{"id":73276,"date":"2016-09-20T07:06:51","date_gmt":"2016-09-20T11:06:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=73276"},"modified":"2016-09-19T15:52:26","modified_gmt":"2016-09-19T19:52:26","slug":"morrisville-state-college-hosts-inaugural-harvest-dinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=73276","title":{"rendered":"Morrisville State College hosts inaugural Harvest Dinner"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_73277\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-73277\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=73277\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-73277\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-73277 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fisher-Murphy-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"fisher-murphy\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fisher-Murphy.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fisher-Murphy.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fisher-Murphy.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fisher-Murphy.jpg?w=679&amp;ssl=1 679w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-73277\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left Arnold Fisher shakes hands with Dr. Cornelius Murphy. In the background is Casey Crabill, president of Onondaga Community College. Photo Ken Chapman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hundreds gathered at Morrisville State College\u2019s inaugural Harvest Dinner, \u201cFood for Thought,\u201d held at the Hampton Inn &amp; Suites by Hilton, in Cazenovia, to recognize the achievements and contributions of six community members who share the college\u2019s values and mission.\u00a0Honored during the event were:<\/p>\n<p>Morrisville Lifetime Achievement Award:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assemblymember William D. Magee, New York State Assembly District 121<\/li>\n<li>Arnold R. Fisher, of Hamilton<\/li>\n<li>Lawrence J. Baker, of Hamilton<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Morrisville Community Achievement Award:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Congressman Richard L. Hanna, U.S. House of Representatives, New York District 22<\/li>\n<li>Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., Ph.D. past president, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry<\/li>\n<li>Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter, New York State Assembly District 128<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_73279\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-73279\" style=\"width: 199px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=73279\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-73279\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-73279 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1-199x300.jpg?resize=199%2C300\" alt=\"cassandra-poses\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?resize=199%2C300&amp;ssl=1 199w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?resize=100%2C150&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?resize=598%2C900&amp;ssl=1 598w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?resize=400%2C602&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Cassandra-poses-1.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-73279\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassandra Knapp poses with a floral arrangement she created for the Harvest Dinner. Photo Franci Valenzano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The event attracted members of the campus and community, as well as dignitaries who came to acknowledge the honorees.<\/p>\n<p>Fitting was the event\u2019s timing with this year\u2019s harvest moon, which bears significance to reaping what hard work has sewn and sharing it in return, much like those who were honored.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe individuals we honor <span data-term=\"goog_585376277\">tonight<\/span> are people who inspire us,\u201d said Morrisville State College President David Rogers. \u201cThey are people who have built communities. They are community members who seek better ways to tend to society, to agriculture, to industry, to community and to Morrisville State College.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEach of these individuals has, in their own way, set a strong example with their dedication to Morrisville State College, evidenced by their years of work on behalf of the school and its mission,\u201d said Commissioner Samuel Roberts. \u201cTheir commitment to the Morrisville State College community is unrivaled.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Contributing to the elegant affair were Morrisville State College faculty, staff and students.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Kerry Beadle, chef at the Copper Turret, college-run restaurant and chair of the Hospitality Technology Department, assisted culinary arts management students with the preparation of the appetizers and dessert.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_73280\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-73280\" style=\"width: 198px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=73280\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-73280\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-73280\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin-198x300.jpg?resize=198%2C300\" alt=\"Gaevin Froio prepares salsa for a Harvest Dinner appetizer. Photo Ken Chapman\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin.jpg?resize=198%2C300&amp;ssl=1 198w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin.jpg?resize=99%2C150&amp;ssl=1 99w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin.jpg?resize=400%2C605&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin.jpg?w=482&amp;ssl=1 482w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-73280\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gaevin Froio prepares salsa for a Harvest Dinner appetizer. Photo Ken Chapman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Freshmen students in Beadle\u2019s professional baking class prepared tasty Grown-Up Profiteroles: cr\u00e8me puffs filled with maple bacon ice cream and topped with bourbon maple cream sauce and candied bacon.<\/p>\n<p>Starting first with creating the pastry, next they made the custard base that was spun into ice cream at the college\u2019s Agriculture Incubator. An abundance of local ingredients went into the college\u2019s menu, including maple sugar in the maple bacon ice cream from the Loomis Maple Homestead in Morrisville. Local products in the appetizers included edible flowers, slow-braised beef, caramelized onions, Morrisville-made cheddar cheese curd, tomatoes and basil, as well as house pickles and beer mustard.<\/p>\n<p>Adding to the event\u2019s flare were colorful floral arrangements filled with hydrangeas, daisies and curly willow, showcasing the talent of MSC\u2019s horticulture students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is so nice to be able to be creative and to show off our hard work,\u201d said Cassandra Knapp, a horticulture business student from DeWitt who designed the elegant high-style floral arrangements for the dinner.