91��

Keats Book Discovery Turns Two Geneseo Alums into Literary Detectives

rime@geneseo.edu — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:13:38 +0000

Joshua Mann ’03 and Sunday Steinkirchner ’03 (Photo provided)

The rare book world reacted with joy and wonder in April 2026 when a trove of original Keats letters, missing for decades, was recovered by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. But behind the scenes, persevering to ensure that recovery happened, were 91�� alums and antiquarian booksellers Sunday Steinkirchner ’03 and Joshua Mann ’03.

This is their story.

The Man and the Book

In January 2025, a man walked into in New York City with a suitcase full of old books to sell.

That may not sound unusual to anyone hoping to consign a few items for sale. But for rare and valuable books, it’s suspicious.

“Showing up without an appointment, with books in a suitcase or backpack, not well wrapped, not taken care of—those are red flags,” said Steinkirchner, who co-owns B&B with Mann.

Steinkirchner’s and Mann’s wariness is understandable—buying possibly stolen material is very bad for business. When someone can’t clearly demonstrate ownership of the books they wish to sell, B&B usually takes a pass.

But then they saw the Keats.

An 1878 edition of Keats’ Letters to Fanny Brawne, leather-bound, gilt-edged, compellingly beautiful. The cover was eye-catching—but the inside was gobsmacking. Attached to pages bound into the book were eight of Keats’s original letters.

Originals. Actual letters handwritten by Keats.

Front cover of Keats’ Letters to Fanny Brawne. The original 1878 book was rebound in this leatherbound edition in 1935. (Photo provided)

The 19^th-century Romantic poet John Keats is one of the best-known writers in the English language. Among his revered works are the 37 love letters he wrote to his fiancée Fanny Brawne before dying of tuberculosis in 1820 at the heartbreakingly young age of 25. In the almost 150 years since their first publication, the letters, brimming with passion and poetry, have never been out of print.

Silhouette of Fanny Brawne facing the first page of the first letter Keats sent her on July 1, 1819. (Photo provided)

And now eight of those original letters were—astonishingly—sitting on the counter at B&B.

“Honestly, I can’t think of a single thing that could have walked in the store that would have been more personally meaningful to me,” said Steinkirchner. “I love Keats. I reread his letters to Fanny Brawne every few years. Whenever we go to London, we also go to Old Brompton Cemetery to say hi to Fanny. This was the most amazing item I’d ever handled.”

But Where Did It Come From?

The man said he had inherited the book from his grandfather. Again, that sounds reasonable to the layman. But again, it raised the eyebrows of the booksellers.

“Books like this Keats get passed down through generations, and they’re well documented,” explained Steinkirchner. The history, or provenance, of any incredibly rare book is known, and it can be verified with paperwork. “It’s not, ‘I don’t know where my grandfather got them.’ That just doesn’t happen.”

Steinkirchner and Mann knew the Keats—and probably the other books in the suitcase—was stolen. They knew the man was unaware of the Keats letters’ true value. And they knew if they let the book leave the store, it would be lost.

Unnerved, the pair managed to convince the man to leave the books, enticing him with the possibility of higher sale prices if they were able to assess them properly.

And then they scrambled to learn more.

Who Is Missing Keats Letters?

In the whole world, only 37 letters from Keats to Brawne exist. Why were eight of them together? And most importantly, why did no one seem to know that they were missing?

Operating on the assumption the book was stolen, Mann and Steinkirchner began looking for proof. They checked an international online database of stolen books, a common first step for booksellers. Nothing. They called police precincts, looking for reports of stolen goods. Also nothing.

Night after night, Steinkirchner spent hours tracking the provenance of all 37 letters, building her own database of where each had gone since they were originally sold in the 19^th century. No one could say for certain where these eight letters had been or were now.

Left: Detail of John Keats by William Hilton, public domain, via Wikipedia Commons
Right: Miniature portrait of Fanny Brawne, public domain, via Wikipedia Commons

The rare book world is a small one, though, and Steinkirchner’s midnight emails to bookselling sources and special collections librarians started to arouse suspicion. Susan Wolfson, Keats scholar and English professor at Princeton University, said she doubted the letters were real—because, frankly, their discovery was highly improbable.

