At a glance
An Alfred State professor and two staff members were recently honored with Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service, and Classified Service.
An Alfred State professor and two staff members were recently honored with Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service, and Classified Service.
Kathleen Bliss, Freedom, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; Nancy Driscoll, Wellsville, was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service; and Kathy Bayus, Alfred Station, was presented with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service. Each received a certificate and a medallion.
Bliss has a teaching philosophy that places great emphasis on her responsibility as a teacher in order to foster successful students. She is an inspiration in a field that demands performance at an extremely high level to meet the ethical standards set by the profession she serves and the students she leads. Her focused philosophy in each course makes her a highly prized member of the academic faculty at Alfred State.
Bliss is known for her passion in teaching and for her dedication to the students in the veterinary technology program. She is also known for her dedication to the ethical and humane treatment of animals. Students clearly respect her for the wealth of information and support that she offers them. Her very high level of standards and innovative approaches impress on her students the importance of ethical behavior and responsiveness in veterinary technology. She offers them real-world models, and they respond to her with the greatest attention and respect because they are motivated by her dedication to their success and the welfare of animals.
Driscoll has made significant contributions to Alfred State over the past 14 years, in successively more responsible and demanding positions within the Admissions area. She coordinates marketing activities for the Admissions Office; provides admissions information and participates in recruitment activities both on and off campus; is responsible for Niagara, Erie, and Cattaraugus counties; reviews applications for admission; and coordinates the mini high school and junior visit programs, and the conditional acceptance process. She has been a tireless and innovative advocate for the college, an active college citizen, and an enthusiastic participant in professional activities.
Driscoll is the consummate Admissions professional. She has multiple promotions under her belt, and has created a continuing legacy of innovative and effective admissions marketing campaigns. One measure of her excellence is the fact that her Admissions area in western New York has experienced an increase in enrollment. She is an active campus and university citizen, and participates regularly in professional groups associated with Admissions, where she has mentored those new to the field.
Bayus has spent more than 30 years wearing multiple hats and exceling in each role she takes on. From managing the day-to-day activities of an entire office — keeping schedules, sending emails, organizing information, compiling and formatting documents, filing, and setting up crucial meetings — to acting as a proofreader, fact-checker, writer, and sounding board for all the college’s marketing and communications efforts; she does it all.
Bayus is often the first person to interact with the Marketing and Communications team’s customers and never fails to take the time — regardless of her workload — to answer questions, transfer calls, respond to emails, and compile information in order to get their jobs done. She is a prime example of a dedicated, passionate, and creative Alfred State employee. Whether you are a new employee, a retired faculty member visiting campus, or a freshman attending your first Outdoor Recreation Club meeting, Bayus will go out of her way to make sure your questions are answered and — most importantly — that you feel welcomed as part of the Alfred State family.