Four New Paltz seniors receive Chancellor’s Award for academic and extracurricular excellence

NEW PALTZ – SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher honored New Paltz seniors, Hope Dobrzynski, Alyssa Finck, Jennifer Sánchez and Robb Webb with 2011 Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence at a ceremony on April 5 held in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

The Chancellor’s Awards, inaugurated in 1997, highlight students who distinguish themselves most prominently by integrating excellence in academic achievement in combination with accomplishments in leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement. The grade point average this year for all 249 Chancellor’s Award recipients across the 64 SUNY campuses was 3.8.

“The students we honor today have excelled academically and taken advantage of what SUNY has to offer in and outside the classroom,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “These students are proven leaders, athletes, artists, community servants and much more… I congratulate all of the students… and thank them for the positive impact each has had on SUNY and the communities we serve.”

Hope Dobrzynski of Long Beach majored in psychology. For five semesters, she worked in Residence Life where she is a community development assistant and at New Paltz’s peer counseling center Oasis/Haven. After graduation, she plans to study school psychology at Marist College.

Alyssa Finck, two-year co-captain of the field hockey team, was also a recipient of 2010-11 Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award.

Finck, a communications disorder major, from Hudson, N.Y., said she has changed considerably since coming to SUNY New Paltz. “I’ve figured out what matters most in my life since coming here. I’ve learned to give 100 percent in all areas. I always settled, but now I strive to do the best that I can,” Finck said.

Finck plans to attend graduate school at the College of Saint Rose to pursue a master of science in education degree and become a speech language pathologist.

Rob Webb, originally from Hillsborough, N.J. will graduate with a major in Management, Marketing and plans to pursue an MBA. He earned the James Fulton Award after his performance at the 2011 SUNYAC Swimming & Diving Championships.

Jennifer Sanchez from Corona, Queens is a double major in Black studies and communication disorders. Sanchez will be attending Teacher’s College, Columbia University, in the fall to study speech language pathology with a bilingual extension.