Honor Roll
Recognizing the accomplishments of Western New Yorkers
Susan M. Marchione will direct Daemen College’s award-winni n g Service Learning Program, a nationally recognized program that places disadvantaged students outside the classroom into the community.
Daemen students, for instance, participate in health care assistance to Buffalonians, reading-tutoring programs, and they volunteer in local soup kitchens.
Marchione, now the program’s coordinator, previously served as executive director of the ECC Foundation at Erie Community College.
She is a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at D’Youville College, holding two degrees from Canisius College — a master’s in college student personnel administration and a bachelor’s in communication studies and political science.
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Gretchen Cercone, of the Buffalo Independent Secondary Schools Network, has won a $2,492 grant from Teaching Tolerance, a national education program.
Cercone will use the grant to engage students and teachers from 17 schools in readings and discussions about diversity. Through monthly seminars, participants representing various races, social classes, religions and other diverse backgrounds will meet to share their personal stories and experiences, and find ways to connect on common ground.
Teaching Tolerance is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Cercone’s program is seen as a potential model for educators throughout the nation.
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Frances Crosby, chairwoman of Niagara University’s department of nursing, has been named the 2008 Nurse of Distinction by the Professional Nurses Association of Western New York.
She was nominated for the award, which reflects her achievement in fostering a positive public image of nursing, by Connie Jozwiak Shields, assistant professor of nursing at NU.
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The following five recent Buffalo State College graduates have received the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence:
Adrienne L. Watz, who earned an M. A. degree in history with a straight-A average, the Donald D. and Barbara J. Leopard Memorial Scholarship and membership in Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society.
Kristen M. Weisel, who earned a bachelor’s degree in education, was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society for education.
Natalie R. Sciolino and Matthew R. Tarasek each received the President’s Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in addition to the Chancellor’s Award. Sciolino, a psychology major, plans to continue her graduate studies in behavioral neuroscience. Tarasek, a chemistry major, conducted research into several topics and presented his findings at several conferences.
Brian D. Dubenion received the President’s Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student in addition to the Chancellor’s Award. He earned an M. S. degree in student personnel administration while also serving as president of the Graduate Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He is the recipient of the Hamlin Park Community Charles T. Perkins Scholarship for community work.
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Allen Podet, professor of philosophy and humanities at Buffalo State College, has been invited by the U. S. Department of Education to join the selection board for Fulbright awards. The board, which meets in Washington, D. C., selects individuals and institutions to receive funding, including the Fulbright Scholarship.
