Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony: October 4
A recognition ceremony to honor faculty and staff accomplishments will be held on
The event will recognize Buffalo State recipients of SUNY Chancellor's and President's awards. In addition, all new faculty and staff members will be welcomed to campus. The entire campus community is invited to participate in this seventh annual event. A reception will follow in the auditorium lobby of Rockwell Hall.
SUNY Distinguished Ranks
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
He first directed his version of the Diary of
In 2010, Kahn added a formal service-learning activity to AFP's work. He guides students on an annual trip to
Kahn exemplifies the principles of an engaged faculty member. He is an amazing community builder, teacher, and champion of social justice whose work is grounded in the mission of Buffalo State and has deepened the ways the college manifests a commitment and dedication to social justice in ways both measurable and immeasurable. His work is institutionalized at Buffalo State, and our communities are the better for it.
SUNY Chancellor's Awards
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service
Anna is extremely organized in keeping track of and communicating all details associated with running the department. She always knows what to do and whom to contact on campus, whether she is keeping the department well supplied; filling out travel vouchers or purchase orders; organizing materials for teaching evaluations, contract renewals, or the promotion process; or organizing special projects, conferences, or events. The depth and breadth of her ability to help the chair navigate budgetary and registration systems is exceptional. Additionally, she maintains and updates the department's social media presence on Facebook and the department web page, and manages much of the Blackboard communications for undergraduate majors. Her loyalty and trustworthiness not only help the chair with day-to-day activities but also keep the department on track with medium- and longer-term projects and goals.
Anna always goes beyond her required duties, making herself available during weekends and holidays when needed, helping with grant work, attending training workshops, lending a sympathetic ear to students and others who visit the department, and making a welcoming office environment through decorations and candy for everyone. One of her best assets is her proactive nature. She is able to look ahead to potential challenges and alleviate them before they happen.
Her personality is to be a friend to all who enter or call the office, and she desires to help out in every situation. She is an upbeat presence in the office every day. Of utmost importance, she displays integrity in all her interactions.
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service
From her first leadership role with the
The UTA is only the most recent of Wood's persistent and influential activities to engage faculty and students in service learning through civic engagement. In 2012, she and faculty colleagues developed a learning community for freshmen that incorporated civic engagement and community activism. She also organized a new minor sequence of study in urban civic education and, as the graduate complement to an undergraduate curriculum in urban civic education, she helped launched an urban education master's degree program.
Wood's work ethic, strength of character, and indefatigable energy are evident in all her activities. In the community, she serves on the boards of directors of the
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
The leading authority on black British literature for children, Sands-O'Connor has been recognized for her groundbreaking scholarship by the
Extending the impact of her research beyond the familiar contexts of the academic journal and the graduate and undergraduate classrooms, Sands-O'Connor contributes her scholarly expertise to the wider community. She has accepted a three-year appointment as an academic consultant for the
Sands-O'Connor's scholarly activities include her ongoing commitment to fostering the scholarship of both graduate and undergraduate researchers. The recipient of the inaugural Buffalo State President's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring, she has directed undergraduate research courses and projects on
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
On campus, DeNysschen has served on the Engel Student Humanitarian Award Committee, as the
DeNysschen is also an extensive leader in the
DeNysschen has a remarkable array of commitments and impacts throughout
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
Pendleton began his service by establishing the Buffalo State chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor society for political science, in 1983, and served as its adviser for 15 years. He has also served as a graduate adviser and internship supervisor for numerous students. He has been a member of the
Pendleton has been particularly active in UUP, serving for extended periods as president of the Buffalo State College UUP chapter and as chair of the Academic Grievances Committee, as well as twice serving as the Buffalo State representative to the UUP statewide Negotiations Committee. Within Buffalo State governance, he has served on the
Pendleton's service contributions have been wide-ranging and valuable, far exceeding that for which faculty are normally compensated and extending consistently over his entire career. He has clearly demonstrated initiative and creativity in his service to the college and to
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching
Bensley's educational and professional backgrounds have prepared him well to teach in the planning program. He currently works as director of the
All of Bensley's courses provide a combination of technical skills, theory, and applied hands-on experiences that typically have a community-engagement component. The theory focuses on introductory planning, land-use planning, zoning, and comprehensive planning. His teaching innovations are linked to his emphasis on planning technical skills and the hands-on, applied learning opportunities he offers students. Students respond exceptionally well to his teaching methods and genuinely appreciate the professional expertise he brings to the classroom.
In addition to his teaching duties, Bensley has advised 10 planning majors on their senior thesis research over the years. He also contributed extensively to curriculum development as a member of the Planning Program Revision Committee. This committee worked to develop a new planning program that was aligned with current planning practice and prepares graduates either to enter the profession in an entry-level position or to attend a graduate program in planning.
