Lecture to Chronicle Historian's Journey from Plattsburgh

David L. Nicandri, who graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1970, will return to campus on Tuesday, April 15, to give a talk as part of the Distinguished Visiting Alumni program. "The Road West from Plattsburgh: Pushes and Pulls" will begin at 4 p.m. in the Cardinal Lounge of the Angell College Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Nicandri's talk will look at his journey through life, from SUNY Plattsburgh to his work as executive director of the Washington State Historical Society and executive editor of the journal Columbia: the Magazine of Northwest History.

"Mr. Nicandri is one of the most distinguished public historians in the United States," said Dr. Doug Skopp, a distinguished professor of history (emeritus) and SUNY Plattsburgh's college historian. "He is a marvelous reflection of our college's achievement in producing outstanding public servants and is an outstanding role model for our current students."

Nicandri, who was chair of the Lewis and Clark National Bicentennial Commission and is the founder of the quarterly journal he edits, has published many works including histories of western treaties, essays on Italian Americans in Washington and the history of Tacoma, Washington. Other publications include the entry "Isaac I. Stevens and the Expeditionary Artist of the Northern West" in the anthology "Encounters with a Distant Land: Exploration and the Great Northwest" and "Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History," which he co-authored.

Nicandri has been an active member of several boards and committees, including the Washington State Legislative Oral History Advisory Committee; the Building for the Arts Advisory Board for the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic development; and the Tacoma Advisory Committee for the University of Washington. In those and many other roles, he has helped to establish statewide museum and reservation organizations and has served as an advocate for history, heritage and museums before the state legislature, generating the financial resources needed for heritage organizations throughout the state.

As a former city counselor in his hometown of Tumwater, Washington, Nicandri has served as leader in his community as well.

The Distinguished Visiting Alumni Award Program brings former SUNY Plattsburgh students back to campus to discuss their careers with current students, faculty members and others. They share new ideas and become more involved in the academic mission of the college.

"The DVA program reconnects many alums with the campus," said Rose Anderson, executive director of Alumni Affairs. "After being a part of the program, 99.9 percent say they would like to come back and teach here. It's just one of our best programs for both students and alumni. Our alums show students what can be done with a SUNY Plattsburgh degree."