ESF to Celebrate December Graduates

12/06/2024

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Dec. 6, 2024 – The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will award 88 degrees, including 12 master’s degrees and six Doctor of Philosophy degrees, during the 2024 December Commencement at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Hendricks Chapel. A reception will follow at ESF’s Gateway Conference Center.

"Graduation is more than a ceremony — it’s a testament to the extraordinary potential of our students and the support of their families, friends, and mentors," said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. "Celebrating their achievements is a highlight of the academic year, as it reflects our graduates’ hard work, resilience, and dedication to making a positive impact in the world.”

This year’s student speaker is Abhinaya Polaka. Student marshals are Natalie Bianchi and Vic Poverin.

Polaka is an environmental science major with a concentration in renewable energy and an environmental policy and communication minor.  While at ESF, Polaka served as the president of Oakie’s Green Team, sustainability liaison, vice president of the Desi Club, international orientation leader, and local project lead of Engineers Without Borders—ESF Chapter. She also served as a Resident Assistant and was an active member of the AXS Honors Society. Polaka’s academic excellence earned her Dean’s List honors from freshman to junior year and a spot on the President’s List in her senior year. She won first place for her research presentation on bioadhesives, funded by the USDA, at Penn State University. After ESF, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in environmental engineering focused on delivering sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities in her home country of India.

Class marshals are chosen based on their academic excellence, campus and community engagement, and their expression and embodiment of ESF spirit. Only two undergraduate seniors are selected to represent their graduating class. They lead their class at both the December and May Graduation Ceremonies.

Bianchi (Liverpool, N.Y.) is a natural resources management major with a food studies minor. She is a member of the ESF Honors Program, completing thesis work on agroforestry vineyard systems. She is also a member of ESF’s honor society, Alpha Xi Sigma, and a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. Bianchi’s academic achievements earned her a place on the President’s List for several semesters. She has been the volunteer coordinator at the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry for two years, working to fight food insecurity in the college community. She is a vegan coach with the Syracuse Vegan Living Program. Last summer, Bianchi served as a seasonal Park Ranger at Green Lakes State Park and was offered continued employment during her final semesters and after graduation.

Poverin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is an environmental studies major with an environmental writing and rhetoric minor. As the treasurer of the Yoga Club, Poverin managed funds and guided meditations, helping foster a nurturing environment on campus for peers seeking wellness. Poverin has earned placement on ESF’s Dean’s and President’s lists. They are active on the Resilience Education Task Force as a founding member of the Youth Steering Committee which is committed to providing New York high school students with the tools to advocate for their climate education. Poverin looks forward to pursuing impactful and creative projects post-graduation, continuing their journey as a dedicated advocate for social and environmental causes.

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.