Academics | Persson Hall, 27
Join Michael Fitzgerald, the Gretchen Hoadley Burke '81 Chair in Regional Studies in the Department of Economics, for a panel discussion with invited guests:Rajni Chawla, Executive Deputy Commissioner, OTDA Chawla is Executive Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Prior to being appointed to her current position, Chawla served as the First Deputy Commissioner at OTDA and as Deputy Commissioner of Audit and Quality Improvement. Before joining OTDA, Chawla served as Director of Internal Audit at the Office of Information Technology Services, which is responsible for providing statewide IT strategic direction, directing IT policy, and delivering centralized IT products and services that support the mission of the state. She also worked as the Director of Internal Audit at the New York State Department of Labor. Prior to joining state service, she worked for the private sector in numerous capacities.Chawla received her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the DAVY University, India. She is also a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, and Certified Information Systems Auditor.Kenneth Wells-Crannell, Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs, OTDA Kenneth is Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs, which includes the Division of Administrative Hearings, Office of Legislative Affairs, and the Public Information Office. He has over 30 years of public policy and management experience, having served extensively in county governments across New York State prior to joining OTDA.Ken received his Master of Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and earned a bachelor's degree from the State University at Albany.Paul Brady, Executive Director, New York Public Welfare Association (NYPWA) Paul is Executive Director of the New York Public Welfare Association, which was founded in 1869. It is the oldest public welfare association in the United States. Its role is to independently represent New York's 58 local social services districts.The Association fulfills a key public role while presenting a variety of different opportunities for the exchange of ideas, development of new initiatives, and refinement of existing programs and services. The NYPWA is an active partner with government agencies, associations, and community organizations.The association provides information, policy analysis, and technical assistance to federal, state, and local policymakers and direct support to districts.Daniel Auwater, Social Services Commissioner, Chenango County ​​​​​​​Daniel is ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Social Services Commissioner, Chenango County. The mission of the Chenango County Department of Social Services (DSS) is to ensure the provision of financial, medical, and Family and Children’s Services necessary to assist eligible residents of Chenango County towards enhancing family functioning and to reduce or eliminate dependency.This event is sponsored by The Upstate Institute in collaboration with the Department of Economics.

Academics | Ho Tung Visualization Lab, 401 Ho Science Center
Vast. Wild. Magical. The Arctic is not just one of the planet’s greatest natural spectacles, it’s a place with global ecological importance that has supported Indigenous communities and diverse ecosystems for generations.Narrated by Indigenous film producer Princess Daazhraii Johnson (Neet'saii Gwich'in) with National Geographic photographer Florian Schulz, The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness roams the 19.6 million acres of what is currently known as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Follow the elusive 200,000-strong Porcupine caribou herd as it migrates to the Arctic Coastal Plain, one of the longest animal migrations on Earth. Meet the polar bears, musk oxen, wolves, golden eagles, and people who call this area home. Experience the adventure of The Arctic, and learn why this remarkable land deserves our protection.

Academics | Alumni Hall, 2nd floor
This exhibition, curated by 10 students in the Fall 2024 semester of MUSE 300: Museum Curating, features the themes of textiles and weaving. Showcasing works from the Longyear Museum of Anthropology’s basket and world textile collections, this exhibition explores the incredible amount of labor and skill that goes into creating woven art. The exhibition takes a comparative view of textiles from around the world, introducing the community significance of different designs and individual stylistic choices. The exhibition discusses how fiber art forms have changed as local and global markets develop, as well as the role that clothing can play in displays of nationalism and politics. Ultimately, Unraveled aims to inspire viewers to consider the benefits of hand-crafted works and foster an appreciation for the people behind the woven things we use and love each and every day.The exhibition features several new acquisitions, including three new works acquired from the Jalabil Maya women’s weaving collective during their artist residency last fall. It also features pieces on loan from our student curators, highlighting the significance of weaving and textile arts in their lives.Student Curators:Leila Bekaert ‘25 Oscar Brown ‘26 Kegan Foley ‘26 Emma Herwig ‘25 Bri Liddell ‘25 Gloria Liu ‘26 Meg McClenahan ‘25 Anna Miksis ‘25 Blanca Rivas ‘25 Aleksia Taci ‘25 Professor/Curator: Rebecca Mendelsohn

Academics | Picker Art Gallery, Dana Arts Center, 2nd floor
A Thought Is A Thread: Contemporary Artists Reworking Textile TraditionsMetaphors using the language of textiles are part of everyday idiomatic English: we follow threads on social media; storytellers weave tales or spin fantastic yarns; friend groups might be close-knit and and we might tie ourselves in knots trying to navigate complex situations. The history of textiles is intimately tied to the development of human societies. Weaving is at the same time one of the earliest human technological advancements, the foundation upon which modern industrial nations were built, and the basis for the computing revolution.A Thought Is A Thread brings together works by leading artists who investigate what textiles can still reveal about people and their relationships to each other, to themselves, and to language, land, and the future. Artworks by Faig Ahmed, Sanford Biggers, Diedrick Brackens, Melissa Cody, Suzanne Husky, Joy Ray, and Jordan Nassar present intertwining narratives that both cherish and complicate the web of meanings that emerge when traditional textile arts are given contemporary expression.Debuting at our opening, Picker Art Gallery welcomes members of the Colgate community to partake in Yarnival, a collaborative art experience. Yarnival will be on view and available for participation during the exhibition run of A Thought is a Thread, through May 18, 2025, in the upper atrium of the Dana Arts Center. Please stay tuned to our social media channels and website for more details on how to participate.A Thought Is A Thread is partially supported by funding from The Friends of Picker Art Gallery.

Academics | Lawrence Hall, 115
The Department of German invites students, staff, and faculty to Kaffee und Kuchen, Conversation and Community.

Academics | Little Hall, 105 (Golden Auditorium)
Melanie Gilligan makes video works that reconceive television drama and documentary to investigate socio-political conditions, especially relationships between labor, economics, politics and people’s roles within them. Gilligan was a fellow at the Whitney Independent Study Program, New York and completed a PhD in Visual Arts at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm.