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Stony Brook Grist mill

SBU campus. File photo

By Daniel Dunaief

In the last 18 months, Stony Brook University has generated positive headlines for a host of wins, from receiving a record donation from the Simons Foundation to climbing academic rankings to winning the bidding for a climate solutions center on Governors Island.

This year, those gains not only helped attract a larger applicant pool, but also led to a record high enrollment for first-year students in the university’s 67 year history. The total number of undergraduates is also at a record high of 18,263, exceeding the previous high of 18,010 in the fall of 2010.

The downstate flagship university received about 55,000 applications for first year students, with an acceptance rate of about 49%.

“Stony Brook has now become a premier destination for so many students” in the state, country and world, said Richard Beatty, Senior Associate Provost for Enrollment Management. The increasing applicants and the largest ever class size of 4,024 students reflects the “fruit of all the work the campus has been doing.”

Stony Brook ranked 58th in the 2025 US News and World Report rankings this week, up from 93 in 2022. Stony Brook was also ranked the top public university in New York.

Just over half of the first-year students, or 50.5%, are women, while 49.5% are men. These statistics don’t include people who chose not to disclose their gender.

The university didn’t change its admissions standards to accept this larger class.

“We had the same academic quality as in previous years,” said Beatty, as each student has had high quality experience inside and outside the classroom.

Additionally, for the class entering its second year this fall, Stony Brook had a 90% retention rate, which is also an all-time high. The university typically loses 11 or 12% of students from the first to the second year.

“We want the student [who matriculate at Stony Brook] to graduate with us and we want them to graduate in a timely manner,” said Beatty.

New hires

Recognizing the increased interest in attending Stony Brook from in and out of state, the university started hiring additional staff to provide students with the same level of education and university services.

The ratio of faculty to students “didn’t change that much” because of the university’s staffing efforts, Beatty said. “We are keeping the educational quality the same even though we have a larger [freshman] class.”

The enrollment of students who identify as Black and LatinX also increased, even as universities such as Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have experienced a decline in such enrollments.

The first-year class at Stony Brook includes 433 people who identify as black, which is an increase of 19% over the total from the previous year and represents about 10.7% of the incoming class.

LatinX, meanwhile, rose 28% to 633 this year from 496 in the previous year.

SBU Interim President Richard McCormick. File photo

“Stony Brook today exemplifies dramatically all the most important developments in modern American higher education – a growing and highly diverse student body, an expanding research enterprise, and research achievements that are contributing mightily to the economy and society,” Interim President Richard L. McCormick said in a statement.

While the number of foreign students increased over last year, the total number has still not recovered to its 2019 level, prior to the pandemic.

Stony Brook leads the SUNY system in the highest number of Educational Opportunity Program applications. The state-funded program provides financial support to New York students who have financial and academic barriers, helping them attend and graduate from a SUNY college.

Storm challenges

At the same time that the university welcomed its largest ever first year class, the campus and the area endured a sudden and violent storm that not only damaged the historic Stony Brook Grist Mill, but also made some dormitories uninhabitable.

“It was an unbelievable concerted effort throughout campus” to find places for students amid the clean up, said Beatty. “The housing team came up with solutions” that included housing some students in hotels.

Two of the residence halls, Ammann and Gray, are still undergoing repairs, although the university has found places for its students.

The university has 52 sophomores who are living at an off-campus hotel, where they are expected to remain through the semester. They should be able to return to campus in the spring.

Expanded food services

The Starbucks in SBU’s Melville Library. Courtesy facebook.com/SBUDining

Amid higher enrollment, Stony Brook expanded the hours for dining facilities this year, compared with last year.

Starbucks opened at the Melville Library with expanded hours. The foods trucks have a consistent schedule Monday through Friday and Stony Brook added a Nathan’s Famous truck to the food truck fleet.

The university launched new franchises and dining concepts this fall, such as Popeyes, Carvel and Iron Waffles.

Academically, Stony Brook has had a wide range of potential interests from its incoming students. Beyond the typical strengths in physics and math, the university also experienced a growth in the numbers of students applying for journalism, political science and economics.

