Four Empire State University Students Honored with SUNY Chancellor’s Award
(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — April 9, 2025) Four Empire State University students have been selected as recipients of the 2025 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. Honorees Jason Fishner, Cibeles Garcia, Robin Hodges, and Miyagi Scott will be recognized during a ceremony at the Egg in Albany on April 29.
The highest honor granted to a SUNY student, the SUNY Chancellor’s Award celebrates students with exemplary achievements in academics, leadership, civics and service, or performing arts, among other areas. This year, more than 200 scholars from across the SUNY system are being recognized.
“Jason, Cibeles, Robin, and Miyagi epitomize the core academic and service-oriented tenets of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award. They also represent the diversity of SUNY Empire’s students across academic disciplines and degree programs, regions of the state, and stages of their careers,” President Lisa Vollendorf said. “We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to seeing how they continue to use their education to impact the lives of others.”
About the Winners:
Jason Fishner
When Jason Fishner walks across the stage at graduation this May, he’ll receive his doctor of education degree. For the Delhi, N.Y., resident, it’s the latest in a long line of hard-earned credentials that also includes a bachelor’s degree in communications, a master’s degree in higher education administration and policy studies, an MBA, and a trio of advanced graduate certificates. Fishner completed his MBA and two of his graduate certificates at SUNY Empire.
“Education has always been a big part of my life,” he says.
Fishner maintains a busy schedule beyond his studies. In addition to serving as the director of residence life at SUNY Delhi, the father of two—who has also worked as an adjunct instructor in the SUNY system—is the founding president of Empire’s Higher Education Leadership Association. He is also a member of the Empire State University Student Conduct Board.
Winning the SUNY Chancellor’s Award has been a long-time goal for Fishner, who was nominated but not selected for the award as an undergraduate student.
“When I found out that I was one of SUNY Empire’s nominees, I was extremely overwhelmed,” he recalls. “I made this a goal to achieve halfway through my program and was excited to have achieved this honor.”
Looking ahead to graduation and his next steps, Fishner hopes to teach as an adjunct at the graduate or doctorate level while exploring research and publication opportunities.
“After that, I know the doors are opened more to me to new positions to advance my career in public higher education,” he says.
Cibeles Garcia
Cibeles Garcia is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in psychology. It will be the second degree the New York City resident has earned at SUNY Empire, which awarded her an associate’s degree in art in January 2025.
Garcia—a certified bilingual crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line who also is certified in mental health first aid—says the current mental health crisis inspired her to study psychology.
“There is currently a shortage of mental health professionals in many communities,” says Garcia, who serves as a family match mentor for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “As a mental health advocate, bringing awareness and taking action is the key to making a resonating difference.”
Outside of her coursework, Garcia participates in a litany of clubs and activities at SUNY Empire. In addition to serving as president of the university’s Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society chapter and the founder of the chapter’s Mental Health & Psychology Committee, the self-described “avid humanitarian and philanthropist” is a Student Government Association (SGA) senator, the co-founder of the SGA Mental Health & Wellness Committee, the founder of the Mental Health Initiative Newsletter, and the founder of the Volunteer Initiative, among many other extracurriculars.
In celebration of her Chancellor’s Award win, Garcia thanks her “SUNY family members” for believing in her “vision to best support our students, staff, faculty, and community needs,” she says. When she completes her bachelor’s degree, she plans to apply to graduate school and continue to work within the many organizations she currently serves.
“There is so much more work to be accomplished in our underserved communities and more initiatives to be developed on our campuses,” she says.
Robin Hodges
Robin Hodges recently completed her MBA program with a concentration in project management. Hailing from Buffalo, N.Y., she also holds a bachelor’s degree in business, management, and economics, as well as advanced certifications in project management.
“What motivated me to pursue a college degree was the desire to create a better future for myself, my family, and my community. As a veteran, a mother, and someone who has always been committed to service, I understand the importance of education in opening doors and providing opportunities for growth,” she says. “I sought to acquire the knowledge and credentials necessary to lead meaningful projects, particularly those that serve underrepresented communities, such as the African American Veterans Monument.”
In addition to her personal and professional obligations, Hodges has balanced her studies alongside her role as interim president of SUNY Empire’s Student Veterans and Military Club. She is also in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which she credits with playing “a key role in my academic success and personal development.”
For Hodges, receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence—an affirmation of her achievements—has been incredibly humbling and an honor, she shares.
“This recognition means more than a personal achievement. It represents resilience, strength, and the belief that with purpose and perseverance, anything is possible,” says the honoree, who aims to focus her post-graduation work on project management and community impact. “Receiving this award is both a milestone and a motivation to continue serving others and making a positive impact on everything I do.”
Miyagi Scott
Building upon his associate’s degree, Miyagi Scott is completing a bachelor’s in business management economics with a minor in business and sustainability. The New Jersey native, who currently lives in Hudson, N.Y., will graduate in May.
“This last semester, I took a summer class, and for my current semester, I enrolled in 22 credits with my mentor’s approval because I was determined to graduate this year,” Scott says. “This goal was especially meaningful because my partner and I went back to school together as part of a shared commitment. I pushed myself hard to ensure that we could walk across the stage together.”
When he’s not in class, Scott works with youth in foster care. He also helms an LGBTQ-serving organization that strives to create community by “connecting queer individuals through outdoor adventures and nature experiences,” he explains.
Scott calls receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award “truly an honor,” which—in addition to making the Dean’s List for four consecutive semesters—has helped him be able to “recognize and celebrate my own hard work,” he says.
“I’ve been attending more in-person events at SUNY Empire and applying for the incredible opportunities the school offers. Previously, I hesitated to take advantage of these opportunities because I didn’t believe I would be chosen,” says Scott, who plans to return to the university this fall as a graduate student in the cybersecurity program. “However, after reflecting on my achievements and the reality that I’m about to graduate, I told myself, ‘This is my year.’”