SUNY Delhi Faculty and Staff Receive Chancellor's Awards for Excellence

DELHI, NY (05/12/2017) (readMedia)-- Six SUNY Delhi faculty and staff members have been awarded 2016-2017 Chancellor's Awards for Excellence for their superior professional achievement and outstanding contributions to education. The prestigious awards are presented each year to acknowledge and encourage excellence among instructional faculty, librarians and professional and classified staff.

"Each of our Chancellor's Award winners exemplify SUNY Delhi's commitment to student success," said President Michael R. Laliberte. "They consistently go the extra mile to make Delhi a great place for students to pursue their dreams. I'm proud that their remarkable accomplishments have been recognized by Chancellor Zimpher."

"The many faculty and staff honored with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence are the best of our best, having ensured student success as they educate and mentor students with innovative approaches to academic instruction, infuse curricula with applied learning opportunities, adapt best practices from throughout SUNY, and much more," said Chancellor Zimpher. "It is an honor to recognize the excellent work of Abigail Brannen-Wilson, Dr. Kirsty Digger, Karen Gabriel, Dr. Terry Hamblin, Elizabeth Hoyt and Dr. Dana Santos at SUNY Delhi, and that of their colleagues across SUNY. Congratulations to all of this year's recipients."

Abigail Brannen-Wilson received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. As an Adjunct Professor in SUNY Delhi's Liberal Arts and Sciences and Veterinary and Applied Sciences schools for the past six years, Brannen-Wilson has demonstrated outstanding skill and dedication to teaching. She is recognized by her peers as an imaginative instructor who strives to provide engaging, innovative educational experiences for both students and colleagues.

Outside the classroom, Brannen-Wilson is active in professional development activities, community service, and campus committees. She was involved with the Sharing Teaching Ideas workshop series and serves as the service-learning coordinator for the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement.

Dr. Kirsty Digger was honored with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. Dr. Digger, a Professor of Nursing, also recently received the SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT2) Excellence in Instruction award for innovations in teaching with technology. She has been instrumental in securing three highly competitive SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology grants for cutting-edge research that focuses on the intersection of technology and pedagogy.

Dr. Digger has presented at regional, national, and international conferences. She is a member of numerous professional organizations and also continues to be an active health care provider at Newton Urgent Care in Newton, New Jersey.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service was presented to Karen Gabriel. As a Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Director of Health Services, Gabriel has served as the college's primary medical practitioner since 2008. She is a skilled and caring medical professional who works hard to ensure the college delivers the best care possible.

Gabriel is an active member of the campus community, chairing and sitting on numerous committees. She has secured grant funding for various health initiatives at the college and was instrumental in the effort to transition to an electronic medical records system. She has also extended her reach beyond campus to collaborate with community partners like Bassett Healthcare, O'Connor Hospital, and Delaware County Public Health.

Dr. Terry Hamblin received with The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. Dr. Hamblin, a Professor in the school of Liberal Arts and Sciences at SUNY Delhi for 13 years, has made lasting improvements in academic and professional support for the entire campus community.

Dr. Hamblin has secured multiple grants to improve academic programming, developed and revised numerous courses, and expanded service learning programs. He was central to SUNY Delhi's Middle States Reaccreditation process from 2009 to 2012 and has overseen remarkable growth in the Honors Program as its chair. He has delivered numerous lectures and presentations on a variety of historical topics at regional and national conferences and is currently writing two books.

Elizabeth Hoyt was recognized with the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. Hoyt has served as secretary to the Vice President of Student Life and to the Director of Judicial Affairs since 2013. She is a dedicated and energetic professional who consistently goes above and beyond her job to serve students, parents, colleagues, and the broader community.

Hoyt is active in many campus activities, including co-teaching SUNY Delhi's Rape Aggression Defense course and contributing to the college's bystander intervention program, BroncoCheck. In the community, she volunteers with the Delaware County Community Action Network.

The Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence in Teaching was presented to Dr. Dana Santos. An assistant professor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences department at SUNY Delhi for the past six years, Dr. Santos is a master in her field, a leader among colleagues, an innovative instructor and an inspiration to her students.

At Delhi, Dr. Santos has created multiple courses associated with her biology and anthropology background, provided robust data that supports new educational approaches, and grown professionally through team teaching and professional development. She is an ardent scientific researcher, currently working with colleagues on campus to study best practices in the use of grading rubrics and with students to study Lyme disease.