Community Foundation Bolsters Hartwick’s Stability

“My father was Hartwick’s director of Health Services, and he and his brothers were all alumni,” he said. “We’ve always been donors because we believe in the Hartwick mission.”

The newly elected president of the Community Foundation of Otsego County’s (CFOC) Board of Trustees, Rowley — along with Executive Director Jeff Katz — has played a key role in strengthening the foundation’s connection to the College. Their efforts have included providing funding for Hartwick’s Institute of Public Service, sponsoring its own “Student Voices, Student Choices” event, and awarding grants for the Equity Coalition Program, a collaboration among the foundation, Hartwick and SUNY Oneonta.

Founded in 2019, CFOC, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and prosperity of Otsego County, has made Hartwick College a funding priority.

“We don’t just want students to learn how to engage in our community here,” said Katz. “We want them to take these civil service lessons with them wherever they go.”

In 2023, the foundation awarded Hartwick $5,000 to help launch the Institute.

“Hartwick and the Institute are showing them that engagement is more than just ‘go out and vote,’” said Katz. “It’s about understanding and working in their community to make it better for everyone.”

Student Voices, Student Choices, which invites high school students to develop projects addressing local issues and partner with not-for-profit organizations in their community, was initially held at SUNY Oneonta in 2023. In 2024, Hartwick’s Griffiths Center for Collaboration and Innovation stepped up by providing student mentors for each team, offering campus tours, and hosting a full-day workshop to give participants the skills to develop their projects. The final event, at which prizes were awarded to the best project, took place in Slade Theater in November.

“The teams improved beyond belief,” said Rowley.

The foundation also joined Hartwick in supporting the annual Inclusive Business Awards and provided a $5,000 grant to the Oneonta Equity Coalition, a partnership between Hartwick and SUNY, to help “build bridges” and create opportunities for students of color to engage with Oneonta businesses.

“We spoke with students and heard their stories,” said Katz. “Our mission as a foundation is to make the community a more welcoming place, so giving this award was a way to help begin that work.”

“Community building is why we love working with Hartwick,” he added. “They know each other, and they’re always amenable to partnerships.”