988): Attorney and legal analyst on CNN and HLN

Joey Jackson

(B.S. in Leisure/Recreational Activity, 1971): author, social critic, public speaker, blogger

James Howard Kunstler

(B.S. in English, 1973): Singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music

Christine Lavin

(B.S. in Communication, 1998): journalist with CNN

Ryan Nobles

later attended the United States Naval Academy, known for Iran-Contra Affair

Oliver North

(B.A. in Theatre, Speech & Hearing, 1974): actor and voice actor known for role as Double J in 1977 film Saturday Night Fever

Paul Pape

(BFA in Dance, 2006): Jamaican TV host, model, and beauty queen

Yendi Phillips

(B.A. Mathematics and Computer Science, 1979), professor at Purdue University and leading computer security expert

Gene Spafford

(B.S. in Dance, 1972): choreographer, performer and teacher of contemporary dance

Elizabeth Streb

(B.S. Communications), news anchor WABC-TV in NYC

Joe Torres

(B.A. Physical Education, 1973, M.A.), former manager of the Baltimore Orioles

Dave Trembley

(B.S. in Physical Education, 1981): Head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA

Stan Van Gundy

(born 1959), former basketball player and college coach, now a scout for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA

Al Walker

(teaching credential, 1901), home economist and college professor

Jessamine Chapman Williams

Dedman, Wayne (1969). . Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Cherishing this heritage: the centennial history of the State University College at Brockport, New York

Official website