Measuring Success

students at the human interlocking u b.

As highly experienced professionals, we are proud of what we do — and how we do it. Every day, we are fortunate to see the results of our work reflected in the faces of our students.

Student Life's highly-qualified staff and outstanding programs and services are consistently recognized; recent awards include:

2024 Awards

2024 UB Communicators Awards

The criteria for the Blue Bell Award focused on overall creativity, functionality, results connected to the goal, and adherence to University brand standards.

  • Best in Category – Campaign – Bulls Welcome Back Blast Drone Spectacular
  • Best in Category – Environmental – Startup and Innovation Collaboratory

Collaborative Excellence Award, ACPA - Here to Career

Dan Kaczmarek, director, Assessment and Research, and Susan O'Rourke, assistant director of leadership & development in the Student Engagement office, received the 2024 Collaborative Excellence Award by the ACPA (American College Personnel Association) for the Here to Career program. The award highlights the incorporation of assessment into the supervisory experience for on-campus supervisors, and how this data was used to shape the development of the Here to Career program.

Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention - Campus Prevention Network

Health Promotion has been awarded a 2023 Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention. The award represents the highest standard for online prevention education and recognizes institutions making a measurable impact across critical areas including sexual assault prevention, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health, and inclusion.   

Distinguished Achievement Award - Carleton College Alumni Council Association

Sharon Mitchell, Senior Director, Student Wellness, was awarded a Distinguished Achievement Award. The award recognizes outstanding alumni achievement within a particular field or fields of accomplishment, which may be in either professional or community service endeavors.

2023-2024 NASPA Excellence Awards

Bronze Overall; Gold in the Athletics, Recreation, Counseling, Health, Wellness, and related category

Meeting Students Where They are at Through an Embedded Counselor Program - University at Buffalo Counseling Services

  • Sharon Mitchell, Senior Director, Student Wellness
  • Nicholas Fronczak, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • Brianna Presutti, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • Thomas Neill, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • Katherine Miller-Procknal, Licensed Psychologist
  • Alison Smith, MSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Distinguished Professional Contributions to Institutional Practice - American Psychological Association’s (APA)

Sharon Mitchell, Senior Director, Student Wellness, was awarded the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Institutional Practice. As part of the award, Sharon was invited to publish an article in the distinguished American Psychologist

Circle of Excellence - Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

Student Life Marketing and Communications team received both a national Circle of Excellence Bronze and Best of District II CASE award for their "A True Blue Year: Student Life Divisional Highlight 2021-2022" in the Publications | President's Reports & Annual Reports category.

Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP)

Student Life Marketing and Communications was recognized as a national MarCom Award Finalist for their "A True Blue Year: Student Life Divisional Highlight 2021-2022" publication.

Norman K. Russell Scholarship - NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education

NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education awarded Associate Director of OTPP Chrissy Daniel with the Norman K. Russell Scholarship. The scholarship is “awarded to recognize and assist graduate or doctoral students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to orientation, retention and transition, who will contribute to the enhancement of the orientation field, and who is currently enrolled as a graduate student in orientation-related fields". In addition to her duties in the OTPP office, Chrissy is also currently enrolled in UB's Higher Education PhD program.

Certified Executive Chef Certification - American Culinary Federation

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) has bestowed the certification of Certified Executive Chef (CEC) to Amelia Ruiz after she successfully passed her Practical Exam on Saturday, October 21, 2023. The assessment for certification practical testing is divided into four general areas: Safety and Sanitation Skills; Organization; Craftsmanship Skills; Finished Product Skills. The practical examination is the final step for CEC certification, after successful completion of the mandatory course requirements and written examination.

Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad

UB's CoLab received the Exceptional Activities in Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC).

This award honors a center dedicated to creating, advancing, and enabling entrepreneurship education opportunities to multiple audiences and units across campus. Selection criteria includes creativity of multidisciplinary approach, measured impact across campus, and diversity of partners and stakeholders.

Veteran Services

  • Military Friendly - Silver Award - A the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefit for the military community.
  • Military Spouse Friendly School

2023 SUNYCUAD Awards of Excellence

Student Life Marketing and Communications won five SUNYCUAD Awards for Excellence program rewards the very best efforts of our talented and creative professionals throughout the SUNY system. The 2023  awards include:

Best of Category:

  • A True Blue Year
  • Willie Evans Quad

Judges Citations:

  • That UB Life (video series)
  • Student Engagement Reception Lounge (project)
  • Interlocking UB (UB Traditions website)

2023 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Campus Dining and Shops

Campus Dining and Shops received both the Grand and Gold Prizes in the 2023 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards presented by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) for One World Café.  Named for a National Association College and University Food Services (NACUFS) founder, past president and highly regarded innovator, the Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards celebrate exemplary menus, presentations, special event planning, and new dining concepts, and provide an avenue for sharing ideas and creative presentations in campus dining services.

2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service

Student Engagement's business manager, Darlene Robb, has won the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service which recognizes classified staff members who have consistently demonstrated superlative performance within and beyond their position.

2023 SUNY Career Development Offices (SUNYCDO) Awards

Career Design Center, Excellence in Innovation - for programming that demonstrates new, creative and successful use of technology or other resources. This submission was completed by Jenna Hubbard who in collaboration with Tim Patch and Kristy Strough envisioned and then executed the vision of learning installations and other active-learning strategies within the Career Design Studio.

2023 UB Communicators Blue Bell Award

The criteria for the Blue Bell Award focused on overall creativity, functionality, results connected to the goal, and adherence to University brand standards.

  • Career Design Center (Jenna Hubbard, Tim Patch and Kristy Strough): Best in Category Environmental - Career Everywhere Concept - 
  • Student Life Marketing and Communications: Best in Category Videos - "That UB Life"

Divisional Highlights

  • A True Blue Year: 2021-22
    12/29/23
    The 2021-22 academic year was Brian Hamluk's first at UB, and it ushered in a renewed sense of hope and optimism.
  • A True Blue Year: 2022-23
    12/29/23
    During the 2022-23 academic year, we continued to focus on our strategic priorities, including Wellness, Student Engagement and Success, Student Support, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice.