The SUNY Poly Spotlight Series is a robust collection of camps for kids and teens as well as events and workshops for people of all ages. Showcasing the expertise of SUNY Poly faculty and staff and our Mohawk Valley community, the series provides opportunities for fun and learning in the areas of STEM, the arts, athletics, wellness, and more.
Have an idea for an event? Email us at events@sunypoly.edu and let us know!
The gold listings are workshops or camps for middle and/or high school students with specific age ranges.
The green listings are athletic camps for middle and/or high school students with specific age ranges.
The blue listings are events and workshops for community members of all ages.
| đ Unveiling the Invisible Universe: The Search for Dark Matter: 9/14/26 (All Ages) |
Date: Monday, September 14
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Dr. Shing Chi Leung, Assistant Professor of Physics at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: Nearly 90% of the matter in our universe is invisible. It cannot be seen through telescopes, emits no light, and remains one of the greatest mysteries in modern science. Yet without it, galaxiesâincluding our own Milky Wayâcould not exist as we know them.
Join Dr. Leung for an engaging Spotlight Series presentation exploring the fascinating world of dark matter. Designed for scientists and curious minds alike, this accessible lecture will examine what dark matter is, why researchers believe it exists, and how it shapes the evolution of the universe.
Guests will learn why astronomers are convinced dark matter exists despite never having directly observed it, how it influences the formation and evolution of galaxies, and how researchers are searching for evidence through cutting-edge particle physics experiments and astronomical observations. Dr. Leung will also discuss how today's discoveries may transform our understanding of the cosmos and the fundamental nature of matter.
Whether you're a lifelong astronomy enthusiast or simply curious about the mysteries beyond our planet, this thought-provoking presentation offers an opportunity to explore one of the most exciting frontiers in modern science.
Fee: Free
Deadline: Register by Monday, September 14 at Noon
Attendees: 60 (Max)
| đ¤ A Conversation with Ryan Nobles, NBC Newsâ Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent: 10/3/26 (All Ages) |
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 6:30 p.m. (Doors Open at 5:30 p.m.)
Location: Wildcat Field House, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Special Guest: Ryan Nobles, NBC Newsâ Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent
Description: SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly), sponsored by the SUNY Poly Center for Business and Applied Ethics and in partnership with WKTV NewsChannel 2, will welcome award-winning journalist Ryan Nobles to the Wildcat Field House on Saturday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. for an event called, âFrom Utica to the Nation: A Conversation with Ryan Nobles, NBC Newsâ Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent.â
Ryan Nobles is NBC Newsâ Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent based in Washington, D.C. He regularly appears across NBC News platforms, including TODAY, NBC Nightly News, NBC News NOW and NBCNews.com. Nobles also serves as a fill-in anchor on NBC News NOW, most often on Meet the Press NOW.
Nobles joined NBC News in 2022, covering Capitol Hill and reporting on major national and international news stories. His work has included coverage of congressional negotiations, federal policy debates, government funding discussions, and breaking political developments, with his reporting and interviews regularly drawing national attention.
In addition to his Capitol Hill reporting, Nobles has traveled internationally with congressional delegations, covering meetings between U.S. lawmakers and foreign leaders, as well as broader geopolitical and diplomatic issues. He has also led coverage of several major national investigations and legal proceedings involving prominent public figures.
Prior to joining NBC News, Nobles spent eight years at CNN as a Congressional Correspondent, where he covered some of the nationâs most consequential political stories, investigations, and election cycles. He reported extensively on Capitol Hill, presidential campaigns, and major national events, while also contributing breaking news and in-depth political coverage from across the country. Nobles began his tenure at CNN Newsource, where he covered the 2016 presidential campaign for local stations nationwide.
Ryan started his career in local news at Uticaâs own WKTV NewsChannel 2, before heading to WTEN in Albany and then ultimately WWBT in Richmond, VA. In Richmond, Nobles had a front row seat to the presidential campaigns of 2008 and 2012, and has conducted three sit-down interviews with former President Barack Obama.
