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April 13, 2018SUNY SCCC Students Among Those Chosen for Prestigious SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence
SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson this week presented 249 SUNY students from across the state, including Jessica Diskin and Gishana Kuldip from SUNY Schenectady County Community College, with the 2018 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.
About the SUNY SCCC recipients:
Jessica Diskin, a Culinary Arts degree major and member of the College’s American Culinary Federation junior chapter, plans to graduate in May. A United States Air Force veteran who received an honorable discharge in 2013, Jessica is currently working as the Lead Line Cook at the award-winning Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass., and at Seeds Market Café in Pittsfield, Mass. While at SUNY SCCC, Jessica has contributed her talents to the College’s Hot Food Culinary Competition Team. Her expertise in savory cooking drove the team to a silver medal in December 2017. It was her leadership skills along with her excellent organization, timing, and culinary skills that the coach attributed to their success.
A Dean’s List student, Jessica’s volunteerism is to be admired. Recently, she accompanied Chef Michael Stamets, Assistant Professor in the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts, and Tourism, to WNYT Channel 13 to be part of an early morning television spot to recruit and market for the Chef’s for Success fundraising event. Also, Jessica was selected from a large pool of candidates to participate in the 2017 Kentucky Derby as a Culinary Arts Intern. She quickly rose to Culinary Team Leader at the Finish Line Luxury Suites as a culinary expediter and was invited to return to the 2018 Derby.
Gishana Kuldip, a Humanities and Social Sciences degree major (Psychology Concentration), has excelled in academics, cultivated friendships, and delved into volunteerism since she immigrated to the U.S. from Guyana in 2014. Gishana’s primary language is Guyanese Creole, and when she and her family moved to the U.S., she had to begin speaking fluently in English and adapt to a new culture and way of life. Gishana took all this as a challenge and excelled. A member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, she maintains a 3.96 grade point average. She plans to graduate in May and transfer to the University at Albany to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Gishana, who has been named to the President’s List, is the embodiment of the word “volunteer” and “leader.” She was elected President of the Student Volunteer Organization, comprised of students who donate their time and talents to making a difference in the College community and beyond. She has also volunteered her time with community organizations, as a student leader/volunteer, including the City Mission, Fostering Future, Girl’s Inc., and the Guyanese community.
“I am immensely proud of these students, who have demonstrated academic excellence and dedication to enriching their campuses and communities,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “From research publications in industry journals to volunteering in hospitals and local clinics, to holding leadership roles at their institutions, I am inspired by each student we recognize today, including Jessica Diskin and Gishana Kuldip from SUNY SCCC. Congratulations to all of the students receiving this year’s award.”
Dr. Steady Moono, President of SUNY SCCC, noted that Jessica and Gishana are excellent examples of students dedicating themselves to accomplishing their goals. “We are extremely proud of Jessica and Gishana and how they have empowered themselves, through their hard work at SUNY SCCC, to move on to the next chapter in their lives,” Dr. Moono said. “This honor is very well-deserved.”
The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and have been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement.
Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office for a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award.
