Two highly regarded English professors, the adept planner behind an impressive inventory of capital projects and a key front-line staff member at the Science Center have been chosen as recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, a SUNY-wide honor that recognizes consistently superior professional achievement.
State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher announced the names of 317 faculty and staff award recipients.
“The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the many faculty across our university system who have gone above and beyond as they educate, mentor, and conduct research alongside our students, as well as the staff whose service to SUNY is of the highest caliber,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “It is an honor to recognize excellent work across the SUNY system. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients."
Shannon McRae, professor of English and coordinator of American Studies and Film Studies programs, and Iclal Vanwesenbeeck, associate professor of English, have earned the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Director of Facilities Planning Markus Kessler has been given the award in Professional Service. Dawn Hunt, Department of Biology secretary, has received the award in Classified Service.
“This is an impressive group of Fredonia faculty and staff, who exemplify the institution's commitments to teaching and service,” said Fredonia President Virginia Horvath. “I congratulate all of them on receiving this recognition and thank them for the ways they make Fredonia better.”
Dr. McRae, who specializes in 20th century literature and culture, joined the English department as a visiting assistant professor in 2002. She has had a lasting impact on the campus through American Studies and Film Studies programs and as a faculty advisor to many student groups, chair of several departmental and campus committees and Humanities-at-Large representative on University Senate.
In her tenure, McRae has proven to be an invaluable member in the English department, in part for her ability and willingness to teach a wide range of courses. She has led undergraduate courses in American literature, British and Irish literature, film, literature and theory and ancient world and, at the graduate level, theory, Modernism and modern poetry.
McRae attended the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute: “Making Modernism” in Chicago, and received a Convocation grant for the American Studies Symposium “The American Play Ethic,” and the Foundation Faculty Fellowship Award and Faculty Incentive Award from Fredonia. She has given numerous talks and presentations at conferences and seminars on campus, in several states and in Canada.
McRae received her doctorate (Honors) at the University of Washington, where her dissertation, “A Dream of Purely Burning: Myth, Gender and Modernism,” earned the Heilman Prize for Best Dissertation. McRae’s master’s degree, in Irish Studies, was earned at University College Dublin, Ireland. She has a bachelor’s degree in English (Honors) from the University of Michigan.
Starting in her first year at Fredonia in 2005, Iclal Vanwesenbeeck has demonstrated superb performance in the classroom and mastery of multiple teaching techniques. Student testimonies commend Dr. Vanwesenbeeck for her ability to customize her instruction and mentoring to meet their needs, interests and problems, while also encouraging the intellectual, emotional and professional growth of each student.
Vanwesenbeeck teaches courses in Renaissance literature, Shakespeare, Greco-Roman literature, literary theory, women’s studies and Middle Eastern literature, as well as study abroad courses. She has created new courses and reframed existing courses in Renaissance studies, in addition to bringing numerous speakers to campus, mentoring 13 students who pursued graduate degrees and nominating two students who received Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.
Vanwesenbeeck earned a doctoral degree in Comparative Literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a bachelor’s degree in Western Languages and Literatures, with a minor in American Literature, from Bogazici University, Turkey.
She has written a significant number of book chapters, articles and reviews and given presentations and talks on campus, in the region and in Turkey. Vanwesenbeeck has served on numerous campus committees, advised student groups and secured grants to support on-campus academic events.
Vanwesenbeeck received a SUNY Excellence Award in Teaching at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2004 and was an honorable mention selection for the same award in 2003.
Markus Kessler began to build a reputation for robust leadership, innovative design and impressive construction and renovation projects at Fredonia before being appointed assistant director Facilities Planning in 1999. He had become intimately familiar with the design of many campus projects through his position as an architectural project captain/manager with Wendel Architects and Engineers of Buffalo.
Fredonia promoted Mr. Kessler to the new position of Director of Facilities Planning in 2001, and also named him Building Code Compliance Manager.
Kessler provides direction, assistance and recommendations on capital, residential and renovation projects at all stages of development and construction.
Notable construction projects that Kessler has guided include the Science Center, University Commons, natatorium, Campus and Community Children’s Center, University Stadium, Fredonia Technology Incubator and the University Village Townhouses student housing. Renovation/addition projects include Rosch Recital Hall, Rockefeller Arts Center, Williams Center, Robert and Marilyn Maytum Music Rehearsal Halls and Maytum Hall. Upgrades of water, boiler, electrical and natural gas systems have also been completed in his tenure.
Perhaps Kessler’s greatest professional attribute lies in his ability to manage such a diverse range of projects simultaneously while also paying attention to minor details. He’s also skilled at engaging stakeholders in a given project and building consensus.
Kessler was recognized, along with Science Center project shepherd Dr. Holly Lawson, with the Heart of Fredonia Award for their collaborative efforts on the Science Center.
Kessler earned a Master of Architecture and undergraduate degree in Professional Studies, both from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and an A.A.S. in Civil Technology from Erie Community College.
Dawn Hunt joined the campus 13 years ago, but has served as a Secretary 1 and “face of the office” in the Department of Biology since 2009. The department is comprised of seven academic programs that encompass 340 majors, serves another 400 non-majors, and is staffed by 13 full-time faculty, one part-time adjunct, four graduate teaching assistants and two work-study students.
Ms. Hunt has compiled an impressive record for exemplary customer service to students, staff and members of the campus community. Her skills, work ethic, flexibility and commitment to Fredonia make her a highly valued employee.
Relocating into the new Science Center may rank as the most notable achievement in the department during Hunt’s tenure, but there have been many other events where she made notable contributions. These include five successful faculty searches, entry of Exercise Science into the Department of Biology and the 50th anniversary celebration of the department.
With the retirement of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry department secretary, Hunt has assumed additional duties and responsibilities and, as a result, is considered the “glue” that holds the Science Center together. Hunt supports the Health Professions Advising committee, assists Biology Professor Karry Kazial, who coordinates the Graduate Program, and assists Chemistry Professor Holly Lawson in arranging diverse STEM outreach activities.
Hunt previously received the Barbara Saletta Meritorious Service Award, established through the Fredonia College Foundation. She earned an associate’s degree in Business, Economics and Management from Empire State College and completed the medical office assistant program at Jamestown Business College.
