Celebration of Community Engagement 2024 Award Recipients
Outstanding Alternative Break Student
Presented to an Alternative Break participant who provided exceptional service, leadership, and reflection during an Alternative Break experience.
Eitan Anglada, Junior, Graphic Design
The Frederick Howe Outstanding Student Volunteer
Presented to the student who provided exceptional service to the community as a volunteer—not through a course.
Jessie Ricotta, Senior, Psychological Science
Outstanding Community Service by a Student Organization
Presented to the student group that provided valuable service to the community, extending its mission and influence beyond the SUNY Buffalo State campus.
Alpha Phi Alpha
Outstanding Community Partners
Presented to a not-for-profit agency, group, or institution that has a relationship with Buffalo State and demonstrated excellence in collaborative work, resulting in a partnership that produced positive differences in the community and enhanced student learning.
Best Self Behavioral Health, Cambria Daniels, Project Director of Mental Health Awareness Training
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Buffalo and WNY, Jeff Pirrone, Executive Director
Outstanding Service-Learning Course, 20 hours or Less
Presented to the service-learning class with 20 hours or less of exceptional community engagement connecting learning to community work.
Course: NFS 405 Principles of Nutrition Education
Students: Tala Abdellatif, Marley Dorsogna, Daniel Edwin, Hanna Germono, Nicole Haines, Abigail Keens, Hanna Leaskey, Abby Suhr, Giovanni Ventura
Faculty: Michele Goergen, Lecturer, Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics
Partners: Compass House, Rural Outreach Center, Connect Life, West Side Community Services, Little Portion Friary
Outstanding Service-Learning Course, 21 hours or More
Presented to the service-learning class with more than 21 hours of exceptional community engagement connecting learning to community work.
Course 1: BUS 305 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Students: Parrine Alexis, Daniel Alicea, Awec Ayiy, Aubrey Benjamin, Andrew Brokx, Charlia Coeur, Chelsea Connell, Helene Djongara, Daniel Edwin, Fadi Ghajar, Maxwell Halpin, Brandon Humphrey, Muhammad Jaiteh, Tyler Keller, Joseph Kingsley, Madison Loughnane, Augusto Mejia, Ryan Messing, Htee Ku Moo, Bloe Ser Paw, Thayaw Paw, Fabien Perez, Darrah Philbert, Julia Purpura, Brionna Raiser-Russell, Emma Randle, Hsaw Reh, Tu Reh, Aaron Suarez, Hunter Umstead
Faculty: Dr. Kristy Tyson, Lecturer, Business
Partner: Compeer of Greater Buffalo
Course 2: BUS 305 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Students: Brianna Aaron, Parker Aronica, Thierno Balde, Devin Batson, Shamel Baxton, Gage Brown, Brendyn Cheng, Te'Ari Clark, Girukwishaka Ernest, Sydney Fleary, Jevon Francis, Carrie Frayne, William Gross, Madison Hammond, Natalia Hastings, Mon Mon Hla, Kendra Lam, Pharrell Livingston, Yang Marta, Jaden Nutefall, Michael Perez Moreno, Aurora Pierre, Riaz Rahman, Ko Reh, Anisha Ridgeway, Jake Spanich, Zhana Thompson, Marta-Aracelis Torres, Stephon Vergara, Coniece Wright, Maddox Zboch
Faculty: Dr. Kristy Tyson, Lecturer, Business
Partner: Urban Christian Ministries
Outstanding Service-Learning Student
Presented to a student who provided exceptional achievement in a service-learning course through their contribution to the community and ability to connect their experiences to course curriculum.
Demisha Smith, Senior, Social Work
Campus/Community Sustained Partnership Award
This award recognizes campus and community partnerships that have been developed and sustained over time. It is presented to the campus representative(s) and community partner(s) who best demonstrate the principles of reciprocal, collaborative, and mutually-beneficial partnerships in that one or more course (or program) objectives is linked to addressing one or more community-identified priorities.
Buffalo Museum of Science, Kathryn H. Leacock, Executive Vice President of Science and Collections
Dr. Jill Gradwell, Professor, History and Social Studies Education
Early Career Faculty Award for Community Engagement
Presented to a pre-tenure faculty member, or lecturer/adjunct with fewer than seven years of experience, for innovative and outstanding service-learning, civic, and/or community engagement work. The engagement could include research, teaching, and/or service that is in partnership with the community and tied to a faculty member’s academic expertise.
Dr. Kristy Tyson, Lecturer, Business
Mid-Career Faculty Award for Community Engagement
Presented to a post-tenure faculty member, or lecturer/adjunct with 7-15 years of experience, who has demonstrated ongoing integration of civic and community engagement in teaching, research, and/or service. The recipient has also demonstrated commitment and capacity to develop and sustain high-quality, reciprocal community partnerships to further our role as an urban-engaged institution.
Dr. Jessica Fitzpatrick, Chair and Associate Professor, Social Work
Leadership in Community Engagement
Awarded to a member of the campus or community who has built and strengthened institutional commitments to service-learning, civic engagement, and community engagement by demonstrating efforts to deepen and expand Buffalo State’s role as an urban-engaged institution, conducting meaningful community-based research, and/or working to foster long-lasting impacts on students and the community.
Dr. Annemarie Franczyk, Associate Professor, Communication
Outstanding Service-Learning Champion Award
This honor is presented to an individual who has modeled promising practices of service-learning in their field and advocated for the expansion of service-learning in their department and/or discipline. Their efforts engage students in mutually beneficial community partnerships addressing community-identified priorities.
Dr. Holly Bewlay, Professor, Music
The Deborah K. Renzi Social Advocacy Award
Awarded to an individual who is committed to fostering societal and structural changes that create equity, justice, and inclusion. Awardees pursue knowledge, explore and understand varied perspectives of a societal issue, engage directly in creating actionable change, and create awareness in others to champion positive reform.
Denise Harris, Director, Career and Professional Education
President’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Engagement
A presidential recognition presented to students who demonstrated extended involvement in community service, service-learning, and other community-based work during their academic career.
Community Supporter - 200 Hours of Service
Shailee Thakar
Neighborhood Advocate - 400 Hours of Service
Kelly Anderson
Active Citizen - 1,000 Hours of Service
Shazeda Islam, Aiyana Martin, Mollie McCann Poblocki, Kerrianne Shea
Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellowship
Presented to the student nominated by the president to represent Buffalo State throughout the one-year Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.
Ashbiya Giri, Junior, Economics
2024-2025 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow
Eugene Chaas, Lecturer, Economics and Finance
2024-2025 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow Mentor
Award Review Committee
Dr. Holly Bewlay, Professor, Music
Shasti O'Leary-Soudant, Assistant Professor, Art and Design
Dr. Alice Villaseñor, Associate Director, Civic and Community Engagement