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Her affiliations with corporations such as
She has been recognized for her teaching by the
Boorady cares deeply about her students' education and futures, and she is a tireless and effective mentor, as demonstrated by the successes of her students. She serves her college and community well. She has an impressive record of productivity and professionalism related to teaching within and outside the classroom.
Buffalo State President's Awards
President's Award for Excellence in Service to the College
At the campus level, Anselmi's service has been both wide-ranging and deep. She has served on or chaired a number of vital committees, including the
Anselmi has played an exemplary role in service to Native American organizations, both within Buffalo State and in the greater community. This includes service as an adviser to the
For Anselmi, service to the college functions as a guiding compass to her position in the faculty. Her long and consistent record of significant service to the college informs and is supported by her teaching responsibilities and research interests. A tireless ambassador for Buffalo State, she fosters strong relationships with administrators, faculty, staff, and students in a constant effort to help move the college forward.
President's Award for Excellence in Service to the College
McCarthy's service to the campus includes many years as a member of the
Supporting the needs of her department, McCarthy has served on the Assessment, Bylaws, Personnel, and Honors and Awards committees. To enrich the professional lives of Buffalo State's teacher candidates, she served as the faculty moderator of the
Teacher education has undergone many changes in recent years, and McCarthy has helped faculty and students adjust accordingly. After learning that teacher candidates were being challenged to pass the mathematics portion of a new certification exam, she offered to host intensive study sessions that included online work during the January term. McCarthy approached this initiative with a great deal of compassion, helping students who struggle with mathematics to be successful.
President's Award for Excellence in Service to the College
Highlights of her many accomplishments include creating and administering the annual database documenting incoming freshman records and communications in preparation for EOP's summer freshman program; effectively collaborating with other campus departments to plan and administer resources and programming for EOP students, which includes EOP summer program courses, academic workshops, career-focused programming, and community service activities; coordinating department communications, including up to 100 phone queries daily along with connecting students, staff, and faculty with appropriate EOP staff members; and training and orienting new EOP staff members in department and college protocols and resources, ensuring a smooth transition for students and staff alike.
McCoy's efforts are integral to the successful implementation of EOP's routine operations and special programs, including mentoring and tutoring initiatives, the Sophomore Success Program, the
She provides each student with individual attention to ensure that their questions are answered and concerns are addressed. She makes the office inviting, a place where students feel comforted and respected. Whenever a student stops by in distress, McCoy makes certain that the student gets in to see one of EOP's counseling staff members immediately. With her encyclopedic knowledge of Buffalo State and EOP procedures, she is able to quickly connect students to campus offices and resources best suited to address any concerns should counselors not be available to attend to students immediately.
President's Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement
A productive and valued member of the EOP staff, he has created many new offerings within the program, including the Career Advisement and Preparation Program (CAPP) to provide support to students; a training program for new EOP counselors; Twitter and Facebook accounts to provide additional outlets for students to receive academic and career advisement; and a program for the secure digitization and storage of EOP records.
O'Donnell understands the student population and draws on research and scholarly articles to implement new strategies to work with them. He is a sound counselor who not only advises his students but also assists with keeping and handling program data to augment more intentional programming. He continually shares best practices with fellow EOP advisers to help improve services and has presented at regional conferences on topics such as academic strategies, career guidance, stress management, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
O'Donnell clearly loves Buffalo State. His collegiality has helped him forge networks and collaborations with faculty and staff members throughout the college. When interacting with students, he is patient and attentive, and he assures students that he has their best interests at heart. He is never too busy to assist a student in need of his attention. He is a well-rounded professional with a wealth of knowledge and talents, and he strives daily to instill confidence in students who may be questioning their own abilities.
President's Award for Excellence in Librarianship
Rockwell has a strong record of improving the first-year experience of students at Buffalo State through her role as a first-year-experience librarian. Her teaching, mentoring, and involvement with various first-year initiatives have demonstrably improved student success and achievement. As an embedded librarian and liaison to learning communities since 2005, she has enhanced student engagement on campus.
Her service to the college goes beyond the library and includes membership on various campus committees, including the
Lifelong learning is the heart of librarianship, and Rockwell is
President's Award for Excellence as a Graduate Research Mentor
Hunter has mentored 20 graduate students from across different disciplines, departments, schools, and universities. Since 2013, he has delivered 23 conference presentations alongside graduate students at local, regional, and national conferences; served as a lead instructor on independent study courses; chaired master's theses; and participated as a dissertation committee member. In addition, he coauthored an article on the educational benefits of Twitter in the English language arts classroom with two former Buffalo State graduate students who are now in doctoral programs. The article was recently accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
While Hunter has an impressive array of publications on urban education and
Not only does Hunter conduct groundbreaking work in the field of urban education; he also expects his students to participate in that work, and he makes sure that the student researchers and participants feel full partnership in the dissemination of the work. Experiential benefits for graduate candidates range from their earliest forays into urban schools to confident submission of professional writing for publication. Hunter has logged many exhaustive hours of work with graduate candidates during the summer, during regular classroom hours and clinically rich practice experiences in Buffalo State's partner schools, in multiple incidences of out-of-class engagement in the community, and in doctoral study.
