SUNY Geneseo named best undergraduate teaching in regional universities north
Demonstrating SUNY Geneseo’s commitment to students education
Photo courtesy of Faith Zalutkal
US News has declared SUNY Geneseo as the Best Undergraduate Teaching University in the Regional North category. The student to faculty ratio recorded for SUNY Geneseo is 16:1, a format that benefits students who value stronger connections with their professors and fellow classmates. The top three majors at SUNY Geneseo based on graduation rate statistics are education, business-related majors, and social sciences.
The SUNY Geneseo website states, “A Geneseo education affords perspectives and skills to engage the complexities and possibilities of a globally connected world. Students encounter broad areas of knowledge, become specialists in a particular discipline, develop habits of critical inquiry and civic participation, reflect on their learning, and reach beyond themselves by exploring the diversity of human experiences, cultures, and viewpoints.”
SUNY Geneseo has an extensive history, beginning with its founding in 1871 in what is now the historic village. The college provides a variety of experiences for students, offering 182 study programs and three graduate studies. Furthermore, SUNY Geneseo is New York’s only Public Honors College.
SUNY Geneseo has three separate schools: the School of Education, Business, and Arts, and Sciences, totaling 17 different academic departments. Each school has their own set of goals for ensuring students receive the best education possible. The college uses a semester-based academic calendar to facilitate learning. Students have reported that Geneseo offers realistic, but challenging programs, designed to prepare them for their future career and education paths. Alongside other educational resources, tutoring programs are offered for many of the majors in all of the separate schools.
Dr. Michael Rozalski, a professor who specializes in teaching future educators on special education in the classroom said, “The glory of the SOE is the wide range of interests and expertise of our faculty and staff. Together, we work tirelessly to provide students with wonderful classroom instruction and meaningful field experiences.” He continued, saying “This sets us apart from other teacher preparation programs and has earned us a great reputation.”
He also explained how SUNY Geneseo’s School of Education is well-equipped for teaching future educators, especially when it comes to teaching special education students. He said, “Up to 50% of special education teachers leave the field within 3-5 years of being certified, and they most commonly cite difficulties with managing classrooms and supporting students with behavior problems. We know a great deal about how we can support teachers' efforts to successfully manage students and classrooms but need to devote more time to practical and positive strategies, like teaching de-escalation strategies and how to set limits, etc.”
The SUNY Geneseo School of Business in particular currently allows students to pursue six different undergraduate degrees taught by experienced faculty. In a statement to The Lamron, Professor Panda, Associate Professor of Economics, said, “Both Economics and Data Analytics majors in the School of Business equip students with quantitative and analytical skills that are deeply valued in the labor market, along with strong critical thinking skills that make our students successful in a wide variety of career paths.”
SUNY Geneseo is also open to many different collaborations in order to give students the best academic and professional experiences. Professor Panda reiterated this by explaining, “We have developed interdisciplinary programs like the PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) major, which gives students additional avenues to expand their knowledge based on their interests. We also have a collaboration with the University at Buffalo School of Law and have a 3+3 BA/JD program that gives interested students a pathway to Law school.”
Dr. Lerong He, another member of the SUNY Geneseo staff, spoke on programs that the School of Business offers. In an email to The Lamron staff, she said, “...the school has an Executives in Residence program, in which we invite renowned alumni who are current or retired executives back to campus to serve as guest speakers in classes, sharing their business expertise and career advice with students. We also have a Demystifying Careers Workshop Series, which is a one-hour virtual or onsite workshop on different careers, where business professionals share with students what to expect in different careers, major job responsibilities, daily routines, career tracks, and growth pathways in these professions.”
The public honors college strives to create an environment where students have the opportunity to succeed and the flexibility to choose styles of learning that work best for them. With so many different programs and workshops offered in each discipline, students have the freedom to choose how they would like to learn.