UB School of Architecture and Planning Recognizes Top Students

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Students in the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning recently received awards of excellence in their fields of study.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York.

Undergraduate award winners in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning were:

• Suzanne Elizabeth Panara of Orchard Park, the BAED (Bachelor of Arts in environmental design) Academic Excellence Award.

• Thomas M. Kicior of Alden, the BAED (Bachelor of Arts in environmental design) Excellence in Studio Award.

• Thomas Matthew Fox of Lancaster, the BAED (Bachelor of Arts in environmental design) Service Award.

• Kristin E. Brazinski of Endicott, the BAED (Bachelor of Arts in environmental design) Portfolio Prize Award.

• Jajean Rose-Burney of Buffalo, the Buckminster Fuller Award, presented to a graduating bachelor's-degree student returning to UB to enroll in the master's program in architecture or urban planning.

• Janel Clare Bedard of East Aurora, the Dean's Award, given to the junior continuing for his or her final senior year who has achieved the highest overall grade-point average.

Graduate award winners in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning were:

• Darren Edward Kempner of East Amherst and Joanna Barbara Rogalski of Lake View, the MUP (master's degree in urban planning) Academic Excellence Award.

• Stephanie Janee Simeon of Brooklyn, the MUP (master's degree in urban planning) Service Award.

• Jodi Michelle Byron of Buffalo, the MUP (master's degree in urban planning) Public Service Award. • Andre Graves of Amherst, the AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) Planning Excellence Award.

• Eric Michael Ameigh of Liverpool, the Best Professional Project Award.

• Christopher William Parezo of Williamsville, the Michael Krasner Memorial Scholarship.

• Darren Edward Kempner of East Amherst, the Best Thesis Award.

Undergraduate award winners in the Department of Architecture were:

• Sylvia Feng of New York City (senior), Maciej Kaczynski of Alden (junior), Yee Man Wong of Woodhaven (sophomore) and Kelly Zona of Bath, Pa., (freshman), the Academic Excellence Award, presented to the students in each class with the highest overall grade-point average.

Kaczynski also received a Dean's Certificate, awarded to a junior continuing for his or her final senior year who has achieved the highest overall grade-point average.

Sylvia Feng of New York City (senior), Kimberly Suczynski of Williamsville (junior), Rafal Godlewski of Maspeth (sophomore) and Kelly Zona of Bath, Pa., (freshman), the Design Excellence Award, presented to students who have produced outstanding studio work.

• Ryan Sisti of New York Mills, Kimberly Suczynski of Williamsville and Warren Wong of Brooklyn, the Gunter Schmitz Travel Scholarship, created in the honor of the late Professor Emeritus Gunter Schmitz who was particularly interested in international initiatives in architectural design

• Nicholas Bruscia of Buffalo, the Buckminster Fuller Award, a school-wide award recognizing innovation and inventiveness in design and demonstrated promise for graduate study for graduating seniors who will return to UB for a master's degree in architecture or urban planning.

Graduate award winners in the Department of Architecture were:

• David Goldstein of Pittsford, Dirk Pfeifer of Germany and William Helm of Buffalo, Academic Excellence Awards, presented to students with the highest overall grade-point averages for their years of study.

Goldstein also was awarded the American Institute of Architects/American Architectural Foundation Scholarship and a Dean's Certificate, presented to a student returning for his or her final year in the master's of architecture program who has achieved the highest overall grade-point average..

Pfeifer also received a Dean's Certificate.

• Ishtiag Rafiuddin of Jamaica Hills and William Helm of Buffalo, Design Excellence Awards, presented to students with outstanding studio work.

• Justin T. Allen of Spencerport, the Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) King Medal, named in the honor of the late Jonathan King, co-founder and first president of the ARCC. This award acknowledges innovation, integrity and scholarship in architectural and/or environmental design research. • David Goldstein of Pittsford (award winner), William Helm of Buffalo (award winner), Haleh Mousavi of Amherst (honorable mention) and Joe Carline of Buffalo (honorable mention) received a Pella/WESTNY scholarship awarded for superior use of fenestration in architectural design.

• Tuan Thanh Luong of Rochester and Christopher Romano of Baldwin, the Chair's Award, presented to a graduating first-professional-degree candidate chosen from each of the master's programs for consistent, high-caliber design and work performed in the design studios.

• Jana Kasikova of Syracuse, the Henry Adams Medal, given to the top-ranking graduating student in the architecture program.

• Jose L. Chang of Brooklyn, the Henry Adams Certification of Merit, given to the second-ranking graduating student.

• David P. Marcoux of Gowanda, Alpha Rho Chi medal awarded by this national professional fraternity for the promotion of professional quality and the recognition of leadership, service and merit.

• Dane Danielson of Erie, Pa., and Peter Heller of Massapequa Park, the Portfolio Award.

• Lindsay Folger of Williamsville, Yuzhu Zheng of Chesapeake, Va., and Matthew Zinski of Altamont, the Gunter Schmitz Travel Scholarship, created in the honor of the late Professor Emeritus Gunter Schmitz who was particularly interested in international initiatives in architectural design.

Zinski also received the Tom Cory Foundation Scholarship from the Architectural Precast Association.