Stony Brook University’s Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) has received four Outstanding Student Affairs Program (OSAP) Awards from the State University of New York (SUNY) system for 2025, more than any other SUNY campus this year. The recognitions include the Robert A. Bonfiglio New Professional Award, the John Graham Award for Mentorship, and two awards for Outstanding Program.
Vice President for Student Affairs Rick Gatteau commented on the achievement: “I couldn’t be prouder of our staff and professionals who have been recognized by SUNY for the incredible work they do for our campus community. My sincerest congratulations to Ms. Deb, Simran, the Career Center and the Center for Prevention and Outreach, all of whom have made our Division stronger with their dedication to the students we serve.”
Simran Kaur, a survey research analyst on DoSA’s CRAFT Team, was named a recipient of the Robert A. Bonfiglio New Professional Award. This honor is given to new professionals in student affairs who have served less than four years and demonstrated excellence in areas such as integrity, innovation, inclusion, inquiry, or impact. Kaur’s achievements include publishing works and presenting at conferences at both regional and national levels. She also played a key role in launching the Campus Pulse Survey—a brief tool developed with other university divisions to provide actionable feedback from students.
Deborah Britton-Riley received the John Graham Award for Mentorship. As coordinator of New Student and Transition Programs (NSTP), Britton-Riley was recognized as a mentor with at least eight years in student affairs roles. Her contributions include founding and advising the Black and Latino Initiative, developing Stony Brook’s First Generation Student Program, and supporting programs focused on inclusion.
The Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) earned an OSAP award for its “Upstander Program,” which offers four training sessions addressing public health and safety issues—hands-only CPR; Red Watch Band (alcohol or drug overdose); QPR (mental health distress and suicide ideation); and Green Dot (personal/domestic violence). Students completing all trainings are honored at an “Upstander Gala.” In 2025, 550 students finished all sessions—a significant increase compared to 50 students when the program began in 2019.
The Career Center was also recognized with an Outstanding Program award for “Diversity Dialogues: Shining a Light on Unconscious Bias in the Workplace.” The initiative uses group activities, discussions, and lectures to help students understand bias in professional settings. Key staff involved included Jiana Farrell, Katie Diekman, and Kimberly Joy Dixon. During the period covered by these awards, 131 students participated in Diversity Dialogues workshops; assessments showed most could define bias, identify examples of it, and apply strategies to address it after attending. The workshop will continue annually but can also be scheduled upon request by campus groups or departments.
