Chancellor’s Award Honors Four Outstanding Students, Three for Professional and Classified Service

SUNY Oswego students active in academics, research, leadership, athletics and community service received the 2017 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence—the highest student recognition through the statewide university system.

This year’s Oswego honorees for outstanding achievements inside and outside the classroom are Abigail Boyce ’17 of Lockport, N.Y., a finance major with a minor in statistics; Tatiana Gregory ’17 of Brooklyn, N.Y., a biochemistry major with minors in health science and nutrition; Nicholas Noviasky ’17 of Cassville, N.Y., a physics major and mathematics minor; and Lauren Saroli ’17 of Fairport, N.Y., a zoology major and chemistry minor.

The statewide university system also recently honored SUNY Oswego’s Christy Harrison Huynh ’98 M’08 CAS’08, associate director of career services, and Dr. Richard Kolenda, assistant vice president for residence life and housing, with the 2017 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service, and Jo Ann Richardson received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service.

Abigail Boyce ’17, Tatiana Gregory ’17, Nicholas Noviasky ’17, Lauren Saroli ’17

Abigail Boyce ’17

A founding member and treasurer of SUNY Oswego’s Women in Business, she served as a leader in several financial student organizations and with The Oswegonian. A track and field athlete for four years and team captain for two, she has set several school records while competing in hurdles and triple jump. Boyce has been named to the national and SUNYAC All-Academic teams.

Tatiana Gregory ’17

Gregory served as a leader in several student organizations, including the Student Association Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Relay for Life and Shaun Cassidy Fan Club improv comedy troupe. She was a research assistant during academic travel to Brazil and on campus. She earned induction to Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, was an Honors Student Advisory Board member and was SAVAC’s Director of the Year.

Nicholas Noviasky ’17

Recipient of a highly selective National Science Foundation internship last summer in materials science and engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he co-authored a study on lithium-ion batteries, and won the Best Undergraduate Poster Award at the 2016 statewide meeting of the American Physical Society. He served as the Physics Club vice president and was a Sigma Xi honor society member.

Lauren Saroli ’17

Founder and president of the Oswego Zoological Student Association, Saroli’s key research involves assessing impacts of Lake Ontario’s contaminants on lake trout physiology. She helped rebuild homes after Hurricane Sandy, worked for the Carolina Tiger Rescue and repaired flooded homes in Oneida, N.Y. Saroli was involved in the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, Vega women’s honor society and the Honors Student Advisory Board.

– Jeff Rea ’71

Christy Harrison Huynh ’98 M’08 CAS’08 A staff member since 2002, Huynh was recognized for her creativity and innovation, strategic thinking, dedication to the college and to students’ success, and distinguished campus and community service. Her achievements include helping the college attain the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, assisting the Office of Career Services to adopt a new “industry-centric” model, helping hundreds of undeclared students explore majors and careers, and teaching students about their own core values.

Dr. Richard Kolenda Starting his career as a residence hall director in 1978, Kolenda rose through the ranks taking over as director in 2008 and then advancing to his current position of assistant vice president of residence life and housing. Under Kolenda’s leadership, the college opened the Village, an award-winning townhouse development for upperclassmen, and renovated and revitalized existing residence halls. His community service includes years of coaching and other volunteerism in youth baseball.

Jo Ann Richardson For 15 years, Richardson has served as the main face of International Student and Scholar Services at SUNY Oswego. She was recognized for her consistent and outstanding service to students, especially international students and scholars who have grown from approximately 70 people to more than 225 students from 34 countries.

Her attention to detail in helping process students’ immigration documents, health insurance, on-campus accommodations and visa status compliance helped the office achieve a 100-percent student service satisfaction rating by the International Student Barometer.

—Jeff Rea ’71

—Photos: Jim Russell ’83

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