University at Albany

The University at Albany presented degrees to nearly 4,900 students at the 2026 Commencement ceremonies including Massry School of Business undergraduate and graduate students who were ready to make their mark in the world. Before crossing the commencement stage, these Massry high achievers were honored at the third annual Graduating Student Achievement Awards. The Graduating Student Achievement Awards honored standout students across all Massry programs, from undergraduate marketing to the MBA program. These awards recognize students who demonstrated exceptional work and contributions to Massry over the 2025-2026 academic year. "The Massry School of Business Student Achievement Award recipients represent the best of all that the school has to offer," said Massry Dean Paquita Davis-Friday. "These students excel academically while founding and leading student organizations, competing in and supporting athletics, and volunteering in the community, with some navigating a new country. We couldn't be prouder of them and the example they set, and we look forward to their continued engagement as alumni." As these students join the ranks of UAlbany alumni, they carry forward the Massry School of Business legacy of innovation and leadership. Massry graduates and alumni continue to make an impact across industries, and this year's award winners are no exception. Congratulations to all graduates, with a special round of applause to those honored at the Student Achievement Awards. Your hard work and dedication have laid the foundation for a bright and successful future.

The Chancellor's Award recognizes students for academic achievement, leadership, campus involvement and community service. This year's recipients reflect that range and the different ways a UAlbany experience can take shape. Addison Yang, of Saugerties, N.Y., pursued a dual major in accounting and business administration, with concentrations in finance as well as information systems and business analytics. He chose UAlbany for its proximity to home, campus culture and career opportunities, with the support of his family. Yang's interest in business began in high school, where an elective course in financial management first sparked his interest in the field. "My favorite UAlbany memory was the two-week study abroad experience in Paris, where I studied luxury brand management and explored the city with new friends," he said. Yang, a first-generation college student, will attend New York University this fall to pursue a master's degree in accounting and hopes to apply his skills in a career focused on solving global issues.

The University at Albany's College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) is proud to announce that its four-person team, the UAlbany Cyber Danes, advanced to the semifinals of the prestigious Atlantic Council Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. The 15th annual Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, held in Washington, D.C. in March, was hosted by the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative in partnership with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The Cyber Danes joined 39 teams from universities around the world at the event for two rigorous days of strategy, teamwork and competition, responding to realistic cybersecurity incidents and developing actionable solutions to mitigate evolving crises. The University at Albany congratulates the UAlbany Cyber Danes on their outstanding performance at the 2026 Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge.

University at Albany men's lacrosse student-athletes Silas Richmond and Max Neeson have earned America East weekly awards, the conference announced. Richmond was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week, Neeson was named the Defensive Player of the Week. Richmond continued his tear as one of the best scorers and facilitators in the country. The senior from Delta, British Columbia, scored four goals while adding two assists in UAlbany's 12-9 victory over Vermont. He sits second in the entire country, averaging 5.36 points per game. Neeson had an incredible game against the Catamounts, limiting Vermont's top two goal scorers to just two goals combined. He was the anchor of a defense that kept Vermont to only nine goals, continuing UAlbany's defensive dominance of holding America East opponents to single digits. Neeson himself scored two goals with the long pole, one of which came from 20 yards out, with the other traveling the entire length of the field. The senior from Pottstown, Pennsylvania added two caused turnovers and two ground balls.

Seven graduate students from the University at Albany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences and Atmospheric Sciences Research Center inspired excitement at the 2026 American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting after returning home with first, second and third place awards for oral presentations and poster presentations. The American Meteorological Society is a group of committed, dynamic scientific professionals who work to advance atmospheric sciences, technologies, applications and services to benefit society. Students from UAlbany who attended this year's annual conference prepared and presented research posters and oral expositions to professionals and experts in the weather, water, and climate atmospheric sciences community. Student presentations were judged by research quality and presentation skills and winners were awarded a monetary prize and an award certificate.

Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General for the State of New York, announces the promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership.

World Representatives are first-year students in the Living-Learning Community Program chosen by their Community Assistant and faculty mentor by early October to take on a leadership role and advise First Year Experience with ideas and suggestions. They sit on one of four World RepresentativeSubcommittees that help plan the All World events that take place each spring: Worlds Gone Wild (the L-LC version of the Olympics) and the World Video Awards (the L-LC version of the Oscars), assist with social media and marketing, plan team building and in-service events as well as support and plan activities for FYE's Affinity Groups. Living-Learning Communities are a special opportunity to become engaged at UAlbany by bringing together new students, faculty, student leaders and advisors who create a unique experience around a special interest, such as a major, that helps students become involved and engaged with the campus community.

