Seven SUNY Oneonta faculty and staff members are among a select group of State University of New York professionals being honored with the 2024 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.
Hunt Union Office Assistant Kathy Hewlett is receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service; Director of Access and Opportunity Programs Pathy Leiva and Instructional Support Technician with the Faculty Center for Teaching, Learning & Scholarship Diana Moseman are receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service; Associate Professor of Anthropology Alanna Rudzik is receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities; and Professor of Biology Jeffrey Heilveil, Associate Professor of Economics Kpoti Kitissou, and Associate Professor of Marketing Wilson Lin are receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Oneonta’s recipients will be honored during spring commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 18, in the Dewar Arena at the Alumni Field House. The three SUNY Oneonta students who received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence this year will also be recognized.
Excellence in Classified Service
In her position at Hunt Union, Ms. Kathy Hewlett goes above and beyond to ensure that all individuals who enter the building—whether they’re on a campus tour, purchasing event tickets or simply going to a meeting—are accounted for and feel welcomed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a vital role in organizing a successful virtual craft show and served on a call team to maintain regular contact with a caseload of students during virtual periods, demonstrating her creativity and commitment to serving our campus community. Throughout renovation projects in Hunt Union as well as staffing, leadership and policy changes, Kathy has shown flexibility and adaptability. Whether it's implementing new processes to streamline tasks or learning new software, she consistently seeks out new ways to enhance the customer service experience and serve the university.
Excellence in Professional Service
Pathy Leiva has been with SUNY Oneonta for almost 19 years, first as a recruiter, then as an advisor/recruitment coordinator, and now as Director of Access & Opportunity Programs
(CAMP, EOP & ACE). She is passionate about her work with and support of the Latinx/Hispanic and LGBTQIA communities. Pathy goes above and beyond, advising and working with Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority Latin Incorporated, the Multicultural Greek Council, and several clubs that promote diversity and inclusion. She has spoken at conferences on diversity, programming, access programs and leadership, as well as provided lectures in classrooms at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College. Recently, Pathy graduated as a Fellow for SUNY’s Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI), Cohort 2023, during which she created a program called the SUNY Oneonta Heritage Language Institute (SOHLI), which celebrates English Language Learners and international students and helps support their success.
Diana Moseman is an Instructional Technology Specialist at SUNY Oneonta's Faculty Center for Teaching, Learning & Scholarship. Her work, spanning over 25 years, has significantly advanced the integration of technology into education. In addition to her primary role in implementing technological solutions to assist faculty in teaching, Diana's commitment is exemplified by her creation of custom software designed for the Student Learning Center. This software revolutionized the way tutoring services are scheduled and managed, significantly enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of academic support for students. Beyond her technical achievements, Diana actively contributes to educational enrichment by guest lecturing for education courses and personal fitness classes. Her presentations focus on her experiences as a differently abled person, providing perspectives on diversity and inclusion. These sessions have profoundly impacted students, reshaping their understanding of disability and community.
Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
Since joining SUNY Oneonta in 2016, Dr. Alanna Rudzik has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to scholarship despite carrying a heavy teaching load. Her research in biocultural anthropology, focusing on infant sleep and feeding patterns, has garnered international recognition for its depth and significance. Dr. Rudzik's contributions to the field are evident through her numerous peer-reviewed scholarly publications, which have appeared in a wide array of academic journals. Her work has been utilized by organizations such as UNICEF and La Leche League to inform public health guidance. Dr. Rudzik has spoken at prestigious conferences and institutions worldwide, recently served on a grant review panel for the National Science Foundation, and reviews articles for prestigious journals including the Journal of Public Health. Dr. Rudzik seamlessly incorporates her research into her teaching, underscoring her dedication to providing students with the most current understanding of anthropological concepts.
Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Jeffrey Heilveil joined the Biology department in the Fall of 2007. Since that time, he has taught 19 different courses at all levels from a Red Dragon Seminar and introductory biology coursework to required graduate coursework in experimental design and advanced graduate electives. In 2011 he offered the first residential summer field course at SUNY Oneonta’s Biological Field Station, and he has offered these courses, in addition to teaching during the regular semester, continuously since 2013, even throughout the pandemic. Dr. Heilveil is strongly committed to creating experiential learning opportunities for his students, from having students design and perform authentic research projects in class, to mentoring 45 undergraduate research students and 25 graduate students over the last 17 years. Beyond our campus, Dr. Heilveil has taught workshops for the NYS Master Teacher Program, Broome County chapter of Fly Fishers International, and the Maine Entomological Society.
In his time at SUNY Oneonta, Dr. Kpoti Kitissou has demonstrated exceptional teaching abilities, with a focus on applied microeconomics. He has developed and taught numerous courses, including International Trade and Economics, Labor Economics and a special topics course in Health Economics, culminating in a Health Policy Workshop in Washington D.C. Dr. Kitissou’s expertise in development economics is widely recognized, serving on the Board of Directors for the New York State Economics Association (NYSEA). His mentorship of students engaged in research projects and his dedication to their intellectual growth exemplify his passion for fostering academic excellence beyond the classroom. In addition to his frequent volunteerism at events such as new student orientation and open houses, Dr. Kitissou’s leadership roles (as a University Senator, member of the Academic Assessment Committee, and beyond) and involvement in Alumni Engagement initiatives (such as the “Life After Graduation” series) reflect his commitment to enhancing the university experience for all.
Associate Professor of Marketing Chien-Wei (Wilson) Lin joined SUNY Oneonta in 2015. As faculty advisor to the Marketing Club (OnMark), Dr. Lin facilitates impactful experiential learning opportunities for students, leading the club to successfully participate in several American Marketing Association (AMA) competitions. OnMark has been among the top 10-15 AMA Collegiate Chapters out of approximately 350 competing universities over the past nine years. Dr. Lin’s teaching methods are diverse and innovative and include case studies, video demonstrations, simulation games, analytics software, team projects and practical examples. He has published 12 articles in reputable journals. He actively participates in scholarship activities on campus and has assisted 20 students in developing 10 different student-faculty research projects. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Lin has served on many campus committees including the Committee on Research and the Faculty Business Committee.