Nobles has been nominated for a national Emmy award and has won two local Emmy awards and an Edward R. Murrow award for breaking news coverage. Ryan was named to the inaugural class of the WBSU Hall of Fame which honors alumni of his award-winning college radio station.
He is a native of Western New York and a graduate of the State University College at Brockport, where he served as the student body president. He also earned a Masterâs in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the State University of New York at Albany. Nobles and his wife Karey live in Northern Virginia with their four children.
The conversation will be moderated by WKTV/NEWSChannel 2 Evening Anchor Jason Powles, creating a unique full-circle moment connecting his local roots with his national role. The special moderated conversation will provide students, faculty, staff, and community members with an opportunity to hear directly from one of the nationâs leading political journalists about Congress, media, public service, and ethical leadership. Organizers are also exploring opportunities for others to submit questions in advance for consideration during the program.
Tickets will be available to the public on Wednesday, September 2 at noon. Community members are encouraged to reserve seats early once registration opens as all tickets are first-come, first-served.
Fee: Free
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, September 28
| âď¸âđĽ A Legacy of Liberty: Polandâs Enduring Pursuit of Freedom: 10/15/26 (All Ages) |
Date: Thursday, October 15
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, 2nd Floor, Theater, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Independent Researcher, Daniel Sargent
Description: Join us for a special SUNY Poly Spotlight Series event in observance of Polish American Heritage Month exploring the people, events, and defining moments that have shaped Polandâs long pursuit of national independence, individual freedom, and self-determination.
A Legacy of Liberty will trace themes of freedom and resilience across centuries of Polish history, from medieval struggles to preserve sovereignty, to the contributions of Polish patriots during the American Revolution, to the long and difficult struggles of the 20th century against Nazi occupation and Soviet domination.
Along the way, the program will highlight individuals and pivotal moments that demonstrate how the pursuit of liberty has remained a powerful and recurring theme in Polandâs history, both within its own borders and through the contributions of Polish people around the world.
Through stories of courage, perseverance, sacrifice, and service, A Legacy of Liberty will offer an engaging look at Polandâs historical journey and the enduring importance of freedom, independence, and democratic ideals.
Fee: Free
Deadline: Register by Thursday, October 15 at Noon
Attendees: 40 (Max)
| đâ˝đž Kid's Night Out: 10/16, 10/23, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4 (Ages 7-12) |
Date: Fridays - October 16, October 23, November 6, November 13, November 20, and December 4
Time: 7 p.m. â 10 p.m. (Registration Begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Location: Wildcat Field House, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Coaches: SUNY Poly Athletic Department
Description: The SUNY Poly Athletic Department is excited to introduce a fun new Friday night experience for kids ages 7â12! Kidâs Night Out gives children the chance to spend the evening playing sports, games, and activities alongside SUNY Poly student-athletes and coaches in a fun, active, and supervised environment. While the kids play, laugh, make new friends, and burn off some energy, parents can enjoy a few hours to themselves!
Kids will participate in a variety of activities throughout the evening, including:
đ Basketball
â˝ Kickball and other indoor sports
đ Games and team challenges
đ§ Obstacle courses
đž Activities with SUNY Poly student-athletes
â And plenty of other surprises and fun!
No special athletic ability or sports experience is required, but sneakers and a great positive attitude are. Kidâs Night Out is about having fun, being active, meeting new friends, and creating great memories. Play with the Wildcats! One of the things that makes Kidâs Night Out special is the opportunity for kids to interact and play with SUNY Poly college athletes. Our Wildcats will help lead activities, encourage participants, and make sure everyone feels like part of the team.
Parents - We Play. You Relax. Whether you want to enjoy dinner out, run some errands, or simply have a quiet Friday evening, leave the fun to us!
Play. Laugh. Make memories. Wildcat style! đž
Fee: $30.00 Per Child
Deadline: Register by Thursday (of the day before) by Noon
Attendees: 100 (Max)
| â˝ Women's Soccer ID Clinic: 10/18/26 (Grades 9-12) |
Date: Sunday, October 18
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Wildcat Field House, 880 Wildcat Drive, Marcy, NY 13502
Presenter: Colleen McTygue, Head Women's Soccer Coach at SUNY Poly
Description: 9:30 a.m. (Check In), 10 a.m. â 12 p.m. (Field Session), 12 p.m. â 12:30 p.m. (Lunch, College Talk, and Q&A), 12:30 p.m. â 1:30 p.m. (Campus Tour), 1:30 p.m. â 3 p.m. (Small Sided Games and Full Field Game), and 3 p.m. (Closing).
