Message from President Soboyejo to Alumni

Dear Alumni, 

Just moments after my appointment as SUNY Poly’s seventh president, I was given the opportunity to share why I was drawn to this wonderful university. What I see here at SUNY Poly is a tremendous opportunity, to be the leading example of the future of education, namely STEM education, driving industry in a way that elevates the lives of all people, transforming the economy here in the Mohawk Valley, the State of New York, and quite possibly, setting the example for the world to follow.  

But let’s first reflect on the growth of this region. As I look at the Mohawk Valley, I’m reminded of another valley, located approximately 2,900 miles to the West. With the presence of Semikron-Danfoss and Wolfspeed on our campus, and the impending arrival of Micron, recent opening of Wynn Hospital, and growing needs of industry such as GlobalFoundries and Indium Corporation that already call the Mohawk Valley home, SUNY Poly’s role as an innovative academic leader and economic driver in the region is more important now than ever. What was once a vision, is now a reality, and there is no time to waste. 

Since beginning my tenure in October, campus leadership and I have hit the ground running, executing a fairly aggressive ‘First 100 Days’ plan. This has included getting to know SUNY Poly students, finalizing our budget for FY 2023-24, touring facilities, looking at ways to enhance the student experience, re-engaging and finalizing the strategic planning process, developing and nurturing strategic partnerships, launching SUNY Transformation Fund initiatives, hiring and initiating searches to fill key positions on campus, and building community. 
 
As alumni of SUNY Poly, you are an incredibly important part of that community, and charting a path to becoming the State and nation’s premier public polytechnic is not something one can do alone. It will take all of us. I look forward to getting to know each of you at future alumni events, and listening to your feedback, which will help our leadership in continuing to move SUNY Poly forward.  

Finally, I hope that you will consider getting involved with the SUNY Poly Foundation, which works tirelessly to provide support to our students over several areas. Join their committees, actively attend their events and/or make a gift at this year’s Annual Day of Giving. Every gift of time or resources has a major impact on the students that we serve. 

Best regards, 

Winston “Wole” Soboyejo 
President