Steinkirchner and Mann, trusting their own assessment, brought the book to Wolfson, who had spent her professional life studying Keats’s letters. She was instantly convinced, later describing the letters to the New York Times as “the literary find of a lifetime.”

“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days—three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain …”
—John Keats’s first letter to Fanny Brawne, July 1, 1819

Vigilante Justice

As gratifying as it was to have Wolfson authenticate the letters, Steinkirchner and Mann still couldn’t prove they were stolen. For a month, they had evaded the man, trying to buy more time while not revealing the Keats book’s immense value.

“All the police precincts told us if he wants the book back, you have to give it to him,” said Steinkirchner. “You can’t prove it’s stolen. There’s no vigilante justice here—you can’t just keep it.”

And yet, when the man finally demanded the book, Mann and Steinkirchner resolutely refused.

“We were doing what we believed was the right thing, protecting something that’s one of a kind and finding the owner,” Steinkirchner explained. “I didn’t care what would happen, if someone was going to sue us or arrest us. To me, it was worth it.”

So that’s what the man did. He sued them.

Things looked bad, legally: Steinkirchner and Mann had no proof of theft with which to defend their actions. As time was running out, an auction house specialist in art and books happened to tell Mann about the Art Loss Registry, a worldwide database for stolen art, though not one commonly consulted by booksellers.

Desperate, Mann paid £400 for a single registry search on the one book. At 4 a.m. on the very day they were scheduled to appear in court, Mann received an email containing a redacted Nassau County police report from 1989 … and it listed the Keats book.

They had their proof.

“You uttered a half complaint once that I only lov’d your Beauty. Have I nothing else then to love in you but that? Do not I see a heart naturally furnish’d with wings imprison itself with me? No ill prospect has been able to turn your thoughts a moment from me.”
—John Keats to Fanny Brawne (photo provided)

“I’ve Been Looking for You”

Stolen art has its own law enforcement protocol, and the Antiques Trafficking Unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office opened an investigation. The Keats and 16 other books were seized by the DA’s office and identified as having been stolen from the Whitney estate on Long Island sometime in the 1980s.

Steinkirchner and Mann were forbidden to talk about the official investigation until April 2026, when the DA’s office invited them to the () where the books were returned to Whitney descendants.

After the weeks of sleepless nights tracking the book’s ownership records, after the lawsuit threatening B&B’s reputation and expertise, after the steadfast efforts to honor the book’s cultural value and prevent it from being lost yet again—after all they had been through, Steinkirchner wanted to connect with the owner, and she took the opportunity at the press conference to introduce herself to the Whitney heir.

(Photo provided)

“I’ve been looking for you,” she told him. “I didn’t know who you were, but I’ve been looking for you. We found your book.”

Epilogue

The New York Times, Times of London, Newsday, The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC, Canadian BBC—eventually about 30 stories about the discovery of John Keats’s letters to Fanny Brawne ran in news media from around the world.

In June 2026, sold the Keats book for the Whitney estate for just under $1.8 million, calling the letters “a monument of a brief life lived with intense passion.”

The owners of B&B Rare Books know they safeguarded a piece of literary history.

“We were the stewards of this book,” said Steinkirchner. “We’re forever a part of its story, whether people know it or not.”

Author

Robyn Rime

Interim Executive Director of Content Strategy

rime@geneseo.edu

Longtime Rochester Anchor Norma Holland ’97 Appointed to 91��’s College Council

rime@geneseo.edu — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Norma Holland ’97 (91��/Mat Johnson)

Norma Holland ’97, a familiar face to Rochester viewers through 23 years at 13WHAM News, will bring her experience in journalism, higher education, and community leadership to 91��’s College Council. Governor appointed the Geneseo alumna to a six-year term.

Holland earned her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in public relations at Geneseo before building a career connecting people with the information and organizations that shape their communities. Her appointment brings that experience back to her alma mater as it advances its mission as New York’s Public Honors College.

“Many people across our region know Norma as someone who helped them understand what was happening in their communities and why it mattered,” said 91�� President Melinda D. Treadwell, PhD. “We are proud to count her among Geneseo’s graduates. She brings an understanding of this college and the region we serve, along with a career that demonstrates the reach of a Geneseo education. Her perspective will help us strengthen those connections and expand opportunities for our students.”

