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September 22, 2025
Send announcements for the Coffee Break (employee) or Solutions (student) newsletters to newsletter@sage.edu by the end of the day Wednesday to appear in next week’s issues.
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Symptom Media: Faculty, please check out the libraries' trial access to the Symptom Media video library* — more than 1,000 video simulations of mental health conditions with activities — and submit feedback before October 4.
(*Gmail has been glitchy with this link; you can also try accessing Symptom Media at https://library.sage.edu.)
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Save the Date: 10th Annual SAGEGIVES
Please join the 10th annual SAGEGIVES, a 24-hour giving challenge on Tuesday, September 30, and help to raise funds for The Sage Fund for Excellence, Sage’s annual fund.
Learn more, make a gift, and follow SAGEGIVES’s progress.
You can also help spread the word by signing up to be a SAGEGIVES ambassador, and the Office of Annual Giving will be in touch and send you all the resources you need! Thank you for helping make SAGEGIVES a success!
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New Roles to Align with the Strategic Plan
As we prepare to implement our new strategic plan, Sage Forward, after it is approved by the board of trustees next month, and we lay the groundwork for the launch of a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support it, we have some exciting organizational changes to announce:
Dr. Geoffrey Miller, a member of the president’s cabinet, will be joining Advancement in a newly created position – executive director for strategic partnerships and chief values officer. He will continue leading efforts to ensure an inclusive campus environment, while also building on the work he’s done to create strategic community and corporate partnerships.
Shelly Calabrese, who has had fundraising as part of her role as executive director of the Denise Taber Finard ‘80 Women’s Institute, will now serve as assistant vice president for major gifts. She will maintain her fundraising liaison role for the Women’s Institute, as well as expand our major giving program.
The Women’s Institute will be led by a team until a search for a new director is launched next year.
Also from Advancement, Sara Carlson has been promoted to executive director for advancement resources, and Lindsay Fitzpatrick will bring her talents to the Alumni Office as associate director for alumni relations.
Outside of Advancement’s changes, and as previously announced by President Shaftel at Opening Day, Katie Lesko, vice president for enrollment management, has added student success and persistence to her title. She will be pulling together the community as we focus on tackling the students' first imperatives in our new strategic plan.
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From the Innovation Committee: Get to Know Faculty Coffee Hour Recap
The Innovation Committee and the Faculty Development Committee cohosted a terrific Coffee Hour last week, where faculty introduced themselves and shared fun facts about their families, travels, and hobbies.
Congratulations to Mary Beth Cusack, who earned the top score on the quiz at the end of the hour — 14 out of 21!
If you missed the session, you can catch up here:
| | Thanks, Professor Tracy Gilbert for sharing this photo of Darcy O’Connell and Anessia Simonds at The Aphasia Center’s Moving Message event on September 14. In addition to offering art activities at The Moving Message, Expressive Arts in Mental Health capstone students will work with Aphasia Center participants each week this semester. | |
Another Wall of Wins Milestone: We Had to Add Extra Squares to
Accommodate all the Wins!
Earlier this week, the BEST email ever arrived in the newsletter@sage.edu inbox: “Can I have one more sticky note on the Wall of Wins please? I think I just used them all up.” Of course, we made room!
In addition to recognition for Opalka Gallery's beer gardens and the operations team in Graduate Enrollment Management, this week’s wall is full of shout-outs from Julie Hart, director of The Aphasia Center at Russell Sage, with gratitude to everyone at the college who pitched in to make The Moving Message on September 13 a success:
To Professors of Speech-Language Pathology Dave DeBonis and Jack Pickering, I would not be here without you, and for that I am grateful. Thank you for being such a huge part of The Moving Message!
A ginormous thank you to Avina Bumpers, personal care attendant and office assistant at The Aphasia Center, for her amazing work at the center and the energy she poured into making this weekend’s Moving Message a great success. Avina’s unending commitment to the center and this event is awe inspiring. Her work ethic is unmatched!
