RIT community members honored for excellence at Presidential Awards for Outstanding Staff
RIT honored the service and dedication of its employees with the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Staff ceremony on April 2. The annual awards are presented to staff members who exemplify outstanding service and dedication to the university and who exhibit a high degree of personal ethics and integrity, while consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to student success.
The Rising Star Award
Jade Laplante
The Rising Star Award recognizes a staff member with three years or fewer of service to the university who presents progressive examples of high-quality service; has demonstrated a willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues and university constituents; and shows imagination, creativity, and innovation, which embody the RIT spirit.
This year’s recipient is Jade Laplante, residence coordinator, Center for Residence Life.
According to their nomination, Laplante was instrumental in creating an online training for full-time staff and student employees of Residence Life. They also developed a complementary, asynchronous professional staff onboarding platform. Laplante is said to put students first in everything they do, consistently going above and beyond to support students, exemplifying what it means to be student centered. Their ability to build authentic relationships, paired with their openness and willingness to listen, has been instrumental in helping students navigate the complexities of college life.
Excellence Awards
Excellence Awards recognize staff members who excel in their duties, promote teamwork, and inspire excellence in others. This includes individuals who have demonstrated an innovative approach to their jobs, and fostered collaboration, communication, and cooperation among colleagues and university constituents, and teams that have impacted the university in an exceptional way through exemplary service, ongoing innovation, and/or creation of best practices.
The Excellence Awards winners are:
Elizabeth Lamark
Center for Teaching and Learning’s Classroom Technology Support Team with President David Munson
Center for Teaching and Learning’s Classroom Technology Support Team: Ian Webber, director, Academic Technology and Operations; Joseph Serio, supervisor of Classroom Technology Operations; John Schrenker, manager, Classroom Technology and AV Systems; Matthew Nicosia, AV Systems Engineer and Programmer; and Tyler Brant, AV Systems Engineer.
According to the nomination, the team has gone above and beyond in enhancing classroom technology infrastructure on campus. Between 2022 and 2024, the team has upgraded over 60 classrooms with technologies that have impacted key spaces including the SHED, RIT Libraries, and Saunders College of Business. The team regularly shares best practices and fosters professional development, ensuring that all members are aligned in their goals and growth. Their collective effort not only resolved immediate issues but also laid the foundation for future improvements. They’ve worked to create accessible learning environments by developing specialized audio systems, improving classroom interfaces, and formalizing project management processes. By offering exceptional support for classroom technology, they enable students to fully utilize available features, enhancing their learning experiences.
Elizabeth Lamark
ITS Network Team with President David Munson
ITS Network Team: Andrew Elble, enterprise architect; Arthur Miller, engineering manager; and network engineers Alex Polge, Jim Shanks, Joshua Winterkorn, Kevin Schoenfeld, Robert Heine, Ronald Soriano Cabrera, Tony Lam, and Valerie Slujalkovsky Torchio.
The team has made significant impacts on advancing RIT’s strategic goals by enhancing the student experience and supporting academic excellence through campus infrastructure. An example of their contributions is the resolution of AV and network challenges in the SHED and Wallace Library renovation projects. The team met daily with vendors, contractors, and RIT staff over the course of several months to address design issues, conduct thorough tests, and refine system configurations until the AV systems met users’ needs. Their commitment to resolving issues was closely aligned with the university’s goals of enhancing digital learning spaces, promoting academic excellence, and enhancing student engagement while remaining dedicated to continuous improvement, service excellence, and innovation.
Melanie Green
Melanie Green, marketing director, College of Science.
Green has reimagined how the College of Science connects with students by introducing data-driven email strategies that increased engagement and ensured students received the information most relevant to their academic and professional growth. She not only analyzed trends—she acted on them, making meaningful adjustments that resulted in higher participation in events, improved resource utilization, and an overall stronger student experience. One of Green’s most impactful initiatives is the Roar and Soar campaign, where she developed a communications campaign to help first-year students in the College of Science better understand what is expected of them, the resources available to help them, and the ways in which they can become part of the RIT community. One nominator said, “Her influence at RIT is evident in the enthusiasm and buy-in she generates—from faculty willing to volunteer on weekends for open houses to student club leaders organizing their events more strategically for better outreach. She doesn’t just create programs; she builds momentum for lasting change.”
