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.
| š¼ļø Fire and Framed: Create Your Own Fused Glass Art w/ Penny Veschusio and Marie Joyce of Songbyrd Street Studios: 9/10/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Wednesday, September 10
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Penny Veschusio and Marie Joyce of Songbyrd Street Studios
Description: Unleash your creativity in this hands-on fused-glass workshop! With their guidance, participants will design and decorate a pre-cut piece of glass using various types and colors of fusible glass, crafting their own vibrant fused-glass artwork. Penny and Marie will bring the artwork back to their studio to be fired in the kiln and will also frame them. The framed fused-glass artwork will then be brought back to SUNY Poly the following week. They can be picked up in Institutional Advancement, located on the 2nd floor of Kunsela Hall (B234), the week of Monday, August 11 ā Friday, August 15, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. ā 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit songbyrdstreetstudios.com.
Fee: $65
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, September 10 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
| ā« How to Jump Into a Black Hole: Cosmic Curiosity for the Brave and the Bold: 9/15/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Monday, September 15
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Dr. Robert Penna, Theoretical Physicist and Assistant Professor of Physics at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: So, you want to jump into a black hole? In this one-hour talk, you'll learn everything you need to know, including where to find a black hole, the difference between the event horizon and the singularity, what you can do once you are inside, and much more!
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Monday, September 15 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
| š Make & Take Workshop: Wool Felting for Beginners - Create Your Own Wool Felted Mushroom: 9/22/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Monday, September 22
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Eric Freeman, Wool Felt Artist
Description: Celebrate National Mushroom Month with a hands-on āMake & Takeā workshop where youāll craft your very own wool felted mushroom! Learn the basics of needle felting and leave with a whimsical, one-of-a-kind creation. No experience needed ā just bring your imagination and mushroom-loving spirit!
Fee: $50.00 + Eventbrite Fees
Deadline: Register by Friday, September 19 at Noon
Participants: 40 (Max)
Register Now!
| š„¾ Ecosystems Explorers: 9/24/25 (Pre-Collegiate Workshop, Ages 11+) |
Date: Wednesday, September 24
Time: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Justin Jablonski, Adjunct Lecturer at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: Come join us for a two-hour adventure in the wild side of science! Participants will become ecosystem explorers by investigating local habitats, identifying common plants and animals, and discovering how everything connects in a living food web. The experience blends biology, environmental science, and ecological education, offering a fun and educational morning perfect for curious minds ages 11 and up. Whether your student loves science, nature, or just getting outside, this camp is a great way to explore STEM in action. As a hands-on highlight, each attendee will create and take home their own terrariumāa miniature ecosystem they can continue to observe and care for. The event will begin and end indoors, with outdoor exploration depending on weather conditions. Please bring a water bottle, appropriate footwear, and clothing for being outside.
Fee: FREE/RSVP Required (Thanks to the generous support of NYSTEC)
Deadline: Register by Monday, September 22 at Noon
Age Range: 11 years and older
Participants: 12 (Max)
Register Now!
| š Buzz Into Pollination: The Secret Life of Bees: 9/27/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Saturday, September 27
Time: 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Donovan Hall, Room 2151, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Dr. Margarita Orlova, Assistant Professor of Biology at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: Discover the fascinating world of pollination and the vital role bees play in our ecosystems. This āhands-onā talk in the will feature real specimens (no live bees), andāweather permittingāa guided walk outdoors to see pollinators in action. Perfect for curious minds of all ages!
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Friday, September 26 at Noon
Participants: 24 (Max)
Register Now!
| š Leaping into the Wild: The Secret Life of Lemurs: 10/27/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Monday, October 27
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Adam T. McLain, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: Join us for a wild adventure into the treetops of Madagascar as we explore the fascinating world of lemurs ā leaping, lounging, and laughing all the way! From their quirky behaviors to their fight for survival, this playful presentation shines a spotlight on why these unique primates deserve our attention and protection.
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Monday, October 27 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
| š Trunk or Treat at SUNY Poly: 10/30/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Thursday, October 30
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Parking Lot B & C, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Description: Join us for a festive Trunk or Treat event at SUNY Polytechnic University on Thursday, October 30, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Students, staff, and community members are invited to enjoy decorated car trunks, candy, and Halloween activities in a fun and safe environment. Costumes are encouraged, and all ages are welcome to this spook-tacular celebration!
Fee: Free
Deadline: No Deadline
Participants: First-come, first-served
| š» From Hackathon to Leadership: Facing the Fear, Finding Your Strength: 10/30/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Thursday, October 30
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Linda Paredes ā20, UX/UI Designer and Coding Teacher at East Elite
Description: Whatās scarier than a haunted house? Leading a team for the first timeāor stepping up in the middle of chaos. But just like in a hackathon, the best growth happens when you embrace the unknown. In this spirited pre-Halloween workshop, weāll explore how collaborative challenges build real-world leadership skills. Iāll share my own journey, including some frightful flops and thrilling wins, and weāll uncover practical strategies to help you lead with confidenceāeven when it feels a little scary.
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, October 29 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
| š£ļø š Interpersonal Communication & Relationship Building Workshop: 11/12/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Wednesday, November 12
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Mark I. Cushman, Certified Organizational Development Coach
Description: Get ready to engage, interact, and transform the way you communicate! This dynamic workshop isnāt just a lecture ā itās a fully immersive experience. Through real-time communication-style assessments, group exercises, and powerful role-playing activities, youāll uncover how others perceive you and discover practical tools to improve your active listening, verbal, non-verbal, and written communication.
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Wednesday, November 12 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
| šš½ SETI Part 2: Aliens, AI & the Holiday Paradox - A Cosmic Winter: 12/9/25 (All Ages) |
Date: Tuesday, December 9
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Student Center, Multi-Purpose Room, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502
Presenter: Dr. Emilio Cobanera, Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Safe and Secure AI Robotics at SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Description: This holiday season, journey through the stars without leaving campus! As humanity cozies up to artificial intelligences like ChatGPT and Gemini, we must revisit one of scienceās greatest mysteries: where are all the aliens? In this festive edition of his thought-provoking talk, Dr. Emilio Cobanera unwraps the Fermi Paradox in the age of AI and explores how our new relationship with intelligent machines could offer fresh insight into alien cognition, robotic civilizations, and our place in a possibly quiet galaxy.
Fee: Free/RSVP Required
Deadline: Register by Tuesday, December 9 at Noon
Participants: 30 (Max)
Register Now!
