Two new endowments have been established at SUNY Cobleskill to honor longtime employees Stephen Mackenzie and the late Ruth Hayes.
Professor “Doc” Mackenzie has been a pillar of the College’s Animal Science: Canine concentration for nearly 40 years.
The endowment was announced as Dr. Mackenzie received a Master Trainer of the Year award from the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) on May 12 in Eureka, Missouri.
“Dr. Stephen Mackenzie is the kind of educator that makes SUNY Cobleskill a leader in applied learning,” said SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio.
"His reputation as a master trainer is exceeded perhaps only by his reputation as a masterful and compassionate teacher. I congratulate him on earning the Master Trainer of the Year award, and I am proud to announce the Dr. Stephen Mackenzie Canine Equipment Endowment in his honor.”
With a funding goal of $10,000, the endowment will help fulfill the ever-growing equipment needs of the Canine program, one of the few in the country.
Students in the program prepare to work as trainers in various settings, from private pet training to law enforcement, as well as a variety of other careers.
In addition to teaching at SUNY Cobleskill, Dr. Mackenzie has served as a deputy sheriff for the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office for more than 20 years, including seven as their K-9 handler and trainer.
He is rated a Master Trainer of utility, cadaver, narcotics and wildlife detection dogs by the NAPWDA, is an executive board member of North Easter Wilderness Search and Rescue, Inc., is presently serving as the president of the New York State Canine Association, and is the author of “Decoys and Aggression: A Police K-9 Training Manual,” “Aggression Control: How to Teach the ‘Out’,” and “Police Officer’s Guide to K9 Searches.”
Dr. Mackenzie is a court-recognized expert in animal behavior at both the state and federal levels in both criminal and civil cases, and a frequent instructor at police and search and rescue dog seminars across the United States and Canada.
“Doc Mackenzie has been central to building the quality and reputation of our Animal Science: Canine concentration for the past 30 years,” said Timothy Moore, Dean of SUNY Cobleskill’s School of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Under his expert guidance, the program has become a jewel of SUNY Cobleskill’s School of Agriculture and Technology and a destination for students who dream of turning their love of dogs into meaningful careers.”
Longtime employee and SUNY Cobleskill alumna Margaret Hayes died early this year at age 60.
The “Margaret Hayes Pay-It-Forward Memorial Fund” will help SUNY Cobleskill students with the extra costs of attending college.
Ms. Hayes worked as a secretary in the College’s Business Office and in the School of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences for 30 years, becoming a vital member of the SUNY Cobleskill family. She was known for her service, kindness, and generosity toward both colleagues and students.
To keep her generous spirit alive, her colleagues at SUNY Cobleskill have founded the “Margaret Hayes Pay-It-Forward Memorial Fund” with an endowment goal of $10,000.
The fund will offer $500 a year to help SUNY Cobleskill students in good academic standing cover expenses such as books, graduation gowns and gas money.
“We envision this as a fund for those unexpected or unanticipated hardships, to be used after students have exhausted existing options,” said Erik Hage, chair of the Liberal Studies Department at SUNY Cobleskill, who co-founded the award with Professor Kathy Johnson.
“Margaret helped many of us do our jobs, taking care of all the little things that helped the College function. Kindness fosters kindness, and this is a great way of paying that forward.”
Ms. Hayes was remembered at SUNY Cobleskill with “Reflections and Readings: Remembrances of Margaret’s Kindness and Generosity” on March 16.
The memorial event featured a variety of speakers sharing memories of Ms. Hayes and selected readings as well as a performance by the SUNY Cobleskill choir.
For more information on either the endowment or to contribute, contact the Office of College Advancement at 255-5524.