2025 Student Excellence Awards
It is my distinct honor to welcome our honorees and their family and friends to this page where we showcase the accomplishments of members of our campus community. The Student Excellence Awards began more than 10 years ago to showcase the amazing service, commitment, teamwork, persistence, grit, and campus involvement our students possess. Many of these students have overcome great obstacles in the path to earning their degree, and have shown tremendous perseverance and determination in continuing to pursue advanced learning. I am incredibly proud of each and every student featured below and their accomplishments. They wholeheartedly embody what’s best about SUNY Canton.
Among the students recognized here are trailblazers, philanthropists, leaders, and scholars of the highest order. These students have received glowing nominations from their peers, their faculty, and administrative staff who have recognized the excellent work they have done on our campus and in their communities.
I’d like to also thank the Student Excellence Awards Committee: a tireless group of individuals from across campus who reviewed, analyzed, and debated on hundreds of applications for these awards, and were able to come to a consensus on the honorees. I wouldn’t be able to honor all of these amazing students without your collaborative work.
I extend my most sincere congratulations to our award recipients on their tremendous achievements and look forward to all they accomplish as they complete their education at SUNY Canton and beyond.
Courtney Battista Bish
Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence
The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence honors State University of New York students who have best demonstrated their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives, which may include leadership, campus involvement, athletics, career achievement, community service or creative and performing arts. View previous recipients.
Sarah Balcom
Health & Fitness Promotion
Sonia Wilson
Health Care Management
Outstanding Graduate - Baccalaureate
Each year, SUNY Canton honors an outstanding graduate in a Baccalaureate degree program. Nominees for this award are judged on scholarship, personality, and contribution to the community. Students presented with this award have a GPA of 3.50 or higher, have been at SUNY Canton for at least one year, and are eligible to graduate with their baccalaureate degree. View previous recipients.
Betsy M. Brabant
Nursing
Eli Larson
Mechatronics Technology
Outstanding Graduate - Associate
Each year, SUNY Canton honors an outstanding graduate in an Associate degree program. Nominees for this award are judged on scholarship, personality, and contribution to the community. Students presented with this award have a GPA of 3.50 or higher, have been at SUNY Canton for at least one year, and are eligible to graduate with their associates degree. View previous recipients.
Natalie Bartle
Applied Psychology
Excellence In Student Life Award
The Excellence in Student Life Award is given out annually to individuals whose actions have positively and forever impacted and inspired Student Life at SUNY Canton through their campus involvement, commitment to excellence, mentorship, guidance, and leadership. Each year, at least one student and one campus employee is recognized by this prestigious honor. View previous recipients.
Cassidy Asiamah
Early Childhood Care & Mgt
Isabella Joy
Forensic Criminology
Becky Olmstead
Dining Operations Supervisor
Dr. Barat Wolfe
Associate Professor & Applied Psychology Dept. Chair
David R. Maynard Award
Each year we present a student with the David R. Maynard Student Activities Award, an award given to a student who has contributed significantly to the campus community and student activities. David was a member of the class of 1986 who died in a motorcycle accident shortly after graduation. David was highly involved on campus in clubs, Greek Life, and intramurals, and was revered for his skill as a student leader. This award is given in his honor, and as a testament to his truly influential presence at SUNY Canton. The recipient of the award must demonstrate superior citizenship and outstanding leadership, as well generously devote their time to student activities. View previous recipients.
Cassidy Asiamah
Early Childhood Care & Mgt
Northstar Award
A student-given award to an employee of SUNY Canton who has gone above and beyond to assist students in reaching their full potential. All SUNY Canton employees (faculty, professional staff, administration, secretarial staff, maintenance, College Association staff, food service staff) who have been employed for at least one semester during the current academic year are eligible for nomination. View previous recipients.
Dr. Maureen P. Maiocco
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor/Social Science Chair/
Early Childhood Degree Program Coordinator
Humanitarian Award
These awards are given in recognition of students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 who have demonstrated a documentable act of humanitarianism worthy of campus recognition. View previous recipients.
Zarif Hanif
Emergency Management
Leaders of Tomorrow Award
These students are leaders of a team, group, or organization; students who give their time and expertise to promote teamwork and accomplishment, while maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50. View previous recipients.
Hannah Alkintor
Forensic Criminology
Lydia Austin
Graphic and Multimedia Design
Colleen Cheney
Graphic and Multimedia Design
Madeline Derouchie
Electrical Engineering Tech
Sydney Ervin
Health & Fitness Promotion
Darren Greene
Cybersecurity
Isabella Joy
Forensic Criminology
Natasha Keppis
Criminal Investigation
Jaden Ivan Muniz
Veterinary Technology
Viktoria Pierre
Veterinary Technology
Cheyenne Sova
Nursing
Phoenix Award
A phoenix is a mythical bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet. It has a 500- to 1000-year life cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs – which then ignite; both nest and bird are burned, reduced to ashes, only to arise and be reborn again. This award is given in recognition of those students who have either transformed themselves or persisted through some difficult odds to succeed as students at SUNY Canton. View previous recipients.
Betsy M. Brabant
Nursing
Mya Hodge
Health Care Management
Emily Pedersen
Individual Studies
Justin Tyler Phillips
Engineering Science
Ricky Yerdon
Sports Management
Pillars of Character Award
Nominees for this award exemplify the pillars of good character in our Campus Creed (honesty, respectfulness, responsibility, fairness, citizenship, caring). View previous recipients.
Tristen Bellinger
Technological Communications
Sonia Bravo
Early Childhood Care & Mgt
Mykailia-Leigh Fletcher
Health Care Management
Mason Holmes
Health & Fitness Promotion
Kelson M. Hooper
Applied Psychology
Madison Parker
Nursing
Mj Perdomo
Information Technology
Felix Ramirez
Physical Therapist Assistant
Christian R. Ramsumair
Veterinary Technology
Adrienne Secore
Applied Psychology
Anniko Serrano
Electrical Engineering Tech
Madison Serrano
Criminal Justice
Caydence Zalwsky
Forensic Criminology
Spirit of Success Award
These awards are given in recognition of students who maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 and have demonstrated active citizenship in the college community. View previous recipients.
Kyle W. Brooks
Applied Psychology
Emily Crossway
Early Childhood
Shelby Currier
Applied Psychology
Asha Hanson
Applied Psychology
Hunter Joseph LaValley
Homeland Security
Jizzell Santiago
Legal Studies
Kaitlin Sprouse
Veterinary Technology
Kate Van Wie
Funeral Services Admin
Chastity Wardell
Applied Psychology
Sister Bethany Fitzgerald, S.S.J., Sustainability Award
Sister Bethany, a lifelong resident of the North Country and a member of the religious Sisters of St. Joseph out of Watertown, NY, served as a campus minister for both SUNY Canton and St. Thomas More Newman Center. As an ardent supporter of a sustainable lifestyle, she endlessly labored to raise awareness of sustainability in the community, stressing all that we need to be good stewards of our planet Earth. This award is an extension of those efforts and recognizes student who have maintained a minimum GPA of 2.50 and have demonstrated, by action, the importance of being good stewards of the Earth. View previous recipients.
Alexis R. Ploutz
Funeral Services Admin