04/20/2026
Four SUNY Cortland faculty and professional staff members will receive the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.
The Chancellor’s Awards provide systemwide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and encourage the pursuit of excellence at all 64 SUNY campuses. Each campus president submits nominations, which are reviewed by the SUNY Committee on Awards.
The 2026 honorees are:
- Andrea Dávalos, associate professor of biological sciences — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
- Nancy Kane, adjunct lecturer — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching
- Kerry Mincher, administrative assistant II in the Division of Student Affairs — SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service
- Kevin B. Sheets, professor of history — Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
This year’s award winners are detailed below.
Andrea Dávalos
As a globally recognized scholar on the impact of jumping worms on plant communities, Dávalos stands out as one of New York state’s go-to researchers for understanding the impact and management of invasive species.
Dávalos’ findings have been published in 25 peer-reviewed journals, including Science and Nature, plus other top-tier publications like Proceeding of the Royal Society B and Ecology Letters. Her high volume of research published in peer-reviewed journals is often cited by colleagues in her field and invasive species specialists.
A summary of her scholarly achievements includes participation as a co-investigator in research projects supported by $1.8 million in external funding. Most of her funding has come through competitive grants from government agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Transportation and the Northeastern States Research Cooperative, underscoring her efforts to help local communities protect and manage ecosystems.
Dávalos has led research talks at international meetings of prestigious professional societies including Botany, Ecological Society of America, North American Congress for Conservation Biology and North American Invasive Species Management Conference. She also has coauthored invited presentations for the Invasive Species Summit and the New York State Society for American Forestry.
Her reputation as an invasive species biologist is also well known to the public, and Dávalos has engaged in numerous invited talks, seminars and other presentations outside academia.
This year, SUNY Cortland awarded Dávalos the 2026 Dr. Peter A. DiNardo ’68 and Judith Waring Outstanding Achievement in Research Award, for which she was selected by the provost based upon at least five years of research-related activities at Cortland.
During her decade-long tenure at SUNY Cortland, Dávalos has built a robust undergraduate research program that supports student scientific work through her own excellence — mentoring 23 students, sparking important conversations related to conservation and social justice and inspiring the next generation of environmental scientists.
She earned her doctorate in natural resources from Cornell University and completed her undergraduate studies at Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in Quito.
Nancy Kane
Having nearly 20 years on the SUNY Cortland faculty, Kane’s teaching has benefitted countless students by emphasizing inclusivity, engagement and an interdisciplinary approach.
Kane, who has led classes across Kinesiology, Physical Education, Performing Arts and Sport Management departments, very clearly demonstrates her adaptability and skill in a room filled with students.
As a practitioner and scholar, she has supplemented her foundational training in dance and the fine arts with an advanced degree in exercise science. Her doctorate in dance education teaching and administration for higher education was earned at New York University. Her two master’s degrees include one in dance studies from the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance, London, England, and a second in exercise science from SUNY Cortland. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in recreation and sport, with a sport sociology focus.
Kane promotes belonging in her classroom by encouraging students to explore their histories and express their various identities, with a clearly stated appreciation for people from underrepresented backgrounds. Her sport history classes focus on lesser-known figures who faced challenges because of their identities. Her interview with Loretta Claiborne, Special Olympics champion and ESPY Arthur Ashe Courage Award winner, was part of Cortland’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Title IX.
Kane’s origin in the performing arts has led her to incorporate teaching methods rooted in teamwork and collaboration. Students often complete interactive multimedia quizzes and take part in learning outside of the classroom. Her dance classes are known for their supportive environment and students’ willingness to engage, regardless of their initial ability. Kane treats her office hours as a place where students can consult on any element of her high standards, from research paper writing to APA style.
In 2013, Kane was presented with the United University Professions Fayez Samuel Award for Courageous Service in recognition of her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022, she became a Lumen Circles Fellow to learn more about active learning methods and classroom inclusivity. SUNY Cortland has honored Kane with a 2024 Innovative Teaching Grant, a 2022 Non-Tenure Track Excellence in Teaching Award and multiple faculty development awards.
Kerry Mincher
During her more than 25 years of campus service, Mincher has set the standard for exemplary administrative service, treating everyone around her with dignity and respect, regardless of their position or title.
“We believe she represents the very best of SUNY Cortland’s classified staff,” wrote the committee reviewing her nomination.
The 2023 recipient of the SUNY Cortland President’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service, Mincher was recommended for this even higher level of recognition by seven colleagues.
“Common themes mentioned by Mincher’s coworkers include her integrity, her dependability and, of course, her tireless dedication to SUNY Cortland,” a review committee member summarized. “Many colleagues note that Mincher leans into problem-solving without being asked. She works without seeking recognition. And she consistently puts the needs of others before her own.”
Many colleagues noted her willingness to serve as a first point of contact in the Division of Student Affairs, ensuring seamless administrative support coverage when individual offices are short-staffed.
“This quality was on display throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a very disruptive period when Mincher exceeded the expectations of her job duties,” the review committee observed.
“Kerry kept us going,” noted Dana Smith, an administrative assistant who worked previously in the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office. A vital source of communication and comfort for those around her, during the pandemic Mincher answered countless emails and phone calls while navigating the uncertainty of the times with composure, professionalism and empathy.
Mincher was commended for her ability to meet the needs of students in her forward-facing role while also managing high-level, behind-the-scenes work.
Vice President for Student Affairs Greg Sharer, Mincher’s supervisor since she started her current role in 2019, described her as “a cornerstone of the SUNY Cortland community.”
While her official title with SUNY Cortland’s Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) chapter is treasurer of the executive board, colleagues describe her as the “go-to” person for union questions. She helps organize many union events.
Kevin B. Sheets
During his 26 years at SUNY Cortland, Sheets has invigorated academic life on campus and made extraordinary contributions to his discipline that are felt in classrooms across the state and the nation. A scholar of U.S. cultural history, particularly in the 19th century, he demonstrates the value of historians as critical thinkers who use knowledge of the past to shape the future.
As the longtime History Department chair and graduate program coordinator, Sheets reimagined curriculum to incorporate public history and the scholarship of teaching and learning while assisting in the development of a fully online master’s program.
His wider campus contributions have enriched academic life at SUNY Cortland. Sheets led the establishment of the Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee, which organizes yearlong, campuswide intellectual discussions on a changing annual theme. A transformational chair of the Academic Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, he is recognized as an advocate for his colleagues by ensuring that faculty expectations are clear and equitable.
Sheets also co-authored the most recent university history book, Our Common Ground: An Illustrated History of SUNY Cortland, 1990-2017 (SUNY Cortland, 2018).
Sheets has shepherded professional growth for fellow historians locally and nationally. He served 17 years as a trustee for the Cortland County Historical Society, including six as its president, as well as a trustee for the 1890 House Museum.
Furthermore, his role as project director for major federal grants has created a ripple effect in classrooms across the nation — supporting rich professional development for K-12 humanities and social studies teachers while also symbolizing his scholarly-informed faculty service. During Sheets’s career, the university has received three Department of Education Teaching American History, and eight National Endowment of the Humanities grants have totaled $4.3 million. One result of his NEH collaborations is his forthcoming, co-edited book Beyond the City: Re-Placing the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (SUNY Press).
Sheets earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in U.S. history from University of Virginia. He received a B.A. in history from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.