Fee: $65.00 (Eventbrite Fees: 3.7% & $1.79 per ticket + 2.9% Credit Card Processing Fee)
Deadline: Register by Friday, October 16
Attendees: 5 (Min) and 25 (Max)
| đĽ The Hidden System Behind Organizational Performance: How Hidden Structures, Behaviors, and Informal Networks Shape Results: 11/11/26 (All Ages) |
Date: Wednesday, November 11
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Student Center, 2nd Floor, Theater, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Author and Organizational Effectiveness Expert Mark I. Cushman
Description: What really determines how an organization works?
Every organization has a formal structure: leadership roles, policies, procedures, reporting lines, and strategic goals. But beneath that visible structure is another system shaped by relationships, informal networks, unwritten rules, shared assumptions, and workplace behaviors.
As part of the SUNY Poly Spotlight Series, author and organizational effectiveness expert Mark I. Cushman will explore how these often-invisible forces influence communication, collaboration, decision-making, trust, accountability, and performance.
Drawing on more than four decades of leadership and organizational experience, Cushman will examine why an organizationâs intentions and its actual results can sometimes drift apart, and how recognizing the âhidden systemâ can help leaders and employees better understand how organizations really function.
Attendees will gain insight into:
⢠How informal networks and relationships influence how work actually gets done
⢠Why unwritten rules and shared assumptions can be as powerful as formal policies
⢠How hidden organizational dynamics affect communication, trust, and decision-making
⢠Why well-intended strategies sometimes produce unexpected results
⢠How greater awareness of these systems can strengthen alignment, accountability, and organizational performance
About the Presenter: Mark I. Cushman is a human resources and organizational effectiveness executive, facilitator, speaker, college professor, and author. His more than four decades of experience span engineering, manufacturing, human resources, workforce development, organizational leadership, and public service. Through leadership, consulting, teaching, and speaking, he helps organizations strengthen alignment, communication, trust, and execution.
Fee: Free
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, November 11 at Noon
Attendees: 40 (Max)
| đ¸ BE HERE: Photography, Attention, and the Power of Seeing: 12/2/26 (All Ages) |
Date: Wednesday, December 2
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Kunsela Hall, Auditorium, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Award-Winning National Geographic Photographer Amy Toensing
Description: What does it mean to truly see the world around us?
Join National Geographic photographer Amy Toensing for an inspiring evening that explores the power of attention, curiosity, and human connection. Drawing from more than twenty years of experience documenting stories across the globe, Toensing shares the remarkable journeys behind some of her most memorable photographsâand the people who made them possible.
Through entertaining, humorous, and heartfelt stories from the field, audiences will discover that great photography isnât simply about cameras or technology. Itâs about showing up, earning trust, listening carefully, and being fully present. Whether sitting at a kitchen table, traveling down a remote road, or spending time with a community over days or weeks, Toensing reveals how meaningful images begin with meaningful relationships.
More than a talk about photography, BE HERE is a reminder to slow down and pay attention to the people, places, and stories that surround us every day. Through stunning imagery and personal reflections, Toensing demonstrates how the simple act of noticing can transform the way we experience the world.
Amy Toensing is an award-winning visual journalist and National Geographic Explorer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Time, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications. Her photographs have documented cultures, conservation efforts, social justice issues, and environmental challenges around the world, earning international recognition for their depth, humanity, and storytelling. One of her photographs from the Australian Outback was selected as one of National Geographic magazineâs all-time 50 Best Photos, placing her work among some of the publicationâs most celebrated images.
Whether youâre a photographer, storyteller, student, or simply someone who wants to see the world a little differently, BE HERE offers an unforgettable perspective on the value of presence, empathy, and connection.
Fee: Free
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, December 2 at Noon
Attendees: 60 (Max)