During her broadcasting career, Holland anchored 13WHAM’s morning and noon newscasts, covered breaking news and community stories, and produced the weekly public affairs program Many Voices, Many Visions.

She later brought her communications and community engagement experience to the University of Rochester, most recently serving as chief of staff for the Office of University Engagement and Enrichment. There, she worked with senior leaders on communications and stakeholder engagement and oversaw the launch of a campus-wide constructive dialogue initiative to strengthen civic discourse. She previously served in public relations, community engagement, and leadership roles at the university’s School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Holland is now an executive presence and leadership coach with Holland Communications, LLC. Her community service includes board membership with Bishop Kearney High School, the Alzheimer’s Association of Rochester, and Huther Doyle Substance Abuse Services. She has also served on the boards of the Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, and Causewave Community Partners.

“Geneseo is an important part of my story, and it means a great deal to have the opportunity to give back,” Holland said. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen how much depends on our ability to listen, ask good questions, and connect with people whose experiences differ from our own. Those qualities are at the heart of a Geneseo education. I’m proud to help more people across our region see what this college makes possible for its students.”

The College Council serves as an advisory and oversight body for the College, with responsibilities that include recommending candidates for president, reviewing major plans and policies, and fostering strong connections between the College and the community.

About 91��

Founded in 1871, 91�� is New York’s Public Honors College. Geneseo provides a distinctive, equity-centered honors experience that equips students with the knowledge and skills to build a better world, guided by the values of learning, creativity, belonging, civic engagement, and sustainability.

Author

Robyn Rime

Interim Executive Director of Content Strategy

91�� Celebrates Inauguration of President Melinda D. Treadwell

rime@geneseo.edu — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 20:43:57 +0000

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and SUNY Trustee Robert Duffy install Melinda D. Treadwell as 91��’s 14th president. (91��/Keith Walters ’11)

91�� formally installed Melinda D. Treadwell, PhD, as its 14th president on October 23, bringing students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners together to celebrate the future of New York’s Public Honors College.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. presided over the installation in Wadsworth Auditorium. The ceremony capped a week of inaugural events organized around the theme “Together Toward Tomorrow,” connecting the college and its neighbors through community celebrations, student and alumni gatherings, and recognition of faculty and staff.

“This is a place that shapes people. And when people discover their gifts, find their purpose, and know they belong, they carry those strengths into their communities—and help build a better world,” Treadwell said.

Installation Week began on October 17 with a Community and Campus Festival in the Village of Geneseo, bringing people together for an afternoon of food, music, activities, and connection. (91��/Mat Johnson)

The inauguration comes during a period of growing demand and national recognition for Geneseo. This fall, the college welcomed nearly 1,400 first-year, transfer, and graduate students, its largest incoming class since 2019. In September, US News & World Report ranked Geneseo No. 5 among public liberal arts colleges nationally. Geneseo was also the only public institution on the publication’s Best Value Schools list for National Liberal Arts Colleges.

In her inaugural address, Treadwell outlined commitments to student success, academic excellence, belonging, and responsible stewardship. She emphasized shared governance and collaboration as essential to fulfilling those commitments and strengthening the college’s connections across the region.

Speakers representing the college community described a future shaped by the contributions of students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

“The inauguration theme, Together Toward Tomorrow, is particularly meaningful because it reminds us that Geneseo’s future is a responsibility we all share,” said Lucas Pastwik ’27, president of the Student Association. “The decisions we make today, and the opportunities we work to create, will shape students’ experiences.”

Inauguration events included a party for students with the president on the College Union patio. (91��/Mat Johnson)

Harry Howe, distinguished teaching professor of business and chair of the College Senate, recognized Treadwell’s commitment to service and collaborative leadership.

“Faculty admire the ethos of service that brought you to academic leadership, the discovery that you made early in your career that leadership can solve problems and empower colleagues,” Howe said.

Alumni also affirmed their role in supporting Geneseo’s next chapter.

91�� alums, donors, and friends of the College enjoyed an a cappella choir performance during an inaugural eve celebration on October 22. (Carole Volpe/Hudson Street Studios)

“As the story of Geneseo continues to unfold, we look forward to helping shape its next chapter alongside you,” said Rita Rogan ’19, president of the 91�� Alumni Association.

