2019 SUNY Canton Honors Convocation Named for Retired IT Professor, Assistant Dean

SUNY Canton has selected William J. Mein as its annual Honors Convocation namesake. 

Mein will be the guest of honor at the ceremony, which will be held at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 at the Roos House Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center. It is free and open to the public, with a special invitation extended to families of the students slated to receive awards at the event. 

“Bill made a tremendous impact at SUNY Canton as an esteemed faculty member during his 11 years at the college,” said Molly A. Mott, SUNY Canton’s interim associate provost. “Numerous faculty members nominated Bill for this honor, citing his exemplary leadership and mentorship abilities.”

Mein served as Decisions Systems department chair and was instrumental in developing, and later moving, the Computer Information Systems program to the Canino School of Engineering Technology. The department has since expanded to include majors such as Game Design and Development, Cybersecurity, Graphic and Multimedia Design and Information Technology. 

“I feel that I am in the company of a prestigious set of colleagues who helped to transform SUNY Canton from its early roots to the fine school it has come to be,” Mein said. “I am proud to be recognized as a member of that set.”

He received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2009. He was then promoted to professor in 2010 and served as the assistant dean of the Canino School of Engineering Technology before retiring and earning emeritus status. He continued to work at the college for the following year.

In addition to teaching computing for many age levels for the majority of his professional career, Mein has also been involved with figure skating. He has served in various offices in the Potsdam Figure Skating Club and numerous national committees. He is a Gold Test, Senior Synchronized Skating and National Theater on Ice judge.

Since his retirement, Mein has volunteered with the Stimulating Opportunities After Retirement (SOAR) program. His positions as the vice chair of the board of directors and presenter have kept him involved with SUNY Canton. 

He received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from SUNY Potsdam in 1966. He continued with his education at SUNY Potsdam and received his master’s in Mathematics in 1969. Further continuing his education at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, he earned another master’s in Computer and Information Sciences in 1975.

Mein lives in Hannawa Falls with his wife, Dorothy. They have one daughter, Jeanette Davey.