When John S. Nader was named Farmingdale State College's ninth President, it was evident from the beginning that he possessed an unshakable attention to detail. No chipped wedge of brick went unnoticed. No wall with a comb of scratches went unpainted. A microscopic tear in the American flag rippling in the wind outside Horton Hall? Let's get to it.

But what really made an impact on the campus was Dr. Nader's commitment to listening to faculty and staff, his caffeine-fueled level of energy, and a boundless enthusiasm for a college that had so much to brag about. That's when his personal philosophy was adopted for a year-long theme that culminated with his official inauguration in March 2017: "Powered by Optimism."

"I am, by nature, an optimistic person," Dr. Nader said. "I like to see possibilities, what can be achieved. I like to convey that in everything I do and think about."

That approach was a hallmark of the ceremony in the Nold Athletic Complex attended by hundreds of faculty, staff, and special guests, including U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, SUNY Chairman H. Carl McCall, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, former Farmingdale Presidents W. Hubert Keen and Frank Cipriani, members of the College Council, and officers of the Farmingdale College Foundation and Alumni Board. Even with the traditional pomp and circumstance, Dr. Nader's unbridled passion beamed through, as it did the night before where he was a featured speaker at the Alumni Awards Dinner.

And, as always, his commitment to students—to providing excellent instruction, engaging social activities, and a robust campus environment—was front and center as he addressed the audience. "The students at Farmingdale are a remarkable group," he said. "The vast majority of our students work to help pay for their education. Nearly 200 of them are veterans of our armed forces and over 40 percent are the first generation of their family to attend college. They are engaged and studious. They represent this college extraordinarily well. And they make this a better place."

Dr. Nader also paid homage to the faculty for their outstanding work and, thinking globally, to the critical role higher education plays in improving the lives of those who earn a degree, and those in the regional businesses and communities who benefit from the presence of Farmingdale's resources.

"We are living in an era when those institutions—particularly public colleges and universities—are often underappreciated, undervalued and, in some states, even under attack," he said. "This is happening when the importance of colleges and universities has never been greater and when many of these institutions are literally transforming the lives of an increasingly diverse array of students. We should be proud of that."