Summer 2005
PEOPLE
College Honors Students, Faculty and Staff for Leadership
By Mary E. McCrank
The College granted awards to student leaders, faculty and staff in April at its Annual Leadership Awards and Recognition Ceremony. The students were praised for their contributions to campus community life as leaders of organizations and volunteers.
Tom Matthews, director of Leadership Education, Development and Training for the College, commended the students for demonstrating their leadership abilities and giving back to the community.
“The capability to lead is rooted in virtually every individual,” said Matthews. “Leadership is at the heart of what we try to develop here at Geneseo.”
Matthews coordinated the ceremony, which was held April 26 in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom and included a light lunch catered by Campus Auxiliary Services. The Geneseo Student Association, Center for Community, and Division of Student and Campus Life hosted the ceremony and sponsored the event.
Vice President for Student and Campus Life Robert Bonfiglio thanked the students “for making Geneseo such a dynamic college.
“A year does not go by that I do not hear at least once a comment about ‘apathy’ in the student body at Geneseo. And each time I do, I remind myself of this awards ceremony,” said Bonfiglio. “If apathy exists on this campus, how can we explain this level of involvement?”
Bonfiglio provide some statistics about the students in the 2004-05 academic year:
More than 3,600 students were involved in 180 clubs and organizations, and 720 students held leadership positions.
These organizations held more than 5,400 meetings and events and raised more than $150,000 dollars.
About 4,500 students attended 178 GOLD workshops and provided more than 88,000 hours of peer leadership.
These students ran the Knight Spot, which was open 56 nights, and they participated in more than 300 Late Knight programs.
About 360 students participated in athletics.
About 1,455 students held jobs on campus.
“Each day the Geneseo community is alive with a level of student involvement that is the envy of area colleges,” said Bonfiglio.
President Christopher C. Dahl told the students he admires them for creating a sense of community at Geneseo.
Among the award winners were:
GOLD Leadership Certificate Program: About 200 students were awarded certificates in the gold, bronze, silver, sapphire and opal categories.
Senior GOLD Leader Mentors: David Ariyibi, Kathrynne Brylinski, Sau Ling Chau, Rachel DeRose, Sean Gavin, Julia Kogut, Charles Morris, Mona Ramji, David Rose, Richard Smith, Aaron Strahl and Devin Van Riper.
Student PATH (Promoting Awareness Toward Harmony) Award: Jackie Chessen and Kate Steinnagel.
Faculty PATH Award: Irene Belyakov.
Staff PATH Award: Joe VanRemmen.
Who’s Who in American Colleges & Universities: Peter Anderson, Amanda Beaty, Ryan Bulson, Sau Ling Chau, Julie Dangler, Jacqueline Decker, Sarah Donaldson, Bridgett Frey, Arseniy Gutnik, Mila Kundu, Melissa Lauricella and Christopher LaVigne.
Student Employee of the Year: Casey Wallace.
GOLD Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award: Michael Rozalski, Kappa Delta Pi.
Excellence In Residence Life Leadership Award: Suzanne Sharp.
Lauderdale Center for Student Health & Counseling HealthGuard of the Year Award: Karen Axelson.
William T. and Dorothy Nowak Smith Dedicated Service Award: Healthguard: Amanda Kristopowitz; Geneseo First Response: Kyle Heassler.
Jo Kirk One World Service Award: Nicole Orlowski and Ziliang Wei.
Geneseo Foundation & Student Association Merit Award – Leadership: Ryan Bulson, Viet Ha Do, David LaMagna and Richard Smith.
Geneseo Foundation & Student Association Merit Award – Service: Brian Baldwin, Whitney Crispell, Michael Early, Eric Rathfelder and Kristi Ruggiero.
Geneseo Foundation & Student Association Merit Award –Diversity: Sau Ling Chau, Enjoli Gonzalez, Roger Mahle, Katherine Mendez Lopez and Robin Routenberg.
College Union & Activities Zack Zlotnik Memorial Award: Robin Nagowski.
Golden Key International Honour Society Scholarships: Alicia Riggi and Stephanie Webb.
Award for Outstanding Leadership – Orientation & First-Year Program: Kayla Marie Plaisted.
Center for Community Building Community Award: Robbie Routenberg.
Ward Leadership Scholarship: Alana Eaton.
Order of Omega Patrick W. Halloran Award Scholarship: Rachel Baldassaro, Sigma Kappa, and Desiree Morrell, Sigma Kappa.
Outstanding Fraternity Man: Aaron Strahl, Sigma Tau Psi.
Outstanding Sorority Woman: Rosemary McCullough, Alpha Omega Pi.
President’s Outstanding Achievement Awards for Campus Organizations: Geneseo Crew Club, Inter-Residence Council and Kappa Delta Pi.
For more on the recipients of the awards, including photos, go to: http://gold.geneseo.edu/awards05.htm.
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Senior GOLD Leader Mentors, l-r: Rachel DeRose, Kathrynne Brylinski, Sau Ling Chau, Mona Ramji, Sean Gavin, Charles Morris, Richard Smith, Devin Van Riper and Aaron Strahl. |
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Student PATH Award: Katie Steinnagel.
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Faculty PATH Award: Irene Belyakov. |
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Staff PATH AWARD: Joe VanRemmen.
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Award for Outstanding Leadership-Orientation & First-Year Program: Kayla Marie Plaisted, photographed with Celia Easton, associate dean of students and director of orientation and first year programs.
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Photos
by: Ron Pretzer
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