For Release:          Immediate – April 5, 2017

Contact:                 Dave Dellecese, Public Affairs Specialist ­

(315) 792-7307 | ddellecese@sunypoly.edu

SUNY Poly Students Earn SUNY’s Highest Honor

Two to Receive Chancellor’s Award at Albany Ceremony April 5

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute today announced students Bikash Regmi of Syracuse and Rebecca Sheely of Schuylerville have been chosen to receive this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The award honors SUNY students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for their integration of a number of areas that contribute to a vibrant campus life, including academic leadership, athletics, career achievement, community service and creative and performing arts. Regmi and Sheely will be recognized April 5 at a ceremony at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany recognizing Chancellor’s Award recipients from across the state.

“It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of students who have surpassed SUNY’s highest standards of academic excellence and leadership both on and off campus,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. “Every student we recognize today has demonstrated a strong commitment to their degree program, home campus, greater community, and much more. Congratulations to all of the students receiving this year’s award.”

“Rebecca and Bikash truly embody the essence of SUNY Poly, which is more than accomplishments in the classroom, but the impact they’ve each had on the campus and the surrounding community,” said Dr. Bahgat Sammakia, Interim President at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “Congratulations to both on being chosen for the Chancellor’s Award—a well-deserved recognition that reinforces how honored we are to have them as part of SUNY Poly.”

“A lot can be learned in the classroom, but applying that knowledge to real-world problems is a true sign of success – something both Rebecca and Bikash have done time and time again,” said Dr. William Durgin, SUNY Poly Provost. “They are great examples of the creative, dedicated, intelligent, and compassionate students that make SUNY Poly the very special place it is today.”

Regmi, a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree in Family Nurse Practitioner, arrived in the United States in 2009 as a refugee. Already a registered nurse as he pursues his FNP degree, patients have constantly recognized Regmi for his outstanding care and compassion. While maintaining academic excellence, Regmi has served as the student representative for the Nursing Department Curricula Committee, served on the advisory board for Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute, and is a member of the nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau. He has been actively involved in organizing numerous charitable events, including a breast cancer awareness program, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for refugees, and a blood drive. An advocate for fellow refugees, Regmi has helped many with cultural orientations and interpretations.

Sheely, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a minor in Physics, graduates in May 2017. She received Dean’s List status throughout her time at SUNY Poly while remaining actively involved throughout the campus, including as the founding member of the SUNY Poly Society of Women Engineers Club. Her future plans include pursuing a Master’s Degree in civil engineering with a concentration on structures and earthquake engineering at University of Buffalo.

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997. 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.

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute. SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and over 300 corporate partners. For information visit www.sunycnse.com and www.sunypoly.edu.