2023 Student Leadership Recognition Banquet Award Recipients

*If you are an award recipient and would like your photo added or changed, please email Birte Pfitzner at pfitznerb@wcsu.educreate new email.

opens IMAGE file Hancock Student Leadership Program

The Hancock Student Leadership Program promotes, fosters, and identifies student leaders and develops their ability to inspire, motivate, and influence others after graduation. The program promotes students’ development of a body of practical ethics, good communication skills, compassion and empathy, team and community building, creative problem-solving, goal setting, conflict resolution, independent thinking, and the financial awareness required for sound financial stewardship for the management of budgets.

Claire E. Eastwood, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants

Julie L. Hoff, WCSU Communication & Marketing

Emily J. Kappel, LPL Financial

Sara Risko, University of Connecticut’s Fairfield County Agricultural Extension Program

Leadership, Compassion and Creativity Certificate Program Graduates

opens IMAGE file The Leadership, Compassion and Creativity Certificate program is a leadership program that provides an opportunity for students to receive a certificate by exploring the values of leadership, compassion & creativity across all Student Affairs disciplines and with people of all communities. This program takes a student’s co-curricular activities, leadership roles and community service hours and combines them into one leadership certificate.
Presented by: Dennis Leszko, Director of the Center for Student Involvement.

The 2023 graduates of the program are:

Kiana Andarowski

Skylar Bartush

Gabriella DeMaro

Molly Farquharson

Patrick Moody

Hela Patel

Lia Reynolds

Faythe Thibodeau

Omayra Vasquez

LCCC leaders are those who are innovative and inspire others to find new and diverse ways to solve problems. They lead sympathetically by understanding that all people learn and succeed through different avenues of guidance. At the end of completing the LCCC, students are able to explain how they have become more compassionate and creative leaders; and explain how participation in LCCC has shaped their understanding of leadership.

Orientation Leader of the Year Award

Awarded by the Center for Student Involvement
Presented by: Dennis Leszko

This award is given to an Orientation Leader who has shown exemplary leadership.

Recipient: Destiny Samuel

John Tamas Memorial Emerging Student Leader Award

Awarded by the Division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs
Presented by: Dr. Walter Cramer, Dean of Students

This award goes to a Freshman or Sophomore who has demonstrated superior leadership capability and potential.

Recipient: Jasmine Edmunds

Inter-Residence Hall Association Awards

The awards are voted upon by the Inter-Residence Hall Association, which represents the residential student body.
Presented by: Eden Edwards-Harris, Resident Director, Grasso Hall

Housing and Residence Life Staff Member of the Year – RA

This award is given to a Resident Assistant who has shown extreme dedication to Housing throughout the academic year. Through programming, office work, and showing support for the residents of Western Connecticut State University, the award recipient is being honored for his/her service.

Recipient: Kyla Smith – RA of the Year

Housing and Residence Life Staff Member of the Year – ARM

This award is given to an Academic Resource Mentor who has shown extreme dedication to Housing throughout the academic year. Through programming, office work, and showing support for the residents of Western Connecticut State University, the award recipient is being honored for his/her service.

Recipient: Andrew Colletti – ARM of the Year

Program of the Year

This award is given either to a Hall Council, Resident Assistant, Academic Resource Mentor, or a member of the residential student body who has hosted a program that has best suited the university and the needs of the community.

Recipients: Tess Darrow for Sleep Bingo

Program Activities Council Award

Awarded by the Program Activities Council
Presented by: Riley Weaver, PAC President

Outstanding Student Program

This award is presented to a student or group who is deemed to have initiated and executed the program, excluding PAC programs, that had the largest impact on the campus community during the year.

Recipient: Pumpkin Smashing by the WCSU Psych Alliance

Fraternity and Sorority Life Awards

Awarded by Fraternity and Sorority Life
Presented by: Charles Wimer, FSL Council Vice President

New Greek Member of the Year (tie)

This award goes to an individual who is new to the Greek community and has made a significant contribution to his/her Greek organization, the Greek Council, and the university. Nominations were solicited from individuals and Greek organizations.

Recipient: Will Brock of Tau Kappa Epsilon

Recipient: Theo Tedesco of Sigma Chi

Outstanding Greek Member of the Year

This award goes to the individual who has made a significant contribution to his/her Greek organization, the Greek Council, and the university. Nominations were solicited from individuals and Greek organizations.