<\/p>\n<p>Gaevin Froio, of Cazenovia, a second-year culinary arts management student, also enjoyed the experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is great because I get to apply what I learn here (at Morrisville) to the restaurant where I work,\u201d he said. \u201cIt makes me feel more professional and confident as an employee.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Jada Santos-Baez, the opportunity was a sneak peek into her future career as a restauranteur.\u00a0 \u201cI am gaining a better insight and understanding as to how things work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Also assisting at the event were students from Phi Beta Lambda, the college\u2019s honorary business organization.<\/p>\n<p>Proceeds from the event benefited scholarships for students at Morrisville State College.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Honoree bios<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Morrisville Lifetime Achievement Award:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Assemblymember William D. Magee, <\/strong>New York State Assembly District 121<\/p>\n<p>For a lifetime of advocacy, Bill Magee\u2019s name is inseparable from New York agriculture and Morrisville State College. Since joining the New York State Assembly in 1990, including leadership as chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Magee\u2019s influential voice and sponsored legislation has won support for the needs of farming and industry. He has helped secure business expansion and job growth for communities in Madison, Oneida and Otsego counties. In no small part because of Magee, Morrisville State College received a grant for an agriculture incubator, part of a $1 million HUD grant to expand distance learning technology, and funding to establish the college\u2019s Equine Rehabilitation Center. He has served on the College Council and continues as a board member of the Morrisville College Foundation. Magee is a legend among members of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and received the Honorary American Degree from the national organization\u2014the highest award it can give to a non-member\u2014during a ceremony at Morrisville State College, recognizing his lifetime of service and dedication.<\/p>\n<p>A lifelong resident of the Town of Nelson, Magee is an active member of the community and serves on many boards. He was employed at the New York State Fair from 1985-1990 in various positions including manager of agriculture and livestock, equestrian events manager and coordinator of special projects. The community has honored him for his longstanding support with the Annual Roses for the Living Award by the Hamilton Rotary and a Distinguished Service Citation by the New York State Agriculture Society, among others. His wife, Jeanette, is also a friend of the college.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Arnold R. Fisher<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arnold Fisher has devoted half of a century of service and philanthropy to the campus community. Morrisville State College\u2019s Arnold R. Fisher Dairy Complex is a fitting tribute to his lifetime of public service in helping to provide agricultural education to students, as well as his philanthropic contributions to the college, community and the agricultural industry. A Hamilton resident, Fisher has been a member of the Morrisville State College Council since 1967, serving as chairman from 1997 to 2008. He was also a founding member and chairman of the College\u2019s Foundation Board. His work with governors and state legislators led to many on-campus improvements. He also helped the college obtain capital fundraising for a large building initiative in the late 1960s, spurring growth in academic programs and enrollment.<\/p>\n<p>Fisher donated the iron Mustang sculpture on the college\u2019s campus quad, a beautiful piece by noted artist Esther Benedict and now a recognizable icon of Morrisville. He contributed a similar sculpture and sign at the Equine Rehabilitation Center. He has also provided high-quality cattle to the college\u2019s dairy program and helped to endow a scholarship in memory of a former student. Fisher has been New York State Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, Madison County Clerk, Madison County Commissioner of Jurors and Hamilton Village Judge. Through his work on the National Safety Council, he installed defensive driving courses in 27 states. Over the years Fisher has maintained strong ties to the agricultural community through running his own Angus beef farm, serving as a member of the Madison County Farm Bureau and Grange and the 4-H Executive Committee, and serving as a member of the New York State Fair Advisory Board. In 2011 the community presented him with the Hamilton Rotary Club Annual\u00a0Roses for the Living Award.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lawrence J. Baker<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Larry Baker came to Morrisville State College in 1962 as an instructor in the college\u2019s School of Business. Throughout his career, Baker admirably fulfilled responsibilities as professor, chairman of the business division, vice president for administration and acting president. Synonymous with Larry\u2019s work at Morrisville is one of the biggest days of graduate\u2019s lives\u2014commencement. For 25 years, Baker led the ceremony with both celebration and splendor. When the college celebrated its 100<sup>th<\/sup> commencement ceremony, Baker fittingly offered the keynote address. Although Baker \u201cofficially\u201d retired from Morrisville State College in 1991, he returned part-time as assistant to the president for special projects, a position that included coordinating commencement and emeriti functions and working with the Community\/Campus Relations Committee to plan special events. Actively involved in his community as much as the campus, he has served on many boards and at one time served as trustee and beloved mayor of Hamilton. He is currently serving in his 32nd year on the Morrisville College Foundation. The college and the community acknowledged his exceptional support with a lifetime of accolades. Among them, he was honored in 1999 during a tribute to raise money for historic Madison Hall, in Morrisville, for his many years of community service in southern Madison County. In 2007, the Hamilton Rotary presented him with the Annual Roses for the Living Award. He was later the first recipient of the namesake Larry Baker Spirit Award. He served 22 years on the Community Memorial Hospital Board, and an endowment fund was established in his name. Baker served as board chairman and CEO of the Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation for 12 years and is proud to be the only MSC employee appointed by the governor to the College Council, where he continues to serve.