SUNY recognizes FLCC employees, students for excellence

5 employees and 2 students were recognized as the 2022 SUNY Chancellor’s Award recipients.

Five Finger Lakes Community College employees and two students were recognized during commencement in May as recipients of SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.

Recipients were as follows:

Autumn E. Dushnick of West Sayville, Suffolk County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence. Dushnick is a 2022 nursing graduate who served as the director of the Student Corporation Activities Committee for 2021-22. In this role, she brought together students, faculty, and staff through social and educational events. In the fall 2021 semester alone, the Activities Committee hosted 40 events and made 1,623 connections with students. In addition, Dushnick raised funds at the start of the pandemic to provide food for health care workers.

Jeremiah Naused of Romulus, Seneca County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence. He is a 2022 FLCC graduate with a degree in liberal arts and sciences and plans to become a physician. Naused served as the Student Corporation president for 2021-22, helping to reactivate student organizations following the first year of the pandemic and promoting the rollout of the TimelyCare App among students. TimelyCare gives students 24/7 access to health services, including mental health services.

Kathleen Schwartz of Gorham, Ontario County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service. Schwartz, who has served FLCC for three decades, recently retired as senior clerk for the Academic and Student Affairs division. Schwartz was nominated for her willingness to serve on college committees, mentor other employees and take on new tasks to help improve programs and processes.

John Foust of Stanley, Ontario County, professor of environmental conservation and horticulture, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. With 23 years of service to the college, Foust was nominated for his work in developing courses and learning opportunities for conservation students, in particular, in the field of fisheries. He has been a part of research collaborations with local and regional institutions, including a biological survey for invasive species in Loon Lake, Steuben County, and he uses data on student learning to drive improvements in his teaching practices.

Michael Van Etten of Canandaigua, Ontario County, assistant professor and program coordinator of world languages, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Van Etten is the author and designer of the Language Education Access Foundation, which provides a wealth of teaching resources for a variety of languages and a series of low-cost online textbooks. He is a pioneer in the use of technology to teach language, a strong proponent of experiential learning, and has served as a coach and mentor for the FLCC eSports program.

Lacey McKinney of Liverpool, Onondaga County, associate professor of art, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. A faculty member since 2013, McKinney has exhibited her work at galleries in New York, North Carolina, and Washington. Her solo exhibition Reconfiguration was featured in 2020 – 2021 at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse. Her art has been selected for publications that include The Post Standard in Syracuse, Artnet News and huffingtonpost.com. She has been instrumental in the launching of the ArtSpace36 gallery in downtown Canandaigua.

Jeremy Tiermini of Canandaigua, Ontario County, professor of health science and human performance, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. Tiermini was recognized for his contribution to the development of the online learning program at FLCC. He has served on several college committees that develop policy and programming and guide the overall direction of the institution. Tiermini also serves as co-chair of the college’s Guided Pathways program, designed to improve opportunities for student success.