Before joining Geneseo, Treadwell served as president of Keene State College in New Hampshire, where she joined the faculty in 2000. The first in her family to attend college, she earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial safety with a minor in chemistry from Keene State and a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from Dartmouth Medical School.

About 91��

Author

Brett Walsh

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

Alum Helps Choose US Postage Stamps��

dreessen@geneseo.edu — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:47:38 +0000

Ivan Cash ’08 (Photo courtesy of Ivan Cash)

Have you ever wondered who chooses the images on postage stamps? For eight years,����’08 has been on a committee whose members decide exactly that.

Ten to 12 US citizens from all walks of life serve on the , meeting quarterly to discuss ideas for stamps representing American history, technology, art, culture, and other categories, and to recommend their selections to the Postmaster General for approval.

“What has struck me over the years is that nobody really knows about this,” said Cash, an award-winning artist and filmmaker. “And, for 99 percent of the cases, we are pulling from public submissions. If you have an idea for a stamp, submit it! Everything gets taken into consideration.”

Cash can’t share details; meetings are closed and confidential. His invitation to join the advisory committee was also a bit cloak-and-dagger.

“I received a cryptic email from a partner of the USPS,” said Cash, who studied communication at Geneseo. “Until I also got a phone call, I thought, this can’t be real. The email might as well have said ‘Arrive at the bench with an ice cream cone in one hand at 4 o’clock.’”

Cash said the committee was looking for a younger member who appreciated mail and had some expertise in arts and culture.

Cash focuses his work on celebrating the human spirit and exploring themes of connection and belonging in the age of technology. He runs Cash Studios and recently debuted his first feature-length documentary, , about his artist father, which won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at its Woodstock Film Festival premiere. An earlier project, caught the USPS’s attention. Over six years, Cash and 2,000 volunteers transcribed strangers’ emails into artistic, handwritten letters and mailed them worldwide, for free.

Serving on the postage stamp committee “has definitely been an honor,” said Cash. “Stamps are one of the few ways other than, say, currency, in which we brand America. I can’t think of any other ongoing initiative that has such a legacy behind it that reflects the perception of American values and American culture. It’s only one square inch, but there’s something provocative about that. Love it or hate it, everyone gets mail.”

From proposal to post office, the process can take three years. Have an idea? Make sure it and submit it, via snail mail, of course:

Stamp Development
Attn: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260-3501

Author

Kris Dreessen

Lead content writer

585-245-5520

dreessen@geneseo.edu

Student Researchers Dig into Ancient Extinctions��

dreessen@geneseo.edu — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:50:21 +0000

Jamie McCarthy ’27, right, measures magnetic susceptibility of black shale samples, with Ryan Britt ’27. (91��/Mat Johnson)

This summer, Distinguished Professor of Geological, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences D. Jeffrey Over, PhD, and student researchers used a multi-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study fossils and geochemistry to better understand two mass extinctions that occurred more than 350 million years ago.

Over and three students visited drill core storage facilities in Alabama and Ohio to study black shales from the Devonian Period that contain conodonts—the phosphatic tooth-like remains of an extinct marine organism commonly used to date rocks, and measure geochemical parameters to determine the depositional environment. The team also drilled five-meter-long cores of shale in similar age rocks from western New York and Canada, taking samples every centimeter. The students then studied a total of more than 300 fossils and the core material in campus labs.

Geology major Jamie McCarthy ’27 measured the magnetic susceptibility of the core material, which records the concentration of iron-bearing minerals in samples, a proxy for climate control of sea level change “which tells us where the rock was deposited and if it was closer to shore or offshore,” he said. “We are applying what we learn in class to real-world problems and processes.”

Ryan Britt ’27, also a geology major, used coding software to analyze the mineral data content and determine the time it took for the shale to form. Geochemistry major Jade Tankersley ’28 scanned and photographed conodont fossils with a high-powered microscope.

“You can fit many conodonts on the head of a pin,” said Tankersley. “The microscope lets us see individual cells, which lets us identify specific types of conodonts.”

The three students presented their research results in October at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. Tankersly presented her talk in a session dedicated to conodont studies; Britt and McCarthy presented their posters in an integrated stratigraphy session.

