Leadership in Civic Engagement Awards

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Since April 2005, SUNY Cortland has presented its annual Leadership in Civic Engagement Awards and Scholarships to students, staff and faculty, and community members. These awards recognize the important contributions of individuals and groups both on and off campus to the quality of life at SUNY Cortland and to our shared Cortland community.  The descriptions below offer some of the reasons for the awardees' recognition.

2022 Leadership in Civic Engagement Awards

Community Members

  • Apryl Beatty has organized and conducted events such as Community Matters and Black Lives Matter.
  • Ben Ackley has been volunteering with Access to Independence since 2018, helping (for example) with promotional videos and newsletter articles.
  • Levi Sutton partnered with SUNY for two years to help launch the Truxton Academy Charter School, while also ensuring the safety of the school's heating and drinking water systems

  SUNY Cortland Faculty and Staff 

  • David Runge (Coordinator, COR 101) helps student groups such as NYPIRG and BridgeCortland create and conduct civic events that include voter registration and voter education activities.
  • Mary Cannito-Coville (Sociology/Anthropology) designed and conducted a needs analysis for the City of Cortland's Mayor's Office and Police Department, as well as for the Cortland County Sheriff's Office.
  • Michael Stone (Environmental Health and Safety Specialist) volunteers with community organizations such as the YWCA of Cortland County (to provide building maintenance guidance and repairs) and the Rotary Club (to oversee students going abroad and coming to the United States).

Students

  • Christopher Delage has been volunteering in Cortland County for the past fourteen years with organizations such as Camp OWAHTA (a 4H camp in Solon) and the Boy Scouts of America.
  • Danielle Bleiweiss has organized and co-conducted a variety of resource-raising events for organizations and events such as the Special Olympics, the Cortland SPCA, the Keep A Breast Foundation, the CROP Walk, the Alzheimer's Walk, and the Cortland Volleyball team's Mental Health Awareness Campaign.
  • Emma Trulock took a leadership role at the SUNY Cortland Cupboard, designing and using a more useful inventory tracking system, and co-designing and co-conducting the Residence Hall donations drive contest and the first Student Hunger Awareness and Resources Event, which helped generate a dramatic increase in the number of food-insecure students who use this resource.
  • Sherron Brown mentored students on personal journals at the Finger Lakes Residential Center and she has participated in the planning and running of events such as Understanding and Advocating for Racial Justice and the Black Lives Matter Liberation Series.  For twelve years she has served as Event Coordinator for the annual retreats for Black women at the Camp Earth Connection.
  • Sydni John has, for the 2021-2022 academic year, been volunteering for the SUNY Cortland Cupboard. Her achievements include co-designing and co-conducting the Residence Hall donations drive contest and the first Student Hunger Awareness and Resources Event, which helped generate a dramatic increase in the number of food-insecure students who use this resource.

Cortland Area Chapter of the Alumni Association’s Community Service Award

  • Danielle Bleiweiss

Leadership in Civic Engagement Awards virtual Reception, 2022 (PDF)