General

Marsha Cornelius has been named dean of the Norwich Campus of Morrisville State College. Cornelius, of Norwich, N.Y., who has served as interim dean since Sept. 2009, joined the Norwich staff in 1997, holding various positions including academic counselor and coordinator of community services. She also worked at the Morrisville Campus in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In her position as dean, Cornelius provides overall direction for daily operations of the Norwich Campus.

There's never been a question about either of them stepping out on his own. Going through life as a team has always worked for Richard and Michael Borba. The fraternal twins have shared everything from childhood farm chores, to bunk beds, secrets, college classes and a lifetime of ups and downs. On May 15, they will share one of their greatest achievements together—graduating from Morrisville State College.

They'll work in teams of two. Their task is complicated—to diagnose and repair vehicles that have been “bugged” on purpose. When it is all said and done, one team will drive away the winner of the FORD/AAA Motor Company Student Auto Skills Competition being held at Morrisville State College on May 13.

Three Morrisville State College faculty/staff members were recently honored by the State University of New York and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. Receiving the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching is: William Snyder, of Morrisville, N.Y. The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes professors who show outstanding skill in the classroom, scholarship and professional growth, commitment to students and high academic standards.

First it was a Mustang drag car. This time it's a Ford roadster. Students at Morrisville State College are building a 1933 Ford hot rod from the bolts up. They won't get to keep this shiny set of wheels though. The vehicle will be given away during a raffle at the Syracuse Nationals in 2011.

Morrisville State College student Richard Roberts, of Morrisville, N.Y., was recently honored with a 2010 SUNY-wide Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. The prestigious award is based on outstanding academic achievement and service and leadership on campus and in the community. Roberts will graduate on May 15 during the college's 99th commencement ceremony which will be held at 1 p.m. in the John W. Stewart Center for Student Activities (STUAC).

Rebecca Potter, a student at the Norwich campus of Morrisville State College, is the recipient of the college's Rays of Light Award. The Rays of Light Award recognizes a student in sophomore class standing who has made significant contributions in his or her community through volunteering.

No matter what time of day or night, when he hears the sound of his ambulance pager going off, Jeremiah Piescik knows someone in the community needs his help. Piescik is a volunteer EMT with the Smithfield Eaton Volunteer Ambulance Corps (SEVAC). He's also a full-time student at Morrisville State College majoring in Information Technology: Network Administration. During the two years he has worked with SEVAC, he's responded to hundreds of calls and has pulled his share of overnighters helping those in desperate need of assistance.

Matthew Whalen, GTECH Corporation senior vice president of Global Technology Solutions, will address Morrisville State College students during the college's 99th commencement ceremony on May 15. Whalen, a 1989 graduate of Morrisville State College, is responsible for all aspects of the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, software development, implementations, customer acceptance, and ongoing software services for GTECH's global customer base.

Morrisville State College will host Ag Day on April 29. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Most events will be held in the academic quad (in front of Marshall Hall). Participants can learn more about agriculture, pet a calf, guess the weight of a horse, walk through a hay maze and sample Morrisville State College's homemade ice cream during the annual event. Tours of the wildlife museum and greenhouses will also be offered.