Their research is part of an $860K collaborative project in which Over and a team of researchers from other institutions are studying how biogeochemical changes and Late Devonian extinction events (approximately 370 and 360 million years ago) shaped modern-day ecosystems. Over’s $105K NSF grant includes stipends for students, whose research will help the project team build a new geologic database and better determine what climate cycles looked like in that time frame.

“Work in the field and laboratory is the best way for students to experience and learn the techniques and skills needed to be a scientist,” said Over. “When the students have ownership of a project, it is even better, as they have a greater investment in the outcome and need to have an in-depth background of the topic being studied, which is why all projects have the goal of being published. Since the answer is never known in advance, the whole process is very exciting.”

Jade Tankersley ’28 uses a high-powered microscope to inspect conodont fossils. (91��/Mat Johnson)

Author

Kris Dreessen

Lead content writer

585-245-5520

dreessen@geneseo.edu

UPD Lt. Phelps Completes FBI Program

rime@geneseo.edu — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:53:52 +0000

UPD Lieutenant Andrew Phelps (photo provided)

91��’s University Police Lieutenant Andrew Phelps recently completed the FBI National Academy Associates training program. The FBI National Academy is a professional course of study for US and international law enforcement managers. Participants are nominated by their agency heads after demonstrating leadership qualities. Fewer than one percent of police executives in the United States are selected to attend the academy. The training has an academic component accredited through the University of Virginia.��

The 10-week program provides coursework in intelligence theory, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science. The program aims to improve the administration of justice in police departments and agencies and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.

“Not all agencies are willing to send their leaders away for training for that length of time,” said UPD Chief Scott Ewanow ’06. “Geneseo recognizes the value in executive leadership training and building connections with other law enforcement agencies. The National Academy is known internationally for its academic excellence, and UPD supports its leaders learning in that environment.”

Phelps joined the University Police Department in 2007 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2017. In addition to his responsibilities as a shift supervisor, Phelps serves the department as a firearms instructor, a reality-based training instructor, and an administrator of the department’s records management system.��

Ewanow completed the FBI training program in 2019, and Assistant Chief Richard Myers completed it in 2024.

Author

Robyn Rime

Interim Executive Director of Content Strategy

Biology Professor Earns $228K Grant for STEM Teaching

dreessen@geneseo.edu — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:48:52 +0000

Suann Yang, biology professor, in class (91��/Mat Johnson)

Biology��Ǵڱ��ǰ��Suann Yang, PhD, has received a $228K National Science Foundation grant to support professional development workshops for SUNY faculty across western New York. The project promotes faculty teaching practices that help recruit and retain students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The workshops are part of a comprehensive $2 million project titled “Collaborative Research: Translating research on how people learn, and organizations change to accelerate adoption of high-impact practices throughout a state university system.” Michelle Withers, associate professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, leads the five-year project with 91��, Stony Brook University, Yale University, and the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement.

“We aim to transform STEM education across all SUNY campuses by helping faculty, administrators, and institutions adopt evidence-based teaching practices that give students more authentic and engaging learning experiences,” said Yang. “Evidence-based teaching practices tell us traditional lecture sessions are not the best way for everybody to learn. Evidence has shown that more students do better with learner-centered methods, regardless of their backgrounds.”

Geneseo will host one of the first workshops in 2027. The integrated (MoSI)-Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER) workshop is one of 17 integrated MoSI-SENCER workshops across New York. The institutes target faculty who teach STEM in the SUNY system but are open to all disciplines.

In addition to the MoSI-SENCER workshops, the project team will provide training on vertically integrated projects, in which teams of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty work on long-term projects in research, design, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They will also provide training on course-based undergraduate research experiences; workshops on using AI and online learning tools; and faculty mentoring networks to support participants after workshops.

Yang said the team hopes the project will enable a shift toward more learner-centered teaching across the wider SUNY system. That shift would ultimately help build a strong, globally competitive workforce in STEM fields.

Author

Kris Dreessen

Lead content writer

585-245-5520

dreessen@geneseo.edu

Education Professor Awarded Grant to Advance STEM Learning Through Bike Engineering and Design

dreessen@geneseo.edu — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:51:12 +0000

Image courtesy of Damon Kimbrough.

