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MCC Daily Tribune

Chancellor King Celebrates CASE Award Winners Including Five MCC Students

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. celebrated five Monroe Community College students who are among 205 students from all 64 SUNY campuses who received the Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence (CASE). This award recognizes SUNY students for outstanding achievements in areas including academics, leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, campus involvement, civics and service, research, and the arts. This is the highest honor SUNY provides to students for academic excellence and leadership.

  • Jalisia Burno, is a Liberal Arts major with a 3.70 grade point average, from Rochester, who serves as president of the Student Government Association. She is a servant leader who consistently empowers her constituents to take an active role in community service and civic engagement. Through her inclusive leadership style, she encourages collaboration, fosters a strong sense of responsibility, and inspires others to contribute meaningfully to the community. Her efforts have strengthened student involvement and reinforced the value of service.
  • Cricket DeRue, is a Commercial Art & Illustration student from Orchard Park, NY, with a 4.0 GPA, whose work has been widely published and recognized. His portfolio has been accepted into SUNY Oswego’s BFA Illustration program, and he actively contributes to his community through tutoring, creative work, and advocacy for neurodivergent people. Cricket is also a student leader on campus, serving as the vice president of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Project.
  • Abigail Pottinger is a Mechanical Engineering major from Brooklyn, NY. Abby balances rigorous STEM coursework with significant leadership roles as a senior resident assistant, student government senator, MCC Association Board & Finance Committee member, and former president of the Society of Women Engineers. As a student-athlete and active participant in Women of Excellence and the Black Student Union, Abby also leads major service initiatives and community outreach programs.
  • Margherita Rizzuti is an international student from Rome, Italy, majoring in criminal justice and international relations. She serves as vice president of the Student Government Association, where she supports student advocacy, campus initiatives, and effective communication between students and college leadership. In addition, Margherita is actively involved with First-Year Experience (FYE) and Student Life, contributing to campus programming, supporting student engagement, and helping new students successfully transition into college.
  • Parker Werven is a business administration major from Rochester.  Werven is an honors student, a proud member of Phi Theta Kappa, and Monroe Community College’s Student trustee, the highest position a student can hold at the institution. Committed to academic excellence, Parker consistently pursues a rigorous course load each semester, intentionally strengthening his critical thinking, leadership, and analytical skills. Parker is a business major who is deeply committed to giving back to his community upon graduating with his MBA.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
04/28/2026