Keuka College held its bi-annual Community Day virtually for faculty and staff on Monday, Aug. 17. And while the event looked a bit different than it would normally, that didn’t diminish the pride and excitement felt by the nearly 170 participants.
“Community Day is about the celebration of our Keuka College community, honoring each other, and sharing our accomplishments,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Brad Fuster, who led the event. “I’m very proud of you and the work you have done.”
Dr. Fuster shared the College’s mission and vision, reminding the faculty and staff that “the mission guides all of our actions.” He also provided updates on admissions and the College’s upcoming re-accreditation process.
Dr. Fuster also acknowledged the work of the College’s reopening task force, a College-wide team of 13, led by Dr. Chris Alterio, Chair of the Division of Applied Health and Wellness and associate professor of occupational therapy. Dr. Alterio was presented a certificate for his leadership of the team, which provided guidelines for the College’s reopening plan, Together & Ready, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Day was also an opportunity for faculty and staff to reconnect, welcome new employees, and honor those with milestone anniversaries. More than 60 members of the faculty and staff were recognized for their service and dedication to the College.
Two 15-year service awards were presented to Dr. Patty Manningly, professor of nursing, and Dr. Beth Russo, Chair of the Division of Nursing and professor of nursing; a 20-year service award was presented to Barbara Demjanec, natural sciences laboratory coordinator; and a 25-year service award was presented to Ann Tuttle, dean of international programs and professor emerita of management
Additional appreciation was presented to those celebrating five years and 10 years of service to Keuka College.
Also recognized were eight faculty members who received emeritus status, including Dr. Anita Chirco, Dr. Frank Colaprete, Dr. Debra Gates, the Late Dr. Marianne Jahnke, Dr. Patricia Pulver, Dr. Victoria Smith, Dr. Anne Weed, and Professor Dorothy Wilkins.
Several faculty and staff members were honored with the College’s Acorn Award, which recognizes noteworthy accomplishments throughout the year. They were:
- Maria Bowen, Resident Director
- Bob Brophy, Director of Housing & Residence Life
- Catherine Buzanski, Director of Financial Aid
- Phil Catalano, Controller
- Katey Cheplick, Associate Registrar
- Bob Cilino, Data Analytics Administrator, Institutional Research
- Chrissy Deane, Assistant Director of Imaging Center
- Eric Detar , Chaplain
- Cindy Easling , Administrative Assistant, Division of Social Work
- Dan Mackey, Adventure Sports Coach
- Maureen Manning, Digital Imaging Center and Mailroom Coordinator
- Linsey Shepardson, Program Manager, Division of Nursing
- Dr. Malia Spofford-Xavier , Associate Professor of Spanish
- Tammy Swales, Senior Director of Marketing
- Tim White, Associate Director of Residence Life & Community Standards
Additionally, six members of the College’s staff were honored with the Oak Award, which recognizes sustained collaborative efforts to further the mission of the College. They were:
- Catherine Agar, Director of the Writing Center
- Rebecca Arnold, Senior Associate Director of Admissions
- Tom Flicker, Director of Information Systems and Security
- Mary Ellen Griffiths, Director of Student Accounts
- Phil Rahr, Assistant Athletic Trainer
- Teri Spoor, Student Life Office Coordinator
Deborah Drain, Director of Human Resources, received the Legacy Award, which honors sustained outstanding achievement in harmony with the College’s values.
Also presented were the Professor of the Year and Staff Member of the Year awards, typically announced at Commencement, which was postponed this year due to the pandemic. The College named Dr. Debra Dyer, Professor of Education, as the 2019-20 Professor of the Year, and David Dial, senior instructional designer, as the 2019-20 Staff Member of the Year.
