Six members of the faculty and staff at Tompkins Cortland Community College have received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence. The annual awards are presented to acknowledge consistently superior professional achievement, with winners selected through a process that starts with a nomination and includes a committee review before being forwarded to SUNY by the College president. Final determination of the award is made by the SUNY Chancellor following another review.

Amber Gilewski, professor of psychology, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She consistently transforms students’ confidence, academic performance, and a sense of belonging by creating a supportive learning environment that blends high academic standards with compassion, flexibility, and inclusivity. Her use of innovative methods has directly improved student success rates and expanded learning opportunities across the College. Student repeatedly describe her classes as engaging, accessible, stimulating, and personal meaningful, with many citing her as the reason they persisted in their studies of chose to pursue psychology further. 

Susan Mueller, associate professor of nursing, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activities. She has never wavered in her pursuit of scholarly excellence and a drive to contribute to her patients and students, as well as the wider body or nursing and health-related knowledge and research. She has authored published pieces in several national publications and has worked with colleagues on ways to reduce barriers in the nursing program for English language learners. Her knowledge and interest in special interest groups, particularly vulnerable and often unseen populations, has been put to use by the College in improving institutional effectiveness. 

Sandra Moser, professor of nursing, also received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. Her leadership, innovation, and unwavering commitment have strengthened TC3’s institutional capacity in many ways. As Clinical Coordinator for the nursing program, she manages the complex systems that allow roughly 180 nursing students each semester to secure clinical placements across four regional healthcare partners. She has built critical relationships with hospital partners, serving as the nursing programs front-line liaison and ensuring positive experiences for both student and hospital. In addition, Mosher leads college committees, provides data-driven campus safety and health insights, and has expanded the College’s academic offerings through the creation of new health-focused microcredentials, courses, and curriculum. 

Anndrea Mathers, associate provost, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. She was called instrumental in many college-wide initiatives, serving on the Middles State Self-Study, Facilities Master Plan Committee, Global Council, President’s Cabinet, Academic Council, and the Strategic Enrollment Plan Council. She led the successful implementation of a new Online Teaching Policy and Training, as well as the conversion to new technology for curriculum development. She is responsible for hiring and supervision of more than 150 adjunct faculty members and leads the Adjunct Convocation at the beginning of each semester. 

Corrina Struzick, enrollment services specialist, received the Chancellor’s/Trustees’ Award for Excellence in Classified Service. Struzik has brought an unwavering commitment to student success for 18 years. She is widely recognized as dependable and knowledgeable, with a depth of institutional knowledge that makes her an invaluable asset to students, faculty, and fellow staff. She was credited with always putting students first, often staying late, reaching out to other department on their behalf, and even offering her own resources what a student is in need. Struzick embodies the highest standards of compassion, dedication, and professionalism. 

Todd McLane, TC3 Farm director and adjunct associate professor of biology, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. McLane has been the cornerstone of the Sustainable Farming and Food Systems program and the TC3 Farm since their inception in 2014. He mentors students in a supportive environment of applied learning, leading them in creating community service-oriented capstone projects. He has led the development of the farming curriculum and was integral in the development of the new articulation agreement with Cornell university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. McLane also serves on several local boards, leads workshops and webinars on community-building through farming, and works to develop partnerships between the TC3 Farm and local community organizations.

The Chancellor’s/Trustees’ Awards for Excellence are selected through a process that starts with a nomination and includes a committee review before being forwarded to SUNY by the College president. Final determination of the award is made by the SUNY Chancellor following another review.