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Two SUNY Potsdam Students Honored with Chancellor's Awards

2019 Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence Presented to SUNY Potsdam Students Kadiatou Balde '19 & John Paliakkara '19

Potsdam, NY (04/25/2019) — Two outstanding SUNY Potsdam students were recently among those honored with the 2019 Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson presented the awards to 210 students in a ceremony in Albany yesterday.

"Today's award recipients emerged from their campuses this year as the top scholars, athletes, performers and achievers, as well as a tremendous source of inspiration," said Chancellor Johnson. "The students being recognized today made the choice to be leaders on their campuses, prioritize their studies, and serve their communities. Congratulations to this year's awardees, and I applaud you for pursuing excellence in all that you do."

The SUNY Potsdam recipients included Kadiatou Balde '19 and John Paliakkara '19.

Kadiatou Balde '19 is a proud Guinean-American raised in Guinea and the Bronx. She is an Honors student and Presidential Scholar, double majoring in biology and speech communication, with a minor in Arabic studies. Kadiatou studied abroad in Morocco at the University of Al-Ahawayn, enhancing her language proficiency and doing research on Muslim women. She is a strong campus leader, serving as president of the Student Government Association and Ummah, and a member of the Bias Incident Response Team, as well as numerous other capacities.

John Paliakkara '19 of Manlius, N.Y., is a passionate, dedicated and research-driven senior, double-majoring in biochemistry and biology. He plans to start medical school next fall. He has excelled in academics and research throughout his undergraduate career, and has been recognized with many campus awards, including the Mount Emmons Scholarship, and the Alexander G. Major, Ram Chugh, and Kilmer Fellowships. John has presented his research in chemistry at local and national American Chemical Society conferences. He is also a peer tutor with TRiO Student Support Services and is an engaged student leader.

The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to honor students who excel academically and show involvement in leadership roles, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement.

Each year, campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor's Office and are subject to a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award. Each recipient receives a framed certificate and medallion, which is traditionally worn at Commencement.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit http://www.potsdam.edu.

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From left, SUNY Potsdam seniors John Paliakkara ’19 and Kadiatou Balde ’19 were recently presented with the 2019 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence at a ceremony in Albany.

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