Thank you to OT Department Chair Becky Bernhardt and her students for joining us at The Moving Message this weekend. We loved having their wonderful booth to educate and inspire the people who attended!
Shout out to the Student Nursing Association’s representatives Sarah Armenia and Aisha Jean-Charles and Nursing Lecturer Amy Dixon for setting up a booth at The Moving Message and truly impacting the participants!
A great big thank you to the Expressive Arts in Mental Health program for setting up a booth at The Moving Message. Professor Tracy Gilbert, along with students Darcy O’Connell and Anessia Simonds , had a wonderful booth that was so interactive!
Thank you Social and Digital Media Specialist Madison Scisci for being at The Moving Message event this weekend taking photos! We truly appreciate your time!
To Assistant Director of Facilities for Space Planning and Design Sara D’Aversa and Director of Conferences & Events Jody Diedrich! I am truly grateful to you for facilitating a wonderful Moving Message Event. Jody, your support on Saturday was magical, and I KNOW we could not have done it without you there!
To Harry Harbour in Maintenance, I am forever grateful to you for coming in on Saturday for The Moving Message. You went above and beyond, and we are so thankful! Thank you, seriously, Thank you!
To Jahkiem "Jay" Jacobs, Bectol "B" Rodriguez, and Gilberto "Gil" Muniz in Maintenance, thank you 100 times over for your work on Friday to help set up The Moving Message. We asked a lot of each of you, and you didn’t blink an eye. You made sure that we had what we needed to put on a successful event, and we are so grateful. Thanks for cleaning it all up, too!
To Executive Assistant to the Provost Kathy McLaughlin, Senior Director of Advancement Resources & Project Management Sara Carlson, Senior Director of Annual Giving Katie Danico, Controller Cristina Randazzo, Associate Director of Budget and Accounting Dina Riester, and Assistant Director of Purchasing and Accounts Payable Dion Selby! The Moving Message could not, I repeat, NOT have happened if it weren’t for each of you, and I am truly grateful!
To President Matthew Shaftel, Provost Theresa Hand, and Advancement VP Teri Gartland, please know how much I appreciated your excitement and support for The Moving Message! Knowing this event was supported by the administration was essential to its success. Here's to next year!
AND MORE WINS
"Big thanks to everyone on campus who works so hard to make the Opalka Beer Gardens possible: Our tireless Exhibitions Manager Gina Occhiogrosso, our new gallery assistant Hoora Mirabzadeh, our amazing student workers, and all of the always helpful facilities team members, including John Zajaceskowski, Will Charbonneau, Don Simmons. We couldn’t do it without you!"
"A huge shoutout to the new operations coordinator for Graduate Enrollment Management Jack Ellis and his team of graduate assistants for all of the outreach done on missing items! This helps tremendously so our newly enrolled students don’t end up with holds on their accounts that stop them from registering for future semesters. We appreciate you taking this on and getting the project done so quickly!" - Admission Processing
Fresh, blank squares are always available at the Wall/Google Doc of Wins. Please share your wins or celebrate a colleague!
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Cybersecurity Training is Live as of Sept 15 — Thank You, Early Finishers!
The Q3 2025 Cybersecurity training launched on September 15. Big thanks to the 62 employees who have already completed it — you’re setting a great example and helping keep Sage secure!
If you haven’t started yet, the module takes about 18 minutes and covers practical tips to protect college data, accounts, and devices.
Need help or didn’t receive the invite? Submit a request at sc.sage.edu (Select the IT Service Desk tile).
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From HR: EAP Benefits Presentation
Wednesday, September 24, 3:30 p.m.
Learn about the services and resources available through the employee assistance program during a 30-minute session.
Please register in advance for the online EAP presentation. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with more information. The session will be recorded if you are unable to attend live.
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All Week
🧭 Compass Roses: Maps by Artists at Opalka Gallery, Albany, features 30 maps by local visual, literary, and performing artists. Events this week include an artist talk and a drag show.
