Stony Brook University’s most exceptional employees took center stage at the third annual Stony Awards December 8 at Flowerfield in St. James.
The university honored members of the Stony Brook community who exemplify excellence and inspire others through teaching, service, leadership and integrity. Nominees in five categories were recognized for their dedication to making our campus stronger and leaving a lasting impact.
“The Stony Awards is where the magic of Stony Brook University is on full display as we recognize the exceptional Seawolves at the heart of our success and upward momentum,” said Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith. “I can see why this event is among our university’s most cherished, as it celebrates our faculty, staff and medical professionals for their outstanding contributions to our excellence in research, teaching and healthcare, as well as for mentoring, inspiring, supporting and lifting up members of our community.”
The winners of the 2025 Stony Awards are:
President’s Award for Nurturing a Welcoming, Inclusive Campus Culture: Riccardo McClendon
McClendon, an assistant vice president and the dean of students, joined the university in 2021. He serves as a senior leader within the Division of Student Affairs, which plays a pivotal role in successfully transitioning undergraduate and graduate students to Stony Brook and in strengthening their personal development. McClendon is engaged in research and practice in restorative justice principles for colleges and universities. The award was presented by 2024 winner Rewa Thompson.
President’s Award for Excellence in Patient Service: Stephanie Parra
Parra is a medical interpreter at Stony Brook University Hospital. As a first-generation child of immigrant parents, she was the medical interpreter for them and witnessed firsthand the challenges patients face navigating healthcare. That exposure sparked her passion for improving the patient experience. At Stony Brook, Parra is dedicated to breaking language and cultural barriers, advancing health equity and supporting the community. The award was presented by William Wertheim, MD, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine.
Excellence in Leadership Award: Karian Wright
Wright is the assistant dean for diversity and inclusion for The Graduate School and director of the Center for Inclusive Education. She is also the PI or co-PI for several federally funded awards supporting graduate students and postdocs across a wide range of disciplines. Her work promotes the advancement and success of scholars historically excluded from graduate education and research careers. The award was presented by 2024 winner Rick Gatteau, vice president for Student Affairs.
Community Award: Christine Marsh
Since 2008, Marsh has played a central role in sustaining the School of Dental Medicine’s community outreach programs, including its Mobile Dental Clinic, school-based partnerships and public health initiatives across Long Island. As a registered dental hygienist, she is deeply committed to improving public health outcomes and bridging dental education with community need, creating meaningful opportunities for students and residents to engage in compassionate, service-driven care. The award was presented by 2024 winner Tracey Walters.
SB YOU Award: Jeannie Guglielmo
Guglielmo, chair and a clinical associate professor in the School of Health Professions’ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program, is deeply committed to service leadership and student success. She is the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service and ASCP Member Excellence in Education Award. Guglielmo also participates in numerous community outreach programs in the fields of education and science. The award was presented by 2024 winner Surita Bhatia.
President’s Stony Brook Champion Award: Riccardo McClendon
The Stony Brook Champion Award is presented to the 2025 Stony Award winner who epitomizes the university’s mission and exemplifies the best of the best, and was won by McClendon.
The ceremony, hosted by emcee Blair Tate, also included awards facilitated by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the SUNY Chancellor that recognize faculty and staff across a variety of disciplines, including SUNY Distinguished Professors. Those winners are:
Office of the Provost
Outstanding Mentor Award: Suparna Rajaram, Sierra Washington, Ken Weitzman, Lonnie Wollmuth
Outstanding Lecturer Award: Elizabeth Bojsza, Tara Rider
Stony Brook Trustees Award: Rafael D’Andrea, Wenbo Li, Fernando Loffredo, Jacqueline (Jack) McSweeney, Vivian Miranda
Distinguished Professors: Ramana Davuluri, Victoriano Roncero-López, Christopher Sellers, Kenneth Shroyer, Wei Zhao
Distinguished Service Professors: Patricia Coyle, Lori Repetti
Distinguished Teaching Professor: Thomas Weinacht
Office of the SUNY Chancellor: Chancellor’s Awards
Horizon Award for Faculty Research and Scholarship: Jennifer Cano
Excellence in Teaching: Isaac Carrico, Ahmad Esmaili, Amy Hammock, Karen Lloyd, Rita Nezami, Inefta Reid-Martin, Susan Scheckel
Excellence in Adjunct Teaching: Bryan Horan, Eric Miller
Excellence in Faculty Service: Jeannie Guglielmo, Tara Huston, Elizabeth Montegary, Eva Nagase, Jessica Seeliger
Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities: Gábor Balázsi, Elizabeth Boon, Maria Victoria Fernandez-Serra, Jason Trelewicz, Katheryn Twiss
Excellence in Professional Service: Isobel Breheny-Schafer, John M. Fitzgerald, Amanda Flanagan, Dawn Huether, Tracey Iorio, Lobna Kahek, Stefanie Massucci, Jeffrey MiWe, Lindsi Walker
Excellence in Librarianship: Christine Fena, Laurel Scheinfeld
“Stony Brook stands as a model for what a committed, talented, inclusive and caring university community can achieve,” Goldsmith said. “Together we are providing outstanding affordable and accessible education to our students, advancing the frontiers of knowledge in critical fields and delivering compassionate and caring state of the art healthcare. I’m grateful for the contributions that our entire community of Seawolves makes every day to elevate our mission.”
Visit the Stony Awards website for award criteria and complete bios of all of the nominees and winners.
What an uplifting moment it was! Thank you for this very special event for us.