At a glance
"It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of the nearly 200 CASE awardees as they inspire others and illustrate what is possible with a SUNY education.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.
Katelyn James (Buffalo, NY) and Colin Thompson (Webster, NY) were honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The pair were two of 193 SUNY students honored by Chancellor John B. King, Jr.
James, a business administration major with a minor in logistics and supply chain management, has excelled in her roles as a tutor, admissions ambassador, president of her sorority Alpha Bet Chi, resident assistant, and orientation coordinator during her time at Alfred State.
During this school year she has been key in developing programming for first-generation students and took the lead in the college’s International Women’s Week celebration.
Her sorority supports St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, she continues to serve as a member of her local fire auxiliary and serves as a treasurer for a community non-profit that assists young community individuals with disabilities.
Thompson, a 4.0 architecture major with minors in construction management and business, has been active in numerous industry competitions. He was part of the 2022 and 2023 first place design-build team in Associated Schools of Construction Region I Student Competition.
As a leader on campus, he has embraced civic engagement and architecture by volunteering his time for community-based initiatives. He has been key in helping deliver projects like a community visualization concept for the historic town of Wellsville.
His thesis architecture project encapsulates his drive for community-oriented design with purpose. His project, “Subverting Oppression: Covert Education Networks Amidst Totalitarian Regimes”, aims to provide women in Afghanistan with educational opportunities they have lost.
"It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of the nearly 200 CASE awardees as they inspire others and illustrate what is possible with a SUNY education,” commented Chancellor King. “This year's winners include first-generation students, researchers, a single mother and grandmother, a cancer survivor, international students hailing from over 16 nations, athletes, and a student who worked with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center—among so many more with inspiring stories of excellence in the classroom and beyond."
The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997.