Helping the Utica campus bloom in summer

Representatives from various offices gathered one summer morning with a common goal – to help beautify the Utica campus of the newly merged CNSE/SUNYIT by planting flowers in key locations.

“I think it makes employees be part of the community, and it’s good to get out of the office for a bit,” said Gene Yelle, who works in the Small Business Development Center part-time since retiring from SBDC in 2011. “We participate and help to beautify the campus.”

Yelle was the first one to put shovel to dirt that morning outside the rear entrance to Kunsela Hall, alongside other staff members like Theresa Mishlanie.

“It’s about having pride in your community and where you work,” said Mishlanie, who works in the business office. “I’ve done it in the past. I really enjoy gardening. Little things like plants and flowers can change the entire look and feel of the campus.”

Theresa Mishlanie prepares to plant flowers outside Kunsela Hall.

Part of Mishlanie’s planting included what she called a “Unity Circle” featuring a circle of purple flowers surrounding one red flower in the middle. Mishlanie said the Unity Circle was to symbolize the recent merger of SUNYIT with CNSE.

The rear entrance to Kunsela Hall was not the only place to find staff getting their hands dirty. Outside the Campus Center, music played from a phone as staff worked away in the soil, planting brightly colored flowers of orange, red and purple. Mini-crews could also be found outside University Police and the rear entrance to Donovan Hall, kneeling on the ground, gardening tools in hand, and plugging away.

“I really think initiatives like this encourage the faculty and staff to work together and bring together people from different departments who may not have even met each other or worked together before,” said Connie Castellano, director of campus and corporate events. “We want the campus where we work to look beautiful and present a great appearance to the community as well.”

The morning of hard work by participants was capped off with a barbecue at the Student Center.