Kelly Tobin, Tompkins Cortland Community College Class of 2001, has won the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award for Civic Contribution from the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT). Tobin’s award was one of three connected to TC3; Linda Bruno was named the winner of the Friend of Community College Award and Cayuga Medical Center was honored with the Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award. All the awards were presented at the NYCCT annual meeting in Saratoga Springs on September 12.

The NYCCT represents the appointed board members who govern the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The organization presents the Distinguished Alumni Award annually to an individual whose contributions have improved their community and made the world a better place through volunteerism and community service.

Tobin serves as the executive director of the YWCA of Cortland, a position that allows her to pursue her passion for helping children and making services available to families. She was honored for her history of service to the Cortland community, which predates the more than a decade she has led the Cortland YWCA, and includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Cortland Downtown Partnership, being a Child Mentor with Bridges for Kids of Cortland County, president of the Cortland Rotary, and treasurer of Zonta Cortland.

The Friend of the Community College Award is designed to recognize the actions of individuals who have, over an extended period, significantly advanced the cause of community college education. Linda Bruno has been a steadfast ally to the community college mission through her deep commitment to student access and success. As a high school teacher at Dryden Central School, her work with TC3’s concurrent enrollment program reflects her belief in early college access as a means of empowering students. She has collaborated with college faculty and administrators to align curricula, organize joint student events, and create learning experiences that introduce high school students to the expectations and opportunities of college life.

The Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award recognizes a unique partnership developed in a concerted effort to stimulate increased worker training and retraining activity. Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) was cited as a deeply engaged and valued partner of TC3, contributing meaningfully to both academic and workforce initiatives. CMC’s long-standing commitment to hands-on learning is evident in the clinical experiences they have provided to TC3 students for over 30 years. This collaboration continues into the classroom, where CMC healthcare professionals volunteer to participate in educational panels, career exploration events, and on-site recruitment activities. 

Photo Caption (from left to right): TC3 Board of Trustees Chairperson Judy Davison, TC3 Trustee Roxann Buck, Friend of Community College Linda Bruno, Distinguished Alumni Kelly Tobin, TC3 Trustee Shana Piotti