Recipients of SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence Announced

May 12, 2025

Several members of the Hudson Valley Community College faculty and staff were honored with the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence during the 41st annual Faculty Staff Honors Convocation held on May 8.

Instituted in 1972 by the State University of New York, the SUNY Chancellor's Award recognizes exceptional contributions to the university and greater community by dedicated professionals. Recipients must show a strong dedication to their work, scholarship and the college community. Since its inception, more than 200 faculty and staff members from Hudson Valley have received the award.

“At Hudson Valley Community College, we are proud to recognize the exceptional dedication and talent of our faculty and staff,” said Hudson Valley Community College Officer in Charge Louis Coplin. “Their unwavering commitment to excellence not only enriches our students’ lives but also strengthens our entire college community. These awards are a reflection of the passion, innovation, and hard work that define our institution. Congratulations to each of our honorees!”

2025 award recipients include:

Excellence in Adjunct Teaching, Anne Antidormi
Adjunct Instructor, Dental Hygiene

A dental hygienist with four decades of professional experience, Antidormi has shared her skills and expertise with Dental Hygiene students for 20 years. She has served as a lead instructor in first-year and second-year clinics and labs. She also serves as co-coordinator of the dental radiology educational efforts and helps lead a variety of evaluation and remediation efforts for students in all aspects of the program. As a professional working in the field of education, she has been a mentor to a generation of new adjunct faculty members who have started during her tenure and she has served as a role model of professionalism and high standards for faculty and students alike.

Excellence in Classified Service, Mary Beth Mullen
Graphics Specialist, Creative Services

Working as a Graphics Specialist for more 25 years at the college, Mullen has ensured high quality design for myriad publications and marketing collateral that has shaped the image of the college. Her attention to detail and willingness to pitch in when colleagues need assistance are a hallmark of her work at the college. Notably, for many years she has served the lead designer on the Community and Professional Education bulletin and fabricator for the “Pride of Our Nation, Pride of Our College” exhibition, a salute to the college’s connection to the Armed Forces that gets more impressive each year thanks to her guidance and hard work. She is widely recognized for her exceptional creativity, efficiency, communication and teamwork.

Excellence in Faculty Service, Ricky Thibodeau
Assistant Professor and Department Chair, Business and Criminal Justice

Thibodeau serves in a dual role as chair of one of the college’s largest academic departments and also as a classroom teacher who loves to make connections with his students. He began his tenure at the college as an adjunct instructor in 2011 while also overseeing a National Science Foundation grant to increase opportunities in semiconductor and nanotechnology education. He continued teaching and advising at the college and became department chair in 2015, where he has worked to expand opportunities and services for his students. He similarly supports the faculty members who work alongside him, and encourages their personal and professional growth and success.

Excellence in Teaching, Joshua Kohan
Assistant Professor English, Foreign Language & ESL

Kohan has been a full-time faculty member since 2015, following earlier roles as an adjunct instructor and writing tutor. Specializing in first-year writing and ESL, he has also made many contributions to campus life as department composition coordinator, vice chair of the Academic Senate, co-editor of Threads literary magazine and a member of multiple faculty committees. He plays an active role in expanding Open Educational Resources on campus and currently serves as a faculty alternate on the college’s Artificial Intelligence Council. Colleagues praise Joshua as a dedicated, empathetic educator who inspires both students and peers with his positivity and commitment to inclusive learning.

Excellence in Professional Service, Matthew Howe
Associate Dean of Academic Advisement and Retention, Enrollment Services

Howe has spent nearly two decades of experience dedicated to improving the student advisement process at the college. Blending technology with personalized support, he has consistently advanced initiatives that foster student success. His leadership is marked by collaboration across departments and a deep involvement in institutional efforts, from the Academic Senate to Middle States accreditation and SUNY-wide representation. Known for his humility and advocacy, he is praised for his big-picture thinking, critical insight, and unwavering commitment to student support.

Excellence in Professional Service, Sandra Eyerman
Digital Communications Manager, Communications & Marketing

Eyerman has been a dedicated member of the college community for nearly 30 years. She leads the college’s web design, content and social media efforts, having previously held roles as electronic communications editor and web coordinator. Known for her collaborative approach, she has played a key role in implementing campus-wide digital initiatives and actively supports campus life through committee work, event planning and union leadership. Colleagues praise her rare ability to balance detail-oriented work with strategic vision, always using her experience to support the college and its communication efforts with internal and external stakeholders.

Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, Dr. Meegan Mulholland
Professor, English, Foreign Language & ESL

Dr. Mulholland has been a member of the English faculty for 25 years, teaching poetry, creative writing, literature, and composition. A published author of two poetry collections and numerous works of fiction and poetry, she has inspired and encouraged her students’ passion for writing and overcoming the fear of reading their work publicly and publishing their own writing. She co-edits the college’s Threads literary journal, leads the Campus Poetry Project and has helped bring acclaimed writers to campus for speaking engagements and workshops with students.