MCC News

SUNY Chancellor Honors 4 MCC Students with Excellence Awards

May 1, 2023

Tribunes among 193 students receiving SUNY’s highest honor for outstanding achievements in academics, leadership, campus involvement, civic engagement, and the arts

Brighton, N.Y.  ̶  Four Monroe Community College students are among 193 students from across the State University of New York (SUNY) system who recently received the 2023 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, the highest honor bestowed upon a student by SUNY.

The award recognizes students for their outstanding achievements throughout their SUNY experience in areas including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community engagement, and the arts.

The MCC award recipients are:

• 

  Valeria “Val” Krokhmalyuk

  

  Paula Barlow

  Paula Barlow, a paralegal major and president of the Student Government Association. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society and serves as New York’s PTK regional vice president. Paula has been named to the dean’s list every semester. Her passion for serving and leading has been an inspiration for her peers. Despite experiencing challenges, such as recently being diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD, she continues to persevere in academics and leadership.

• Valeria “Val” Krokhmalyuk, an individual studies major and president of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). She is a positive leader and is always there to help her peers better understand the benefits of getting involved on campus. She has been involved as a student leader early on in her collegiate career and is a member of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Project. After graduating in May, Val plans to pursue a degree in media communication.
• 

  Samuel “Sam” Roberts

  

  My Linh “Mia” Le

  My Linh “Mia” Le, a first-generation college student pursuing an associate degree in human health and biomedical sciences. She is an active leader on campus, serving as the student trustee to represent her peers’ perspective on the Board of Trustees. She also serves as ambassador and event planner for programs in the Office of Student Life and Leadership Development as well as a resident assistant with the Housing and Residence Life team. A proud member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, she is also an inaugural member of the Women of Excellence program. Mia participated in a group research project on mitochondrial replacement therapy for MCC’s Scholars’ Day 2022 and earned a scholarship.

• Samuel “Sam” Roberts, a computer science major. He is always willing to help regardless of how busy he is. He is genuine and caring, which is evidenced by the way he has rallied around various fellow students through the hurt and tragedy they have encountered, ranging from family members passing away to students struggling with everyday life. Sam is respected in his community, and his peers seek out his company and input. He is an asset to any college community, and those who have the privilege of knowing him are grateful for that opportunity.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and each of the students recognized today is an example of our extraordinary student body and their rich and diverse ‘SUNY stories,’ ” Chancellor John B. King, Jr. said during an awards ceremony April 24 in Albany. “Student success is at the core of everything we do, and I am honored to celebrate students from 63 SUNY campuses who are receiving this year’s Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence. Every student can find their community at SUNY, and I congratulate each of the CASE winners for making the most out of their college experience.”