SUNY Delhi Students Honored with Chancellor's Awards

DELHI, NY (03/31/2017) (readMedia)-- Two SUNY Delhi students have earned the prestigious 2017 Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. The annual awards recognize SUNY students who excel in blending academic excellence with achievements in other aspects of their lives, including campus leadership, athletics, and community service.

Simba Mafundikwa, an Architecture and Design major from Manhattan, and Morgan Hulbert, a Veterinary Science Technology major from Cadyville, are among an elite group of students to be honored by the State University of New York on April 5 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

"Simba Mafundikwa and Morgan Hulbert are model SUNY Delhi students-focused, driven, and engaged," said SUNY Delhi President Michael Laliberte. "I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and honored to see them recognized with Chancellor's Awards. Their dedication to personal and academic excellence will carry them to success in whatever goals they pursue."

"It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of students who have surpassed SUNY's highest standards of academic excellence and leadership both on and off campus," said SUNY Chancellor Zimpher. "Every student we recognize today has demonstrated a strong commitment to their degree program, home campus, greater community, and much more. Congratulations to all of the students receiving this year's award."

In addition to maintaining a 3.57 GPA in Architecture and Design, Mafundikwa serves as president of the SUNY Delhi Architecture Club, vice president of the Black Student Union, and senior Student Ambassador for the college. His academic achievements have earned him the Merrill Family Scholarship, J. William Harniman Scholarship, the Dennis Callas Honors Scholarship, and membership in Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. He is also a member of the Student Conduct Council and a Sustainability Advocate.

As captain of the SUNY Delhi men's soccer team, Mafundikwa helped lead the team to a national championship appearance in 2015. He is a multiple Student Scholar Athlete Award recipient since 2014 and was named to the USCAA National All-Academic Teams in 2015 and 2016.

Mafundikwa has also been active in pursuing professional opportunities, including summer internships as an assistant to architect and public artist Chat Travieso in New York City and at Vengesayi Architects in Zimbabwe. He plans to seek work in Berlin, Germany following graduation.

Morgan Hulbert is an outstanding scholar, maintaining a 4.0 GPA in the Veterinary Science Technology program, as well as serving as a Student Ambassador and Orientation Leader. Her academic success has earned her a Merrill Family Foundation Scholarship, Dennis Callas Honors Scholarship, and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Scholarship, as well as membership in the college's Honors Program, Dean's List, and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. As part of the Boehringer scholarship, Hulbert leads a project to update and organize large animal records in SUNY Delhi's veterinary technology center.

Hulbert is an avid runner and member of the SUNY Delhi women's cross country team, which competed at the 2016 USCAA National Championship. She was named a USCAA Cross Country All-Academic Athlete in November 2016. While in college, she also continued to compete in equine showing, riding, and driving.

She serves as a peer mentor for the Veterinary Science Technology program, holding evening tutoring hours and coaching first-year students. She is president, former treasurer and activities coordinator for the SUNY Delhi Equine Club. She also works on Agate, SUNY Delhi's literary and art magazine, and is a member of the SUNY Delhi Chapter of the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians. Hulbert has planned and coordinated a spay and neuter clinic for the Heart of the Catskills, a local humane society, and organized activities on campus for local 4H clubs.

Throughout her studies, Hulbert has sought professional experience through summer internships at the Battenkill Small Animal Clinic and Equine Clinic in Middle Falls and Jackson Ranch in Plattsburgh. This spring, she participated in an international veterinary field project providing care and surgical services for developing communities in Nicaragua.