“We ended up not being over enrolled in any of our programs,” Beatty said.

McCormick suggested the increased interest in the school reflects recent higher visibility.

“This historic enrollment of first-year students is a testament to Stony Brook University’s steadfast commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience and its rise in reputation as one of the nation’s most prominent public flagship research universities,” McCormick said in a statement.

The State University of New York schools have seen an increase overall in the number of applicants.

Stony Brook’s admissions process, which remains test optional for standardized tests like the SAT and the ACT, has become considerably more holistic.

The admissions committee looks beyond the grade point average or whatever test scores candidates submit, while weighing the student achievement in the context of the options available at their high schools.

The larger class size amid a greater interest in the school also has positive implications for the local economy and for the community.

More students shop at stores and restaurants and also contribute to extracurricular activities such as theatrical performances and to community service projects.

These students, who come from all over the world, add to the diversity of the area, start new clubs and present the findings of their own research while attending college, Beatty added.

As for future applications and class sizes, school officials anticipate greater numbers of interested students in the coming years.

“We expect applications to continue to rise,” said Beatty.

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) hosted its 2nd annual Summer Soirée fundraiser on June 27 at the historic Three Village Inn in Stony Brook Village. 

The memorable event brought together community members and leaders to celebrate and honor the outstanding contributions of individuals who have made a significant impact on the community. Among the esteemed honorees were Charlie Lefkowitz, Barbara Damianos and the Damianos Family, and Michele Miller.

The primary goal of this year’s fundraiser was to support the ongoing restoration of the cherished Stony Brook Grist Mill, a historic landmark dating back to 1751. Thanks to the generosity of attendees and sponsors, WMHO can continue its vital work in preserving this piece of local history.

For more information about WMHO and its initiatives, please visit wmho.org or contact 631-751-2244.

All photos courtesy of WMHO.

Pictured from left, Dr. Richard Rugen, WMHO Chairman; Honorable Steve Englebright; Olivia and Harlan Fischer, President of Branch Financial Services; and Gloria Rocchio, WMHO President. Photo courtesy of WMHO

Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) announced on Oct. 13 that former Assemblyman Steve Englebright has successfully secured a $125,000 grant for repairs to several of Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s historic properties.

Pictured from left, Dr. Richard Rugen, WMHO Chairman; Honorable Steve Englebright; Olivia and Harlan Fischer, President of Branch Financial Services; and Gloria Rocchio, WMHO President. Photo courtesy of WMHO

“When Ward Melville rehabilitated the village most of the renovations were completed at the same time. We have had repairs done over the years, but everything is accelerating because of age. It is hard to do everything at once. Thank you, Steve and so many more for helping us preserve this legacy,” said WMHO Chairman Dr. Richard Rugen.

The properties to receive restoration are the Stony Brook Grill Mill c. 1751, the Brewster House c. 1665 and the Eagle (1940) atop the Stony Brook Post Office.

Honorable Steve Englebright said, “This beautiful, carved, mechanical eagle is likely the earliest public art sculpture in our region. It is also a symbol of our nation. It is an honor to have helped advance restoration of this icon of American history.”

This iconic eagle is the only one in the United States to flap its wings every hour on the hour. When word went out about repairs needed to the eagle, donations were received from around the country. The cost to restore it was larger than anticipated, so WMHO organized a Summer Soiree and Olivia and Harlan Fischer, Branch Financial Services, came forward with the largest donation to meet the goal of $75,000 for the eagle alone.

Olivia and Harlan Fischer and Dr. Richard Rugen, examining the mechanism that controls the eagle. Photo from WMHO

In making this contribution Olivia and Harlan said, “That eagle has been flapping its wings every hour for over 80 years. Both residents and visitors wait in front of the Post Office just to watch. We wanted to make sure that this tradition continues.”

A restricted account has been established to handle any repairs to the mechanism or the eagle itself in the future. Any donation to the eagle is tax deductible.  Work will begin in the Spring of 2024, but the work on the elements of the eagle will begin over the winter 2023. Work on the other properties will begin in the Spring of 2024.

