SUNY Chancellor Celebrates Winners of Annual Radley and Pettigrew Fellowships
October 14, 2025
Faculty Fellowship and Student Research Grants Further Research on the Significant Impact Women have had on New York State and the Region
Winners Selected from State University of New York at Buffalo and the Fashion Institute of Technology
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the winners of the annual Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program for SUNY faculty members and the Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants for student researchers. The winner of this year’s Radley Fellowship is Elizabeth Mazzolini, Associate Professor, at the State University of New York at Buffalo. The winners for the Pettigrew Fellowship are Saloni Nanavati and Shana Swain, who are both students at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
"Our college campuses are filled with brilliant students and faculty who are passionate about research and exploring questions that will help benefit our SUNY community, and all of New York State," said SUNY Chancellor King. "The Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program and the Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants help advance research and the exploration of history, and I applaud this year’s winners on their hard work and well-earned recognition. We look forward to seeing the fruits of this research as we continue to celebrate the significant roles women in New York State play in creating a better world."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Throughout SUNY’s history, we have been fortunate to have outstanding researchers, innovators, and leaders who have inspired others. The Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program and the Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants help keep these two trailblazers’ memories alive and encourage more future leaders to follow in their footsteps as we keep moving forward. Congratulations to the faculty and student winners on this well-earned recognition of their research and hard work."
The Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program, which is named after the first woman to be appointed as a SUNY state-operated campus president, provides support for a SUNY faculty member with scholarly expertise in history or an associated discipline. The fellowship is an opportunity to discover, celebrate, and elevate the history of women's roles and leadership in New York State, including SUNY's founding, evolution, and more than 75 years of growth, and amplify these narratives to SUNY and broader communities.
The Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants are named in honor of the first Black college president in the SUNY system. This initiative will provide SUNY undergraduate students with the opportunity to pursue an innovative community-based applied-learning experience in women's history. Working under the advisement of campus faculty members, and each receiving a stipend and other financial support, those selected will conduct original research at New York historical sites, libraries, historical societies, museums, and other institutions.
Information on the academic background and research topics of each fellowship awardee can be found below.
Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program
- Elizabeth Mazzolini of the State University of New York at Buffalo - American Toxic: Love Canal and Women’s Stories and Testimonies; Mazzolini will use the funding for archival research, revising and finalizing her forthcoming book, as well as hosting a related academic conference at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB).
Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants
- Saloni Nanavat of SUNY FIT - Collective Threads: Asian American Women Transforming Labor Rights in New York; Saloni's research will focus on creating educational exhibits that effectively use experiential learning with an accompanying digital archive.
- Shana Swain of SUNY FIT - The Power of the Pivot: Stories of Women's Leadership and Reinvention in New York; Shana's research project explores the significant but often overlooked contributions of women who transformed the social, cultural, and professional landscape of New York State through bold reinvention and leadership, particularly later in life.
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee said, "I want to thank SUNY for honoring Dr. Virginia Radley and Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew — two pioneers who broke barriers and opened doors for future generations. By supporting both faculty and students in exploring women’s history, we ensure that the stories of women’s contributions to New York and our nation are preserved, studied, and shared with future generations. I congratulate Professor Mazzolini, Ms. Nanavati, and Ms. Swain on this achievement, and thank SUNY for its commitment to fostering scholarship that elevates voices too often overlooked."
Assemblywoman Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee said, "The Radley and Pettigrew Fellowships are powerful reminders of SUNY’s commitment to equity, excellence, and the celebration of trailblazers in higher education. Honoring Dr. Virginia Radley and Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew—two historic figures who shattered glass ceilings and expanded opportunities for women and communities of color—ensures that their legacies continue to inspire future generations. I commend this year’s fellows for their dedication to uncovering and uplifting women’s history in New York State, and I applaud SUNY for supporting meaningful research and applied learning that will enrich our academic institutions and communities alike."
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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