BCTR at SUNY Day 2013

February 26, 2013

Kimberly Kopko

On February 11th, 2013, Cornell Cooperative Extension/College of Human Ecology student summer interns, along with Kimberly Kopko, from the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, attended SUNY (State University of New York) Day 2013 in the Legislative Office Building in Albany, New York. The theme of SUNY Day 2013 was experiential education, showcasing the benefits of co-ops, internships, service-learning, volunteerism, clinical preparation, research, and entrepreneurial work. The event enabled campuses to display recent activities and programs that exemplify experiential learning to state legislative leaders.

Lydia Gill and Robert Neff, students in the College of Human Ecology, displayed their summer 2012 internship projects at the event. Lydia’s project presented the PROSPER (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience) Partnership Model in New York State. John Eckenrode, Ph.D., served as faculty sponsor for the PROSPER summer internship. The focus of Robert’s project was research for continuous improvement of 4-H in New York State. Stephen Hamilton, Ph.D. supervised the 4-H summer internship project.

The Cornell Office of Government Relations in Albany arranged meetings with legislators for participating Cornell staff and students. Lydia Gill and Kimberly Kopko met with Senator Thomas O'Mara's staff. Senator O'Mara represents Schuyler County, one of the PROSPER pilot counties where Lydia'a project was focused (the other pilot site is Livingston County). Robert Neff met with Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, who represents Kenmore County, where Robert lives. Kimberly, Lydia, and Robert met with Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and her staff. Assemblywoman Lupardo chairs the Assembly Children & Family Services committee. In addition to these meetings with legislators, the group also met with staff from the Farm Bureau.