From left are SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., SUNY Chancellor’s Award Winner Mary Dunn, SUNY Niagara President Lloyd Holmes Dunkirk native earns SUNY’s highest honor for students NIAGARA FALLS – Mary Dunn, who is pursuing two degrees at SUNY Niagara’s Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI), is one of 205 students who have received the 2026 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The award, presented by State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. in Albany on April 27, is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by the university. It acknowledges students who best demonstrate the integration of academic success with leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts. Dunn, who is from Dunkirk, is studying culinary arts, and baking and pastry arts. An excellent student, she has been on the Dean’s List or President’s List for every semester that she has attended SUNY Niagara. Dunn serves as vice president of the Student Government Association and has held leadership roles within the NFCI Club. She also is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and won first place at the SUNY Niagara Student Showcase earlier this month. “SUNY students are New York’s future, and the outstanding individuals I am proud to recognize with the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence embody the very best of our state university system,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “The students who have earned this recognition have inspired their classmates, their educators, their campuses and me with their inspiring work, tenacious drive, and dedication to their academic success. I commend each of the awardees and thank them for being examples for others to follow.” SUNY Niagara President Lloyd Holmes, who accompanied Dunn at SUNY’s award ceremony, said “I am so happy to see Mary receive this honor. She has excelled in both of her academic programs conducted excellent scholarly work, and contributed in so many ways to our campus community.”

NIAGARA FALLS – Mary Dunn, who is pursuing two degrees at SUNY Niagara’s Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI), is one of 205 students who have received the 2026 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The award, presented by State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. in Albany on April 27, is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by the university. It acknowledges students who best demonstrate the integration of academic success with leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts.

Dunn, who is from Dunkirk, is studying culinary arts, and baking and pastry arts. An excellent student, she has been on the Dean’s List or President’s List for every semester that she has attended SUNY Niagara. Dunn serves as vice president of the Student Government Association and has held leadership roles within the NFCI Club. She also is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and won first place at the SUNY Niagara Student Showcase earlier this month.

“SUNY students are New York’s future, and the outstanding individuals I am proud to recognize with the Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence embody the very best of our state university system,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “The students who have earned this recognition have inspired their classmates, their educators, their campuses and me with their inspiring work, tenacious drive, and dedication to their academic success. I commend each of the awardees and thank them for being examples for others to follow.”

SUNY Niagara President Lloyd Holmes, who accompanied Dunn at SUNY’s award ceremony, said “I am so happy to see Mary receive this honor. She has excelled in both of her academic programs conducted excellent scholarly work, and contributed in so many ways to our campus community.”