Five Plattsburgh State Students Receive Chancellor's Award

Marcia Blackmoore, Carla Canjar, Nazia Habib, Timothy Sarrantonio and Joseph Thouin are among 245 recipients from 61 SUNY institutions honored with this award.

Students from these SUNY institutions represent five foreign countries and nine states and have an average grade point average of 3.74.

The recipients gathered at a special ceremony in their honor at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on Monday, April 19 in Albany. Each student received a framed certificate and a medallion that may be worn at commencement.

"These students are among the State University's best and brightest," said Chancellor Robert L. King.  "Their commitment not only to academic excellence, but also to serving the wider community indicates they are likely to emerge as New York's future leaders.  I am enormously proud of these students and very pleased to be able to recognize their accomplishments."

Blackmoore is a senior cellular biochemistry major and French minor from La Plaine, Dominica. She was listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges 2004 Edition and is a member of Sigma XI national research society.

Last October, Blackmoore presented research results at the Annual Plant Biology Symposium held at Smith College, Northhampton, Mass. She is also a member of the Plattsburgh State Forensic Team and has participated in several tournaments. She placed seventh in Poetry Interpretation at a tournament at Nassau Community College.

Canjar, a senior environmental science major from Fairport, N.Y., was the first recipient of the Casella Scholarship offered at Plattsburgh State.

The two-year program involves a summer internship working at Casella. She is a member of Phi Eta Sigma honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society and Sigma XI national research society.

Habib, a December 2003 graduate in business economics, is working for IBM in New York City. She was the student commencement speaker last December and was given the Dean's Award for Outstanding Student in SBE.

She is also a member of several honor societies including Omicron Delta Epsilon, Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma.

Sarrantonio, a history major from Newburgh,

N.Y., is the past president of the Student Association. He was given the Outstanding Junior History Major Award last year and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. He was also a resident assistant in Adirondack Hall.

Thourin, an environmental science major from Cohoes, N.Y., has been a part of several research

grants including a National Science Foundation REU Travel Grant and National Science Foundation Grant for the Lake Champlain Research Institute.

"These students are some of Plattsburgh State's very best standouts," said Interim President John Clark. "Our College is proud of their accomplishments as students on our campus and for representing Plattsburgh State in an elite group of the best of the best in SUNY."

Chancellor's Award winners are screened through a rigorous selection process. First, a campus selection committee reviews outstanding graduating students and sends its nominations to the Office of University Life in Albany for a second round of review. Finalists from this review are then recommended to the chancellor. Students must have a strong academic record as well as demonstrated significant contributions to the greater campus community.

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