SUNY to Honor Students for Academic Success, Community Contributions

Albany – The State University of New York will recognize exceptional students from across the SUNY system at two awards ceremonies on Monday, March 28.

Chancellor Robert L. King will honor 264 graduating students from 60 SUNY campuses with the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence.  Each of the honorees has excelled both in academic achievement and in at least one of the following areas: leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement. 

This year’s recipients of the Chancellor’s Award have an overall grade point average of 3.75 and include student government leaders, a recipient of a National Science Foundation Teaching Fellowship, a hospice volunteer, a violinist who has performed at Carnegie Hall and minority and cultural awareness activists.

“The recipients of this year’s Chancellor’s Award are not only some of the brightest and hardest working students in SUNY, but have made major contributions to their communities,” said King.  “They represent the enduring commitment the university has made to attracting and nurturing a diverse, intelligent student body. The commitment our students make every day to themselves and their community is an inspiring achievement.  They are our future, and that future is bright.”

Awardees were selected by campus committees, who reviewed exemplary members of their college communities and submitted nominations to the Chancellor’s Office for recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

“When we reviewed this year’s nominees I was once again incredibly impressed by our students’ achievements, both individually and as a whole,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for University Relations Edward Engelbride.  “It’s a pleasure to be able to recognize our students’ successes and know that our campuses provide excellent opportunities for our students to excel and give back to the campus community.”

Students being honored include:

§         Latoya Johashen, a criminal justice major at the University at Albany with a 3.83 GPA, is a Ronald McNair Scholar and a member of both Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies.  An active member of the university community, Johashen participates in both the University Senate and the Finance Board.  She shares her time with fellow students as an Excel Peer Mentor and volunteer in Academic Support Services.

§         Avraham Bluestone, an MD/PhD student at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, demonstrated the feasibility of 3-D volumetric brain imaging by optical tomography in small animals.  Bluestone is first author of three peer-reviewed publications and his thesis research was presented by invitation in Germany.  Bluestone trained high school students for the Intel Competition and facilitated case-based learning sessions for medical students.  He received a science and engineering fellowship from Brookhaven National Laboratory.

§         Meaghan Leisenfelder, a double major in mathematics and politics at SUNY Potsdam.   Leisenfelder has been a member of the swimming and diving team for four years and has been captain for the last two.  Leisenfelder holds two school records and teaches children to swim.  During the fall semester Leisenfelder completed an internship with the United States Supreme Court.

§         Bryan Finnegan, a Marine Environmental Studies major at Maritime College, who currently serves as the Regimental Adjutant for the Regiment of Cadets and is third in charge of the day-to-day organization of over 900 cadets.  Finnegan served as Chief Navigator during the summer training cruise of 2004 and was responsible for the voyage planning and preparation for the two months spent at sea.  Finnegan is also a member of the varsity sailing team and was co-captain his junior year.

§         James Casasanta, a math/science major in the Honors Program at Cayuga Community College.  Casasanta has a 4.0 GPA and is the recipient of an Honors Scholarship, the American Chemical Society Award, and the Hands of Christ Award.  Casasanta is an active member of the Chemistry Club as well as the Engineering and Technology Club.  He has been a community board member for Leadership Cayuga since 2002.

Outstanding community, technical and junior college students will also be honored on Monday at the Eleventh Annual All-New York Awards Luncheon of Phi Theta Kappa, a national community college honor society.  Each of the award recipients has a GPA of at least 3.5 and has a history of scholarly achievement and outstanding community service. 

“Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the highest academic achievers at our community colleges,” said SUNY Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges Carol Eaton.  “Today we are pleased and proud to honor traditional and non-traditional students, many who come from underrepresented or disadvantage backgrounds and accomplish so much while juggling jobs, careers and families.”

The Phi Theta Kappa award ceremony is jointly sponsored by the New York Community College Trustees, the Association of Presidents of Public Community Colleges and the Faculty Council of Community Colleges.

List of Chancellor’s Award Recipients     

List of Phi Theta Kappa Award Recipients

More information about Phi Theta Kappa.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States educating more than 413,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. 

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