06/22/2009
Patricia Wright, who served SUNY Cortland for 30 years, retired on Jan. 22. She has been designated senior staff assistant emerita.
Born and raised in Cortland, she joined the College in 1978 as a data entry operator in the Computer Center for four years while attending computer-programming classes at the College. Wright was promoted to computer programmer for the next five years.
A billing manager in telecommunications, Wright worked for eight years until the position was eliminated and she became a classroom computer support technician.
Wright assisted in building and supporting the College's first Smart Classroom and its first Distance Learning Classroom.
She attended computer-programming classes at SUNY Cortland and Tompkins Cortland Community College. She received many certificates for her completion of specialized training classes in the PC support field from New Horizons Training Center in Syracuse, N.Y.
Wright served on numerous campus and statewide committees. In the community, she spent the last 15 years as an officer on the Cortlandville (N.Y.) Town Zoning Board.
Wright resides in Pahrump, Nev., with her husband, Chris.