Founded in 1939, WMHO is a not-for-profit corporation that develops and fosters community enrichment through cultural and educational experiences. WMHO accomplishes this by enhancing and interpreting its historic and environmentally sensitive properties and by utilizing state-of-the-art technology. For more information, please visit www.wmho.org

Stony Brook Grist Mill. Image from WMHO

Join the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) in a walking tour experience, Unwind & Uncork History: The Story of Wine & the Stony Brook Grist Mill on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. and again on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. 

Image from WMHO

In this walking tour experience, tour-goers will “uncork” the stories of the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751), the sight of Long Island’s very first vineyard. This will include a tour of the Stony Brook Grist Mill, the scandalous story of Edward Kane, his Lakeside Wine Company, and a brief lesson on wine. 

The tour will begin at Tranquility Park (also known as T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park) across from the Stony Brook Grist Mill, and will end at Lake Side Emotions Wine Boutique at the Stony Brook Village Center, which gained its name from Kane’s Lakeside Wine Company.

Fee for the tour  is $25 per person and includes a bottle of authentic Catawba wine from Lake Side Emotions Wine Boutique. All participants must be 21 or older. Advance registration is required by calling 631-751-2244. For more information, visit www.wmho.org.

This year's event will raise funds for the ongoing restoration of the Stony Brook Grist Mill. Photo courtesy of WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization has announced a new self-guided stroll, the Stony Brook Grist Mill Audio Experience.  

The Stony Brook Grist Mill Audio Experience is $3 and can be accessed at anytime, anywhere. To start your tour, scan QR codes outside of the mill, or visit audio.stonybrookvillage.com.   

Immersing themselves in the story of the most fully operational mill on Long Island, participants will learn about the 320+ year-old Stony Brook Grist Mill from its construction to today. Discovering the mill’s history, tour-goers will learn of the structure’s construction, owners, operators, its surprising role as one of Long Island’s “firsts” and more. 

Located at 100 Harbor Road in Stony Brook Village, the grist mill is listed on the National and New York State Register of Historic Places.

 The Stony Brook Grist Mill Audio Experience is the second audio tour offered by Stony Brook Village. Currently, the FREE Stony Brook Audio Experience has 14 stops, and covers the history and the quirky stories from the Three Village Inn’s original residents to the entire development of Stony Brook Village Center. It is recommended that participants of the experience begin at the recently restored Hercules Pavilion. 

Additional stories will be added soon, including the T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park, and the Country House Restaurant (c.1710). To start a tour, scan QR codes throughout the village, or visit audio.stonybrookvillage.com.

 To learn more about events and activities in Stony Brook Village Center, please visit stonybrookvillage.com or call 631-751-2244.

The event will feature a petting zoo. Photo from WMHO

Do you have a case of spring fever? April is blooming with lots of outside events on the North Shore including The Ward Melville Heritage Organization and Stony Brook Village’s free Spring Appreciation Day which returns on Sunday, April 16 to Stony Brook Village with live music, a car show, a petting zoo and scavenger hunts with prizes from noon to 3 p.m. 

Rocking Horse Farms will be set up in front of the Rustic Loft with a variety of animals for children to pet. The Mustang and Shelby Club of Long Island car show will take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the parking lot behind the Post Office with classic Mustangs and the latest Pony cars that Ford has to offer. Automobiles from 1964 to 2022 will be on display, including some special edition Mustangs like the classic Shelby GT500, GT350 and the iconic Boss 302. 

Brenda and Burke will be performing original and cover songs in the genres of R&B, Roots, Blues and Contemporary Acoustic on the steps of the Stony Brook Post Office and The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO)’s Youth Corps will be offering scavenger hunts around Stony Brook Village. Each person to return a completed scavenger hunt will be entered into a raffle to win Discovery Wetlands Cruise tickets. 

Lastly, the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751) 100 Harbor Road, Stony Brook will be open for tours ($4 for adults, $2 for children, cash only) of the inner mechanical workings and history of the building and shopping in the Country Store from 1 to 4 p.m.

Spring Appreciation Day is sponsored by Goldfish Swim School and Suffolk Speech. For more information, call 631-751-2244.

