College news

Alfred State archer Jacob Houseknecht Wins Easton Collegiate Trophy Tournament

Alfred State senior archer Jacob Houseknecht (Candor) won the men’s compound championship at the Easton Collegiate Trophy Tournament. This is the second time that Houseknecht has won the event during his collegiate career.

Houseknecht won the same title in 2019, the last time the event took place. On top of his winning performance in the Easton College Trophy Tournament, he competed in the Lancaster Classic in the men’s open class. He continued his solid performance with a 7th place finish of 299 competitors in the division and made an appearance on the live broadcast streamed worldwide.

Six members of the Archers of Alfred competed over the three-day event held at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, PA. In addition to the performance of Houseknecht, Matt Szczepanski placed 4th in the men’s hunter class division.

The Lancaster Classic is the largest archery competition in the eastern United States with over 2,000 archers converging in Pennsylvania.

Alfred State celebrates Northland graduates

Alfred State College honored more than 60 students at Commencement ceremonies held for the Northland campus in Buffalo. Program Coordinator Dave Kostick presided over the event.

Alfred State President Dr. Steve Mauro applauded the student’s perseverance and dedication to complete their goal. “I urge you to recall the obstacles you have overcome and celebrate all the accomplishments you have had along the way. No matter the size of the obstacle of the accomplishment, your core values helped you continue the path that has you here today. Those same core values will help guide you in all your future endeavors.”

The commencement ceremonies featured welding graduate Damone McNamee Jr. as the student speaker. McNamee (Buffalo - Riverside) encouraged his fellow graduates to keep striving and pushing towards their goals. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. Don’t ever give up. Today is a new beginning and we have built a new future for tomorrow. There are careers for us to go out and grab.”

The Northland campus offers associate degrees in CNC Manufacturing and Machine Tool, Electrical Construction and Maintenance Electrician, and Welding Technology at the Northland Workforce Training Center in the east side of Buffalo, NY.

The ceremony was the first in-person Commencement ceremony held for students at the Northland campus. 2020 and 2021 graduates from the campus were honored in virtual events.

Alfred State College holds 111^th Commencement Ceremony

Alfred State College honored approximately 1,200 eligible graduates at the 111th commencement ceremony. Graduates celebrated with faculty and staff along with their families and friends as the ceremony returned to an in-person event at Pioneer Stadium.

Alfred State President Dr. Steve Mauro presided over the ceremonies. He applauded the students for their perseverance and success. “I encourage you to continue on your trajectory of success. Continue to seek your goal and dreams. You have proven you can be successful. Keep that positive momentum going.”

A major component of the ceremony was the presentation of the Paul B. Orvis Award for Excellence to five graduating students. The award honors Paul B. Orvis, a former president of Alfred State and State University of New York dean for two-year college. Recipients meet the criteria of service, leadership, character, and scholarship.

Receiving the award were Thaddeus Grierson (Perry - School of Applied Technology associate degree recipient); Joseph Tempksi (Hamburg - School of Architecture, Management and Engineering Technology baccalaureate degree recipient); Jenna Schweigert (Lockport - School of Architecture, Management and Engineering Technology associate degree recipient); Colleen Farley (Staten Island - School of Arts and Sciences baccalaureate degree recipient); and Ailie Smithers (Belfast - School of Arts and Sciences associate degree recipient).

The commencement ceremonies featured student speakers from each of the three schools at the college.

• Ailie Smithers represented the School of Arts and Sciences. Smithers is graduating with her associate degree in nursing. She has received numerous awards, including the Janice Woythal Annual Scholarship, the Pay it Forward Scholarship, the Kathy Barnes Honorary Guardian of Nursing Annual Award, and the Orvis Award.
• Megan Delianne (Bayshore) represented the School of Architecture, Management, and Engineering Technology. Delianne, a digital media & animation major, recently received the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence and previously has won the Alfred State Academic Award as the female athlete with the highest overall GPA.
• Thaddeus Grierson represented the School of Applied Technology. He has excelled in academics, making the Dean’s list every semester and was the recipient of the Orvis Award. Grierson, a building trades major, was named to the AMCC Sportsmanship team for men’s soccer and has served as a tutor and student ambassador on his campus.

The Alfred State faculty quarter performed the national anthem and the college’s alma mater. Students were led in recessional by grand marshal Dr. Aniko Constantine.

Alfred State College holds 38^th annual Honors Convocation

Alfred State College (ASC) celebrated the achievements of hundreds of students recently during the 38th annual Honors Convocation. Dr. Craig Clark, interim vice president for Academic Affairs, presided over the event.

