Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith was interviewed by Kate Valerio on WUSB-FM, discussing her initial months at the university, her professional journey in higher education, and her vision for Stony Brook’s future. The conversation aired on October 18 during the “Health Matters” program and included Rick Gatteau, Vice President of Student Affairs.
Goldsmith described a positive reception from students, faculty, and staff since arriving at Stony Brook. In her first State of the University Address on September 29, she said Stony Brook is “a place where I could come in and craft, together with everybody here, a vision for the future and then achieve it.”
She outlined a strategic plan based on three pillars: accelerate, build, and catalyze. She explained that accelerating refers to advancing excellence in research, education, service, and healthcare; building includes improving campus facilities such as The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island and Stony Brook Southampton while expanding student enrollment to educate more New Yorkers; catalyzing involves encouraging innovation, entrepreneurship, and partnerships with industry “to have a real significant impact.”
Gatteau spoke about new initiatives to support increased student residency. These include Seawolf Village—opening in January with 492 beds—and a new hall planned for Tabler community. He noted that the Student Support team now has members embedded within residence halls for immediate assistance. Additions like large SBU letters outside Stony Brook Union are also intended to enhance school spirit.
Both Goldsmith and Gatteau reflected on their career paths. Gatteau mentioned his parents’ influence as teachers led him toward education; he has served at Stony Brook for 24 years and contributed to launching its master’s program in higher education administration.
Goldsmith shared that she was uncertain about her career path as a child: “at most inflection points in my career, I didn’t know.” She recalled that while her mother was an animator for “Rocky and Bullwinkle” and her father an engineer, she did not initially follow those professions directly but eventually pursued engineering at Berkeley before developing an interest in wireless communication. She advised young people: “So one of the things I like to tell young people is explore all your options. Don’t settle on one thing. Because there’s so many paths to professional success and satisfaction.”
The interview will be rebroadcast on WUSB-FM 90.1 and 107.3 on October 20 as well as during Homecoming events on October 25.
During the broadcast, Goldsmith and Gatteau participated in WUSB’s acceptance of the New York Broadcaster-Community Partnership Award from the New York Blood Center (NYBC). Stony Brook University has collaborated with NYBC for over two decades resulting in more than 35,000 pints of blood donated by members of its community; these donations contribute to research efforts as well as cancer treatment programs across New York State hospitals.