President's Award for Excellence as a Graduate Research Mentor
Evidence of Ryan-Bryant's mentoring excellence can be found in the number of students whose work has won awards under her tutelage. Three students have won Buffalo State's Outstanding Master's Thesis award. Another two have won the department's Award for Excellence in the Master of Arts. Ryan-Bryant is a guide from the moment a student comes to her with a topic through the writing of the thesis, the promotion of its ideas, and the recognition of the work through award nominations and application and acceptance for publication. Her students have been inspired to communicate their research at local, regional, national, and even international conferences and venues.
Quality mentorship is not reserved for thesis students, however. Ryan-Bryant frequently takes extra time to offer advice and guidance for students in her classes who want to research beyond the specific material given in class. One recent example is in the work she did with students on a graduate study-abroad experience in
Additionally, she is a mentor to her fellow colleagues who benefit from her leadership both in the department and as chair of the graduate committee. She helps colleagues understand the salient features of the graduate program and makes room for graduate faculty to propose new ways to improve it. She strives to give students a stake in their learning as well, beginning with course topics and continuing through the development of new skills. The idea for a new track in Global and Diverse Literatures came from student interest in an expanded curriculum and from Ryan-Bryant's commitment to providing experiential benefits to students that allow them to understand the workings of their academic discipline.
President's Award for Excellence in Career Achievement for Faculty
Reid has taught every required course in the
Highlights of his service to the campus include a seven-year term as chair of the
Whether he is in a classroom of 180 students or 12 students or he is working one-on-one with a student in an independent study or internship, Reid is a dedicated and gifted teacher. His teaching evaluations are consistently excellent, which is all the more impressive given that he regularly teaches the required PSY 306 Statistics in Psychology, a course that many students find challenging. Reid is an expert collaborator who genuinely enjoys sharing his experience with students and colleagues.
President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Pacheco uses a variety of pedagogies to effectively teach chemistry at both the introductory and advanced levels. Her ability to teach the introductory chemistry sequence to early career students from a wide variety of majors is especially noteworthy. She is committed to ensuring that all her students, regardless of their abilities, are offered the tools to succeed. Over the years, she has consistently sought to introduce new teaching pedagogies in her classes, including offering a fully online chemistry course.
Pacheco's research activities have concentrated on the exploration and development of new pedagogies for teaching chemistry. She has given more than 24 presentations on these activities at a variety of venues, including regional and national meetings, invited talks at colleges, and assorted workshops. She has supervised a number of student research projects, resulting in seven presentations at the college's
As one of the hardest working academic advisers on campus, she works with a third of all chemistry majors. In addition, she has served as faculty adviser to the active student chemistry club, taking groups of students to national professional meetings. She has also served on every departmental committee related to curricular matters. Collegewide, she has served as the director of EOP, a two-time member of the Middle States Self-Study Committee, a two-time member of the
President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Burnett has led faculty in adopting technology in her courses and in leveraging technology to disseminate the creativity studies curricular content to the wider world. She took a lead role in developing a massive open online course (MOOC) that has attracted viewers from more than 180 countries. To date, this online course has had more than 120,000 visitors and 28,000 active participants, making it the most active MOOC offered by the
Buffalo State takes pride in having scholars in the classroom, and Burnett is a model of the teaching scholar. She has directly connected teaching to scholarship by providing an opportunity for students to publish essays in a book of first works titled Big Questions in Creativity. As the editor of this series, she initiated the first volume in 2013 and has continued to publish an issue each year through 2018. She is keenly interested in supporting transformative teaching both on and off campus. Ever mindful of that goal, she has made creative education the main focus of her scholarly endeavors and has published a book, Weaving Creativity into Every Strand of Your Curriculum, which was recently translated into Spanish.
Burnett is an engaging and charismatic teacher. Her teaching evaluations are superior, and students hold her in the highest regard. She has been an active mentor for many, and her efforts both in and out of class have done much to transform lives.
President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Grinnell has impressive knowledge on a diversity of topics in philosophy and the ability to share that knowledge and his enthusiasm for his field with his students. He offers the point of view of a well-versed philosopher who is also a hard-working and gifted teacher. He has superior classroom management skills and techniques for engaging students. Even when discussing controversial topics such as evolution, organ donation, assisted suicide, or biological advances, the debate always remains respectful, thoughtful, and conscientious.
He works with students on research projects that result in their intellectual growth by mentoring
Grinnell has served on many college committees, including the
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