Office of the President

Dear Campus Community,

Over the past two months, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about our beautiful campus. I have been attending events and performances, engaging in conversations with faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends, and discovering new aspects of what makes Purchase so special. The creativity, innovation, and excellence that define Purchase are evident everywhere. And yes, I have met my “step count” goals along the way!

Now at the middle of the semester with the leaves changing, I am excited to share some recent moments of pride and achievement from across our vibrant Purchase community. Through periodic messages “From the President’s Desk,” I look forward to celebrating the many ways we are advancing our mission together. I hope you will take a moment to join me in appreciating all that makes our community so remarkable. Thank you for the creativity, effort, and spirit you bring to Purchase every day.

With gratitude,

Michael E. Steiper

President, SUNY Purchase

Purchase is a Top-Ranked Campus

Purchase has been named a Top 10 Public School by U.S. News & World Report. Our #8 position is our highest in years, if not ever. We also placed #30 for social mobility, and our psychology program is among the nation’s best. To celebrate, we gathered on the Main Plaza for a toast with cider and donuts, along with a helping of Purchase pride! It was wonderful to come together as a community to recognize what makes us extraordinary. Watch a video of the celebration.

We are Family

I was delighted to meet so many proud parents, grandparents, siblings, and extended family members at Family Day this month. It was both heartening and inspiring to hear from families about our students’ experiences and how they are thriving in their classes, clubs, and residence halls. In case you missed it, you can see some of the happy reunions and smiling faces here!

Open House

We look forward to welcoming new families, friends, and prospective students at our upcoming Open House on November 2. There’s still time to register if you know someone who would like to take part in what will be a fantastic day on campus!

Building Our Cohort Programs

This Fall we welcomed our largest EOP class, expanded our ACE program, and brought in our biggest cohort of athletes yet! We’re especially grateful to Senator Mayer, Assemblymember Burdick, and SUNY Senior Associate Vice Chancellor & Chief Deputy for Student Success, Lisa Castillo Richmond, not only for supporting the ACE program, but also for visiting campus to learn from our students about its impact, which was covered by News 12. Many thanks to the admissions, student affairs, and athletics teams who made this possible!

Purchase Gets Even Cooler with Sustainable Energy

Purchase has been awarded $50 million to launch a thermal energy network as part of Governor Hochul’s $1 Billion Sustainable Future Program. In the coming years, this system will air condition more of our residence halls while reducing our energy costs and cutting our emissions. Thank you to our local elected officials and to Governor Hochul for their support, and thank you to Chancellor King for his leadership. Read more about this environmentally, economically, and educationally transformative project.

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts Stays in the Spotlight

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts’ students, alumni, faculty, and staff continue to impress audiences around the world— literally! The BFA Acting Program was recently included in the Hollywood Reporter’s “25 Best Drama Schools in the World” ranking for 2025!Congratulations to our students, faculty, staff, and alumni whose talent and dedication continue to inspire audiences everywhere. Learn more about our acting program’s ranking.

Serious About Science

Purchase faculty members are gaining major support for hands-on science that benefits our students, our state, and the world. Professors Skrivanek, Abdul-Quader, and Jonas received nearly $2 million from the National Science Foundation to expand opportunities for STEM students and Professor Jackson was awarded $500,000 from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to study forest regeneration here on campus. Their research projects reflect the best of Purchase: faculty and students working side-by-side to advance discovery, sustainability, and real-world learning. Read more about the National Science Foundation and New York Department of Environmental Conservation grants.

The Power of the Humanities

The Durst Distinguished Lecture Series welcomed award-winning authors to campus to discuss their work, Jesmyn Ward (Salvage the Bones, 2011) and Laila Lalami (The Dream Hotel, 2025). These public events highlight our role as a literary hub for our community and our students. Join us for the final conversation of the season with Percival Everett about James (October 29).

Neus from the Neuberger Museum

The Neuberger is now featured on Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app. Explore exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, and collection highlights anytime, anywhere, guided by our own Theatre and Dance students, and enjoy behind-the-scenes content from artists and staff. Download the app and learn more.

The PAC

The Purchase PAC’s season opened with performances by contemporary classical crossover artists The Vitamin String Quartet and jazz artist Endea Owens and her band, The Cookout. Upcoming events include contemporary dance, classical music, jazz, and a late-night screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, performed by our students. We’re also thrilled to welcome alum Regina Spektor ’01 to campus for a special gala event. Tickets for all upcoming PAC events can be purchased online at https://www.artscenter.org/events/.

Proof of Purchase

Our alumni continue to shine! Sean Kaufman ’22 was the talk of the summer in the viral hit, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Jazz sensation Samara Joy ’21 continues to generate Grammy buzz and sold-out crowds around the world, while 2011 journalism alum T.J. Raphael’s new investigative podcast Liberty Lost, is topping the charts. Hal Hartley ’84 debuted his latest film Where to Land, which stars fellow Purchase people Edie Falco ’84, Bill Sage ’88, George Feaster ’84, and Robert John Burke. And behind the camera, cinematographer Sarah Cawley ’87 was joined by other alumni on the production and crew!

One common theme we are seeing is how internships prepare our students for meaningful careers. The latest alumni newsletter spotlights two very recent journalism graduates, Josiah Acheampong ’25 and Sophia Castro Astor ’25. While at Purchase, Josiah interned with ABC and NBC, gaining valuable experience to launch his career as a weekend weather reporter at ABC 7 in Amarillo, Texas. During her time at Purchase, Sophia served as editor-in-chief of The Purchase Beat and completed a production internship with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, leading to an exciting internship with The Daily Show. Check out more success stories in the alumni newsletter.

I encourage all our alumni to stay connected and share your achievements with us! Update your contact information to make sure you’re in the know about upcoming events! Nearly 100 alumni gathered for our annual #ForeverPurchase event in NYC for a night of connection and networking. Stay tuned for future chances to connect.

Purchase Around the Globe

This summer, our students studied sustainability and climate change in Norway and cinema and culture in France on faculty-led trips. This is just part of how the Office for Global Education and our faculty work to expand our students’ perspectives both here on campus and abroad. Read more about how Purchase is fostering global citizenship.

Finally, to stay engaged, you can follow Purchase on social media:

Instagram: @purchasecollegepres | @purchasecollege

LinkedIn: President Steiper | SUNY Purchase