Awards and Fellowships

This scholarship rewards students for excellence in their academic performance and extraordinary commitment to their campus and/or community. The scholarship amount is $1,000 with an additional $250 given in the student’s name to the charity of his or her choice.

Requirements of the scholarship:

• The student must have a dean’s list GPA (3.75 or greater) as of the last reporting period.
• The student must have helped to identify a need for the college or in the community, and worked to provide a service or solution to address that need.

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence and

SUNY Empire Award for Student Excellence 

Nominations are no longer being accepted

for the 2021-2022 academic year

 SUNY Empire Student Excellence and the Chancellor’s award

(same form)

Excellence Award nomination Form 

SUNY Chancellor’s Special Award

Special Award nomination form 

Deadline: January 25, 2022 at 5PM

Last year we added another award for our students: The SUNY Empire Award for Excellence. This combined with The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence acknowledges students for outstanding achievements. Specifically, we are seeking nominations of students who have best demonstrated the integration of excellence within many aspects of their lives, which must include three of the following areas: academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, or the arts (creative performing). This is for SUNY Empire students who have graduated, or will graduate between June 2021 and May 2022. Nominations will be accepted through January 25, 2022.

Again in 2022, SUNY has its second annual Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence: Special Award. This will be awarded to ONE student system-wide for EACH of the following categories Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Military, Special Service (COVID-19), or Overcoming the Odds. Students must be nominated separately for this category of awards.

Last year’s Student Excellence Award winners are: Liza Rochelson, Ron Freeman and Tonya Jasper. Freeman and Rochelson were also awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award.

Should you have someone you wish to nominate, you can reach out to them directly or you can send the name of your nominee to us and we will notify the student of their nomination.

If you prefer to reach out to the student directly, please include the link to either the General Award nomination and/or the Special Award nomination form. You can nominate a student for both awards, but the forms must be filled out separately as they are different criteria.

Please note: Students are required to supply two letters of reference.  If you supply them with a letter of reference, they can upload it within the application. Should you prefer to submit letters of reference directly, rather than through the student, they can be sent electronically to David Caso at David.Caso@esc.edu.

Please direct all questions to David Caso at David.Caso@esc.edu.

Empire State College is please to announce that the Latin Honor Policy was approved on Friday 5/15/2020 by the College Senate and accepted by College Administration. Per the policy,  students who graduate with a bachelor degree and achieve the following cumulative GPA, will also be awarded Latin Honors:

Cum Laude: 3.81-3.87, 

Magna Cum Laude: 3.88-3.95

Summa Cum Laude: 3.96 and higher

We are also pleased to announce that this policy is retroactive to August 1, 2019.

The college is finishing the details on implementing the policy and the President's Office will send an official notice within the next two months.

The fellowship enables active and established performing artists to pursue a undergraduate college degree while continuing to practice their craft. The fellowship continues until the student completes his or her degree, as long as he or she remains in good academic standing and is active in the craft. If you are aware of a student who fits the criteria, please share this information and encourage him or her to apply.

The application consists of:

• application form
• letter of nomination from the director or manager of a performing company or other established member of the theater, dance or music community
• resume or biography
• one or two samples of work (photographs, videotapes, audio-cassette tapes)
• two additional references (current coach, mentor or teacher, if possible).

To apply, please visit www.esc.edu/ESCFAST

The Empire State College Bluebird Award honors students who show exceptional service to their college or communities. Service efforts range from involvement in a student organization to participation in community service.

The awards are to be presented to the students at the end of the Fall and Spring semester.

To apply for the Empire State College Bluebird Award follow this link

For additional information, visit the page.