Locals: People and Businesses in the News, July 25, 2024

SUNY AWARDS EXCELLENCE: In early May, SUNY Oneonta held its annual award ceremony on campus, where more than 50 students received an Academic Achievement Award. This award recognizes seniors who strive for excellence and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA within their major. Students are nominated by faculty members. The following area students were honored: Amber Genova of Cooperstown, Jacob Ghiorse and Graham Wooden of Oneonta, Raynella Clarke of Richfield Springs, and Jessica Dix of Mount Upton.

ONEONTA ADAPTIVE FIELD DAY: EDD Adaptative Sports recently partnered with the Sport and Exercise Sciences department at SUNY Oneonta to host the first Adaptive Field Day on campus. EDD Adaptive Sports is a non-profit organization that offers adaptive sports programs to children and adults with any disability,” according to a press release for the event, which took place on May 4 at the Alumni Field House and Red Dragon Field. Two students from Oneonta participated in the event as volunteers: Olivia Litzinger and Graham Wooden.

PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS: Clarkson University has recently listed two local students on its spring 2024 Presidential Scholars list. This distinction is given to students who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.8, while also being enrolled in at least 14 credits. Matthew Huestis of Fly Creek and Joseph VanDeValk of Richmondville were among those named.

VILLAVERDE SHOWCASED: Local SUNY Oneonta student and resident Victoria Villaverde was featured in “The Capstone: 2024,” an exhibit showcase for students in the upper-level Studio and Digital Art Capstone courses for the semester. Villaverde, who majored in art and design, recently graduated.

PHARMACY GRAD: Shane Miller of Oneonta recently graduated from Wilkes University with a DPH in pharmacy. The graduation took place on May 18 at the McHale Athletic Center in the Simms Center, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

MAHAR WINS CAA SCHOLARSHIP: Lana Mahar of Mount Markham Central School received the 2024 Cooperstown Art Association Scholarship Award, in the amount of $1,400.00. She will continue her art education at SUNY Oneonta in the fall, studying animation and illustration. Mahar’s work is on display in the hallway exhibit case near the stairway to the 89th Annual National Juried Exhibition at the CAA galleries.

JAQUAY ALL-OHIO: Jaelyn Jaquay is one of 80 students at Baldwin Wallace University named to the 2024 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference Team. To qualify, Jaquay, who hails from Cherry Valley, and is a graduate of Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School, was required to be at least a sophomore and maintain a GPA of at least 3.5.

NAZARETH DEAN’S LIST: Nazareth University has released the names of students on its spring 2024 Dean’s List. To qualify, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above. The following locals were included: Leah McCrea, Cooperstown; Morgan Stoecklin, Hartwick; Hannah Swayer, Morris; Leah Woertendyke, Oneonta; and Ariana Bosc, Springfield Center.

HERKIMER SPRING HONORS: Herkimer County Community College has released its honors list for spring 2024. Students on the President’s List are those who have maintained a GPA of over 3.8, while those on the Dean’s List have maintained a GPA of 3.25-3.79. The following students were on the President’s List: Christina L. Posh-Strain, Burlington Flats; Holly Marie Kabana, Laurens; Christiana M. McGee, Morris; Dylan James Jaklitsch, Oneonta; and Katrina Marie Knisely, Richfield Springs. The following students made the Dean’s List: Sydney Rose Kukulech, Cherry Valley; Ian Michel Steffe of Cooperstown; Hannah Bartlett-Hughes and Landon James Smith, Laurens; Rylee Elizabeth Chapin, Mount Vision; and Caroline Elizabeth Furner and Cristina Sue Peplinski, Richfield Springs.

PUTNAM INDUCTED: SUNY Oneonta recently inducted five new students into the Delta Beta Chapter of the Triota (Iota Iota) Honor Society. The society is “dedicated to recognizing and encouraging academic excellence in women’s and gender studies,” according to a press release for the event. Emily Putnam of Maryland was among those students honored. Putnam graduated with the Class of 2024 and majored in women’s and gender studies. To be inducted, students must have completed at least six credit hours within women’s and gender studies courses and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0.