Following welcome remarks from ASC President Dr. Steven Mauro and remarks from Clark, the deans of three schools presented the Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence. Heavy Equipment Operations major Kelsey Kellam (Liberty, NY) was the recipient for the School of Applied Technology, Graphic and Media Design major Juliana Elwood (Sewell, NJ) for the School of Architecture, Management & Engineering Technology, and Forensic Science major Collen Farley (Staten Island, NY) for the School of Arts and Sciences.

Nursing student Riley Mucher (Warsaw) was honored with the Provost’s Award for Academic Excellence and Digital Media & Animation major Megan Delianne (Bayshore, NY) and Architecture Technology Alec Harrigan (Springville, NY) were honored for their Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

Patricia Fogarty, Chair of the college Council awarded Mercedes Torpey (Cuba, NY) with the Leadership through Civic Engagement Award and Gabriel Cooks (Brooklyn, NY) with the Newman Civic Fellows Award.

Elijah Blumberg, Student Senate President, awarded Dr. Angela Graves with the Student Advocate Award.

Dr. Mauro returned to the stage and presented the annual alumni awards. Joseph Laraiso, ’67 received the Distinguished Alumni Award while Madison Szpaicher, ’17 received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

ASC students spend spring break helping Habitat for Humanity

Seven Alfred State College (ASC) students and two staff members spent spring break working with Habitat for Humanity in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The week started with the ground breaking of the house they were working on in Horry County. The house was framed, pallets of sod were added, and landscaping was started by the end of the week. The team helped set a new record setting trusses on a house, less than an hour.

Nejesea Brown, assistant director of first year engagement, and Brooke Scianna, coordinator of campus recreation, led the team on the trip. Students on the trip included: Patrick Fisher (Syracuse, NY), Justin Kachurak (Mountain Top, PA), Sean McCarthy (Monroe, NY), Demere Brave (New York, NY), Olivia Gadjo (Skaneateles, NY), Kathleen Norton (Medford, NY), and Hildaleez Pizzini (Bronx, NY).

Kathleen Norton was able to apply skills learned at Alfred State on the trip. “Working with Habitat for Humanity and being able to create something tangible with strangers who later became a little family has been such a positive experience that I would love to explore again. I think volunteering and supporting a community in need is an experience any student at Alfred could benefit from.”

Brooke Scianna echoed the student’s sentiments. “It was a memorable experience that I am so grateful to have shared with amazing students and staff. We were able to learn about the process, the requirements to qualify for a Habitat home, and the ways the Habitat Community assists one another even after their house is finished and they can move in. I also highly enjoyed getting to know the family we were building the house for as well as standing by the parents as they helped build their own house too.”

This trip marked the ninth time in the last ten years that an Alfred State group has worked with Habitat for Humanity during spring break.

Delianne and Harrigan Honored with SUNY Chancellor’s Award

Alfred State College (ASC) students Megan Delianne (Bayshore, NY/Digital Media & Animation) and Alec Harrigan (Springville, NY/Architectural Technology) have been awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence (CASE).

Delianne and Harrigan were among 180 students across the state who were honored by SUNY. The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and have been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement.

"Now more than ever, it is time to celebrate the accomplishments of our students who have helped one another get through this global pandemic and focus on getting the most out of their college education, and this year's CASE winners are at the top of the class," said SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley. "It is my great honor to celebrate the fortitude, leadership, and achievements of this year's winners, and I applaud their hard work and desire to do more for their campuses and fellow students. I, for one, can't wait to see what they do next."

As a digital media and animation major, Delianne balanced the role of student-athlete, resident assistant, and community advocate in an extraordinarily successful way. It was this investment in her community that secured a mentorship as a technical artist with Walt Disney Animation Studios. As a tutor, Delianne helped others successfully through advanced courses. As a member of the Western Equestrian team, she received the Academic Award for her commitment to academics. Her investment in civic engagement was also evidenced by her support during a restoration project for a historical landmark in Allegany County.

Harrigan, an architectural technology major with a dual minor in construction management and history, is a leader in sustainability and architecture. He has extensive experience in civic engagement through volunteering his time for local communities through the Alfred State STAR (Southern Tier Architectural Resource) Center. With STAR, Harrigan has volunteered his time to help local communities, delivering on projects like a visitor center utilizing a historic train depot.

Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office for a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award.

Pair of Alfred State students win Vanguard Award

Alfred State College (ASC) students Emma Bower (Fillmore) and Halimat Akanbi (Ozone Park) have won the 2022 Vanguard Award. The NET (Nontraditional Employment & Training) program presents the Vanguard Award annually.

The Vanguard Award acknowledges and commends outstanding students enrolled in Tech Prep and other Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are not traditional for their gender.

