Two students at Cayuga Community College are celebrating after receiving the highest award open to SUNY students.
Nate Hand and Zach Ingersoll are among the 193 SUNY students being awarded a Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence. The award recognizes students who balance academic success with extracurricular elements of school life, such as athletics and community service.
Ingersoll, a Hannibal High School graduate, is graduating from Cayuga with an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Business Administration. In his second semester, he was voted president of the college’s Student Government Organization.
“I’ve loved every second at Cayuga. Thinking about my college choices before I came here, I have zero regrets about coming to Cayuga,” said Ingersoll. “As students at a smaller college, we’ve had the chance to play greater roles in impacting our campus community. I think a lot of us have done that, and it’s made us better students and leaders.”
Hand is a Southern Cayuga School District graduate. While earning his AAS in Media Arts: Audio Production, he became president of the school’s Radio and Television Guild and secretary of the college’s student-run record label, Cayuga Records. He is also the co-manager of the college’s radio station Win-89 FM. You may recognize Hand as he’s been interning with FLX Local Media since February.
“I met some of the most creative people I’ve ever known at Cayuga, built strong friendships and great connections with my professors. I don’t think I could get that anywhere else. The experience here is truly one of a kind,” said Hand. “I want to thank everyone — family, friends, staff and faculty — who’ve helped me and supported me along the way.”
CCC President Dr Brian Durant congratulated both students on their achievements.
“Cayuga is fortunate to have students like Nathanael and Zach, who are determined to succeed and are also committed to enhancing the college experience of the students around them. Both of them have done that through their leadership and genuine interest in the lives of their classmates,” said Dr. Durant. “I’m proud of all their accomplishments at Cayuga, and I congratulate them on earning the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.”
Both students began at CCC in 2022 and are part of the 2024 graduating class. They have also decided to attend SUNY Oswego in the fall to further their studies in their respective fields.