Monday, September 22
🪩 Sign up for Dance Fitness, 5 p.m., Robison Gym, Troy
Tuesday, September 23
💬 Open Discussion with College Chaplain, noon, Buchman, Troy. Bring thoughts, interests, concerns, or listen and enjoy the company.
🪷 Sign up for Yoga Fitness, 5:15 p.m., McKinstry 206, Troy
Wednesday, September 24
🟢🔷 Lunch and Learn with CDPHP: Tools to Manage Stress, noon, Bush Memorial, Troy. Register for Tools to Manage Stress.
🔥 Sign up for Zumba Fitness, 5:15 p.m., Robison Gym, Troy
Thursday, September 25
🧭 Artist talk with artists from Compass Roses: Maps by Artists, 6 p.m.
Register for the online artist talk.
Friday, September 26
🧭 Drag show with Compass Roses artist Typhoid Mary and DJ RVMBA, 7 p.m., Opalka Gallery, Albany. Register for your free drag show ticket.
Saturday, September 27
🐊 Family Weekend is September 27-28. Employees invited! See the family weekend schedule.
🖌️ Free Kids’ Art Workshop, 1 p.m., Opalka Gallery, Albany. Register for the kids' art workshop.
Wednesday, October 1
🩸Red Cross Blood Drive, noon-5 p.m., The Aggie, Troy. Schedule your appointment to give blood.
Saturday, October 4
⚽ Fiesta y Fútbol Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, noon-4 p.m., Albany
Saturday, October 11
👣 Join Russell Sage's NAMIWalks team for the National Alliance on Mental Illness community walk, 10 a.m., in Albany's Washington Park. One Sage team member will win a Fitbit Versa 2.
Tuesday, October 21
☕ Coffee and Community with President Shaftel, 9 a.m., Albany. Register for Coffee and Community. (One more Coffee and Community on November 19, Troy)
Tuesday, October 21- Wednesday, October 22
💚Grief-Informed Practice Workshop, Albany campus. Learn more and register for Building Confidence Across Disciplines: Practical Tools for Supporting Grieving Individuals (Students can sign up for the grief workshop free.)
Thursday, October 23
🟢🔷 TIAA Representative One-on-One Meetings, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., West Hall, Albany. RSVP for an on campus meeting with TIAA.
Additional TIAA Dates:
- November 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Cowee 3rd Floor, Troy
- December 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Cowee 3rd Floor, Troy
Wednesday, October 29
🟢🔷 President's Open Forum, 12:30 p.m., Zoom
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Club Advisors Needed! Email Director of Student Activities Theresa Belfance at belfat@sage.edu to volunteer.
Unwind in the Wellness Center: Book a 25-minute massage chair session and recharge in a calm, quiet space. Book the relaxation space in Albany or book the relaxation space in Troy.
Employees Invited to Publish Creative Work: The Rev literary and creative arts magazine, is accepting submissions for its 2026 edition. Photography, drawing, painting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction accepted through November 21. Email Laurel Petersen at peterl4@sage.edu for information.
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 promo code RussellSage: www.cdphpcycle.org.
Pizza Deals from Papa John's: Use these online-only coupon codes for deals from Papa John's at 571 New Scotland Avenue (Papa John's is an athletics sponsor.)
- Use code GATOR1: 1 large pizza, 1 topping, $7.99
- Use code GATOR2: 3 medium pizzas, 1 topping, $18
- Use code GATOR3: 2 medium pizzas, 1 topping, $5.99 each (must buy 2)
- Use code GATOR4: 1 medium pizza, 1 topping+ breadsticks OR 6 garlic parmesan breadsticks, $12.98
Links from IT:
Volunteers Needed
- 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 individuals and families get settled and find community in the Albany area.
Find past issues of Coffee Break in the newsletter archive.
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.
For reference:
| | Send announcements for the Coffee Break (employees) or Solutions (students) newsletters to newsletter@sage.edu by the end of the day on Wednesday to appear in next week’s issues. | | | | |
