Two members of the faculty at Farmingdale State College are winners of the State University of New York’s coveted Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching.
The winners are Amanda Lavery, adjunct assistant professor of biology and a resident of Patchogue, and Joseph Rossi of Long Beach, adjunct associate professor of criminal justice and security systems. They are among only 46 adjunct professors at 64 SUNY institutions to have won the award.
“Adjunct faculty are a critical component as SUNY seeks to ensure access, completion, and success for all students, and those honored with this year’s award are the best of the best,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Congratulations to those faculty receiving this award, which recognizes continued excellence in providing SUNY students with effective, motivational instruction that prepares them for success in college and career.”
Lavery, who moved from Oregon to Long Island in 2006 to take her master’s degree in biology at Adelphi University, joined the biology department at Farmingdale in 2009. In 2015 she was named Pre-Health Professions Advisor, where she provides career counseling, test and interview preparation planning, and other services to Farmingdale students seeking careers in the health professions, from dentistry and optometry to physical therapy and chiropractic medicine.
Her professional affiliations include the New York Academy of Sciences, the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, and the National Association of Advisors for Health Professions. Popular among her students, they have written on RateMyProfessor.com that she is “inspirational,” “there for you,” and “respected by students.”
Rossi, 40-year resident of Long Beach, has been a member of Farmingdale’s adjunct faculty since 1998. A retired detective with the New York Police Department, he is also a Certified Police Instructor with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Previous awards include the Meritorious and Excellent Police Duty Award from the NYPD.
Several of his students, writing on RateMyProfessor.com, have said: “One of my favorite professors;” “Great professor with a great personality;” and “He is there for you.”
The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence provides SUNY-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and the ongoing pursuit of excellence. The annual awards are presented to faculty and staff in seven categories: Faculty Service, Librarianship, Professional Service, Scholarship and Creative Activities, Teaching, Adjunct Teaching and Classified Service.
