Buffalo State celebrates Academic Convocation September 15

Ten Buffalo State faculty and staff members will be recognized with SUNY Chancellor’s and President’s Awards for Excellence for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of the university, the State University of New York, and the greater community during Academic Convocation on Tuesday, September 15, at 12:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.

President Jennifer L. Burris, Ph.D., will offer congratulatory remarks at the ceremony.

The ceremony also recognizes the significant awards and major grants of faculty and staff members and welcomes all new employees to campus. The entire campus community is invited to participate in this annual event.

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARDS
SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence provide systemwide recognition of consistently superior professional achievement. These awards underscore SUNY’s commitment to sustaining intellectual vibrancy, advancing the boundaries of knowledge, providing the highest quality of instruction, and serving the public good.

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Julian C. Cole, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

Julian Cole has consistently demonstrated excellence in leadership, adaptability to institutional needs, innovation in problem-solving, and meaningful contributions beyond his formal job description—in all the numerous leadership roles he has held on campus. His superb performance and extraordinary efforts in service to the university—including key contributions to the leadership teams for Commencement and other annual academic ceremonies—are well known. As his colleagues note, Cole is committed to collaboration and leading others to creative solutions by working together. It would be difficult to find any aspect of academic affairs on the Buffalo State campus that has not been improved by his service.

Cole began his career at Buffalo State in 2008 and immediately started taking on leadership roles as a faculty member, including revising and creating new courses and serving on multiple departmental committees while demonstrating excellence in teaching. He was then elected to the Buffalo State Senate and served on its leadership team. His subsequent move into administration has included roles in the former School of Arts and Humanities and School of the Professions, among others. In his present position with the School of Arts and Sciences, Cole is responsible for serving on numerous mission-critical committees as well as overseeing all curriculum changes and catalog revisions, program and general education assessment, and master schedule development. He juggles these multiple tasks through meticulous record keeping, developing standard operating procedures, and creating data analysis tools to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Nominator: Kelly M. Frothingham, Ph.D., Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Carolynn J. Krupp, M.L.S.
Director of Academic Planning and Technology, Institutional Effectiveness and Planning

Carolynn Krupp exemplifies the highest standard of SUNY professional service through her technical expertise, strategic leadership, and unwavering commitment to Buffalo State University’s mission. Over her career, she has transformed complex institutional challenges into opportunities for innovation and progress. Her leadership in implementing enterprise systems such as Degree Works, Hobsons Starfish (Bengal Success Portal), Navigate 360, AchieveIt, Watermark, and, most recently, Coursedog, has modernized academic operations, enhanced advising and student success, and streamlined institutional workflows. Her ability to merge technical skill with institutional insight ensures each project strengthens both student experience and organizational efficiency. 

Beyond her technical expertise, Krupp is a trusted strategist and collaborator. She has played central roles in developing the university’s Strategic and Operational Plans, supporting accreditation and assessment processes, managing academic equipment funding, and ensuring data integrity across systems. Her leadership on committees such as the Institutional Planning Advisory Committee, Institutional Effectiveness Committee, Assessment Advisory Board, and Resources for Information Technology Executive Committee reflects her capacity to unite diverse stakeholders around shared goals. Colleagues across divisions praise her quiet strength, empathy, and ability to present complex or divisive issues with clarity and respect. Her impact extends beyond campus through conference presentations, SUNY advisory roles, and mentoring of emerging professionals. Her legacy is reflected in improved systems, stronger planning structures, and a campus culture rooted in collaboration and care.

Nominator: Amitra A. Wall, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
Jennifer D. Ryan-Bryant, Ph.D.
Professor, English

Jennifer Ryan-Bryant is a resourceful, engaging, and prolific scholar who, in the past two decades at Buffalo State, has published two well-received monographs and more than 20 articles in top-tier journals with rigorous publication processes. Her frequent presentations at conferences for literary studies substantiate the consistency and breadth of her research. Her scholarship centers on the poetics and cultural politics of African American women poets, with particularly acclaimed contribution to the study of Wanda Coleman. She has also developed an expertise on the literature of lynching and the poetry of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. External evaluators praise the scholarly depth and originality of her work.

Ryan-Bryant consistently aligns her teaching with her research and has a sustained record of impactful mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students. Of the 12 master’s theses she has directed, four have won the Buffalo State Outstanding Thesis Award for graduate studies. In addition, she has developed new courses that invite her students to the frontlines of her scholarship. The list of courses she has taught at Buffalo State is long, and especially notable is the number of times she has developed new materials for reoccurring courses such as Senior Seminar and the graduate courses, American Literature and Studies in Poetry. Her research and publication history demonstrate significant high-caliber academic accomplishments. She is an excellent scholar and teacher whose insightful and wide-ranging work is of great value to colleagues and students in English, African American studies, American history, and gender studies.