Recipient: Jackie Botta of Sigma Delta Tau

Outstanding Greek Letter Organization

This award goes to the organization that has made a significant contribution to the Greek Council, the university, and the greater community.

Recipient: Sigma Delta Tau

Highest GPA for a Greek Letter Organization

This award goes to the Greek organization with the highest cumulative grade point average at the end of the previous fall semester.

Recipient: Alpha Delta Pi

Most Philanthropic Chapter of the Year

This award goes to the Greek organization with the most significant contributions the WCSU and outside community. This organization has done so by committing time, effort and funds into important causes, fighting negative stigmas, and producing change for the better of everyone.

Recipient: Tau Kappa Epsilon

SLRB Committee Student Organization of the Year Awards

Awarded by the Student Leadership Recognition Banquet (SLRB) Committee
Presented by: John Murphy, Director of Event & Conference Management and Auxiliary Services, SGA Advisor, and SLRB Committee Member

Ancell School of Business – Student Organization of the Year

This award is presented to a student organization that has shown outstanding commitment to its organizational goals and program planning, has made an impact on the campus and surrounding community, and the leadership development of its group members.

Recipient: Western Marketing Association

Macricostas School of Arts & Sciences – Student Organization of the Year

Recipient: WCSU Psych Alliance

Presented by: Daryle Dennis, Assistant Dean of Students and SLRB Committee Member

School of Professional Studies – Student Organization of the Year

Recipient: Social Work Club

School of Visual and Performing Arts – Student Organization of the Year

Recipient: Audio and Music Production Club

Presented by: Michael Azzi, SGA President and SLRB Committee Member

General Interest and Community Service – Student Organization of the Year

Recipient: Commuter Student Organization

Diversity – Student Organization of the Year

Recipient: Muslim Student Association

Campus REC Awards

Awarded by Campus REC

Presented by: Amy Shanks, Associate Director of Recreation

Employee of the Year

Given to the employee that is an excellent role model to others, demonstrates exceptional leadership, inspires others to work collaboratively and creatively, has a strong work ethic, professional integrity, great initiative and a great attitude. This student employee also promotes a work environment that is respectful and supportive, and consistently goes above and beyond his/her work duties.

Recipient: Connor Meenan

Rookie of the Year

Given to the employee that has shown exceptional work ethic, commitment to Campus REC’s core principles and has demonstrated strong leadership potential (during the first year of employment). This student employee has made great contributions to the department and embodies Recreation.

Recipient: Hansel Valdez

Event and Conference Management Awards

Destiny Samuel Awarded by Event & Conference Management
Presented by: Nicole Day

Customer Service Award

The Customer Service Award goes to an employee who has demonstrated excellent customer service to all students and WestConn community, has excellent communication skills interacting with many individuals on an everyday basis, and has patience dealing with difficult customers and has strong problem-solving skills when it comes to resolving any issue.

Recipient: Destiny Samuel

Ambrose Richards

Presented by: Jesse Bambach

Long Journey Award

The Long Journey Award goes to an employee who has worked for ECM for 3 consecutive years/6 consecutive semesters, been vital to the success of the department by working in all areas: Centers/ONC/Ives/Midtown, constantly is on time and reliable for multiple shifts, has gone above and beyond what is asked of them, and is a leader and a mentor to other students in the department.

Recipient: Ambrose Richards

Corey Tehe

Presented by: Jennifer Arigoni

ECM All-Star

The ECM All-Star Award goes to an employee who is available for any task needed, takes on responsibility and initiatives on learning new skills, shows excellent leadership to all students of our department, is a versatile worker able to apply themselves in many different manners, and displayed a large variety of skills such as customer service, punctuality, dependency, enthusiasm, and a great work ethic.

Recipient: Corey Tehe

Student Government Association Awards

Awarded by the Student Government Association

Presented by: Vince Diesta, SGA Director of Student Relations

Ancell School of Business – Outstanding Faculty Member

This award is given to a faculty member from the Ancell School of Business for outstanding contribution to WCSU students.

