SUNY Delhi Faculty and Staff Receive Chancellor's Award

DELHI, NY (06/05/2013)(readMedia)-- Five SUNY Delhi faculty and staff members have been named recipients of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence, the State University's most prestigious honor. Dr. David Brower, Chair and Associate Professor of Hospitality Management; Dr. Bret Meckel, Associate Professor of Veterinary Science Technology; Julee Miller, Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts; John Padovani, Director of Residence Life; and Lynn Oles, Secretary 1 for Athletics will be recognized at the college's Employee Appreciation Day, June 5.

"These extraordinary individuals contribute to student success in so many ways," said President Candace S. Vancko. "They are great representatives of Delhi and SUNY and I look forward to celebrating their achievements."

Dr. David Brower will be presented the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Brower has taught in the college's Hospitality Management programs since 2002. During that time he has fostered a fair and rigorous academic environment for Delhi students. His team-centered approach to teaching uses real world scenarios. Students conduct research projects, applying their marketing knowledge to data collected from businesses to create strategic plans. Dr. Brower has the distinct ability to connect with students, using a hybrid of face-to-face interaction with online discussion. His ability to engage, along with his high standard and expectations for excellence, encourage students to continually learn and produce more.

An alumnus of SUNY Delhi, Dr. Brower was named chair of the Hospitality Management Department in 2012. He serves on many campus committees and served on the "Group of 200," a State University-wide strategic planning project. His other contributions include Delhi's Middle States Accreditation Steering Committee, founding chair of the Online Instruction Task Force, and co-chair of the 100th Anniversary Committee. Also, he was instrumental in organizing and coordinating the recent reaccreditation of Delhi's Culinary Arts program.

Dr. Bret Meckel will receive the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.

He has been an Associate Professor of Veterinary Science Technology since 2006. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Meckel serves as the attending veterinarian on the Delhi campus for The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and as director of the International Studies African Wildlife Management Program, Delhi's first study abroad program. Dr. Meckel was a member of the SUNY Chancellor's Strategic Planning "Group of 200" and a participant in the SUNY Leadership Training Conference. Dr. Meckel has provided leadership for a number of campus-wide initiatives, as co-chair of the Middle States Accreditation Steering Committee, co-chair of the Budget and Planning Committee, and as a member of the Judicial Review Board, the Technology Assessment Group, the College Senate and the Online Education Task Force.

Dr. Meckel's community service has helped strengthen the college's relationship with the community. He has served on the Walton School District Board of Education and is currently co-chair of Bridging Partnerships, a K-16 student success initiative for the Walton School District. Dr. Meckel is also the consulting veterinarian for the Peace Plantation, a non-profit Animal Welfare Organization in Walton that is a division of the National Humane Education Society.

Julee Miller, assistant professor and certified executive chef, will be presented with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. A Culinary Arts faculty member since 2001, Chef Miller has channeled her imaginative talents into

SUNY Delhi's culinary arts curriculum, using her expertise and creativity to design new and engaging laboratory courses with baking concentrations. She teaches culinary sculpting, a class in which students learn to carve fruits and vegetables, and make salt dough, tallow, cheese and butter sculptures. In her Advanced Pastry and Confections class, she teaches chocolate and pastillage sculpting as well as wedding and novelty cake design. Chef Miller launched the unique class "Baby Cakes" in 2012 in which students learn to operate a retail venture by marketing and baking cakes for the campus community.

Chef Miller continually enriches the lives of her students through her dedication to her craft. She serves as coach to SUNY Delhi's award-winning Gingerbread Team. The team has won "Best in Show" for four years and "first place" in Oneonta's holiday competition. The team also earned the grand prize at the Gingerbread on Broadway show in New York City. Her creative talents and pursuit of perfection have earned her 20 gold medals and other high honors from the American Culinary Federation, the Société Culinaire Philanthropique and other esteemed organizations in the hospitality and culinary industries.

John Padovani will receive the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service. For the past nine years, Padovani has displayed exemplary leadership for a wide variety of college initiatives while also performing his primary role as Director of Residence Life. During his tenure, the college has benefitted from a stable Residence Life staff due to improved recruitment and ongoing training and development. Padovani is committed to expanding opportunities for student employees and has developed the Senior RA program and greatly improved the college's night host program. His strong leadership has also included efforts to move to a keyless lock system and the addition of alternative student housing options through the Riverview Townhouse project.

Padovani has served the campus in many leadership roles as well. He was a member of the Budget and Planning Committee for four years and co-chair from 2009 to 2011. Padovani currently serves as co-chair of the Campus Assessment Committee, as a member of the Student Success Work Group, and as secretary of the CADI Board of Directors. In the community, Padovani has been an adult leader for the Boy Scouts of America since 2009 and is an active member of St. Peter's Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Lynn Oles will be presented with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. She is a highly skilled professional who has demonstrated a commitment to providing the highest quality service to students, faculty and staff. Oles began working at SUNY Delhi in 2005 in the Financial Aid Office and a year later began serving in her current position as secretary for the Athletic Department. She goes out of her way to support SUNY Delhi athletes, attending as many athletic events as possible.

Oles earns high praise for her organizational abilities and dedication to her position. She has contributed to the success of regional and national athletic events and the annual Athletic Hall of Fame inductions during Alumni Weekend. She also volunteers, playing a significant role in raising funds as a member of the Campus Community Campaign and assisting at Regalia, the college's gently-used clothing store that raises dollars for scholarships. In the local community, Oles has served on the Delaware County Relay for Life Committee for three years and has volunteered as the soup kitchen coordinator at the Lord's Table in Oneonta for five years.