Five SUNY Oneonta faculty and staff members are among a select group of State University of New York professionals chosen to receive the 2022 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.
Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising Sarah Portway, Associate Professor of Education Sasha R. Ramlal and Associate Professor of Management Simona Giura are recipients of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; Professor of Political Science William R. Wilkerson is receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service; and College Accountant Rebecca O’Donnell is receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service.
“Our Chancellor’s Award winners are leaders in their disciplines who have excelled in the areas of teaching, scholarship and service to the college and its constituents,” said college President Alberto Cardelle. “They are most worthy of receiving this great distinction, and I am proud to call them colleagues.”
All five employees will be honored during spring commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 21, in the Dewar Arena at the Alumni Field House. The four SUNY Oneonta students who received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence this year will also be recognized.
Learn more about our 2022 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence employee recipients:
College Accountant Rebecca O’Donnell joined SUNY Oneonta 20 years ago. She helps lead the college’s financial operation, ensuring the integrity and reliability of financial data and systems, providing financial information to support decision making at all levels, and seeking solutions to maximize the efficacy of campus financial systems. She contributes her time and skills to broader campus committees and initiatives such as the current Middle States Commission on Higher Education Steering Committee. She has also served as a member of the Business Advisory Council and supervisor of student accounting interns, acting as a mentor and employment advocate. O’Donnell is known throughout the SUNY system as an expert in revenue accounting, especially as it relates to the integration of the SUNY Uniform Revenue Accounting System (URAS), Ellucian’s Banner software and SICAS software products.
A scholar in the fields of fashion, textiles and sustainability, Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising Sarah Portway joined SUNY Oneonta in 2018. As the program and internship coordinator for the Fashion & Textiles major, she facilitates experiential learning opportunities for students and brings guest speakers and successful alumni from the fashion industry into the classroom. Outside the classroom, Dr. Portway serves in numerous capacities, including as a member of the Facilities Master Plan Sustainability Subcommittee. She is also the faculty advisor to the Revival of Apparel Club, overseeing operation of the on-campus thrift shop and managing an annual sustainability scholarship.
Professor of Political Science William R. Wilkerson has been at SUNY Oneonta for 30 years. In that time, he has served as Political Science Internship Coordinator, department chair and faculty advisor to the Pre-Law Society and Political Science Club. He has served on (and chaired) many college committees, including the Academic Program Assessment Committee. Dr. Wilkerson has been a member of the College Senate and Senate Steering Committee and has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the Senate Applied Learning Task Force, presiding officer of the faculty and College Senate chair. His efforts in the area of faculty development led to a three-year Strategic Allocation of Resources (StAR) grant and laid the foundation for the creation of the Faculty Center.
Associate Professor of Management Simona Giura joined SUNY Oneonta in 2014. She is an accomplished author in her field and frequently integrates her research into the classroom. Dr. Giura serves on several important campus committees, including the Mental Health College Committee and the Academic Calendar Committee. She advises more than 30 students and also serves as advisor for the Management Club, organizing events, presentations and workshops. Under her advisement, the Management Club became recognized and funded by the Student Association. Dr. Giura is also an active officer of Betta Gamma Sigma, the International Business Honor Society.
Associate Professor of Education Sasha R. Ramlal joined SUNY Oneonta in 2014. As program coordinator for the college’s Literacy B-6 and 5-12 master’s programs, Dr. Ramlal presents in senior-level methods courses and attends events to recruit prospective students. She is also responsible for creating several literacy after-school programs and partnerships with area elementary schools to help students fulfill classroom participation requirements. Dr. Ramlal advises more than 200 students every semester. She has published a content area textbook, journal articles and book reviews and has presented her literacy-based research for national professional associations and at regional and local conferences. Dr. Ramlal is also an accomplished grant writer, having obtained more than $45,000 to fund campus projects.