2020 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service: Maria Cathcart, Center for Student Engagement

The College congratulates Maria Cathcart, administrative assistant 1 in the Center for Student Engagement, who has been named a 2020 recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service.

The Chancellor’s Awards are presented annually to employees who demonstrate exceptional teaching, scholarship and service to the campus community. They receive a medallion and certificate commemorating the achievement, as well as a permanent stipend.

Cathcart has established a reputation as a welcoming ambassador for SUNY New Paltz during her nearly two decades of service. She joined the College in 2002 and has held roles as a calculations clerk, payroll clerk, keyboard specialist and secretary.

She has consistently been a front-line point of contact for new students and parents, with a versatile skillset allowing her to support the particular needs of first-year, transfer and international students at various points during her career.

Colleagues and supervisors describe Cathcart as a valuable asset in establishing instant rapport with students and their family members, and as someone who consistently goes above and beyond to provide outstanding service.

In addition to her exceptional performance on the job, Cathcart has also been a long-serving member of the College’s State Employees Federal Appeal (SEFA) committee, a charitable program through which New Paltz employees donate to a variety of organizations through payroll deduction. Cathcart’s service has contributed to SUNY New Paltz’s recognition as the highest grossing SEFA campaign in the Ulster/Sullivan region several times in recent years.

Please join us in congratulating Maria Cathcart on this well-deserved recognition of her service to the campus community!