Johnstown – Fulton-Montgomery Community College announced Cindy Close, assistant professor and director of radiologic technology and Mary-Jo Ferrauilo-Davis, director of advisement, counseling and testing as this year’s SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence recipients.
Ferrauilo-Davis has been named the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service, a news release said.
She began her career at FMCC in 2003 as the education and career planning specialist and in 2007, she was promoted to director of advisement, counseling and testing, the release said.
Through the years, Ferrauilo-Davis has made numerous improvements in the area of academic advising and continues to initiate and improve on existing policies and procedures, according to the release. She provides leadership and oversight of advisement, registration, academic placement testing, crisis intervention and counseling services, evening advisement, career and transfer services, as well as programs and services for special student populations, while advising over 300 students, the release said.
Ferrauilo-Davis is also an adjunct instructor teaching adolescent psychology and serves as the leader of the Student Outreach Services team made up of 10 volunteer professionals on campus who provide on-call student intervention services, the release said. As the leader of the SOS team, she ensures that the team is trained and educated on various mental health issues. In the community, Ferrauilo-Davis serves as a board member for the Family Counseling Center and the Children and Family Services Committee for FCC.
Close has been named the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the news release said.
She joined the FMCC faculty in 2005 and in 2008, assumed the duties and responsibilities of director for the radiologic technology program.
Since that time she has worked to make the program rigorous and of the highest professional and academic quality, the release said.
During her tenure, Close has expanded course offerings to increase student knowledge and marketability, and continuously looks for and works toward securing clinical sites for her students that will allow them to expand their knowledge and opportunities, according to the release.
Through her work, professional aptitude and desire to provide the best educational experience for her students, since 2008, 100 percent of students have passed the ARRT exam on their first attempt and 90 percent or higher have secured employment with-in one year of graduation, the news release said.
All students in the graduating classes for years 2008 through 2015 have passed their board examination on the first attempt, and students have consistently scored above the national average, the release said.
In 2012, Close was the key player in securing an 8-year accreditation from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology for the radiologic technology program at FMCC.
“Cindy and Mary-Jo have undoubtedly demonstrated remarkable dedication and service to the College and I congratulate them both on this well-deserved recognition,” said FMCC President Dustin Swanger in the release.
Instituted in 1972 by the State University of New York, the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence are system-level honors conferred to acknowledge and provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence.
