By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

When asked to conjure a list of the most romantic academic subjects, minds naturally shift toward poetry, music, and the romance languages. While “the central science” may not seem overtly romantic, there is a lot of chemistry in chemistry, especially at SUNY Broome. In a discipline that centers on the power of bonds, there is no closer unit than SUNY Broome chemistry professors Dr. Daniel Brennan and Alison Sheridan-Brennan. First connected as teenagers, the Brennans have spent nearly three decades sharing their love and admiration for chemistry with each other and with hundreds of their students. 

Both natives of Syracuse, NY, Dan and Alison Brennan met in their 11th-grade precalculus class at Henninger High School. While they were always friendly to one another, they weren’t exactly petering on bestie status. During a particularly difficult unit in AP bio, Alison asked Dan, the salutatorian of their class, if he would come in early to tutor her. He agreed, but to Alison’s great disappointment, their respective definitions of “early” were not the same. Decades later, she still regularly teases him about this memory. 

At the end of their senior year, the Brennans realized that they both planned to study chemistry at Le Moyne College. Their first act of true friendship commenced when Alison drove to Dan’s house to compare their freshman schedules, which turned out to be nearly identical. 

“There were only five official freshman chemistry majors that year, so we ended up being thrown together a lot,” Alison explained. “By having all of our classes, labs, and club meetings together, we eventually became best friends.”

En route to a chemistry club event, Dan mustered up the courage to ask Alison out on a date. He proposed dinner in the campus’ dining hall, followed by a special showing of the re-released edition of “The Little Mermaid.” The date was an overwhelming success, including Dan’s endearing nerves, which prevented him from following Sebastian’s advice to “Kiss the Girl.” The couple was inseparable from that moment on. 

After graduating from Le Moyne College, Dan and Alison moved to Binghamton to continue their studies. Trading in Jesuit education for SUNY degrees, Dan headed to Binghamton University to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in chemistry and a doctorate in materials chemistry, while Alison commuted to SUNY Cortland in pursuit of her own Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in chemistry. They balanced and supported each other’s graduate studies, research, and student teaching requirements as a unit.

With their respective MATs under their belts, Dan stayed on at Binghamton University to complete his dissertation and instruct undergrads. At the same time, Alison began her career as a high school Regents and AP chemistry teacher at Chenango Forks High School.  

The ultimate educators, the Brennans intentionally planned their union to coincide with the semesters’ fall break. Thanks to their strategic planning, they scheduled a ceremony in Le Moyne’s chapel, a reception with family and friends, and a mini honeymoon in the Poconos, all before classes resumed. The couple will celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary in November. 

Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Dan was the first to arrive at SUNY Broome in Fall 2008, covering the courses of a long-serving faculty member who required a medical leave mid-semester. The following year, he was invited to join the chemistry department as a full-time, tenure-track professor. Alison joined Dan in the department a few years later, in Spring 2012. What started as a post-maternity leave evening adjunct position, quickly evolved into a full-time professorship.

Since then, the couple has taught in tandem, with Dr. Brennan predominantly covering the lectures and Professor Sheridan-Brennan instructing the corresponding labs. The benefits of having the Brennan duo are innumerable. They constantly communicate about the statuses of their classes, reiterate each other’s concepts to build deeper understanding, and share best practices for student-centered instruction. The result? Overwhelming student success. 

“I can tell that sometimes, very early in the semester, students get confused when I refer to their labs with Professor Brennan,” Dan laughed. “We go to great lengths to introduce ourselves and describe our respective roles in the classroom, but I know that there are some students who must think I am just weirdly referring to myself in the third person. Soon, however, they understand that we are just two professors working as a team to present their chemistry courses in fun, engaging ways.”

Both Dr. Brennan and Professor Brennan have been honored with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, as well as a myriad of equally prestigious awards highlighting their significant contributions to their students, the chemistry community, and the community at large, via their teaching, research, and service. The couple never hesitates to lend their time to campus events, whether through developing creative activities for SPARK or by simply donating gifts as a family unit for the College’s annual Giving of the Toys drive. 

Alison and Dan largely credit their successes at SUNY Broome to the B.C. Center, SUNY Broome’s on-site child care program. As the parents of five children, with no local immediate family, the B.C. Center was an invaluable resource. 

“At one point, there were four Brennans on campus during the day,” Alison said. “It was so comforting to know that we could pop over to the Center between classes to check-in. We will always be so appreciative of the B.C. Center, personally and on behalf of our colleagues and students who also can take advantage of this amazing campus-based program.”

True champions of student-parents, the Brennans generously fund a campus-wide scholarship in memory of their daughter, Ourania Barbara Brennan, designated for students pursuing their education while raising families. The couple thoughtfully ensured that this opportunity is inclusive of individuals who have lost children during or post-pregnancy.

When asked about the key to their enduring chemistry, both Brennans sheepishly smiled in each other’s direction. 

“We just genuinely enjoy each other’s company,” Alison explained. “We can count on each other for everything – professionally and personally. It’s truly wonderful to have ‘your person’ by your side.”

The Brennans would like to encourage all SUNY Broome students to explore the hundreds of scholarships available through the Foundation’s Scholarship Program. The SUNY Broome Foundation awards over $1,500,000 annually to students through merit-based scholarships and Grants-in-Aid via one seamless application. Visit the Foundation’s scholarship website for more information: SUNY Broome Scholarships | SUNY Broome Foundation

Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

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