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Morrisville Community Achievement Award:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Congressman Richard L. Hanna, <\/strong>U.S. House of Representatives, New York District 22<\/p>\n<p>Congressman Richard Hanna was elected for a third term on Nov. 4, 2014, to represent the 22nd District of New York in the United States House of Representatives. At the age of 20, Hanna became the primary supporter of his mother and four sisters after his father died suddenly. He put school on hold to work and pay off a substantial family debt. Over the next eight years, and without any outside assistance, Congressman Hanna and his sister, Katrina, worked together to support their family. He put himself through college and graduated with honors in economics and political science from Reed College in 1976. After graduation, he started Hanna Construction and worked on small residential projects. The company grew to employ more than 450 people \u2013many from the construction trades \u2013 and successfully complete a myriad of multi-million dollar commercial and municipal projects in Upstate New York. Hanna is a 25-year member of the Operating Engineers Local 545 Union.<\/p>\n<p>He has donated his time, leadership and personal resources to numerous civic, charitable, religious and philanthropic causes to compassionately address needs in our society. He has been a frequent visitor to MSC and has spoken multiple times at Morrisville State College during Boys State government camp. Hanna worked with The Women\u2019s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. in 2004 to establish \u201cAnnie\u2019s Fund\u201d to help women make positive changes at critical points in their lives through one-time grants. The YWCA of the Mohawk Valley has also honored Hanna as a \u201cChampion of Women\u201d for nearly three decades. From 1994 to 2004, he served on the board of The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc., including two years as chairman. In 2007, he was the first living recipient of the foundation\u2019s Rosamond Childs Award for Community Philanthropy. Congressman Hanna and his wife, Kim, live in Barneveld and have two children.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., Ph.D. <\/strong>Past President, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Dr. Neil Murphy is Senior Fellow for Environmental and Sustainable Systems at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where he has served since stepping down from the presidency in January 2014. As president, Dr. Murphy led ESF through unprecedented facility and academic program expansion. Under his leadership, the college constructed its first residence hall and the Gateway Center, designed to LEED Platinum standards, as well as rehabilitating Baker Laboratory and planning a new academic research building. ESF added bioprocess engineering and sustainable energy management while Dr. Murphy was at its helm. He increased ESF\u2019s partnerships throughout Central New York to make the institution a leader in new economic drivers\u00a0such as the Syracuse Center of Excellence and the CNY Biotech Accelerator.<\/p>\n<p>Murphy\u2019s administration established an intercollegiate athletic program, increased enrollment by more than 40 percent and earned ESF solid rankings in <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report, Forbes and Washington Monthly<\/em>. Before ESF, Dr. Murphy was president and director of O\u2019Brien &amp; Gere Limited, a large design, engineering and consulting firm in Syracuse specializing in environmental remediation. He worked his way through a succession of increasingly responsible senior positions in the firm over 30 years. Dr. Murphy earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Syracuse University, where he was a NASA Fellow, after graduating magna cum laude from St. Michael\u2019s College with a B.A. in chemistry. He received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Clarkson University in 1997 and another from Onondaga Community College in 2013. His technical expertise lies in the areas of environmental science and<\/p>\n<p>engineering, hazardous waste management, renewable energy systems, limnology, urban runoff planning, and industrial wastewater treatment. Married to Joanne, Dr. Murphy is the father of four children.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter, <\/strong>New York State Assembly District 128<\/p>\n<p>Elected to the New York Assembly in 2015, Pam Hunter currently represents the south and east sides of Syracuse as well as the surrounding towns of Salina, DeWitt and Onondaga in District 128. Hunter is a native of Upstate New York and was elected in 2015 to fill a vacancy in the Assembly. It was not her first election win. In 2011, Hunter ran for a councilor-at-large position in Syracuse and won. She served on the Syracuse Common Council, most recently as chair of the Public Safety Committee. She served two years on the board of the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency, working to create jobs and grow the economy. She has proven to be a great supporter of Morrisville\u2019s Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center. She has a long history of leadership in local nonprofit organizations, including Epilepsy-Pralid, Inc., the Syracuse Community Health Center, Home Aides of CNY, Catholic Charities and AccessCNY. Hunter served three years in the United States Army before enrolling at Strayer University in Washington, D.C., to study for a bachelor\u2019s degree in computer science. While there, she worked for Youth Service America (YSA), a national not-for-profit organizing young people in communities. Hunter is passionate about building a better future for Central New York by creating good jobs, improving schools and keeping streets safe. Her first legislative session was marked by support for paid family leave, an increased minimum wage and requiring schools to test water for lead. She lives in Syracuse with her husband and son.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hundreds gathered at Morrisville State College\u2019s inaugural Harvest Dinner, \u201cFood for Thought,\u201d held at the Hampton Inn &amp; Suites by Hilton, in Cazenovia, to recognize the achievements and contributions of six community members who share the college\u2019s values and mission.\u00a0Honored during the event were: Morrisville Lifetime Achievement Award: Assemblymember William D. Magee, New York State [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":73280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23813,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-top-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p43meu-j3S","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Gaevin.jpg?fit=482%2C729&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=73276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/73280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=73276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=73276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=73276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}