For Immediate Release
April 5, 2016

Twelve From Suffolk Earn Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence

Twelve students from Suffolk County Community College have earned The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence that acknowledges students who have demonstrated and been recognized for their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives including leadership, campus involvement, community service, arts (creative or performing), athletics, and/or career achievement. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by the State University of New York.  

The students were presented with the awards by SUNY Chancellor Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher at a gala ceremony at the Empire Plaza Convention Center in Albany, today.

The Suffolk County Community College students are among nearly 250 students from 64 SUNY campuses to receive the distinguished award, according to Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Shaun L. McKay.

“This year’s award recipients,” Dr. McKay said, “represent examples of remarkable academic achievement, creativity and commitment. I and the college community congratulate this year’s awardees who have strived to achieve and earned our system’s highest student honor.”

The Suffolk County Community College students awarded The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence are:

• Michael Brenkert (Lake Ronkonkoma) - Liberal Arts
  Michael has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. He served as vice president of the Philosophy Club and president of the Biology Club. He is a Get There from Here Scholar who demonstrated academic excellence, campus involvement, and community service.

• Elisandra Fini (Huntington)  - Chemical Dependency Counseling
  Elisandra maintains a 4.0 GPA and has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. Elisandra serves as vice president of Phi Theta Kappa, is a Get There from Here Scholar, and represents the student body in a variety of ways, including speaking at the Suffolk County Executive’s inauguration ceremony in 2015.

• Menely Genao (Port Jefferson Station) - Liberal Arts
  Menely is a two-time National Champion member of the 2015 NJCAA Division III women’s cross-country national team champions and four-time 400-meter relay national champion in track and field. Menely has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years, with a 4.0 GPA. 

• Alisha Hartman (Center Moriches) - Liberal Arts – Biology
  Alisha has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. She is a Get There from Here Scholar, an orientation leader and serves as president of the Community Service Club. She was recently selected as a nominee for the Phi Theta Kappa All-State and Coca-Cola competition.

• Rachel Heinicke (East Northport) -Liberal Arts – Psychology
  Rachel Heinicke has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. She served as vice president of fellowship for Phi Theta Kappa, founder and president of Student-Parents for a Better Tomorrow Club, and vice president of the Social Science Club. She is also the recipient of the Honors Foundation Scholarship.

• Abigail Heins (Peconic) - Criminal Justice
  Abigail has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. She serves as an orientation leader, peer mentor, editor of the veterans’ newsletter, secretary of the Student Veterans Association, president of the Backyard Garden Group, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Abigail also received two scholarships: The Fredrick Strybing Scholarship and The Full Deck Scholarship.
• Dawson Kopp (Aquebogue) - Liberal Arts
  Dawson has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. He served as president of the Honors Club and organized trips to colleges and universities for Eastern Campus students. Last semester Dawson helped reestablish the Eastern Campus’s local Phi Theta Kappa chapter and became its vice president.

• Justin Lerner (Nesconset) - Liberal Arts
  Justin has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. He serves as an orientation leader and Honors Club vice president. Justin works as an information booth attendant and building manager of the Babylon Student Center, a supervisor in the Cafeteria Alcove, and as the school’s advertising assistant.

• Anam Rabbani (Bay Shore) - Liberal Arts – Biology
  Anam serves as president of the Grant Campus’s Phi Theta Kappa Chapter and vice president of the STEM Journal Club. She is the recipient of the Honors Program Foundation Scholarship and the J. Robert Fisher Diversity Scholarship. She also earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years.
• Matthew Sclafani (Lake Grove) - Business Administration
  Matthew has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. He serves as founder and president of Lazarus Rising, secretary of the Student Government, and as an orientation leader. He is a member of the Suffolk County Community College Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
• Emily Vaughan (Medford) - Liberal Arts
  Emily has earned Dean’s List recognition every semester during the last two years. She served as a senator and then secretary of the Student Government. She is also an orientation leader, Get There from Here Scholar, and an Honors student.

Leorelkys Villar (Brentwood) - Nursing
Leorelkys is a Get There from Here Scholar, Frank Lanza Memorial Scholarship recipient, co-president of the Nursing Club, vice president of fundraising for Phi Theta Kappa, and a student representative for the CTEA Local Advisory Council. She has recently been selected as a nominee for the Phi Theta Kappa All-State and Coca-Cola competition. Leorelkys assists with teaching English as a second language for low-income minority families at a non-profit organization.