Nominator: Aimable Twagilimana, Ph.D., Distinguished Service Professor, English

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Bridget María Chesterton, Ph.D.
Professor, History and Social Studies

Bridget María Chesterton has consistently demonstrated flexibility, innovation, inclusion, and mastery of pedagogy in her teaching. She teaches online and in-person classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels to large sections and small seminar-style classes. She meets students where they are, creating a friendly learning community. By adapting to an ever-changing technological landscape and adopting new methods, she has been able to motivate students to actively participate in lecture, reading, video assignments, podcasts, and more. An exceptional scholar, she often overlaps her own research with her teaching—most significantly on her work on food history. She has published various works on food history and has applied her expertise directly to her courses. By modeling her research on the profound impact of food, students learn about their own family’s and community’s history with immigration, migration, economics, gender, and cultural histories.

Chesterton continually encourages students to showcase their work—through submissions to the department’s online journal, The Exposition; presenting at Buffalo State’s annual Student Research and Creativity Conference; or attending the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference. She also has been a champion for Universal Design for Learning, working diligently to make her courses accessible to all students. Moreover, Chesterton’s office door is regularly open and she is known to respond to emails quickly. She welcomes conversation wherever she goes on campus—from classrooms to the Student Union to the library, or simply on long walks across campus. Chesterton is always surrounded by students, and they appreciate her accessibility.

Nominator: York A. Norman, Ph.D., Professor, History and Social Studies

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Andrew I. Hashey, Ph.D.
Chair and Associate Professor, Exceptional Education

Andrew Hashey has consistently demonstrated a steadfast commitment to providing students with exceptional instruction. In every setting, he serves as a model educator for aspiring teachers, authentically embodying the principles he imparts. He upholds rigorous academic standards while providing the support, resources, and encouragement students need to thrive. Colleagues note his effective integration of technology, clarity of instruction, and ability to build rapport with students. He creates dynamic and engaging learning environments that not only prepare teacher candidates with essential knowledge, but also model the kind of innovative and compassionate teaching practices they are expected to bring into their own classrooms. Students note that he takes deliberate care to connect course content to authentic classroom practice.

Equally significant are his department leadership activities. He has taught 12 distinct courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Buffalo State since 2018, and has developed new courses and programs, while successfully revising existing programs to remain responsive to candidate, community, and state needs. In addition, his leadership in the International Professional Development Schools (IPDS) program has created transformative applied learning opportunities for students that deepen candidates’ cultural competence and instructional agility. His scholarly activity reflects both productivity and impact. Since 2018, he has authored or co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to 30-plus professional presentations, and written six successful grants totaling more than $110,000 in support of teacher preparation and field-based initiatives. His students’ accomplishments can often be linked to his mentorship, instruction, and professional engagement.

Nominator: Lisa A. Rafferty, Ph.D., Professor, Exceptional Education

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Meg E. Knowles, M.F.A.
Associate Professor Emerita, Communication

An outstanding educator during her two decades at Buffalo State, Meg Knowles holds high standards for her students; inspires and encourages them in class; gives generously of her time outside the classroom; advises students comprehensively about their course of study and careers; and enthusiastically stays in touch with former students, continuing to support and mentor them for years after graduation. She has taught a large variety of courses using a wide array of teaching techniques and approaches. She instills in her students an appreciation for learning and new-found confidence in their own abilities as student-scholars and media makers. She is a wholistic educator who incorporates service learning and other hands-on experiences, honest and constructive feedback, and individualized support for each student into her teaching.

Knowles is a nationally known and well-connected documentary filmmaker who incorporates her industry knowledge and connections into her classes. She is always in the know about upcoming jobs and internships and immediately shares those opportunities with her students and alumni. Knowles’ work has been widely screened at festivals in the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, India, and France, and many students have gained valuable experience while working on her creative productions. She is a mentor to many of her faculty colleagues, is active in the Western New York filmmaking and creative community, and is the co-curator of the Beyond Boundaries Screening and Discussion Series, a dynamic campus program that features film screenings followed by speaker panels and discussions.

Nominator: Dorothea Braemer, M.F.A., Associate Professor, Communication

SUNY CHANCELLOR’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLASSIFIED SERVICE
Susan L. Rizzo, B.S.
Administrative Assistant 1, Creativity and Change Leadership

An exceptional administrative professional, Susan Rizzo has helped transform her department’s administrative operations and culture of belonging and respect. She has played an essential role in fostering a positive psychological climate within her unit, thereby promoting creativity, imagination, and innovation. She is a nurturing person who brings that quality into her professional role in ways that profoundly matter. When visitors arrive, she instinctively makes them feel welcomed and cared for. Research consistently shows that the strongest predictor of a healthy and creative climate is leadership behavior, including that of informal leaders. Rizzo exemplifies this principle. Through her energy, drive, compassion, and attitude, she uplifts everyone around her and models what it means to lead through service.

