2020: The Year in Photos by SUNY Geneseo
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2020: The Year in Photos

SUNY Geneseo staff photographer Keith Walters '11 shares some of his favorite photos of the year.

SUNY Geneseo
By SUNY Geneseo

Split Vision

The year started off with a fun assignment: this underwater portrait of student-athlete Diedre Osula '21. Another image from this shoot ran in the alumni magazine Scene to kick off the athletic section, but I enjoy this shot, which shows the "Blue Wave" flags above the pool.

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Fire and Ice

Photographed from the roof of the ISC. I love the contrast of cold and warm.

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Putting in the Extra Time

Kevin Seitz '20 spent part of his January intersession building muon detectors for the physics department. What I like about this picture: his intent focus and the accent of the smoke from the soldering iron.

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A Toast

Geneseo's musical theatre program performed "Assassins" in January. The intimacy of the set made it really fun to photograph—the performers seemed to be right on top of the audience.

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Buzzing

MacVittie College Union was busy in early February. I miss seeing the campus alive like this.

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Winter Beauty

We have a beautiful campus to photograph year-round. Oftentimes you think of that quintessential campus photo from the fall, but with a fresh snowfall, winter can look just as lovely.

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Happy Birthday, MacVittie College Union

Back in March, the MacVittie College Union celebrated 50 years with a festive cake and a historical exhibition in the lobby and ballroom. Kathy Trainor, former director of college union activities, and Chip Matthews, director of student life, had the honor of cutting the cake for hundreds of students.

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A Bittersweet Three-Peat

The Geneseo Ice Knights were crowned SUNYAC champions in March for the third consecutive year in front of a packed Ira S. Wilson ice arena. These two pictures are hard for me to look at, even now, for two reasons.

First, this was possibly the most talented group of Ice Knights we've ever seen—consistently ranked within the top three in national polls all season. Expectations were high for a national championship run starting the following weekend, but those hopes were squashed when the season was canceled as the nation and world locked down due to the coronavirus.

Second, looking at all those faces in the crowd really hits me hard. No one in that building guessed that six days later they'd be packing their bags for home. It's also strange to look back at such large gatherings of people now that we have lived our lives in such a different way for the past nine months. Did we really used to do that?

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Clearing Out

Classes went entirely remote toward the end of March, leaving an eerie emptiness on campus.

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Looking Up

This photo was made for an article in the alumni magazine on the restorative power of spending time in nature. Pictured: my wife Joanna Walters '13 and our dog Lady at Cumming Nature Center in Naples, NY.

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Sunset

In May, I came across this couple at the gazebo. The setting sun and their embrace made for a nice moment.

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March for Black Lives

With the national debate on race and policing in America renewed yet again by the tragic killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, hundreds of students and community members rallied together on a blisteringly hot day in June to make their voices heard.

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Muons over Letchworth

Faculty and students in the physics department built and deployed muon detectors for a citizen-science project aimed at raising awareness of the subatomic world. This fun assignment took me underground to the American Rock Salt Mine, through Letchworth State Park, and *almost* in a hot air balloon (timing didn't work out for the last one). Learn more about the Muons over Letchworth project here.

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Walk the Line

One summer evening while out on a walk, I came across village resident Elliott Bennett practicing his balance in front of Doty Hall. I didn't have a camera on me when I first saw this scene, but I couldn't help running across campus to grab my gear for a few frames.

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Return to Research

Undergraduate researchers were among the first to return to campus over the summer. These were the first photos I made of students wearing face masks.

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Welcome Back

Face masks, temperature checks, and social distancing—move-in day looked a little different this year. A lot of uncertainty surrounded the return of students—would our new safety protocols be enough to stop the spread and keep the community safe? I'm proud of how our campus pulled together to make it work.

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A New Normal

Campus life continued in the fall, but with some noticeable differences: mask wearing, reduced-capacity classrooms, social distancing, and a lot of outdoor learning. Luckily we had some pretty great weather through most of October!

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Sturges Quad

I had to include an iconic view of Sturges Quad—one of my favorite spots on campus.

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Still Grinding

While no games were played this fall, our student-athletes still practiced and trained. Left: Noelle Staso '21 demonstrates how to get a good workout at home. You can read more about her tips in Scene magazine's Summer 2020 issue here. Right: Jordan Penkitis '21 poses for a portrait appearing in the Winter 2021 issue.

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Cruising

Longboards were all the rage this semester. Pictured: Billy Richman '21 carves downhill at sunset.

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Pandemic-Proof Traditions

Even in the midst of a pandemic, the gazebo continued to be a special place to gather.

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Visit from Albany

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras dropped by campus for the first time in September to assess Geneseo's COVID-19 response. After meeting with cabinet members, he toured campus and spent time speaking with students.

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Testing

To keep our community safe, SUNY Geneseo conducted rigorous testing of faculty, staff, and students throughout the fall semester, and our student-run EMT service, Geneseo First Response, played a huge role in making this a success.

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Scenes of Autumn

Changing of the seasons. We saw some spectacular color on campus this year.

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The Show Goes On

One of my last assignments of the year was a dress rehearsal for Geneseo Dance Ensemble's fall performance. It was refreshing to see a performance in person for the first time in eight months.

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Closing Time

I photographed this view of Main Street one foggy evening. As this chaotic year draws to a close, I can't help but feel gratitude for the opportunity to capture another year of life on campus. Here's to a brighter year ahead.

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