Sam Jeffries
Sam Jeffries, associate director of Student Case Management, Student Affairs’ Case Management and Health Promotion Office.
Jeffries is known as an advocate, compassionate leader, and champion for student success. She supports some of RIT’s most vulnerable students—those facing crises, uncertainty, and barriers to success. With her down-to-earth approach and direct yet compassionate style, she builds trust, fosters open communication, and provides clear, honest guidance. She works tirelessly behind the scenes, focusing on finding solutions and making an impact. Whether she’s serving as a Student Conduct Advocate, leading difficult conversations, or training colleagues on best practices, she does so with humility, dedication, and an unshakable commitment to student well-being.
The Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Staff Pluralism Award
Tina Chapman DaCosta
The Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Staff Pluralism Award recognizes and affirms RIT’s collective aspiration toward a community that celebrates differences and allows individuals to develop to their fullest potential.
This year’s recipient is Tina Chapman DaCosta, director of Diversity Theatre, Division of Diversity and Inclusion.
As founder of Diversity Theatre, Chapman DaCosta has an innate need to foster the growth of all individuals regardless of background, encouraging everyone to love themselves, love their neighbors, and love the world we live in. According to her nomination, “She is a talented storyteller and filmmaker who remains actively engaged with communities beyond campus, helping to strengthen understanding and appreciation for pluralism and diversity.”
The nomination continues, “Whether bringing people together as cast and crew, partnering with organizations, or being featured at various symposiums, conferences, and film festivals, DaCosta is creating a powerful legacy as a champion for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.”
The Dancy Duffus Award for Outstanding Citizenship
Marc Goldman
The Dancy Duffus Award for Outstanding Citizenship within the RIT Community recognizes a staff member who is an independent thinker and activist who embodies the utmost integrity and who consistently shows imagination, creativity, and innovation, as well as a deep commitment to RIT.
This year’s award is presented to Marc Goldman, Jewish Student Life Engagement Coordinator, Center for Campus Life.
Through Goldman’s leadership, RIT Hillel has become an example of what student organizations can be—welcoming, culturally rich, and spiritually supportive. He is the go-to resource for all matters related to Jewish life on campus, addressing everything from accommodations to community advocacy. His ability to collaborate with departments, staff, faculty, and students ensures that Jewish students feel supported, safe, and valued. Goldman’s unique ability to listen, engage, and bring students, staff, faculty, and community members together fosters meaningful partnerships and innovative solutions. His collaborative spirit and commitment to building a strong community have transformed Jewish Student Life and enriched the broader campus.
The Albert J. Simone Legacy Award
Sandra Woodruff Whitmore
The Albert J. Simone Legacy Award recognizes a staff member whose long-term body of work is exemplary and who has contributed significantly to RIT for 25 years or more.
This year’s recipient is Sandra Woodruff Whitmore, executive director for Marketing and Operations, Division of Diversity and Inclusion.
Woodruff Whitmore has helped shape the Division of Diversity and Inclusion into a hub of cultural awareness, mentorship, and community engagement. Her leadership and commitment have left an enduring impact, ensuring that every member of the RIT community feels valued and supported. She has forged strong connections between the university and the broader community, and students, faculty, staff, and alumni have benefited from her mentorship, advocacy, and dedication to fostering open dialogue on diversity and inclusion. Additionally, she helped present the RIT Action Plan for Race and Ethnicity, ensuring accountability and visibility in the university’s commitment to diversity. Her ability to navigate complexity, unite people, and inspire action has made her an invaluable leader. She not only leads but empowers others to lead, ensuring her legacy continues for generations.
More information on the awards is available on RIT Staff Council website.
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- University honors two faculty members with Russell C. McCarthy Endowed ProfessorshipsChristopher Lewis and Drew Maywar, faculty members in RIT’s College of Engineering Technology (CET), have been named Russell C. MacCarthy Endowed Professors. Given to faculty to build academic and research relationships between the college and industrial communities, the distinction reflects CET’s faculty connections to industry and its preparation of the next generation of industry professionals. “When we celebrate faculty for research, teaching, and scholarship, it is not just one student who benefits, but a generation of students,” said Prabu David, RIT Provost. CET Dean S. Manian Ramkumar agreed. “We are able to recognize the accomplishments of two of our wonderful faculty, Christopher Lewis and Drew Maywar, because of the donors who invested in RIT in the name of Russell McCarthy. Today, this investment is building the foundation for the future.” CET is known for its connections to industry and applied learning. It’s growing research portfolio will add to that foundation as Lewis and Maywar have distinguished themselves with significant technological research, as inspiring teachers and mentors, and through collaborations with industry partners. Lewis, an associate professor in CET’s manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology department, is a scientist with expertise in self-healing polymers, biodegradable plastics, shape memory and additive manufacturing. Prior to joining RIT, Lewis worked for 10 years in the plastics industry for Delphi Corp., General Motors and TE Connectivity. He has partnered with RIT peers as well as national companies and government agencies on manufacturing projects and new product research. His students—from undergraduate to doctoral students—participate on this work. “The endowed professorship will enable me to continue advancing research in polymers and soft matter, as well as foster collaboration across CET’s graduate programs,” said Lewis. “Students are the heart of my research, and seeing them achieve their dreams, that is my ultimate goal. I’m excited for what lies ahead.” Maywar, a professor in CET’s electrical and computer engineering technology department, also recognized the participation of students in his research advancing fiber optic networks and optical signal processing. Much of his research takes place locally and internationally. Prior to coming to RIT, Maywar was a Fulbright Scholar in the early 1990s at Osaka University, and served as a member of technical staff at Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies and as a laser system scientist at the University of Rochester’s Laser Energetics Laboratory. He recently returned from a sabbatical in Japan where he established a diabetes research program and global partnership with physicians and researchers at the Kagoshima University Hospital. Lucius and Fred Gordon, long-time supporters of RIT, established the professorship in 1979 to recognize friend and colleague Russell McCarthy’s industrial leadership. McCarthy was manager of the regional Industrial Management Council of Rochester, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. (This organization is now the Rochester Chamber of Commerce.) The endowed professorship supported the School of Applied Industrial Studies (SAIS), one of the earliest names of RIT’s current College of Engineering Technology. At the time, SAIS was based at RIT’s former West Main Street location. Although much has changed since the establishment of the endowed professorship, the focus on contributions to industry has remained relevant.
- RIT City Art Space joins Rochester’s Neighborhood of PlayCity Art Space, RIT’s only downtown venue for art, design, and creativity, is relocating to Rochester’s new Neighborhood of Play later this year. The gallery will close its current location for the summer to prepare for the move, and a reopening celebration at the new venue is planned for Sept. 5. The new space, located at 30 Adventure Place, is steps away from the recently renovated Strong National Museum of Play, along with neighboring residences, restaurants, and live music venues. Before the temporary summer closure, City Art Space invites the community to view the final four exhibitions hosted at the East Main Street location:The MFA Thesis Exhibition for the Schools of Art and American Crafts, open from April 4 through April 19. The BFA Senior Capstone Exhibition for Studio Arts, open from April 25 through May 10. The Virtual Academy of Rochester exhibition, open from May 15 through May 18. The Roc Paint Division – 10 Year Anniversary Show, open from May 22 through June 7. After engaging the Rochester community for years in the downtown gallery space, Todd Jokl, dean of the College of Art and Design, looks forward to more opportunities to be further involved with the Rochester community in this new space. “Our new location continues our commitment to the Rochester community and will serve as a lively, contemporary gallery exhibiting the art and design work produced by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as important artists from the art world at large,” said Jokl. “In addition to exhibitions, City Art Space will continue to serve as a venue for critical discussions and programs in the arts, and we are proud that these efforts will be visible and accessible to all.” City Art Space’s new location is managed by Konar Properties. Tim Schmid, Konar Properties president, said City Art Space will be a “terrific attraction” for Neighborhood of Play residents, patrons, and visitors. “VIDA and Konar Properties are thrilled to welcome RIT’s City Art Space to the Neighborhood of Play. Adding a venue that fosters community engagement in the arts is a perfect fit for the vibrant, dynamic setting we offer,” said Schmid. “Partnering with a premier educational institution like RIT is an incredible bonus.” Operated by RIT’s College of Art and Design, the gallery hosts exhibitions, events, and educational programming year round, serving as a site for experiential learning for students, while remaining free and open to the public. “It’s important that RIT has an off-campus venue like this,” said Gallery Director John Aasp. “It helps our students, faculty, and alumni mix and learn with local artists and creatives, gathering wider communities around them. As a result, we’ve brought together a variety of meaningful, personal, and collaborative projects over the years, and we plan to keep them coming at the new location.” Go to the City Art Space Website for more information, or subscribe to the gallery’s newsletter for updates. Provided A graphic showing the exterior of City Art Space’s new location at 30 Adventure Place.
- RIT summer semester registration openRegistration for RIT’s summer semester, offering in-person and online formats, is open. Undergraduate and graduate students can take advantage of a 12-week session (May 14-Aug. 12) and two six-week sessions (May 14-June 27 and June 30-Aug. 12). Graduate students can also enroll in a targeted seven-week session (May 14-July 7). The goals are for students to continue making progress toward their degrees, earn additional credit hours to catch up or get ahead, dedicate themselves to immersive undergraduate research, and explore interests outside of their majors, all while taking advantage of flexible schedules. While there will be many courses offered online this summer, some on-campus courses will also be offered. In addition, matriculated undergraduate students will receive grants when they register for six to 11 undergraduate credits this summer. Students registering for six to eight undergraduate credits will receive a grant of up to $2,000 for the summer semester; and students registering for nine to 11 undergraduate credits will receive a grant of up to $3,500 for the summer semester. Students are eligible for only one financial award. Students supported by RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf will receive an adjusted grant amount. RIT’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will apply the grants, which are in addition to any other need-based eligibility the students may have, as a credit toward summer semester bills. “RIT is giving our students opportunities to remain connected to the university, their professors, and their classmates through summer course offerings. Students can enroll in rigorous courses and are able to focus solely on those courses, earn extra credits toward their degrees, and continue to exercise their minds throughout the summer,” said Joe Loffredo, RIT associate vice president and registrar. Popular courses available this summer include College Algebra, Introduction to Statistics I & II, Applied Statistics, Interpersonal Communication, Introduction to Psychology, College Physics, and Calculus, among others. The complete list of course offerings is available on the RIT summer semester 2025 website. For more information, email registrar@rit.edu.
- Parsa honored with NSF CAREER AwardSoft matter physics has broad applications across many industries, and as the field grows, so do opportunities at RIT. Shima Parsa, assistant professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to advance her research in experimental physics and bring additional opportunities to RIT students. NSF CAREER funding supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as mentors in research and education while advancing their field. Thousands of proposals are submitted each year, with only about 500 funded. Parsa investigates how soft particles flow or become trapped in various confined environments by using optical microscopy to quantify the flow, transport, and clogging of the particles. “The area of soft matter physics addresses many problems that are impossible to study numerically,” explained Parsa. “We create test cases in my lab tuning one variable at a time to figure out how the interactions at the micro scale result in large scale phenomena.” There are several areas of industry where the research can be applied, from mass production in the food industry, to the chemical industry, to pharmaceuticals. Students are an essential component to the award research. Parsa will have graduate students learning how to design experiments, build pieces in the lab, and analyze data. The educational component of the funding is also focused on student retention and community building. “As physicists we are very good at preparing students to go to graduate school, but students aren’t focusing on a lot of soft skills that are required in industry,” said Parsa. “We will look at how students can prepare themselves from day one that they arrive on campus, and at building a community for graduate students while learning how to apply for jobs, build resumes, and pitch ideas.” Parsa added that most of her students leave her lab and go on to high-salary industry jobs, thus making the emphasis on management and collaboration skills especially important. “I’m really looking forward to giving the next generation the opportunity to get good jobs,” said Parsa.
- RIT student’s research prepares her for a career in neuropsychologyAs Bo Allaby nears completion of her master’s degree in experimental psychology, she is already focusing on her next step this fall—advancing her research at the doctoral level at Wayne State University in Michigan, specializing in neuropsychology and studying cognition in aging populations. “I’ve really fallen in love with neuropsychological assessment and research,” said Allaby. “Getting my Ph.D. in clinical psychology is the next logical step—it would give me the tools to help people in a deeper, more meaningful way.” Her passion for understanding the brain’s resilience has guided her academic path for years. Allaby’s research focuses on cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to compensate for damage or aging. By looking at factors like education, career complexity, and leisure activities, researchers can estimate how well someone might “bounce back” from cognitive challenges like Alzheimer’s disease or brain injuries. “It’s kind of like mental resilience,” she explained. “Why does one person with a brain injury recover faster than another? Or why does someone in their 90s still live independently while another faces early cognitive decline? I want to understand what makes the difference.” What began as an online study using surveys to assess cognitive reserve has since evolved into a full-scale, in-person research effort in RIT’s Neurobehavioral Lab. Under the mentorship of Rebecca Houston, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, Allaby has been pioneering a project that incorporates EEG (electroencephalography) to explore whether brainwave patterns can serve as biological indicators of cognitive reserve. Allaby, who is supported by RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf and participated in the U-RISE and Rochester Bridges to the Doctorate programs for deaf aspiring scientists, has also taken the lead in training other students to run EEG sessions and administer neuropsychological assessments—a level of responsibility that reflects both her experience and her readiness for doctoral-level work. “Through this research, I’ve learned not just how to collect and analyze data, but how to lead and collaborate. That’s going to be essential in a Ph.D. program where mentoring others and managing projects becomes part of the job.” Her work hasn’t just sharpened her technical skills; it’s also clarified her purpose. “Even if my research helps just one person by identifying a cognitive condition early or helping them make sense of what they’re experiencing, it’s worth it.” As Allaby looks ahead to starting her Ph.D. program in the fall, she brings with her a portfolio of research, a project that she has helped build from the ground up, and a commitment to improving lives. “RIT has given me a foundation,” she said. “But I’m ready to take the next step—to go deeper, learn more, and hopefully make a difference in the field of neuropsychology.”
- RIT graduate programs ranked among best in nation by ‘U.S. News & World Report’ for 2025Graduate degree programs at Rochester Institute of Technology were named among the best in the nation for 2025, according to U.S. News & World Report. RIT ranked 69th overall in the nation for the best graduate engineering school in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering based on statistical indicators that measure the quality of faculty, research, and students. The programs rose four spots from last year. Typically, U.S. News & World Report annually ranks graduate programs in six fields—business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing to help prospective students make informed decisions. These data-driven rankings have been based on enrollment numbers, job placement rates, faculty statistics, and other indicators. U.S. News also periodically ranks programs in 12 academic disciplines based on academic reputation. This year, RIT’s computer science MS program in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences was 71st in the nation. RIT’s full-time MBA program in the Saunders College of Business ranked 100th this year. RIT’s health care management program ranked 81st this year and its physician assistant program ranked 119th this year. Both programs are in the College of Health Sciences and Technology. Peer assessment data regarding the academic quality of programs came from deans, program directors, and senior faculty. U.S. News also surveyed professionals who hire or work with new graduates with degrees from the six disciplines ranked annually. Go to the rankings and recognition website to see all of RIT’s rankings. The complete rankings are available at U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools.
