Three SUNY Oneonta students have been named 2023 recipients of the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence.
Melissa Rose “Rosie” Garrecht, Jamie Crique and Robert C. “Bobby” Lang were among a select group of State University of New York students recognized by SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. during a reception in their honor Monday, April 24.
All three students are seniors and will graduate in May.
“These are exceptional student leaders who have served as role models for their campus peers,” said SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle. “We’re extremely proud of Rosie, Jamie and Bobby, and I am confident that their exemplary service and achievements here will be the groundwork for wonderful things beyond SUNY Oneonta.”
The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, or CASE, is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts.
“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and each of the students recognized today is an example of our extraordinary student body and their rich and diverse ‘SUNY stories,’” said Chancellor King. “Student success is at the core of everything we do, and I am honored to celebrate students from 63 SUNY campuses who are receiving this year’s Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence. Every student can find their community at SUNY, and I congratulate each of the CASE winners for making the most out of their college experience.”
Melissa Rose “Rosie” Garrecht, East Northport, NY
Adolescence Education: Spanish
Rosie is a hardworking student leader whose passion for the environment, social justice and language diversity is admirable. She is a member of the Phi Sigma Iota National Foreign Language Honor Society as well as the Tau Sigma National Transfer Honor Society. After completing linguistic research in three Colombian cities, Rosie presented her research at regional and international conferences. She was a contributor to the OER textbook ¡Qué chévere!, a contributing author of the Spanish Phonetics and Phonology textbook ¿Cómo suena?, and author of the ENL Phonetics and Phonology textbook "the Sound of Gab," used within language classrooms at SUNY Oneonta.
She serves as president and one of two safety officers for the Ski and Snowboard Club, treasurer of the ADIÓS Club, which she founded, and vice president of Phi Sigma Iota. A true lover and protector of the environment, Rosie holds multiple wilderness medicine certifications as a backcountry guide through the university’s Department of Campus Recreation. She also serves as a student representative on the College Camp Advisory Board, the Outdoor Council, and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability.
Jamie Crique, The Bronx, NY
Criminal Justice
Jamie is a stellar student and leader who excels in academics, campus leadership and service to the community. She is a member of the Alpha Eta Delta Pre Health Honor Society, Chi Alpha Epsilon Honor Society and Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society. Jamie has earned the EOP Honor Scroll for the last two years and received a special scholarship for her restorative justice work on campus. As a pre-medical student, Jamie earned prestigious opportunities, including shadowing a longtime pediatrician at A.O. Fox Hospital, participating in the Columbia University Pre-Medical Summer Program her sophomore year, and participating in the EOP Pre-Medical Opportunity Program her junior year.
She is heavily involved on campus as a Resident Manager, Student Manager for the Science Discovery Center and Admissions Desk Assistant at the Welcome Center, and she is a dedicated member of the Oneonta State Emergency Squad (OSES). Passionate about equity, inclusion and restorative justice, Jamie is founder and president of the Black Student Union, a frequent volunteer at the local Gender Wellness Center, and a member of B.A.R.T (the Bias Acts Response Team).
Robert C. “Bobby” Lang, Schoharie, NY
Business Economics
Bobby is a standout student whose academic accomplishments, leadership, campus involvement and community service are impressive. He is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Society and was awarded the Susan Sutton Smith Award for Academic Excellence in 2019 and the Richard Siegfried Student Award for Academic Excellence in 2020. He has presented his research at Student Research and Creative Activity Day on campus as well as at the American Marketing Association International Collegiate Conference. Bobby is an active member of the Marketing Club (OnMark).
As vice president of finance for the SUNY Oneonta Student Association, he oversaw a $1.3 million budget allocated over 120 clubs and organizations, served as a student association senator, and was part of the SA COVID Task Force, SA Finance Board and the SA Senate Development Committee. Bobby was nominated to join the College Foundation Board as an Honorary Director and, then, as a voting Student Director. He serves on the Foundation Board’s Finance Committee and the Board Development & Governance Committee.