Jennifer McDonald Receives SUNY Canton's Distinguished Faculty Award

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SUNY Canton Professor Jennifer S. McDonald addresses the audience at the college's recent Honors Convocation ceremony. McDonald teaches in the Physical Therapist Assistant program.

CANTON, NY (04/26/2016)(readMedia)-- A professor who teaches in SUNY Canton's Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program has been recognized with one of the college's highest faculty honors.

Jennifer S. McDonald was nominated for the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Award by her peers for her innovative and enthusiastic teaching style. She received her award at the recent Sheldon Katz Honors Convocation.

"Jennifer is an accomplished educator whose professionalism, passion, and commitment make her a role model for both students and faculty alike," said Kenneth M. Erickson, interim dean of the School of Science, Health and Criminal Justice. "She contributes in important ways to the campus on a daily basis, and has done so since the day she arrived."

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, McDonald oversees the clinical education aspect of the program, which is composed of more than 60 professional sites. Her leadership was instrumental in earning the PTA program a ten-year reaccreditation.

During her address at Honors Convocation, McDonald said it was a gift to be part of SUNY Canton students', especially PTA students', educations.

"You come from many different places, with many different stories, and often face a multitude of challenges along the way to graduation," she said, addressing the collected students in the audience. "Your perseverance, your grit, your determination to meet your goals inspires me. I've learned as much from you as you have from me; and I thank you for that."

She is highly respected by her colleagues for her expertise in women's health and is one of only 43 advanced credentialed clinical trainers in the nation recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy also recently inducted her into the Academy of Advanced Item Writers.

Her service to the college includes membership on the Online Learning Advisory Committee, the Institutional Review Board, the Applied Learning Committee and the Roo Club board. She is also a faculty athletic liaison for the men's ice hockey team.

McDonald earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Simmons College, a Master of Science in Basic Sciences from Clarkson University, and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service and recently received number one rankings in library resources, library services and tutoring services in the SUNY Student Opinion Survey. The college's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as ten exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 15 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III.

-www.canton.edu-