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Dr. Alberto José Cardelle

Getting to know SUNY Oneonta's ninth president

By SUNY Oneonta

September 7^th, 2021

Our Newest Red Dragon

In one of his first duties as president of SUNY Oneonta, Dr. Alberto José Cardelle joined new students on Aug. 27 in ceremoniously passing through the pillars of Old Main, a beloved tradition that signifies the beginning of their journey at Oneonta.

A little less than two weeks later, he is beginning his own Oneonta journey on his first day as college president.

Three things you must know about Dr. Cardelle (pronounced Car-DAY-ay):

He loves a good cup of coffee, is extremely passionate about social justice and equity, and has a real soft spot for commencement ceremonies. ("It's my favorite time of year.")

Read on to learn more about the ninth president of SUNY Oneonta.

Dr. Cardelle leads the way with Red, the SUNY Oneonta mascot, as new students prepare to Pass Through the Pillars.

Humble Beginnings

Growing up in Miami, Florida as a first-generation American, Dr. Cardelle had big dreams. At that time, Miami was not the bustling city it is now but was instead “a really sleepy town.” His parents were both Cuban immigrants who came to the United States in their early 20s before they were married. Dr. Cardelle and his two brothers had a very traditional Hispanic upbringing.

Dr. Cardelle (middle) and his two brothers, Francisco and Carlos.

A young Dr. Cardelle, top right, poses with members of his Little League team

“It was a wonderful childhood, with extended family close by. We went to the beach every day and played baseball and spent lots of time outside. Interestingly, I didn’t ever see myself as a member of a minority in Miami. It was only later when I left and went to college that I realized. That was also the first time I saw snow!”

A Legacy of Social Justice

Dr. Cardelle had a front-row seat as his parents tried their best to assimilate to the American way of life and understand a system with which they weren’t familiar. He grew up hearing remarkable and inspiring stories about his family still in Cuba.

“My uncle was executed as part of the Cuban revolution in the 60s, so that had a big impact on me and shaped my passion for social justice. My grandfather was a judge who died defending the rights of sugarcane workers. All of this really instilled in me a desire to make the world a better place.”

Dr. Cardelle and his parents in Miami circa 1964

Education as the Path to Make a Difference

Dr. Cardelle went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and Latin American studies from Tulane University in 1986, a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University in 1989 and a doctoral degree in international studies from the University of Miami in 1999.

He joins us from Fitchburg State University, where he most recently served as provost and vice president for academic affairs. Previously, he spent 15 years at East Stroudsburg University (ESU), where he began his academic career as an assistant professor of public health in 1999, became department chair in 2001, and served as vice-provost, dean of the Graduate College and dean of the College of Health Sciences.

At Fitchburg, Dr. Cardelle was most proud of the work he was able to do around diversity, equity and inclusion, from creating additional opportunities for underrepresented faculty to improving overall access to higher education.

Prior to his career in higher education, Dr. Cardelle spent a decade working on health care issues with the World Health Organization, the American Medical Student Association, UNICEF and Oxfam America.

Dr. Cardelle during his undergraduate commencement from Tulane University in 1986.

Family is Everything

Dr. Cardelle shares his passion for social justice with his wife, Dr. Rachel Frick Cardelle, a community college leader and advocate for the last 15 years. The couple, who just celebrated their 30th anniversary, met while working at Oxfam America in Boston, where Dr. Cardelle was attending graduate school for public health. They went on to work for three years together in community health programs in Central America.

Dr. Cardelle and his wife, Rachel, at their wedding in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1991.

Dr. Cardelle and his wife, Rachel, in Portugal together

The Cardelles have three grown daughters: There is 26-year-old Marianela, an engineer working on sustainable water systems in Singapore, and their 23-year-old twins, Catalina and Josephine. Catalina just started graduate school, and Josephine is a civil engineer working for Conservation Corps.

The Cardelle Family in Massachusetts in 2021

"I'm very proud of my daughters. Not only because of what they’ve accomplished, but because of what they’ve taught me. I have a lot of wonderful conversations with them, and they've taught me a lot about racial justice issues, sexuality and gender identity. The understanding that they have of these topics helps me grow as a person and educator every day."

Passions and Plans

Dr. Cardelle's perfect day starts with "some good coffee" and involves traveling with his family. They have spent quite a bit of time in Spain, where they have family, and have also traveled extensively in England and Portugal together. When his daughters were young, they completed a cross-country trip from New York City all the way to Seattle and into British Columbia.

A world map of all the places Dr. Cardelle has been.

"I love to travel with my wife and daughters. Being able to wake up with coffee, explore a new city or new area together and make memories ... those are my favorite times."

The Cardelles doing some sightseeing in England

Dr. Cardelle and his daughters in Spain after Spain won the World Cup in 2010

Dr. Cardelle and his wife, Rachel, in the Yucatan

The Cardelle Family on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala

In his spare time, Dr. Cardelle and his wife enjoy cooking, reading, visiting the beach and running. They have competed in several marathons and half-marathons. They recently took up woodworking and are working on making Adirondack chairs.

The Cardelles have two cats and are in the process of trying to adopt a rescue dog.

Dr. Cardelle and his daughters after running in a family 5K together

Dr. Cardelle coaches his daughters' soccer team

Dr. Cardelle and his wife, Rachel, run in a race together.

Looking Ahead

Dr. Cardelle says he is looking forward to being able to meet with students and attend sporting events at SUNY Oneonta. He is particularly fond of soccer. (When his daughters played, he was their coach.)

His biggest goal for SUNY Oneonta is to "rebuild a sense of community and strengthen the reputation of the college so that it can continue the pattern of strong enrollment for which it's known." Another priority is to continue where Acting President Dennis Craig left off and highlight "all the good work being done by the faculty and staff."

Perhaps most important is to continue to grow the college's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Our student population is changing, and we need to become an institution that can serve all our students. ...

My hope is to really spend a lot of time when I arrive listening to all the different constituents so that every voice is heard and taken into account."