ZAENGLE EXCELS: Worcester’s Morgan Zaengle has been named to the spring 2024 President’s List of The College of Saint Rose. This honor is reserved for students who are enrolled full time at 12 credits and maintain a GPA of at least 3.9. Zaengle is a communication sciences and disorders major.

SAINT ROSE DEAN’S LIST: Julia McCrea of Cooperstown, a communication sciences and disorders major, and Claire Warner of Westford, a communications major, were among the students named on The College of Saint Rose Dean’s List for the spring 2024 semester. To make the list, students must be enrolled full-time, maintain at GPA of at least 3.5 and complete at least 12 credit hours.

HERKIMER POLICE GRADUATES: The sixth class of Phase I Pre-Employment Basic Training, in partnership with the Little Falls Police Department, graduated from Herkimer College in late May. “I congratulate and commend you for your sacrifices for this very honorable and noble profession,” said Police Academy Director Mike Masi via a press release. Graduates are Logan F. Cirillo, Bruce F. Clouthier, Bryanna N. Houckand, Collin Paul, Grant L. Rasha, Nicholas G. Scarafile, Theodore L. Schoff and Brayden M. Zahniser.

ERWAY MAKES LIST: Carly Erway of Fly Creek has made the Dean’s List for the spring 2024 semester at the University of Rhode Island. To be considered, students must have completed at least 12 or more credits, be enrolled full time at the school and maintain a GPA of 3.30 or more.

LEMOYNE DEAN’S DESIGNEES: Two local students have made Le Moyne College’s Dean’s List for the spring 2024 semester. To make the list, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above. Political science major Sara Brean, from West Edmeston, and history major, Josh Houck, from Mount Vision, made the list. Two graduating students from Oneonta were also named: Maria Farrell, with a bachelor of science in biology, and Meredith Smithling, with bachelor of science degrees in both marketing and in business analytics.

ACCOMPLISHED ATHLETES: Two local students at SUNY Delhi were recently celebrated as part of the school’s end-of-the-year athletics banquet in early May. Reanen Goodspeed of Mount Vision and Veronica Coe of Oneonta were chosen as team leaders by their respective coaches. Goodspeed was on the women’s soccer team and Coe was on the women’s swim and dive team.

LEONARD EXCELS: Avery Leonard of Maryland has been named to Alvernia University’s spring 2024 Dean’s List. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full time, complete at least 12 credits and carry a GPA of at least 3.5.

HAAKANSSON SUCCEEDS: Wilmer Haakansson has earned a spot on Harding University’s Dean’s List for the spring 2024 semester. Students must be enrolled full time at 12 credits in order to be considered and must maintain a GPA of at least 3.65. Haakansson is a senior at Harding, studying finance.

BLANCO INDUCTED: The Siena College chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Honor Society recently welcomed Alyssa Blanco of Otego into its ranks. Members are those at the school who have embraced the Franciscan tradition of achieving academic excellence, while also showing awareness for societal problems and compassion for others.

MEYERS MAKES GOOD: Nicole Meyers of Morris has been named to the Dean’s List of Tennessee Tech University for the spring 2024 semester. Ranked as a “Best National University” by “U.S. News & World Report,” students on this list must be enrolled full time and maintain a GPA of at least 3.1.

COOK LANDS LIST: The Dean’s List for the spring 2024 semester at the University of Maryland Global Campus was announced, with Dwight Cook of New Berlin among those named. The list is reserved for students who are enrolled in at least six credits while maintaining a GPA of 3.5 for the term, as well as a cumulative GPA of 3.5.

HIGGINS ALL-ACADEMIC: Patricia Higgins of Otego has been named to the 2024 New England Small College Athletic Conference spring All-Academic Team in women’s rowing. A rising junior at Hamilton College, Higgins is majoring in creative writing, as well as French and francophone studies. This distinction is given to honor upperclassman students who maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher.