On Thursday, November 12, 2026, members of Farmingdale State College’s (FSC) campus community joined together with President Robert S. Prezant, PhD, for the 2026 President’s Gala, an elegant evening celebrating FSC’s place at the center of Long Island’s future and “all that makes Farmingdale State College extraordinary,” said President Prezant. 

The annual event, which included dinner, dancing, a silent auction, and a fabulous variety of raffle prizes, received more than 275 attendees, including FSC alumni, corporate and community partners, government officials, faculty, staff, and students, and raised more than $200,000 for the Farmingdale College Foundation to support scholarships and critical resources for FSC’s students.  The memorable fete was held at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. 

“Take a look around this room,” Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Farmingdale College Foundation Kim Nyoni said opening the program. “Alumni, corporate partners, faculty, staff, students, and friends from every corner of Long Island. Each of you is here because you believe in what Farmingdale does: opening doors, building careers, and powering this region’s economy, one graduate at a time. Tonight, we celebrate excellence, service, and leadership--and we do it for our students.” 

“At the heart of all of it, the reason we are gathered tonight is our students,” agreed President Prezant. “As we focus on our students, we focus on tomorrow. And I have complete confidence that our students are in the very best hands possible with our remarkable faculty and staff--people who have propelled us forward and dedicate themselves every day to student success, education, and well-being. This is where Farmingdale shines,” added President Prezant. “Our education and support programs are second to none and, with your ongoing support, our commitment to student success is unwavering.” 

Honors and Awards  

Additionally, the 2026 President’s Gala acknowledged five honorees whose remarkable contributions have enriched the College its community: 

• The President’s Award for Distinguished Leadership: Richard Vogel, PhD 
• The President’s Impact Award: Island Harvest Food Bank 
• The FSC President’s Medal: Arthur “Art” B. Corwin, PE, '76 
• The Ram’s Horn Award for Corporate Leadership: H2M architects + engineers 
• The President’s Award for Student Leadership: Laiba Idrees, '28 

“Each one of our honorees has been a pillar for our community,” said President Prezant. “They have been steadfast supporters of our college leaders, creators, and folks who drive inspiration.” 

“Serving as dean has been one of my most rewarding experiences of my professional career,” said Vogel, who joined FSC’s faculty in 1998 as an assistant professor of economics and rose to lead the School of Business since 2013. “It has given me the opportunity to work with talented and dedicated people who have made a lasting impact, contribute to the broader advancement of the College, and help create new opportunities for our students and graduates. I am proud of what we have accomplished, grateful to everyone who has been a part of that journey, and optimistic about what lies ahead.” 

“Hunger is something that we should not have to know about or be talking about, in particular on a college campus,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest Food Bank and chair of FSC’s College Council. “But here at Farmingdale, we have faculty, staff, and administration who believe that students should be able to sit in their classrooms and study and not have to worry about whether they can feed themselves or whether they feel up to studying and learning. Island Harvest is honored to be partnering with Farmingdale State College on the many activities and initiatives that we have throughout the year.”  

“I spent my construction career in heavy underground construction, mostly focused on foundations. And I tell people all the time the foundation of my education was here at Farmingdale,” said Corwin, who earned an associate degree in construction engineering technology from FSC in 1976 and went on to a dedicated 45-year career in the field. He currently serves on the board of several for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations. “I had professors that spent the time with us, the students, to make sure we learned. And I am eternally grateful for that. I truly am. And [I fully support] whatever we can do to help our students get through their education, so that they can realize their dreams as I was able to realize mine.” 

“We have nearly 600 employees at H2M architects + engineers, including architects, engineers, planners, surveyors, and professionals and 25 of them are Farmingdale State College graduates,” H2M Chief Executive Officer Richard Humann said to applause around the room. “From my perspective, I'm always looking for the most talented people to help the company continue to grow, thrive, and meet our vision building communities. The graduates that come to us from Farmingdale are some of our strongest emerging leaders…the best balance between understanding theory and practicality. Farmingdale does a fantastic job of preparing its graduates to hit the ground running and work for companies like mine.” 

“I am deeply honored to stand here today to accept the President's Student Leadership Award. This recognition reinforces the incredible responsibility that we have as student leaders,” said Idrees, an applied psychology major and legal studies minor who serves as Student Government Association president. “This award isn't just mine, it's all of ours, because leadership can't be done alone. This room holds a number of people with different experiences, backgrounds, and we're all here for one main purpose, which is to support student success. To everyone here tonight, you are that anchor, and you are impacting the future of our society. With a community like this, I can't wait to see what we build.” 

For more information, please visit the 2026 President’s Gala webpage.  

View more photos from the 2026 President’s Gala on our Flickr Gallery.   

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