$2 Million Gift to Crane School of Music Brings Named Rehearsal Room at SUNY Potsdam
Marilyn A. Horner has given $2 million to the Potsdam College Foundation to support scholarships and programs at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, and the college has dedicated a rehearsal room in honor of her and her late husband.
By the ClickNNY North Country Desk
A $2 million gift will support scholarships and programs at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. The donation was made by Marilyn A. Horner to the Potsdam College Foundation.
In recognition of the gift, the college dedicated a large ensemble rehearsal space, Room C107, as the Francis C. and Marilyn A. Horner Rehearsal Room. The room was built as part of major renovations to the Crane Complex in 2022, work that added updated technology and facilities for music performance and education students.
SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith said the college is grateful for Horner's generosity and for what the gift means for the preparation and success of Crane students in the years ahead.
Horner played the trombone as a young woman before entering a career in nursing. Her family's ties to Crane continue today: her grandson, Dr. Christopher Hernacki, is an assistant professor of trombone at the school. Her daughter, Lisa Hernacki, took part in Reunion 2026 on the Potsdam campus.
Information on giving to SUNY Potsdam is posted at www.potsdam.edu/giving.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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