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Mathew R Chetnik
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2023-2024 Outstanding First Year Advocate Award Recipients
First Year Experience is honored to announce the recipients of the 2023-2024 Outstanding First Year Advocate Award.
The Outstanding First Year Advocate Award recognizes faculty, staff, and student leaders who have made significant contributions to the academic and/or personal lives of first year students. The award allows the community to recognize individuals who have demonstrated a specific commitment to and impact on first year student learning, development and success.
This year’s recipients are faculty members Anne DeFelippo (Nursing) and Noel Healy (Geography and Sustainability); staff members Ashleyne Alexis (Center for Academic Excellence) and Anne Collins (Marketing); and student leaders Onyx Dziuba (Residence Life) and Erika Pen (ASA President).
This is the 12th year that First Year Experience has recognized members of the campus community for their exceptional contributions to student transition and persistence. Recipients are awarded a token of recognition, recognized at Convocation in the fall, and have their names engraved in a plaque outside of the First Year Experience office.
Nominations this year spoke to the impact that the recipients had on student's ability to not only succeed in the classroom but throughout their overall campus experience. Themes throughout the statements included the recipients helping students feel comfortable and valued, demonstrating true care for students, providing consistent information about available resources, and helping to inspire a love of learning.
A special thank you to last year’s recipients Lisa Bibeau (Disability Services), Will Reagan (STEP Mentor), Claire McCarthy (English), and Carole Rizzo (Navigation Center) who served as members of the selection committee this year. Exceptional nominations were submitted, primarily from students themselves, which made the decision extremely challenging.
First Year Experience is committed to supporting first-year students and laying the foundation for student success in academic, intellectual, social, and civic endeavors.