Jennifer Tripp,��PhD, 91��assistant professor of adolescence science education, has been awarded a $96K National Science Foundation grant, “STEMCyclists: Advancing Youth STEM Learning through Bicycle Engineering and Biomechanics,” to teach teens about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as they build and customize their own bicycles and participate in community bike rides.

Tripp’s three-year grant is in collaboration with a $1.24 million grant with University at Buffalo professor of science education, Noemi Waight, and associate professor of English education, Ryan Rish, along with three bike-centered community organizations, East Side Bike Club, GObike Buffalo, and Slow Roll Buffalo. Tripp has been with the team since its 2022 launch.

Youth ages 13-15 will attend a two-week summer program to learn the history, technology, biomechanics, physics, and engineering design related to bicycles and cycling, while creating and riding their own bikes with members of bike-centered community organizations and returning STEMCyclists peer mentors. Follow-up events and rides will continue throughout the school year.��The team documents how and what STEM phenomena the participants learn and understand at the intersection of play and learning, said Tripp. They develop and revise the program each year.

“Bicycling is a fun, everyday pastime that is a great opportunity for learning about physics and the bike as a technology, as a system of simple machines interacting with other systems, along with the evolving designs, biomechanics, and engineering that go into it,” said Tripp. “This program will be very experiential and place-based, helping youth deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, engage in authentic science and engineering practices, and uncover connections that are all around them.”

In total, nearly 100 teens in the Buffalo area will participate over the next three years.

Tripp said the program also presents a valuable opportunity for a Geneseo student researcher funded by the grant.

“The student assistant will be involved in all parts of the project,” said Tripp. “They will be mentored in co-developing the STEMCyclists curriculum, program planning, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating research findings so the team can reflect on what works well, what we’ve learned, and what could be changed for future phases.”

At left, Assistant Professor Jennifer Tripp rides with STEMCyclists. (Photo courtesy of Damon Kimbrough). At right, Jennifer Tripp (91��/Mat Johnson).

Author

Kris Dreessen

Lead content writer

585-245-5520

dreessen@geneseo.edu

Amy Sheldon ’90 Named Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

rime@geneseo.edu — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:37:24 +0000

Amy Sheldon ’90 (91��/Keith Walters ’11)

91�� has appointed Amy Sheldon ’90, PhD, as associate provost for academic affairs. A professor who has taught at Geneseo since 2000, Sheldon has helped shape the college’s curriculum, expand opportunities for students, and lead academic initiatives through shared governance.

As associate provost, Sheldon will work with faculty and staff on undergraduate curriculum, academic program assessment, and student success. She will also serve as the college’s Middle States Accreditation liaison officer and a member of the provost’s executive leadership team.

“Amy’s commitment to faculty, staff, and student success, along with her deep understanding of Geneseo’s academic enterprise, has prepared her well for this role,” said Mary C. Toale, EdD, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “She is a collaborative leader who listens, builds relationships, and brings clarity to complex work. I look forward to partnering with her as we continue to advance Geneseo’s vision as New York’s equity-centered public liberal arts honors college.”

Sheldon currently chairs the Department of Geological, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. She previously served as founding dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, interim provost, and chair of the College Senate. As Senate chair, she co-led the group that guided Geneseo’s new general education curriculum to 97% approval. The College received the SUNY Shared Governance Award during her tenure.

Her work has also connected students with new academic opportunities. As founding dean, she helped launch an Integrated First-Year Experience pilot and secure a National Science Foundation award that led to a partnership with Eastman Kodak Company. She has contributed to nearly $4 million in funded NSF grants supporting STEM student success, teacher preparation, and external partnerships.

A first-generation college student, Sheldon earned her bachelor’s degree in geological sciences from 91��, her master’s degree in geology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her PhD in geological sciences from the University of Utah.

“Geneseo has long been my academic home,” said Sheldon, “and I am honored to continue serving our community in a role that supports the people, programs, and shared commitments at the heart of our academic mission.”

Sheldon will continue teaching through the fall semester while working with department colleagues on the transition. The appointment follows a search led by a committee co-chaired by Ann Monroe-Baillargeon, PhD, dean of the Ella Cline Shear School of Education, and Lisa Wilder, PhD, associate dean of the School of Business.