Rizzo’s care for others is not limited to in-office hospitality. On numerous occasions, she has escorted lost or anxious students to their classrooms—sometimes just down the hall, sometimes to another floor, and at times across campus—ensuring they arrive where they need to be without embarrassment or stress. Because her department trusts her judgment, creativity, and professionalism, she was invited to contribute her ideas to the design of the new Sidney and Bea Parnes Creativity Collection space in E. H. Butler Library. She collaborated with the department chair and an interior design student on the project. Rizzo’s insight, aesthetic sense, and collaborative spirit significantly shaped a space that reflects the values of creativity, warmth, and accessibility.

Nominator: Gerard J. Puccio, Ph.D., Chair and SUNY Distinguished Professor, Creativity and Change Leadership

BUFFALO STATE PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
Buffalo State President’s Awards recognize excellence among faculty and staff members who distinguished themselves in work performed on behalf of the university.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT
Carole J. Miller, M.S.Ed.
Senior EOP Counselor, Educational Opportunity Program

A senior EOP counselor at Buffalo State for more than 10 years, Carole Miller has long provided students with stellar academic advisement as well as noteworthy career guidance and personal counseling support. This includes intensive academic and career advisement throughout the annual four-week Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Summer Academy. Through her ongoing meetings and phone calls with her advisees, she excels at helping students investigate their academic and career interests and, in turn, find the major and minor best suited to their ultimate career goals. Her mastery of institutional and departmental regulations, policies, and procedures is well known across campus, and other advisors often seek her input to clarify new degree requirements. She is an especially effective mentor for newly hired staff members and academic advisors.

Available to her students around the clock throughout the entire year, Miller focuses on the whole student in her academic and personal counseling approach. She continually checks in to make certain students are adjusting well to their college experience and managing life stressors including class requirements, friendships, family dynamics, and employment opportunities. She also serves on Buffalo State’s Care Team, providing important personal and academic support to any students in need of assistance. In this capacity, she has helped numerous students overcome difficult circumstances, regain their focus, and graduate. Miller is a devoted, compassionate, and transformative academic advisor whose knowledge and experience have proved pivotal to her students’ academic, personal, and career success.

Nominator: Neil P. O’Donnell, M.A., Senior EOP Counselor, Educational Opportunity Program

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Saziye Bayram, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Mathematics

Saziye Bayram represents excellence in teaching in its fullest sense: intellectual rigor, pedagogical innovation, devoted mentorship, professional engagement, and transformative impact on students’ academic and professional trajectories. She combines cutting-edge mathematical scholarship with extraordinary dedication to student growth. She creates courses and builds programs, integrates modeling and computation into foundational courses, creates a welcoming space for learning, and devotes countless hours to student success. She is recognized by students and fellow faculty members alike for her sustained excellence, innovative pedagogy, mentorship of undergraduate and graduate research, curriculum leadership, and unwavering commitment to student achievement. Her teaching is consistently described by students as engaging, energetic, rigorous, and deeply supportive; her colleagues note the positive learning environment she creates, the warm relationship between her and her students, and the pedagogical style of engagement she employs. 

Outside of the classroom, she continually participates in meetings and workshops that address topics ranging from implementing course management technology to fostering undergraduate research to improving the teaching of introductory courses. Her active research agenda has led to numerous invitations to participate in prestigious research groups and study programs in the U.S. and abroad. Over the years, she has served as a graduate program advisor, undergraduate mathematics advisor, internship project mentor, and Mathematics Club advisor. She actively connects students with professional opportunities, attends supervisor meetings, and supports students throughout placement processes.

Nominator: David C. Wilson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Mathematics

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Shantell M. Reid, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology

Shantell Reid consistently displays a student-centered approach to her work, and her passion for teaching is well known across campus and beyond. Reid builds a strong rapport with students, challenging them to work toward their goals and giving them agency to push their knowledge, skills, and creativity beyond what they think is possible. In turn, students note that she is encouraging, supportive, promotes a sense of inclusion and belonging, and helps them expand their confidence. She has mentored more than 30 students in exhibiting their designs at Buffalo State’s Runway fashion show and additional students in presenting their work at the Student Research and Creativity Conference or through local publications. She leads workshops to help students learn and build skills beyond the classroom and holds unique studio hours in addition to her regular office hours. She also was the instructor and co-faculty lead for a study abroad trip to Ghana in January 2025, which offered a transformational experience for students. 

Reid is actively engaged in her own research and creative scholarship and has presented her peer-reviewed work at national and international conferences. Her creative scholarship has been exhibited at national venues and her recent research on developing a social justice pedagogical framework is under review for publication. In addition, she serves on the board for local BOCES high school fashion programs, which produce many students who choose Buffalo State as the destination to continue their fashion education.

Nominator: Arlesa J. Shephard, Ph.D., Chair and Associate Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology

Header image by Jesse-Steffan Colucci; headshots courtesy of honorees.