
Celebrating Faculty Scholarship

Life of the Mind
Spotlighting the research and scholarly/creative activity, teaching, service and varied integrated contributions made by our faculty to the intellectual life of the campus community and beyond.
Nov. 2, 2026 (Mon), 1-5 p.m. & Nov. 3, 2026 (Tues), 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Morris Conference Center
Stop by Craven Lounge in the Morris Conference Center and learn more about the research and creative projects undertaken by faculty and staff from departments and offices across campus. Presenters will be available to discuss their work throughout the two days.
Presenter Information and Abstracts Due Monday, October 12th, 2026
Community of Scholars
The Community of Scholars (COS) honors faculty research and other scholarly/creative work, recognizing publications (books, book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles and creative/other published works), professional contributions to the arts, and external grant awards.
Each dean selects a Scholar of the Year from the Community of Scholars honorees in recognition of accomplishments and contributions to their discipline.
The 2025 awardees are:
Mark Ferrara, Liberal Arts & Business
Gina Solano, Education, Human Ecology & Sports Studies
Brian Haley, Sciences
Erin Larucci, Milne Library

Additional Faculty Awards
Created to recognize faculty achievement outside the classroom, the Susan Sutton Smith Prize for Academic Excellence is named in memory of the late SUNY Oneonta professor of English. This award is made possible by an endowment created through the generosity of Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Smith in memory of their daughter, Susan, and in honor of her commitment to academic excellence.
Award Winners
| NAME | YEAR | DEPARTMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Will Walker | 2026 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Mark Ferrara | 2025 | English |
| Kiyoko Yokota | 2024 | Biology |
| Adam Kent | 2023 | Music |
| Renee Whitman | 2022 | Anthropology |
| Gretchen Sorin | 2021 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Melissa Lavin | 2020 | Sociology |
| Tracy Betsinger | 2019 | Anthropology |
| Matthew Hendley | 2018 | History |
| Florian Reyda | 2017 | Biology |
| Susan Bernardin | 2016 | English |
| Joseph Pignato | 2015 | Music |
| Cynthia Falk | 2014 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Brian Haley | 2013 | Anthropology |
| Orlando Legname | 2012 | Music |
| Rob Compton | 2011 | ALS/Political Science |
| William Ashbaugh | 2010 | History |
| Michael Green | 2009 | Philosophy |
| Ho Hon Leung | 2008 | Sociology |
| Alexander Thomas | 2007 | Sociology |
| Donna Vogler | 2006 | Biology |
| Paul Lilly | 2005 | English |
| Richard Frost | 2004 | English |
| Williams Simons | 2003 | History |
| James Devlin | 2002 | English |
| Robert Jackson | 2001 | History |
| June Edwards | 2000 | Education |
| Carleton Clay | 1999 | Music |
| Lawrence Guzy | 1998 | Psychology |
| Peter DiNardo | 1997 | Psychology |
| P. Jay Fleisher | 1996 | Earth Sciences |
| John Relethford | 1995 | Anthropology |
The Richard Siegfried Junior Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. Created to recognize faculty achievement outside the classroom, this award is made possible by generous gifts from Alumni to the Fund for Oneonta and to the SUNY Oneonta Foundation.
Award Winners
| NAME | YEAR | DEPARTMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Kaedan O’Brien | 2025 | Anthropology |
| Chelsea McCracken | 2024 | Communication & Media |
| Matthew Unangst | 2023 | History |
| Susan Goodier | 2022 | History |
| Alanna Rudzik | 2021 | Anthropology |
| Howard Ashford | 2020 | Africana and Latinx Studies |
| Daniel Stich | 2019 | Biology |
| Andrew Bottomley | 2018 | Communication & Media |
| Tyra Olstad | 2017 | Geography & Sustainability |
| Kristen Blinne | 2016 | Communication & Media |
| Andrew Gallup | 2015 | Psychology |
| Toke Knudsen | 2014 | Mathematics |
| William Walker | 2013 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Tracy Betsinger | 2012 | Anthropology |
| Ibram Rogers | 2011 | ALS/History |
| Jacqueline Bennett | 2010 | Chemistry & Biochem. |
| Devin Castendyk | 2009 | Earth Sciences |
| Brian Lowe | 2008 | Sociology |
| Christine Quail | 2007 | Comm. Arts |
| Renee Walker | 2006 | Anthropology |
| Benjamin Dixon | 2005 | Geography |
| Tom Horvath | 2004 | Biology |
| Matthew Hendley | 2003 | History |
| L. Jean Palmer-Mooney | 2002 | Geography |
| Hugh A. Gallagher, Jr. | 2001 | Physics & Astronomy |
| Donald Allison, Jr. | 2000 | Mathematical Sciences |
| Nancy Bachman | 1999 | Biology |
| Robert Jackson | 1998 | History |
| Deborah Prosser | 1997 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Gladys Jimenez-Munoz | 1996 | Foreign Languages |
| Achim Koeddermann | 1995 | Philosophy |
Created to recognize faculty service both in and outside the classroom, the Ashok Kumar Malhotra Seva Faculty Award is made possible by an endowment from Dr. Ashok Kumar Malhotra, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy, to the SUNY Oneonta Foundation. Criteria for receiving the $1,000 award include: community service — locally, nationally, or internationally, the ability to motivate and inspire others to perform community service, and the integration of community service in the teaching and learning process.
