The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Two SUNY Morrisville students receive SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
MORRISVILLE, N.Y. » SUNY Morrisville recently honored students Kirsten Florio and Marcus Castleberry with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence (CASE).
The prestigious award recognizes students who have best demonstrated integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by SUNY.
“Now more than ever, it is time to celebrate the accomplishments of our students who have helped one another get through this global pandemic and focus on getting the most out of their college education, and this year’s CASE winners are at the top of the class,” SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley said. “It is my great honor to celebrate the fortitude, leadership, and achievements of this year’s winners, and I applaud their hard work and desire to do more for their campuses and fellow students.”
Florio, a hospitality management, bachelor’s degree graduate, was captain of the women’s volleyball team and worked in the college’s Career Services Department. She assisted with college career fairs and marketing efforts.
Her extensive campus philanthropy includes assisting with a food drive during her internship in the college’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, a food and hygiene drive for the oncampus food pantry and Morrisville Community Church as a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Florio excelled in the classroom earning President’s and Dean’s lists honors and was named a North Eastern Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete. In addition she selections to the SUNY Morrisville Athletic Director Honor Roll, United East Conference All-sportsman Team and All-decade Volleyball Team.
A 2017 graduate of Wellsboro Area High School, she is the daughter of Dan and Mary Jo Florio.
Castleberry, a science, technology & society — renewable resources major, from Oneida, New York, and a native of Concord, North Carolina, served a successful military career before
returning to the classroom
as a full-time student. During his studies, he worked a full-time job as a production supervisor at Briggs & Stratton, in Sherrill.
Castleberry served as a
Senior Airman in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina. His decorated career includes
four Iraqi Campaign Medals, Korean Service Medal, four Overseas Short Tours, Overseas Long Tour, Good Conduct Medal, Airman Leadership Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Medal for 9/11 events, Outstanding Unit Award and a Meritorious Unit Award.
He earned SUNY Morrisville President's and Dean's
lists recognition.
A 2002 graduate of Central Cabarrus High School, in North Carolina, he is the son of Sheila Wensil, of Concord, North Carolina.