“I feel incredibly appreciative and thankful for this recognition. I hope my story reminds all women, especially young women that they are capable of anything they want to do.”

Agriculture lecturer Casey Arlig-Hinz nominated Bower. “Emma is a fantastic member of academia in all aspects. Being a Vanguard winner is a heft accomplishment in its own right, however to be the only student in agricultural studies makes this award mean even more.”

“It is truly an honor to win this award. With only 10% of women making up the construction industry, I hope to encourage more women to be a part of the field. This experience has been a confidence booster and inspires me to persevere and encourage those around me.”

Chair of the Civil Engineering Technology department Erin Vitale nominated Akanbi. “Halimat's skill, energy and enthusiasm for the construction industry will help attract the next generation to the industry. One of the hallmarks of the Vanguard Award is to recognize students in fields that are not traditional to their background. This recognition is partly intended to attract more minority representation to the STEM fields."

Bower and Akanbi will receive their Vanguard Awards at the virtual NET conference on May 19.

Alfred State inducts three into SALUTE

The Alfred State College (ASC) chapter of SALUTE inducted three members recently. SALUTE (Service, Academics, Leadership, Unity, Tribute, Excellence) recognizes academic achievement of student veterans in both two- and four-year institutions of higher education.

Larry Knoll (Darien Center, NY), a heavy equipment truck & diesel technician major, was inducted into the Alpha tier, Christopher Hogan (Albany, NY), a business administration major, was inducted into the Bravo tier, and Joseph Latorre (Watkins Glen, NY), a criminal justice and social and behavioral sciences major, was inducted into the Delta tier.

Melanie Ryan, the advisor of the chapter, is excited to add new members. “Alfred State is very proud of its veteran students and their accomplishments. We are thrilled to be able to recognize some of their many achievements through SALUTE.”

To qualify for induction undergraduate students must meet the following criteria:

• Be currently enrolled as a student.
• Qualify as a military/veteran student under locally derived and maintained definitions.
• Earn a GPA that fits one of four different tiers: Alpha Tier (3.75-4.0 GPA), Bravo Tier (3.50-3.74), Charlie Tier (3.25-3.49), and Delta Tier (3.00-3.24).
• Have served or are currently serving in the military, National Guard, or reserves.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards.

The students were awarded a certificate, honors cords, SALUTE pin, and a challenge coin.

Team Eco Guys, Inc. wins Startup Allegany Collegiate Competition

The Alfred State College team of Zackary Martin and David Benson teamed up to win the 2nd annual Allegany County Startup Collegiate Competition.

Martin and Benson created “Eco Guys, Inc.” and were mentored by Boh Ruffin (Corning Inc.), Reza Rashidi (associate professor of mechanical engineering technology), and Tim Cochran (professor of mechanical and electrical engineering technology). The pair won a $5,000 grand prize.

The competition, titled “AHA” because it involved students from Allegany County’s three institutions of higher education—Alfred University, Houghton College Alfred State College, and—was based on solving problems faced by businesses, with a goal of promoting sustainability through entrepreneurship.

The event was hosted by Alfred University and its Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT) and was organized by IncubatorWorks of Alfred, a state-of-the-art incubator offering services and facilities to foster growth of entrepreneurial businesses in ceramics, glass, advanced materials, and related technology-based industries.

Teams presented ideas for promoting sustainability in business, with the winning plans determined by a panel of judges made up of Alison Wolfe, professor of marketing at Elmira College; Casey Joyce, president and CEO of Otis Eastern Service, LLC; and Alan Rae, director at the University at Buffalo’s NYS Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics. There were $6,500 in cash prizes awarded.

Startup Allegany is a county-wide stakeholder group that meets regularly to promote entrepreneurship in Allegany County through events and programs that nurture startups and connect them with investors and corporations. Members include Allegany County, Alfred State College, Alfred University, Houghton College, IncubatorWorks, ACCORD Corp., and the Western New York Incubator Network.

Thomas Nelson wins car at commencement

Alfred State College electrical engineering technology major Thomas Nelson (Burdett, NY) not only received his bachelor's degree during the 111th commencement ceremony but he won a 2014 Dodge Dart.

Nelson became the eighth Alfred State graduate to win a car at commencement. The annual giveaway began in 2015 to add to the graduation celebrations at ASC. The car is a gift from the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc.

When entering the commencement ceremony at Pioneer Stadium graduates submitted an entry for the drawing. At the conclusion of the ceremony, former Alfred State First Lady Mary Huntington selected a winner.

Nelson jumped out of his seat when his seat and met Alfred State President Dr. Steven Mauro after the ceremonies to check out his new vehicle.