Four students to be recognized by SUNY for success at Hudson Valley

My’Asia Colon, Grace Harrison, Nathalie McNair and Alison Wimmer are scheduled to leave Empire State Plaza this Thursday with blue-and-yellow ribboned medals commemorating their success as SUNY students.

The 18th Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was granted to these senior students late last month for their accomplishments at Hudson Valley.

“Even to get nominated for such a prestigious award is already a blessing. I was already grateful for being nominated,” said Colon. She said she was surprised to learn, on Feb. 25, that she would be receiving the award. “I cried, and I don’t cry a lot,” said Colon.

Colon leaves behind the Cheerleading and Pep Squad, which she established in fall 2014 in an effort to bring school spirit to Hudson Valley.

“I have had the opportunity to get to know [Colon] this year at football and basketball games. We greatly appreciated the support of the Cheerleading Club this year. The club worked extremely hard and showed a great deal of dedication to our football and basketball teams this year,” said Kristen Pelletier, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Colon said that her work in Cheerleading Club, the Student Senate, and the BLSU would have been difficult without being accompanied by Jessica Gilbert, college success specialist.

“Nobody deserves this as much as she does,” said Gilbert, one of four people Colon plans to invite to the ceremony.

“None of my involvement is like a task to me. I really enjoy doing what I do. I’m just incredibly grateful to receive an award on top of all of it,” said Harrison, Student Senate President and Student Trustee.

Harrison will bring her parents, her brother and her grandmother to the ceremony at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on Apr. 2.

Harrison said of her family, “They’ve supported all the way through my time at Hudson Valley and everything I do, and I’d like to celebrate my award with them since they’ve been such a big part of my success.”

While Harrison has served on the Board of Trustees, McNair has served on the Faculty Student Association Board of Directors. “She was very dedicated on the board. She always participated, and I’m really happy to see her receive the award,” said Ann Carrozza, FSA Director.

McNair was the 2013-14 Student Senate Secretary and graduated in December.

“I was just lucky to be qualified enough for it,” she said. Aside from joining the Student Senate, McNair was the founder of the Programming, Web Development and Design Club.

Both McNair and Wimmer were student athletes at Hudson Valley. McNair achieved the NJCAA Exemplary Academic Achievement for Women’s Golf and Wimmer received a Region III Academic Award for soccer.

“She truly perseveres in all she does,” said Pelletier about Wimmer, who is currently Vice President of the Physical Education Majors Club, “There is no quit in her regardless of a situation. She has great attention to detail and is thoughtful in all she does.”

Carrozza said of Wimmer, who also serves on the FSA Board of Directors as the Student-at-Large.  “Alison has a very quiet demeanor, but she’s very thoughtful and loves everything she does.”

“I have a ton of stuff going on, but I like it that way. I like to keep busy,” she said.