Alumni Association Bestows Leadership Professional, Emerita Lecturer with Impact Awards

The Plattsburgh Alumni Association recently honored two members of the SUNY Plattsburgh community with the 2026 Faculty and Staff Impact Awards, recognizing those who had a major and lasting positive impact on the lives of alumni.

Dr. G. Olivia O’Donnell, emerita lecturer in political science, and Allison Swick-Duttine, current director of student leadership, were presented with the awards at the annual President’s Welcome event Aug.21.

“Each year, the Plattsburgh Alumni Association presents its Faculty and Staff Impact Awards to current or retired employees whose influence has extended far beyond a single course, office, team, or moment,” SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi said during the presentation.

Dr. G. Olivia O’Donnell

After teaching at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., O’Donnell joined SUNY Plattsburgh’s political science faculty as an adjunct lecturer in 1994. Throughout her time on campus, she helped to expand the department’s offerings, developing the university’s first courses in gender politics and domestic public policy as well as a seminar on sex and politics and upper division courses in education, environment, health care and budgetary policies.

“But Olivia understood that education is about far more than the subjects listed in a course catalog,” Enyedi said. “She worked to create classrooms in which students felt empowered to participate, question, debate and develop their own voices.”

In addition, O’Donnell, who was nominated for the award by alumnus Adam McGlynn ’01, created a teaching assistant program; advised numerous student organizations; supported first-year students; worked with international and Upward Bound students; and participated extensively in programs focused on gender, diversity and inclusion. She was the recipient of the Phi Eta Sigma Distinguished Faculty Award during the 1998-1999 academic year.

‘Dynamic Educator’

“Dr. O’Donnell is a dynamic educator; she would always foster outstanding classroom discussions and encourage students to speak their minds in a welcoming fashion,” McGlynn wrote in his nomination. “Outside of the classroom, she always took an interest in her students, whether it was simply lending an ear when we faced personal troubles or advising students on courses and career options.”

Now an associate professor of political science at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, McGlynn credits O’Donnell with inspiring him to switch his major from print journalism to political science and pursue a career in higher education.

“When it became obvious to me that I loved academia and wanted to pursue a career as a professor, she created an independent study for me where I served as her teaching assistant,” he recalled. “This allowed me to see the job from her perspective and work with students. It was this opportunity that changed my life and confirmed for me what I wanted to do for my career.”

O’Donnell said in a separate interview that she is “honored, humbled and overwhelmed” to have been nominated for the award by McGlynn.

“There are very few tangible rewards. The intangible rewards, like a great discussion in class, a look of understanding on a student’s face after a particularly difficult lesson or even a pleasant conversation with a student during office hours, are the moments that keep a professor motivated and inspired in the classroom,” she said. “This award is a tangible reminder that I have done some good in the world. To know I helped to launch over three decades of students to lead productive, creative and meaningful lives is a great gift, and I will be forever grateful.”

Allison Swick-Duttine

Swick-Duttine, who was nominated for the award by SUNY Plattsburgh student Abigail Jarrett, has served as a leader to SUNY Plattsburgh’s fraternity and sorority community since joining the university in 1998. Her work has involved developing leadership programs and advising individual organizations, governance councils and honor societies.

“More than maintaining the status quo, she has elevated the expectations of what student life, leadership education and values-based community engagement can look like on campus,” Jarrett wrote of Swick-Duttine in her nomination.

In addition, Swick-Duttine oversees student volunteerism programs, including Project HELP, the Empire State Service Corps, the Wellness and Health Promotions Office and the Contribution Project, creating opportunities for students to put service into action.

“Throughout her career, Allison has been a mentor, an advocate and, when necessary, a source of both challenge and accountability,” Enyedi said. “She has helped students navigate conflict, develop confidence, become stronger leaders and find meaningful ways to contribute to their communities.”

Created Environment in Which to Thrive

Similarly, Jarrett credited Swick-Duttine with creating “an environment where students can thrive both personally and professionally.”

Beyond SUNY Plattsburgh, Swick-Duttine has served as a leader within Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, the SUNY Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Association, the Northeast Greek Leadership Association and the Hazing Prevention Network. She has earned numerous national and regional honors, as well as a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service in 2013.

“I have been honored to have received recognition from professional, nonprofit and membership organizations over the years,” Swick-Duttine said in a separate interview. “but there is something incredibly meaningful about being recognized by students and alumni on the campus where you have made your career.”