Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the academic achievements of student-athletes. Students who participate in at least one sport at the State University of New York at New Paltz must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or above as a junior and senior. This year's list contains both new and old faces who have consistently performed at a high level in the classroom. SUNY New Paltz student-athletes such as seniors Bradley Schneider, Danny Campbell, Raven Blake, and Degen Mariniello are included in the Chi Alpha Sigma list that honors a total of 39 student-athletes.
 
Schneider, who recently won a national championship with the men's volleyball team, has had a tremendous academic career. After college he plans to work as an Actuarial Analyst for Merchants Insurance Group located in Buffalo, New York. In addition to his own academic accolades, Schneider takes pride in his efforts to help his peers succeed as much as possible during his time at SUNY New Paltz. 
"I decided to hold volunteer tutoring sessions to assist other students, and this was a great opportunity to focus on what I can do for others, rather than myself," said Schneider, who is graduating in May with a degree in Mathematics.
 
Campbell, a Communications, Digital Media Programming and Management major, was a key member of the Hawks baseball team throughout his four years, but also excelled in the classroom. When reflecting back on his time in school academia, Campbell recalled his favorite moment in a Principles of Management course during his sophomore year, which ultimately helped him learn how to make real world decisions.
 
"The class was a semester long business simulation in which myself and a few other group mates had to run a small coffee shop business," Campbell explained. " My group won the simulation. This shaped me as a learner because it taught me how to think outside of the box and use skills I'd learned in different classes to give us a competitive advantage. I used my media experience to create a website for our business, which separated us from the rest of the class. Principles of Management also helped me work with a diverse group of individuals from different countries, majors, and backgrounds. The class helped me grow as a student and a leader."  
 
Blake, a member of women's soccer team, plans to use her Communication Disorders degree to become a Speech-Language Pathologist. One of her most impactful memories came when she took an American Sign Language course with a Deaf teacher.
 
"This course allowed me to look at life through a different perspective and made me realize that communication is one of the greatest things that humans desire, despite a person's communication disorder," Blake said.
 
Mariniello, a member of the SUNY New Paltz women's swimming team, plans to continue her pursuit in the medical field after college. First, Mariniello will be graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry. As she looks back at her time over the past four years, she fondly remembers a recent research project where she presented to the National ACS Conference.
 
"It was a great experience being exposed to so much chemistry in one place and made me realize I could be independent in the field while also being a part of something much larger than the classroom," Mariniello said.
 
Below is the full list of Chi Alpha Sigma recipients:

Second Year Honorees:

Samantha Ackerman (Field Hockey)
Major: Communication Disorders
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (2016-2017, 2017-2018), Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society 2018, Dr. Evelyn Crawford '58 '62 and Simon Gluckman Scholarship 2018-2019 Recipient, 2019 Student Affairs Distinguished Senior Award.
Quote: "Celebrate what you've accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed." -Mia Hamm
Faculty Member: Dr. Dana Arthur



 
Raven-Dion Blake (Women's Soccer)
Major: Communication Disorders
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: SUNYAC All-Academic Team (2015, 2016), SUNY New Paltz's Dean's List (2015-2018), SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (2017), Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society (2018), Invited as an Outstanding Student to participate in Middle States Re-accreditation Luncheon Meeting (2019)
Quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" -Eleanor Roosevelt
Faculty Member: Dr. Dana Arthur




 
Danny Campbell (Baseball)
Major: Communications, Digital Media Programming and Management
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades:  Dean's List Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, and Fall 2018, Commissioner's List 2016, 2017 and 2018. 
Quote:  "Forget your lust for the rich man's gold; All that you need is in your soul; And you can do this, oh baby, if you try; All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied." – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Faculty Member:  Chris Napolitano
 


Katherine Donlevy (Women's Swimming)
Major: Public Relations/Journalism
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), Commissioner's List (2016-2018)
Quote: "Everything you can imagine is real." - Pablo Picasso
Faculty Member:  Nancy Heiz
 



Shannon Fee (Softball)
Major: Adolescence Education: English
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades:  Dean's list 2015-2019
Quote:  "She remembered who she was and the game changed." - Lalah Deliah
Faculty Member:  Jed Mayer
 




Joseph Galante (Men's Swimming)
Major: Electrical Engineering
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018), Commissioners List (Spring 2017), SUNYAC All Academic (Spring 2016), CSCAA All Academic (Spring 2016)
Quote: "Create your own happiness." -Coldstone Creamery
Faculty Member: Dr. Reena Dahle
 


Degen Mariniello (Women's Swimming)
Major: Chemistry
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), Commissioner's List (2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018), Donald Bishko Award (2017)
Quote: "I was always good, but I became great when I decided to do all of the little things right." - Dave Wharton
Faculty Member: Preeti Dhar
 



Nick Paquette (Men's Basketball)
Major: Business
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2018), SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (Spring 2017), SUNYAC All-Academic Team (Spring 2016)
Quote: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" - Jerry Powell
Faculty Member: Professor Chris Napolitano
 


Paddy Parr (Men's Basketball)
Major: Accounting
Year: Senior/Graduate Student
Academic Accolades:  Dean's List Fall 2018
Quote: "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life" - Muhammad Ali
Faculty Member:  Michael Sheridan 
 
 


