The University at Buffalo has designated three fellows to be funded under the Civic Engagement and Public Policy (CEPP) research initiative.

The fellows are Sarah Elder, professor, Department of Media Study and adjunct professor of anthropology; Christopher Mele, Ph. D, associate professor, Department of Sociology; and Sara Metcalf, Ph. D, assistant professor, Department of Geography.

They will establish projects to address social justice issues linked to dramatic climate change in the town of Emmonak, Alaska; to urban agriculture and food security in Buffalo; and to schemes for publicly financing economic development programs in Chester, Pa.

Dennis Walczyk, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Buffalo, has been named to a two-year term as chair of the New York State Council of Catholic Charities Directors.

“The Council looks forward to his leadership and term in office,” said Earl Eichelberger, director for Human Services of the New York State Catholic Conference. “His role is particularly important this year as he will serve during the Regional Summit for Catholic Charities USA’s Centennial. He’ll be the voice and face of the Council during this time, guiding that whole process.”

Walczyk began representing the Diocese of Buffalo on the Council in 2002, and served as vice-chairman from 2008-09. He’s also served as chairman of the annual Catholic Charities Directors Convening.

Winners of Eggertsville in Lights 2009, the holiday lighting contest of the Eggertsville Community Organization, are: first Place, Jim Braun, 36 Dell-wood Road; second, William Spoth, 60 Emerson Drive; third, Jenny and Tim Callahan, 205 Hillcrest Drive; Green Award, David J. Meyer, 70 Rosemont Drive; Inside Out Award, Ludy Olszanski, 190 Woodcrest Drive; Clark Griswold Award, Zachary Spawton, 64 Newgate Road.

The Williamsville Central School District 2009 Wall of Fame has 13 new names from its three high schools. Honorees were inducted recently during an awards breakfast sponsored by the Williamsville Education Foundation at the Westwood Country Club in Amherst.

The honorees are:

Williamsville South High School — Mark Danni (Class of 1984), Broadway musician; Christopher J. Lucas (Class of 1958), professor, College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas; Sherry Margolis (Class of 1973), TV news anchor, FOX affiliate, Detroit; Dan H. Sanes (Class of 1974), director at the Center for Neural Science at New York University; Joshua Sanes (Class of 1966), director at Center for Brain Science at Harvard University.

Williamsville East High School — Curan Bonham (Class of 1997), Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellow; Anthony J. Casuccio (Class of 1987), Grammy-nominated music producer; Michael Rossetti (Class of 1977), attorney and partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Washington,

D. C.; Dr. Nirav R. Shah, M. D. (Class of 1990), assistant professor of medicine and associate director for research at New York University School of Medicine.

Williamsville North High School — Daniel Terry Mank (Class of 1981), founder and president of ZITEC, a manufacturing company and defense contractor; Daniel Mittleman (Class of 1976), associate professor in the College of Computing and Digital Media at DePaul University in Chicago; Deborah A. Roess (Class of 1969), - professor of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University; and Eric L. Stewart (Class of 1983), middle school principal for Loudoun County (Va.) Public Schools.