About 91��

Author

Brett Walsh

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

91�� Highlights Student Experiences in ACE Program at College Council Luncheon��

rime@geneseo.edu — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:16:00 +0000

Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, members of the Geneseo College Council, and campus and SUNY leaders celebrated Geneseo’s ACE Program (91��/Mat Johnson)

Last week, 91�� students shared their experiences in the college’s new Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program during a luncheon with Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, members of the Geneseo College Council, and campus and SUNY leaders.

The gathering in Milne Library highlighted how ACE combines personalized advising, financial assistance, and career preparation to help students maintain academic momentum and graduate on time. Geneseo’s inaugural cohort includes 150 students across 31 academic majors, more than 90% of whom are first-generation college students.

Bailey joined the gathering to discuss the importance of ACE and the state’s investment in student success. Her participation connected the legislative support behind the program with the Geneseo students benefiting from it.

“Investing in public higher education means helping students get to graduation,” said Bailey. “ACE provides practical support that can make a real difference, from help with everyday expenses to personalized advising. Hearing directly from Geneseo students today reinforces why the state’s investment in this program matters.”

Council members also heard from 91�� President Melinda D. Treadwell; Casey O’Brien, SUNY associate vice chancellor for student success and transformational initiatives; and Cori Quinn, acting ACE program director at Geneseo, who provided an overview of ACE at Geneseo. Over lunch, council members spent time with participating students, hearing directly about their experiences with the program and their goals for college and beyond.

“At New York’s public honors college, access and excellence belong together. Our responsibility to students begins when they arrive and continues through graduation,” said Treadwell. “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Bailey, her legislative colleagues, SUNY leadership, and Governor Hochul for investing in that responsibility. ACE gives students practical support and a consistent connection to people who know them and their goals.”

ACE helps eligible students address financial and academic challenges that can interrupt progress toward a degree. Supports include funding for textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance, alongside academic assistance, comprehensive personalized advising, and career development activities.

The luncheon recognized the partnership among SUNY, state leaders, and campus staff that makes this support possible. Treadwell also thanked the Geneseo staff and colleagues for bringing the program to life and emphasized the importance of listening to students as the College develops its inaugural program.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. has said that SUNY is committed to the success of every student and “the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE program will help participating students complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility. I am thrilled that through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature these programs will serve 10,000 students across the state and serve as a model for other institutions to follow.”

Launched at SUNY in 2024, Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and ACE provide coordinated support for students pursuing associate and bachelor’s degrees, respectively. An additional $8 million allocated in the FY2026–27 state budget brings annual state investment in the programs to $20 million, supporting students across 44 SUNY campuses.

Early SUNY results show that participating students attempt and earn more credits and return for subsequent semesters at higher rates than comparable students who are not enrolled in the programs. At Geneseo, ACE strengthens the college’s commitment to helping students turn access to a rigorous public honors education into degree completion and opportunities beyond graduation.

About 91��

Author

Brett Walsh

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

91������

Keats Book Discovery Turns Two Geneseo Alums into Literary Detectives

The Man and the Book

But Where Did It Come From?

Who Is Missing Keats Letters?

Vigilante Justice

“I’ve Been Looking for You”

Epilogue

Author

More Stories

Longtime Rochester Anchor Norma Holland ’97 Appointed to 91������’s College Council

Author

More Stories

91������ Celebrates Inauguration of President Melinda D. Treadwell

Author

More Stories

Alum Helps Choose US Postage Stamps��

Author

More Stories

Student Researchers Dig into Ancient Extinctions��

Author

More Stories

UPD Lt. Phelps Completes FBI Program

Author

More Stories

Biology Professor Earns $228K Grant for STEM Teaching

Author

More Stories

Education Professor Awarded Grant to Advance STEM Learning Through Bike Engineering and Design

Author

More Stories

Amy Sheldon ’90 Named Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

Author

More Stories

91������ Highlights Student Experiences in ACE Program at College Council Luncheon��

Author

More Stories

91��

Longtime Rochester Anchor Norma Holland ’97 Appointed to 91��’s College Council

91�� Celebrates Inauguration of President Melinda D. Treadwell

91�� Highlights Student Experiences in ACE Program at College Council Luncheon��