Award Winners
| NAME | YEAR | DEPARTMENT |
|---|---|---|
| James Zians | 2025 | Psychology |
| Rachel Kornhauser | 2024 | Office of Sustainability |
| Katherine Griffes | 2023 | Sport & Exercise Studies |
| Gayane Torosyan | 2021 | Communication & Media (Ceremony Recording) |
| Jacqueline Bruscella | 2020 | Communication & Media |
| Kristen Blinne | 2019 | Communication & Media |
| Alejandra Escudero | 2018 | Foreign Languages & Literature |
| Brett Heindl | 2017 | Political Science |
| Steve Walsh | 2016 | Management, Marketing, and Information |
| Gina Keel | 2015 | Political Science |
| Rosemarie Avanzato | 2014 | Human Ecology |
| Maria Montoya | 2013 | Foreign Language |
| Zanna McKay | 2012 | Elementary Ed. & Reading |
| Cindy Falk | 2011 | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Karen Joest | 2010 | Human Ecology |
| Alison Black and Jane Miller | 2009 | Elementary Ed. & Reading |
| Wendy Mitteager | 2008 Inaugural | Geography |
The Simphiwe Hlatshwayo Award for the Outstanding Part-Time Instructor, which comes with a $500 cash prize, was created by the University Senate to recognize outstanding adjunct instructors as well as to encourage excellence in teaching. The award was named to honor the memory of Simphiwe Hlatshwayo, who was a graduate of SUNY Oneonta from South Africa and taught at SUNY Oneonta first as an adjunct, then later as an assistant professor.
Award Winners
| NAME | YEAR | DEPARTMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Bullinger | 2023 Spring | Communication & Media |
| April Ford | 2017 Spring | English |
| Katie Boardman | 2017 Fall | Cooperstown Graduate Program |
| Nicole Weigel | 2019 | Anthropology |
| Matthew Avitabile | 2019 | History |
| Traci Michele Johnson | 2018 | Foreign Languages & Literature |
| Cynthia Flink | 2013 | Anthropology |
| Paul Lord | 2012 | Environmental Sciences |
| Michelle Garner | 2011 | Theatre/Physical Education |
| Bambi Lobdell | 2010 | English/Women’s & Gender Studies |
| Eric Schelimmer | 2009 | Physical Education |
| Carolyn McCruden | 2008 | Physics & Astronomy |
| Marjorie Pietraface | 2007 | Human Ecology |
| Stephen Rice | 2006 | English |
| Lynn Talbot | 2005 | Math |
| Dan Patrone | 2004 | Philosophy |
| Anne Traitor | 2003 | History |
| Lisa Gordon | 2002 | Math |
| Kathryn Finin (English) and David Richards (History) | 2001 | English/History |
| Kathleen Gordon | 2000 | Business Economics |
| Kevin Ickey | 1999 | Women’s and Africana & Latino Studies |
| Richard Lee | 1998 | English |
The Innovative Pedagogy Award, which comes with a $500 cash prize, was created by the Office of the Provost to recognize and reward faculty who have developed and utilized innovative pedagogy in one or more of their courses. Innovative pedagogy includes practices that compel students to use critical thinking and reflection, that cause students to re-examine their assumptions and perspectives, that enhance student engagement and learning, which my include the use of technology in novel ways, and that engage students in high-impact practices.
The Outstanding Lecturer Award, which comes with a $500 cash prize, was created by the office of the Provost to recognize outstanding lecturers as well as to encourage excellence in teaching.
The Faculty Convivium is a luncheon lecture series featuring SUNY Oneonta faculty who present their research and creative activity projects, accessible to the non-specialist, in a collegial atmosphere. For more information or to view past presentations, visit the Faculty Convivium page.

