Welcome Back!
Dear Colleagues:
I hope each of you had a wonderful and productive summer and are ready to get into
high gear as we begin another academic year. A special warm FSC welcome to our newest
faculty and staff. As always, we launch the year with our shared commitment to our
students, likely our largest incoming class to date, and the continued success of
Farmingdale State College.
We’re pleased to welcome Alice Diaz-Bonhomme as our new Director of Research and Sponsored
Programs. And I am grateful to the members of our Farmingdale community who have recently
taken on new roles: Karen Gelles, Associate Provost for Student Success; Bryan Garcia,
Executive Director for Student Success and Advisement; Michael Nembhard, Executive
Director of DEIE; and Frank Rampello, Dean of Students.
I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Patricia Hill Williams for her many
years of service to Farmingdale and, in particular, for her outstanding leadership
as chair of our College Council. At the same time, I am delighted to welcome Randi
Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest, as our new Council chair.
There is much to look forward to in the year ahead. We are making meaningful progress
on campus infrastructure and we expect to celebrate openings for Roosevelt Hall, Sinclair
Hall, and Campus Commons this academic year.
This fall will also mark the launch of the FSC Student Research Journal with an all-student
editorial board supported by an experienced faculty review board.
On the playing field, we will again cheer on our Ram athletes, the six-time recipients
of the President’s Cup, as they begin another exciting season. Their accomplishments
are a hallmark of the talent, grit, and spirit that define our Farmingdale community.
Our momentum extends to our scholarship. Last year, we saw a record number of proposals
submitted and a notable success rate in awards. I look forward to building on that
success in the year ahead and having even more of our faculty and staff pursue opportunities
to advance their work and student opportunities through external funding.
I am also especially pleased to continue our Inspiring Leadership President's Lecture Series, this year featuring three of our own Farmingdale scholars—Drs. Sosnowski, Shore,
and Riegel—alongside two distinguished external speakers, Dr. Diana Thomas of USMA
and Dr. Felix Matos Rodriguez, Chancellor of CUNY. I hope to see you at these seminars
supporting our colleagues and expanding our disciplinary curiosity.
Looking further ahead, this year will bring the completion of Eight for ’28 and the
development of our new strategic plan, and ongoing preparations for Middle States
re-accreditation.
We’re going to be busy!
As we begin this new academic year, I want to thank each of you for everything you
do for our students and for Farmingdale State College. Your dedication, expertise,
and commitment are what make this institution such a special place.
I look forward to all that we will accomplish together, and I wish you a rewarding,
productive, and successful academic year. It is wonderful to have you all back.
Go Rams!
Robert S. Prezant, PhD
President
Professor of Biology
