PURCHASE COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE CHANCELLOR'S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher presented awards to 248 students across the university system on April 5 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Three Purchase College, SUNY students were among the select group of students to receive the prestigious 2016 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

Graduating seniors Megan Singer, Eleanor King, and Aaron Schwartz each received the award, which recognizes students who have best demonstrated the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement.

“This award is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to stand-out SUNY students whose achievements reflect their own impressive hard work as well as the support of their families and friends, and SUNY’s world-class faculty and staff,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “The 248 students we honor with this year’s award have excelled academically, become role models on campus, and established themselves as leaders in the community. Congratulations to all of the students receiving the 2016 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.”

Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee that reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are 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. Each recipient receives a framed certificate and medallion, which is traditionally worn at commencement.

Purchase College President Thomas J. Schwarz said, “We congratulate the three honorees on receiving this prestigious award, which is the highest student recognition in the statewide university system. We have no doubt that Eleanor, Aaron, and Megan will continue to make us proud of their accomplishments in the years to come, and wish them well in their endeavors.”

Purchase College Honorees

Eleanor King (Visual Arts) holds Fulbright and Social Justice Fellowships at Purchase College. She has exhibited solo and group exhibitions throughout Canada, the U.S., and Europe, and her work has been featured in C Magazine and Canadian Art. Residencies include The MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and The Banff Centre, and she received grants from the Canada Council and Arts Nova Scotia. Eleanor was a finalist for the 2012 Sobey Art Award, and is represented by Diaz Contemporary in Toronto.

Aaron Schwartz (Biology & Chemistry) plans to study the molecular dynamics of basic cellular functions and their applications to clinical medicine. He will be graduating with a double major in biology and chemistry. Currently, Aaron is researching the early developmental processes in zebra fish and sea urchins. Beyond science, Aaron enjoys playing jazz piano, swimming, hiking, and travel.

Megan Singer (Theatre and Performance & Literature) will be graduating with a double major in Theatre and Performance and Literature. She will be the first in her family to graduate from college. Megan was elected to Purchase Student Government Association three years in a row and was awarded the Outstanding Senator award during her junior year.

About Purchase College–SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College–SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu

Photo caption: Eleanor King, Aaron Schwartz, and Megan Singer with Chancellor Zimpher and Elliot Abrams, professor of biology at Purchase College.