SUNY Morrisville recent graduates Meaghan Miller, of West Irondequoit, and Camberly VanValkenburg, of Walton, have been honored with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence (CASE).
The prestigious award recognizes students who have best demonstrated integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by SUNY.
“The CASE awardees we honor embody the spirit and legacy of SUNY— students whose futures shine bright,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King. These students dream, innovate, invent, and achieve. They never fail to try their best and have proven that their best is extraordinary.”
Miller, an applied psychology major, excelled in the classroom. She was named to the SUNY Morrisville Dean’s List multiple semesters, the President’s List, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll every semester and was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National Collegiate Honor Society.
Miller shined as a member of the women’s soccer team, earning a selection to the SUNY Morrisville Women’s Soccer All-Decade Team and was named a United East Conference Scholar Athlete. She was a four-time United East/NEAC Defensive Player of the Week, was named the 2019-20 Female Impact Player of the Year and also was named Third Team All-Conference for the North Eastern Athletic Conference.
Serving as an admissions ambassador for the college, her involvement extended to the community, where she volunteered as a soccer coach for children with disabilities and at the Special Winter Olympics and at the Morrisville-Eaton Elementary School’s “Fun Friday” program.
Miller plans to pursue a master’s degree in counseling after she graduates from SUNY Morrisville in May.
VanValkenburg, an environmental & natural resources management bachelor’s degree major, excelled academically, earning Dean’s List recognition every semester. Additionally, she was named to the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Chapter of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society.
A two-sport athlete, VanValkenburg played women’s lacrosse and was captain of the field hockey team. She twice received the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Scholar Athlete Award and was named to the NFHCA Division III Academic Squad all four years.
A prominent student leader, VanValkenburg also was a member of the student-athlete advisory committee where she was involved in community service efforts in the local community. She is a co-ambassador for Morgan’s Message, striving to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and bringing resources for mental health to campus.