More than 100 students, faculty, and staff came together earlier this month to showcase a year’s worth of academic, creative, and professional achievements at Keuka College’s third annual Keuka College Expo (KCx).
The event celebrated the college’s hallmark Field Period® program, which sends students across the country and beyond for real-world internships and experiences — and then brings their stories home.
“It really is a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate the scholarship that’s taking place at Keuka College,” said President Amy Storey, as she addressed the campus-wide gathering.
The day featured student-led presentations grounded in classroom work, independent study, and Field Period exploration. Highlights included keynote speaker Dr. Carolyn Klinge, a Class of ’79 alumna and professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Dr. Klinge, who has mentored more than a dozen Keuka Field Period students throughout her career, urged attendees to seize every opportunity. “I congratulate each of you for your accomplishments,” she said. “I also challenge you… to do well, to do good, and to make yourself, your loved ones, and your alma mater proud.”
She identified three main benefits of Field Period: trying out career paths, gaining professional experience, and building essential skills such as communication and time management.
Senior Environmental Science major Alana Modugno presented research on benthic diatoms in the Keuka Lake watershed — a project that grew from Field Period work into a year-long class initiative. Her collaboration with the Keuka Lake Association and Finger Lakes Institute earned her second place in the expo’s Research Excellence Award category.
“The biggest thing I learned was networking,” Modugno said. “And how important it is to be independent. You need self-initiative to succeed.”
Occupational Therapy juniors Hayleigh Vanderhos, Anna Taylor, Curtis Law, and Sarah Klein shared research on how OT practices can help new students feel connected on campus. Their strategy, based on interviews with high school students, emphasized peer mentoring to improve retention.
“I thought it was interesting how we, as current students, can play a role in supporting incoming students,” Vanderhos said.
President Storey closed by reminding students of the broader impact their Field Period experiences can have. “The world needs you,” she said. “The work you do during Field Period can help you discover where you belong, where you can thrive, and where you can make a difference.”
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