July 21, 2025

The next issue is on August 4. Please send your news to newsletter@sage.edu by the end of the day, Wednesday, July 30.

Got Another Gator in the Family? A colleague suggested a story highlighting employees whose kids are Sage students. If you’re open to being featured (and your student is, too), email newsletter@sage.edu. 

TODAY AND TOMORROW: Free Hearing Screenings from the Speech-Language Pathology department. Screenings are non-invasive and take less than 15 minutes. No appointment needed, just stop in:

📣 Troy: Monday, July 21, Shea Learning Center, Room 201, 1:30-4 p.m.

📣 Albany: Tuesday, July 22, Aphasia Center (next to the VersaCourt, better known as "The Pickleball Court"), 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

What's New

New Legislation: Institutional Response to Federal Issues has been updated with FAQS about student aid and loan repayment changes. Want a quick guide to all the higher ed-related changes in the federal reconciliation bill? Check out this handy chart from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFA).

Flow & Let Go Yoga Class to Benefit Strong Through Every Mile and Its Fall Program at Sage

Last year, about 50 Sage and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students and employees completed their first 5K with Strong Through Every Mile (STEM), a couch-to-5K program for survivors of DV and interpersonal abuse that offers empowerment through the sport of running.

STEM is now gearing up for fall session to start in September. A nonprofit organization staffed by volunteer coaches, STEM buys running shoes for new participants, covers 5K race entry fees, and provides t-shirts and medals to all finishers. Fundraising is critical.

Flow & Let Go Yoga Fundraisers

When: Tuesday, July 29, and Tuesday, August 5, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Opalka Gallery, Albany campus

Cost: $20 per one-hour class, paid at the door via Venmo or cash. The full price of admission goes directly to STEM.

Notes: All abilities are welcome. Bring a mat.

Contact: Reach out to Jenn Gish at gishj@sage.edu if you have questions.

Associate Professor Stephanie Bennett-Knapp, public health major Takia Scott, biology major Dua Sadiq, Professor Mary Rea, nursing major Jessica Korbieh, and biology major Samira Sefadine Ismail, at the 2025 CSTEP Summer Research Symposium, held on the Troy campus on July 11.

Media Mentions and More Highlights

🟢🔷 Russell Sage, Albany College of Pharmacy take another step in merger process (WNYT-NewsChannel 13)

🟢🔷 Albany College of Pharmacy and Russell Sage College advance merger process (CBS6-WRGB)

🟢🔷 Russell Sage and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science advance toward merger (WAMC)

🟢🔷 In addition, Spectrum News included the next step in the merger in its Spectrum News in :90 segment (Spectrum News)

🟢🔷 A great story about a DPT student: Mom, daughter extend softball careers as umpiring tandem (Times Union)

🟢🔷 CDSWOY honors Scotia-Glenville, Shaker, Russell Sage students

(Times Union)

🟢🔷 Russell Sage College Partners with Ascend Autism Group to Offer Tuition Discount (Sage.edu)

Did We Mention the Grand Gold?

We're still celebrating Russell Sage’s CASE Circle of Excellence Award, which owes much to last fall’s Sage Engage event, made possible by the Sparrell Fund, thanks to Patricia Sparrell ’78 and her husband.

Pictured: Assistant Professor Kelly Smith, Patricia Sparrell, and Assistant Professor Ali Schaeffing at Sage Engage.

Ann King Added to Athletics Hall of Fame

The late Ann King will be inducted into Sage’s Athletics Hall of Fame this fall alongside fellow honorees. King, the college’s first full-time sports information director, was nationally recognized for her leadership: Read more about King and 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.

Also see: Academic Excellence Award for Men's Basketball

Meet Assistant Director of Student Activities Jessica Juarez 

Jessica Juarez joined Russell Sage in June after working in residence life at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Get to know Jessica in this Q&A.

Way to Go!

Meghan Bornt OTR/L, administrative compliance coordinator in the occupational therapy department, shared a double dose of good news: Her son Thomas was camper of the week AND free throw champ at Russell Sage's basketball camp for the week ending July 11. Thanks for sending your good news Meghan, and congratulations Thomas!

Strong Reviews for Oklahoma! Starring Professor David Baecker

A Times Union writeup notes Professor David Baecker's superior performance in Oklahoma! at Park Playhouse. Also see Park Playhouse Invigorates Audiences With Oklahoma! in Metroland and A worthy and free 'Oklahoma' in the Troy Record.

Find Oklahoma! dates and showtimes.

The Wall Needs Your Wins!

The Wall of Wins has been unusually quiet this summer, even though we know amazing things are happening.

Please share your success and help keep the winning streak going: Wall/Google Doc of Wins.

Do you have good news to share? Send it to newsletter@sage.edu!

HR Corner

Director of Human Resources Brian Evers sent these snapshots from the recent CPR classes in Albany (left) and Troy (right), with thanks to employees who participated and to the American Heart Association for leading the trainings.

FROM HR: Learn Something New with the College's EAP

The Employee Assistance Group offers thousands of free, online trainings.  Here are some of the options (you must be logged into the EAP website to access these benefits):

• Personal and professional development trainings in multiple user-friendly formats, on work skills, wellness, technology, safety, and more;
• Monthly webinars on personal and family-related topics;
• Resources for career exploration and planning; finding the right college; financial aid and scholarships; and vocational, military opportunities;
• A Financial Fitness Center with information about about money matters, from budgeting to investing.

Events

Wednesday, August 6

⚖️ Pathways to Leadership and Management in Criminal Justice, noon. Learn more and register for this free webinar.

Thursday, August 21

🟢🔷 Opening Day (more info forthcoming)

Reminders

Volunteers Needed this Summer!

• Intercultural Cafes, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Mondays (Spirituality Center, Troy) and Thursdays (West Hall, Albany), are friendly gatherings where English language learners practice conversation with volunteers. Drop in, or email Nana Owusu-ofori (Troy) or Noora Ahmed (Albany) to learn more.

• Please complete the ECAR volunteer interest form if you are available to work with Every Campus A Refuge to help a young woman from Afghanistan get settled and find community in the Albany area.

Find past issues of Coffee Break in the newsletter archive.

Free online fitness classes: Log in at BODi/Beachbody on Demand with

Username: Recreation@sage.edu and Password: Thrive2020

Free CDPHP Cycle! membership: Free daily bike rides with the CDPHP Cycle! app and the promo code RussellSage: www.cdphpcycle.org.

Coffee Hour links: Find Coffee Hour recordings; see the Coffee Hour schedule or sign up to present; or email the Coffee Hour team at innovation@sage.edu.

Moodle help: Find updated Moodle links and important information for 2025-2026 in this PDF. You can also schedule a training session with Sage Online via the Training Request Form. 

Access tuition benefits for employees: Complete the tuition waiver PDF for fall 2025 and submit it to hr@sage.edu.

For reference:

• Institutional Response to Federal Issues
• RSC and ACPHS Strategic Merger FAQs

One Last Thing

A Coffee Break Milestone

Coffee Break turned 2 yesterday, on July 20! Thank you for sending your news through Coffee Break, and reading these past two years, despite the long scroll.

Here’s the very first issue if you’re into vintage campus email.

Next Issue

The next issue of Coffee Break is on August 4. Please send your news to to newsletter@sage.edu by the end of the day, Wednesday, July 30.

Solutions: The Newsletter for students will return when the fall semester begins.

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