11 Faculty and Staff Receive Chancellor’s Award for Excellence

Side by side headshot images of Christopher Pastore, associate professor in the Department of History, and Andrea Kordzek, an instructor in the School of Criminal Justice.
Christopher Pastore, associate professor in the Department of History, and Andrea Kordzek, instructor in the School of Criminal Justice, received the 2021 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 15, 2021) – Eleven UAlbany faculty and staff were selected for the 2021 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their outstanding professional achievement and their commitment to the UAlbany community.

Two faculty were selected for their excellence in teaching. Christopher Pastore, associate professor in the Department of History, and Andrea Kordzek, an instructor in the School of Criminal Justice, are among this year’s Excellence in Teaching winners – and both credit their students for their recognition.

“In my history classes, we look to the past with the hope of reimagining the present and future,” said Pastore. “It’s my job to challenge students with new ideas, while providing them with the tools and feedback needed to confront those challenges. But one of the reasons I love teaching at UAlbany is that my students challenge me in return – their questions and insights help me rethink what I know. They encourage me to see the world in new ways, so we learn together. And that’s what gives me some pep in my step.”

“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” said Kordzek. “I taught my first-ever class as a grad student, and loved it from the start. I enjoy creating engaging activities for my students and interacting with them in class discussions and projects. I've missed seeing students in person, and look forward to some good conversations this fall! There is no greater reward than when a student tells me that my class has 'opened their eyes' or has altered their career aspirations.”

Additional honorees at UAlbany are:

Excellence in Professional Service

  • Noelle Angelozzi, interim budget director in the Office of Finance and Administration
  • Brad F. Bunzey, project manager and stormwater management program coordinator in the Office of Facilities Management
  • Jason Jones, director of the Office of Parking & Mass Transit Services
  • Mary Kay Skrabalak, EOP counselor and senior academic advisor in the Educational Opportunities Program
  • Barbara Zampella, research administrator in the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences

Excellence in Librarianship

  • Rebecca A. Nous, associate librarian in the University Libraries

Excellence in Faculty Service

  • Joette Stefl-Mabry, professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity

Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

  • M. Dolores Cimini, director of the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion & Applied Research
  • Christine Konen Wagner, professor and graduate director in the Department of Psychology

For a full list of winners across SUNY’s 64 campuses, visit SUNY’s website.