SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service
Established in 2008, this award recognizes classified staff members for exceptional achievements and superior performance of duties. Award recipients continuously demonstrate outstanding achievement, commitment to excellence and exemplary customer service.
2023-24 Honorees
Kerri Bigler
Residential Life
Kerri Bigler is an administrative assistant in UB’s Department of Residential Life. Serving in her current position for more than 10 years, she manages a large volume of administrative processes that impact student safety, housing accommodations, student billing, departmental expenditures and student conduct, among other areas. She serves as a primary point of contact for personnel appointment processing as well as arranging meal plans and room waivers for more than 230 paraprofessionals. She is held in the highest regard for her customer service acumen—particularly for large programs like UB’s Opening Weekend and Discovery Days—and she is well known for ensuring that all staff and students are kept informed through timely and thorough communications.
A-Z
Wanda Hemedinger
University Facilities
A dedicated UB staff member for 16 years, Wanda Hemedinger is a cleaner in Custodial Services. She is praised across the university for her exceptional work, uplifting demeanor and expertise regarding the university’s custodial equipment and services. She is often specifically requested by members of the university community who have come to know her. She is committed to advancing her knowledge and elevating the university’s custodial services wherever possible. To that end, she consistently focuses on learning new techniques, finding ways to meet the university’s evolving needs and accommodating her colleagues’ schedules to maintain an exceptional living-learning environment. Wherever she is working on campus, she always demonstrates exemplary professionalism when fulfilling the responsibilities of her position.
Helen S. Sheron
Department of Sociology and Criminology
Helen “Susie” Sheron is an administrative assistant in the departments of Sociology and Criminology and Environment and Sustainability. Providing graduate student support for over the past six years, she has gone above and beyond to ensure students feel welcomed and supported. From the moment students enter these programs, she guides them with her wealth of knowledge as they advance in their studies. Throughout the year, she assists students with everything from registration to conferral requirements. She promptly responds to inquiries from students and faculty providing correct information and direction. She is praised by her colleagues for her attention to detail, organizational skills, and her genuine concern for students.