Stony Brook Grist Mill. Image from WMHO

Didn’t have a chance to tour the Stony Brook Grist Mill this season? You’re in luck! The mill’s season has been extended for one more day!

Tour the Stony Brook Grist Mill, circa 1751, 100 Harbor Road, Stony Brook this Sunday, Nov. 6, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m before it closes for the winter.

Long Island’s most completely equipped working mill, it is listed on the National and New York State Register of Historic Places. Visit the Country Store and watch the miller grind grain into flour just as it was done during the Revolutionary War.

Tickets for the tour are $4 for adults and $2 for children. Cash only.  For additional info, call 631-751-2244.

Stony Brook Grist Mill. Image from WMHO

Join the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) in a new walking tour experience, Unwind & Uncork History: The Story of Wine & the Stony Brook Grist Mill on Friday, September 30 at 11 a.m. (3 p.m. tour is sold out!)

The Stony Brook Grist Mill. Photo from WMHO

In this walking tour experience, tour-goers will “uncork” the stories of the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751), the sight of Long Island’s very first vineyard. This will include a tour of the Stony Brook Grist Mill, the scandalous story of Edward Kane, his Lakeside Wine Company, and a brief lesson on wine. 

The tour will begin at Tranquility Park (also known as T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park) across from the Stony Brook Grist Mill, and will end at Lake Side Emotions Wine Boutique at the Stony Brook Village Center, which gained its name from Kane’s Lakeside Wine Company.

Fee for the tour  is $25 per person and includes a bottle of authentic Catawba wine from Lake Side Emotions Wine Boutique. All participants must be 21 or older. Advance registration is required by calling 631-751-2244. For more information, visit www.wmho.org.

The Stony Brook Post Office is one of the stops on the Stony Brook Village Audio Experience. Photo courtesy of Sean Mills

Stony Brook Village has announced that the Stony Brook Village Audio Experience is now available and can be enjoyed on your own time and at your own pace! The experience is free to the public and will allow all visitors of Stony Brook Village to immerse themselves in the quirky history and stories of the lifestyle center and some of its surrounding properties. The audio experience is obtained by scanning QR codes throughout the village and is also available at audio.stonybrookvillage.com.

Currently, the experience has ten stops, and covers the history and the stories from the Three Village Inn’s original residents to the entire development of Stony Brook Village Center. It is recommended that participants of the experience begin at the Three Village Inn. Additional stories about the Country House (c.1710), the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c.1751) — including the first vineyard on Long Island, and T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park will be added soon.

To learn more about events and activities in Stony Brook Village Center, visit stonybrookvillage.com.

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The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO)’s Stony Brook Grist Mill, a nearly 300-year-old building, has undergone a series of procedures to stop water from entering its basement. Groundwater around the foundation of the building has been leaking through the walls due to the hydraulic pressure from upstream for years.

To halt any further damage and repair the structure, Excav Services Vice President Dylan Governale was retained. Excav Services has already begun their work waterproofing the wall below the footing with black mastic against the foundation along the fiberboards and then protection board and installing drainage at the bottom of the trough, as well as installing three inches of clay material and fabric and then backfilling it. 90% of the water has stopped leaking. To find the remaining 10%, the interior wall was pressure washed to see where the water was coming from and then they will inject those spots with a compound to fully stop leakage through the walls.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751) is Long Island’s most fully operational mill. A mill is a place that grinds grains such as wheat, barley, corn and oats. Grist Mill has played a role in the development of Stony Brook since its original construction in 1699. It was once even a health food store and grain was shipped to 46 states. 

New stories have been uncovered about the Stony Brook Grist Mill, including ones about its patriotic owners during the American Revolution, a scandalous will and its suffragette owner in the early 1900s who sought an experimental child birthing experience.

People of all ages are able to experience the history and inner mechanics of the mill in the WMHO’s Dusty Program.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill will be open for the 2022 season on Saturday, April 16 and will be open on weekends through October starting the weekend of April 23, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for tours ($4 for adults, $2 for children), as well as its Country Store. For more information, call 631-751-2244 or visit www.wmho.org.