In August of last year it was announced that SUNY Brockport President Heidi Macpherson would be retiring at the end of this academic year. Macpherson has served as President of SUNY Brockport since 2015. With a long list of accomplishments under her belt, Macpherson decided now was a good time to step away after achieving everything that she set out to accomplish upon arriving on campus 11 years ago.  

There were many factors about SUNY Brockport that intrigued Macpherson when she had the opportunity to become President over a decade ago.  

“I was at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as Provost when I was approached about this job,” Macpherson said. “What I really liked about Brockport was that it was focused on student success. I liked the diversity of the student body, which was much more diverse than the Wisconsin campus that I was on, and it was very similar to the diversity that I’d been at previously. It just felt that within the SUNY system, that’s a system that I wanted to be part of.” 

Accepting the role meant Macpherson would be the first female president of SUNY Brockport.  

“That’s a historical moment and I’m proud of the fact that we’ve broken that barrier; it is definitely the first time that a woman has been president here, and won’t be the last,” Macpherson said.  “I’d love for there to be an opportunity for a whole series of women who become presidents here. I think it’s helpful for the student body to see a woman be president, and especially for female students, to see that a woman can lead this organization. I’m really looking forward to the moment when it’s just normal for there to be a woman president, that it doesn’t get called out as frequently, because it would be natural that we’d have women in leadership positions.” 

Macpherson has made a large impact on SUNY Brockport’s campus in her time as president and is entering retirement with many things she is proud of.  

“One of the things I’m really proud of is that we’ve raised the profile of SUNY Brockport within, not just this area, but the greater Rochester area,” Macphearson said. “[Now] people know what we stand for, that we are a university that can help all sorts of issues in the greater Rochester area, that people know that we’re invested in the success of the region and that we’re not the best kept secret in the area anymore.” 

Macpherson has previously said that she hopes to see SUNY Brockport continue going strong for another 190 years, as she believes there are many elements that will ensure Brockport’s success long into the future.  

“I think everyone here is invested in student success,” Macpherson said. “Everyone is a part of that process of making sure that students feel a sense of belonging. I think that having stable leadership over a period of years can really help with that. I’ve been here 11 years, my predecessor was here 10 years and before that, the president was there seven years. That’s a long stretch of time to help ensure that what we’re trying to achieve as an institution continues to go down the path that we’re looking at.” 

Engaging with the student body and watching them grow and develop was one of Macpherson’s favorite parts during her time as President. Macpherson fully embraced her role on campus and understoodthe importance of the President becoming ingrained in campus life and activities.  

“I think it’s fundamental,” Machpherson said. “One of the reasons there is a presidential house on campus is because the people who organize SUNY recognize how important it is for the President to be involved in the campus. My husband and I walk our dog on campus every morning and most evenings, because we want to be around students. We want to be visible, we go to sporting events, we go to theater events, music events, we go to art shows and we go to various conferences or talks that are put on by the campus. The other thing to recognize is that the President’s role is not just internal to the campus; it’s actually a very external job, so my responsibility is also to be present in the greater Rochester community, as well. But wherever I go, I represent SUNY Brockport, and that’s the most important thing that I can do.” 

Outside of SUNY Brockport, Macpherson is Chair of the Willow Domestic Violence Center board, an organization of which she is actively involved with and loves seeing former students work for the organization after graduating.  

After an eventful 11 years at the helm of the University, Macpherson felt that this year was the right time to step away. 

“I think after 11 years, a lot of what I wanted us to achieve during my presidency we managed to achieve as a team,” Macpherson said. “I thought it’s time for someone else to have some eyes over what’sthe next phase for Brockport. We’ve managed to be financially sustainable, we’ve managed to grow our enrollment, we’ve managed to raise our profile, we’ve managed to do a lot of what I wanted us to do.Now somebody else can start from this level and take us to the next level. So, 11 years seemed like a good amount of time to spend.” 

After achieving noticeable areas of growth for the University over the last decade, Macpherson detailed how her final year has been different compared to years past.  

“Once you announce that you’re going to retire, you become very aware that this is the last time you do this, or the last time you do that,” Macpherson said. “All through this year, I’ve had a lot of lasts and that’s been emotional. It’s like, oh, this is the last time I do senior day for this sporting event, this is the last accepted student day that I do or this is the last time we have a campus leadership summit. All ofthose moments have taken on a little bit more significance and I felt able to really be present in the moment and recognize the lastness of things and to appreciate the opportunities that I’ve had to lead at this institution. 

“So there’s a little bit of melancholy attached to it. A little bit of joy to see how far we’ve come. I know that those feelings are probably going to culminate in our commencement ceremonies, because the last of those commencement ceremonies, no doubt, will feel very emotional to know how many years I’ve been able to shake hands of students as they cross the stage. It’s been such a privilege.” 

As Macpherson’s final year as President ends, she leaves behind a message for former students who attended SUNY Brockport during her presidency, current students and future students who will enroll after her retirement.  

“Former students, I would say, please get in touch with your alma mater and let us know how you’re doing,” Macpherson said. “We want to tell your stories. We are so proud of the part that we’ve played in your lives and we want to stay connected to you. I really hope you’re doing well. 

“For current students, take advantage of what Brockport has to offer you, because this is one of the most interesting times in your life. There are opportunities that we offer you here at Brockport, where you can fail in a safe environment, where you can try things out and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. But if you say yes to things that feel scary, you will have the best experiences of your life. So say yes to the opportunity to study abroad, say yes to that internship that you might not feel fully ready for. Say yes. There are opportunities here that will help you grow as an individual that you’ll not get in another part of your life. 

“For future students, understand that coming to university is scary, and it’s not just scary for you, it’s scary for everyone. So it’s okay to feel scared, and you have to feel scared and do it anyway.” 

Following her retirement from SUNY Brockport, Macpherson has plans that will keep her busy over the next year.  

“I will be working for SUNY for an additional year, as a Special Advisor to the Chancellor,” Macpherson said. “My main project will be to explore ways to support the Educational Opportunity Centers in New York, each of which has a sponsoring SUNY or CUNY campus. I’ll be exploring ways to strengthen the relationships between the EOCs and the campuses and look at opportunities to expand partnership activities. I will also continue to volunteer with the Willow Domestic Violence Center as their board chair and with United Way as a board member. I’m also VP for Members for the Rochester Rotary Club. Finally, I’m looking forward to getting back to my creative writing practices.” 

Macpherson will retire from presidential duties following commencement ceremonies next month.