The University at Albany is welcoming students back to campus for the start of the Fall 2025 semester, including some 5,482 new Great Danes. More than 2,801 first-year students, from 35,664 applicants, are joining UAlbany's Class of 2029, with 358 students selected to be part of the University's Honors College, and 250 students enrolled as Presidential Scholars. In addition, more than 1,258 transfer students and 1,423 new graduate students are joining the campus community this fall. The Class of 2029 is among the most diverse in University history, with 56.6 percent coming from historically underrepresented groups. Students also hail from 30 different states and 39 countries. The class boasts an overall high school average of 90.2 percent.

The Dean's Letter of Commendation at the University at Albany recognizes the outstanding academic achievements of part-time undergraduate students. To qualify for the Dean's Letter of Commendation, students must earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 or higher in their first semester of study and a GPA of 3.50 or higher in subsequent semesters.

Our Ph.D. student, Jack Appleman, recently led a special in-person workshop in NYC as part of Subway to Success, a week-long micro-conference sponsored by the Association for Talent Development - NYC Chapter! The workshop, "The Secret to 'Yes': Build Your Influence with Strategic Storytelling," focused on how storytelling can be used to Secure buy-in Win clients Advance careers Strengthen influence through the hero's journey and WIIFM (What's In It for Me) framework. Learn more about the conference here: https://atdnyc.org/Micro-Conference

After a highly competitive election cycle, the University at Albany's Communication Department is proud to announce that Alexandra Stankus has been elected as the Graduate Student Representative for the Human Communication and Technology Division at the National Communication Association. According to The National Communication Association's (NCA) website, "The Human Communication and Technology division (HCTD) of the National Communication Association (NCA) promotes the research and study of the intersection between human communication and technology. The division is concerned with the broad spectrum of issues relevant to the field of human communication and technology. HCTD welcomes both quantitative and qualitative work that focuses on different areas of connection to, interaction with, and development of technology as a phenomena of human communication." Stankus's election reflects her commitment to research, leadership, and service within the field of communication where she will partner with other dedicated professional volunteers on their universal mission to advance communication scholarship, teaching and practice.

Since September 2025, Shookofeh Beyranvand has served as the Product Manager of AI at Caldarium, a growing AI startup that develops intelligent data-cleaning and optimization tools for healthcare organizations, including hospitals, clinics and insurance companies. She currently works on a seven-member technical team on building an AI-driven product that automatically cleans, standardizes and organizes complex healthcare data, making it ready for analysis and decision-making. Once the data is prepared, customized AI models are deployed to generate performance insights and key KPIs for each organization. In her role, Beyranvand defines product features, aligns the business and technical sides of development, sets strategic goals and ensures the company stays ahead of its competitors. She is also involved in research and product design, and has learned to communicate fluently with the engineers by understanding technical AI concepts such as data schemas, API integration and model validation.

The Ada Craig Walker Award is given to a graduating undergraduate senior woman who "in judgment of the faculty best typifies the ideals of the University." Students who have received this award possess at least a 3.0 GPA and receive a scholarship of $2,000. The award was established in 1940 by Captain William John Walker in memory of his mother, Ada Craig Walker, class of 1871. The President's Awards for Leadership recognize and reward undergraduate and graduate students, as well as organizations that have made signficant contributions to enhance the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated a variety of accomplishments including extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and involvement within the University community.

The Spellman Awards for Community Service recognizes African, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American heritage students at the University at Albany who have made notable efforts to enhance the quality of life for the University community. The Award for Outstanding Community Service is presented to students or organizations who meet one or more of the following criteria: Have demonstrated unselfish involvement in efforts to improve the quality of campus life; Dedicated considerable time and energy to worthwhile projects that benefit others; Identified by student peers, faculty and administrators as an individual or group which has consistently given of themselves to improve the University community. The program and the awards are named in honor and memory of Seth Spellman, Jr., past dean of the University's School of Social Welfare, serving until 1980. He was also a professor and past chair of the Department of Africana Studies, which he helped establish in 1969. In 1984, Spellman was awarded the rank of Distinguished Service Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees for personifying excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership and community service.

The Sustainability Leadership Award recognizes a graduate or undergraduate student who contributes to the advancement of environmental, economic, and social sustainability within the UAlbany campus and surrounding community. This student will have demonstrated a leadership role in raising awareness and increasing campus involvement in advancing sustainability. The President's Awards for Leadership recognize and reward undergraduate and graduate students, as well as organizations that have made signficant contributions to enhance the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated a variety of accomplishments including extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and involvement within the University community.

The Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Award is given to sorority and fraternity members and organizations who have contributed to their chapter, the Greek system, and the University. Through strong leadership and valuable service, these students and organizations have exemplified the ideals of brother and sisterhood and have worked to further develop Greek life at the University at Albany. The President's Awards for Leadership recognize and reward undergraduate and graduate students, as well as organizations that have made signficant contributions to enhance the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated a variety of accomplishments including extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and involvement within the University community.

The Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership in increasing the University's commitment to diversity and inclusion. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting appreciation of individual differences and working with others to find common ground. The President's Awards for Leadership recognize and reward undergraduate and graduate students, as well as organizations that have made signficant contributions to enhance the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated a variety of accomplishments including extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and involvement within the University community.

The Christine A. Bouchard School Spirit Award was established in honor of Christine A. Bouchard by her colleagues and friends, on the occasion of her retirement as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University at Albany. The purpose of this award is to recognize undergraduate students who best exemplifies and promotes school spirit. The President's Awards for Leadership recognize and reward undergraduate and graduate students, as well as organizations that have made significant contributions to enhance the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated a variety of accomplishments including extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and involvement within the University community.

The Cybersecurity Senior Capstone Project Partnership with TIAA Best-in-Class award recognizes exceptional contributions to the development of Incident Response and Data Loss Prevention plans. An outstanding collaboration with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) cybersecurity professionals distinguished top performers to receive the Best-in-Class award. The Cybersecurity Senior Capstone Course is designed in a mixed asynchronous/synchronous format to combine a student's university skills and knowledge with a real-world scenario, empowering them to work directly with an industry partner to gain professional experience prior to graduation. The students log a total of 120 project hours before presenting their data loss prevention and incident response plan to industry partners at the end of the semester.

More than 4,650 students in the Class of 2024 were celebrated during UAlbany's 180th commencement festivities. Among the graduates were an estimated 2,934 undergraduates and 1,719 graduate students, including recipients who completed their degrees during summer 2023, fall 2023 as well as winter 2024. The graduates join the ranks of mor ethan 200,000 UAlbany alumni worldwide. "For 180 years - since 1844 - UAlbany has been turning talented, driven students into globally engaged citizens. This year's class is no exception," UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez told the graduates. "Yes, we know, you are graduating into an imperfect world. But all of the things that make this class uniquely special - your resilience, your values, your empathy, your thirst for understanding - will serve you well as you work toward greatness." An estimated 2,934 undergraduates from the Class of 2024 received degrees (including summer 2023, fall 2023 and winter 2024). The May 2024 graduates includes 34 percent who are first-generation college graduates and 27 who are veterans. The undergraduate degree recipients range in age from 19 to 68, with an average age of 23. Women make up 55 percent of the class. The graduates hail from 21 states and 27 countries. They received degrees in 55 different majors. Another 1,719 students from the Class of 2024 received master's degrees, doctoral degrees and graduate certificates, with 1,047 receiving their degrees in May. These graduate students come from 18 states and 37 nations. The average age of the graduate degree recipients is 28, with the oldest graduate student set to receive a doctoral degree at age 71, and the youngest receiving a master's degree at age 20. Among them are nine veterans.

Jeesoo Jung, a PhD student in the School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany's College of Integrated Health Sciences, recently published an article in the British Journal of Social Work that assessed factors that influence how likely individuals are to prepare for disasters, including pandemics and natural disasters like hurricanes.

The State University of New York Climate Corps Internship Program consists of paid summer internships offering immersive work experience in research and policy at state agencies with environmental and sustainability missions. Selection is based on applicants' demonstrated interest in sustainability careers and potential for leadership and innovation, with a preference for students from disadvantaged communities as designated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and students facing related barriers to obtaining an internship experience. Climate Corps interns work with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Department of Public Services (DPS), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Office of General Services (OGS), the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), or SUNY System Administration. Empire State Development is funding the $500,000 program.

This award is presented to a graduating student who demonstrates a commitment of exceptional time and energy volunteering for CEHC to help improve the experiences of peers, future students, and the broader.

The Phi Beta Kappa Society honors the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates from 293 top schools across the nation through a highly selective, merit-based invitation process. Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is recognized as America's most prestigious academic honor society. The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at the University at Albany, Alpha Alpha of New York, was founded in 1974 through the effort of History Professor DeWitt Ellinwood and a University Committee. Not long after, a group of dedicated UAlbany Phi Beta Kappa members at the University at Albany endowed a fund to award a prize to the highest-ranking graduating member of the Alpha Alpha chapter of New York. The founders included M.E. Grenander, James W. Corbett, Helen and Bernard Horowitz, Catherine Newbold, Kendall A. Birr, Jarka and Grayce Burian, and Mary Goggin.