Recipient: Terrence Dwyer

Professor Dwyer retired from the New York State Police after a 22-year career, 17½ years of which were as an Investigator in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). His assignments were with the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Troop K BCI and the Violent Crimes Investigative Team (Major Crimes Unit). Prior to the New York State Police, he served as a Correction Officer in the NYC Department of Correction and a Court Officer in the NYC Courts for 2½ years. From 1993-2001 he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was honorably discharged in 2001. Over the past several years Professor Dwyer has been involved in police litigation and disciplinary cases either as an attorney or as a consultant. He has represented and defended law enforcement officers in over 200 disciplinary cases and as a plaintiff’s attorney he has represented law enforcement officers in workplace discrimination and sexual harassment litigation. Additionally, he has been consulted by prosecutors, news outlets, law enforcement agencies, and litigation teams as an expert in police procedure, gangs and organized crime. The areas of public and private sector law enforcement liability and misconduct, law enforcement disciplinary process, use of force issues, Fourth Amendment and privacy issues, and critical incident policy are of special interest and research focus.

Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences – Outstanding Faculty Member

This award is given to a faculty member from the Macricostas School of Arts & Sciences for outstanding contribution to WCSU students.

Recipient: Dr. Nicholas Greco

Dr. Nicholas Greco, having earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Stonehill College (Easton, MA) in 2002, joined the laboratory of Professor Yitzhak Tor at the University of California, San Diego. In 2008, he earned his Ph.D. for his work on the design, synthesis, and incorporation of novel fluorescent nucleosides. After a postdoctoral stay at Boston College in the laboratory of Professor Larry W. McLaughlin, he moved to Western Connecticut State University where he is currently Assistant Professor of Chemistry.

School of Professional Studies – Outstanding Faculty Member

This award is given to a faculty member from the School of Professional Studies for outstanding contribution to WCSU students.

Recipient: Christel Autuori

Christel Autuori is a Certified Holistic Stress Management Instructor and Board Certified Health and Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine coach, who shares practical ways to navigate life using inner resources she has developed. Christel shares tips and tools to create and maintain resilience, using grace, patience, and humor.

School of Visual & Performing Arts – Outstanding Faculty Member

This award is given to a faculty member from the School of Visual & Performing Arts for outstanding contribution to WCSU students.

Recipient: Dr. Marjorie Callaghan

Dr. Marjorie Seymour Callaghan teaches horn, sight singing/ear training, and classes in music history at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She is a member of the Ridgefield Symphony and the Nutmeg Brass Quintet, and freelances in the Connecticut/New York area. She has performed with the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami and the Bermuda Philharmonic as well as played in the orchestras for the Irish Tenors, Peter Cetera, and the rock group “Yes.” In 2014, Dr. Callaghan performed under Maurice Peress at The Town Hall, New York City for the 90th Anniversary of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue: A Celebration of Paul Whiteman’s Historic 1924 Aeolian Hall Concert. She has also maintained a private studio since 1984. Dr. Callaghan earned a D.M.A. degree from Manhattan School of Music, a M.M. degree from the Hartt School, and a B.A. degree in music and Spanish from Gettysburg College, spending a semester abroad in Seville, Spain. She is a member of the International Horn Society, the College Music Society, and the American Federation of Musicians

Outstanding Student Organization

Awarded to a student organization that has excelled in all areas.

Recipient: WXCI

Outstanding New Student Organization

Awarded to a student organization that has excelled in all areas.

Recipient: The Fourth Wall

Presented by: Sorreea Gagnebin, SGA Vice President

Outstanding Senator

Awarded to a senator in the Student Government Association for outstanding service.

Recipient: Darline Fleurimond

Outstanding Representative

Awarded to a senator in the Student Government Association for outstanding service.

Recipient: Emily Kappel

Presented by: Michael Azzi, SGA President

The Fernando & Alice Fernandes Award

Awarded to a member of the classified staff who has made significant contribution to student life.

Recipient: George Marasco

Award of Merit

Awarded for outstanding service to the entire student body. A non-student member of the WCSU community whose dedication to the students and student life has gone far above and beyond his/her obligations.

Recipient: Dr. Rée LeBlanc Gunter

Student Award of Merit

Awarded to a student who has dedicated him/herself to outstanding service to the student body.

Recipient: Eric Mutschler

SGA President’s Award (tie)

Awarded to a student or other member of the university community who has contributed to helping student organizations on campus.

Recipient: Paul Steinmetz

Recipient: Thomas Crucitti

SGA President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership (tie)

This award is presented to a student who has displayed outstanding leadership skills and has actively worked toward bettering the community and student life on campus during their time here at Western Connecticut State University.

Recipient: Destiny Samuel

Recipient: Charles Wimer

Jesse Lewis Compassion Awards

Awarded by the Kathwari Honors Program
Presented by: Presented by: Sabrina Marques, Director of the Kathwari Honors Program, Associate Professor of Studio Art

This award is presented to a student whose compassion (actively helping others to solve or overcome their problems or suffering) knows no bounds. This award is in memory of Jesse Lewis, the 6-year-old Sandy Hook student who saved the lives of 9 other first graders on December 14, 2012.

Recipient: Satil Moni

Community Service Award

Awarded by the Division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs
Presented by Dr. Walter Cramer, Dean of Students.

This award is presented to the club, organization or student that shows exemplary effort to volunteer and serve the community around them.

Recipient: Rotaract Club of WCSU

Outstanding Advisor Award (tie)

Awarded by Student Life/Student Activities.
Presented by Dennis Leszko, Director of the Center for Student Involvement

Awarded to the Advisor that best promotes the growth potential of student organizations, assists with their maintenance, and stimulates the development of programs that not only enrich the campus but also aid the development of students.

Recipient: Daryle Dennis – Commuter Student Organization

Caitie Barry Daryle Dennis is the Assistant Dean of Students and in charge of the InterCultural Affairs office. He is advisor to the Commuter Student Organization, Black Student Union, and the African Caribbean Student Association.

Recipient: Caitlyn Barry – Fraternity & Sorority Life

Caitie Barry is a grad intern in the Center for Student Involvement and manages the Leadership, Compassion, and Creativity Certificate (LCCC) Program. In addition, she oversees Fraternity and sorority life and is advisor to six Fraternities and Sororities (Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Gamma Phi, Kappa Chi Alpha, Sigma Delta Tau, Sigma Chi, Tau Kappa Epsilon) plus the Fraternity and Sorority Council.

Alumni Association Outstanding Student Leader Award

Awarded by the WCSU Alumni Association
Presented by: Raymond Lubus, President, Alumni Association

This award is given each year to a student who has exemplified the qualities of a student leader.

Recipient: Karla M. Matos

Walter B. Bernstein Vice President’s Award for Student Leadership

Awarded and presented by the Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, Jay Murray

This award is given each year to a student who has shown dedication, passion, and immense effort toward the improvement of Student Life throughout their tenure at WCSU.

Recipient: Destiny Samuel

A Special Thank You:

Destiny Samuel and Raissatou Karim – for emceeing the event
Events & Conference Management for setting up the photobooth
Fraternity & Sorority Life – for sponsoring the gift baskets
Inter-Residence Hall Association – for the Chocolates
SLRB Committee – for putting on this entire event
Student Government Association – for your sponsorship and support

Last but not least, on behalf of the SLRB Committee, a huge thank you to all of the student leaders who stepped up this year, whether you were recognized with an award or not. The same to all of the advisors to student organizations; all of your hard work is appreciated. And a special thank you to all of the presenters.

Members of the 2023 Student Leadership Recognition Banquet Committee (alphabetical by last name):

Michael Azzi, President, Student Government Association

Caitie Barry, Graduate Intern for Fraternity and Sorority Life & Leadership, CSI

Deborah Bisaccia, Head Cheer Coach, Recreation

Jade Carriero, President, Program Activities Council

Walter Cramer, Dean of Students, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

Daryle Dennis, Assistant Dean of Students, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

Virginia Diaz, Administrative Assistant, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

Oni Figueroa, Administrative Assistant, Athletics

Christopher Henson, Residence Hall Director, Housing & Residence Life

Danielle King, Admissions, Cashiers, History

Dennis Leszko, Director, CSI & SGA Advisor

Lycia Lopez-Torres, Graduate Intern for Programming, CSI

Carley Mengler, Graduate Intern, Student Government Association Advisor

John Murphy, Director, Event & Conference Management & SGA Advisor

Kathleen Nostrand, CSU Administrative Assistant, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

Ellen Ober, Administrative Assistant, AccessAbility Services

Birte Pfitzner, CSU Administrative Assistant, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs

Peter Puccio, Assistant to the Director, Media Services

Mariah Segura, President, Inter-Residence Hall Association

Cory Silver, Event & Conference Coordinator

Charles Wimer, Vice President, FSL Council