Rachael Purtell (Women's Soccer & Lacrosse)
Major: Public Relations/Psychology
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (every semester), Who's Who Nominee (Fall 2015), Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society (2018), SUNY Chancellor's Award Nominee (2019)
Quote: "It really is that simple, it's just not easy." - Mark Manson
Faculty Member: Dr. Glen Geher
 



Taylor Russell (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Communication Disorders
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Psi Chi Psychology National Honor Society, Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (2016-2018)
 Quote: "If you think you've reached the peak, find a new mountain." -Padge
Faculty Member: Jessica Welsh
 



Bradley Schneider (Men's Volleyball)
Major: Mathematics
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2018), TA for MAT393 Financial Mathematics (Spring 2019), Passed Actuarial Exams P/1 (August 2017) and FM/2 (September 2018), President and Founder of the SUNY New Paltz Actuarial Society (Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019), working as an Actuarial Analyst for Merchants Insurance Group upon graduation (Beginning June 2019).
Quote: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13
Faculty Member: Eric Brattain
 



Ashley Seiter (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Adolescence Education: Math
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: SUNYAC Commissioner's List 2018, Dean's list (Spring 2016, Fall and Spring 2017, Fall and Spring 2018, and Fall 2019)
 Quote: "You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages." -Michelle Obama
 Faculty Member: Jason Huang, Eric Brattain-Morrin
 



Jack Wilson (Men's Cross Country)
Major: Adolescence Education: Social Studies
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades:  Dean's List every semester from 2015-2018
Quote:  "To me, death is not a fearful thing. It's living that's treacherous." – Jim Jones
Faculty Member:  Christopher Albi
 
 






First-Year Senior Inductees:
 
Meredith Dignan (Women's Volleyball)
Major: Early Childhood & Childhood Education B-6:  English
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), Commissioner's List (2017-2018)
Quote: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did." - Mark Twain
Faculty Member: Lizabeth Cain
 



Taylor LaFrance (Softball)
Major: Accounting
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's list  (fall 2015, spring 2017, fall 2017, spring 2018, fall 2018) SUNYAC Commissioner's honor roll (spring 2017, 2018)
Quote: "Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." -Michael Jordan
Faculty Member: Christina Bark
 



Brendan Sutta (Men's Cross Country)
Major: Accounting
Year: Senior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2017, Spring 2018 and Fall 2018)
Quote: "If you're going to pass someone, pass them like a Rockstar" – Francis Mancuso
Faculty Member: Dr. Rosemary Millham








First-Year Inductees:
 
Jahna Beiling (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Marketing
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's list (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), SUNYAC Commissioner's List (2017-2018)
Quote: "The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory." -Les Brown
Faculty Member: Professor Surinder Tikoo
 


Emily Cavanagh (Women's Cross Country)
Major: Painting
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), SUNYAC All-Conference (2018), USTFCCCA All-Academic awards (Spring 2019), SUNYAC Rookie of The Year (Fall 2016), SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (Spring 2017)
Quote: "In the great race, the Hare learned a valuable lesson. The Tortoise learned one too: winning the race would have been sweeter if he had won it with his friend." - Sophie Potter
Faculty Member: Thomas Sarrantonio
 



Nicole DePaola (Softball)
Major: Biochemistry
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List Fall 2016 (Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), SUNY New Paltz Honors Program (2016-Present), SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (2017, 2018)
Quote: "Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." -Christian D. Larson
Faculty Member: Dr. Preeti Dhar




Marion Dietz (Women's Basketball)
Major: Early Childhood & Childhood Education B-6:  Mathematics
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018)
Quote: "Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back...play for her." - Mia Hamm
Faculty Member: Maura Musso
 





Nicole Fellone (Women's Volleyball)
Major: Accounting
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's list (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018) Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma Fall 2018.
Quote: "Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live between your own two ears." Laird Hamilton
Faculty Member: Joan Hollister
 





Colton Goodwine (Men's Soccer)
Major: Finance
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), Donald Bishko Award (Spring 2018)
Quote: "Believe that in every challenge you will win, never doubt, never change as success is a journey..." Bryan Goodwine
Faculty Member: Russell Zwanka
 



James Hennessey (Men's Soccer)
Major: Finance
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016 through Spring 2018), Commissioner's List (September 2017)
Quote: "Work Hard Dream Big" - anonymous
Faculty Member: Amelia Rose
 





John LoCurto (Baseball)
Major: Finance
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades:  SUNYAC Commissioner's List 2016, 2017, and 2018
Quote:  "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are." - John Wooden 
Faculty Member: Chris Napolitano
 




Vanessa Morgan (Women's Cross Country)
Major: Biology
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades:  Dean's List Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017
Quote:  "Believe in the process." 
Faculty Member: Dave Richardson







Kerri Neville (Women's Volleyball)
Major: Business Analytics
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018)
Commissioner's List (2016-2017, 2017-2018).
Quote: "Being underestimated is one of the biggest competitive advantages you can have" - anonymous
Faculty Member: Karl Heiner
 





Paige Niemeyer (Women's Basketball)
Major: Marketing
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll (2017)
Quote: "You will never outperform your own belief system" - Spencer Wood
Faculty Member: Christine Daly
 





Robert Nolan (Men's Volleyball)
Major: Accounting
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019), Member of the Investors Club, SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, United Volleyball Conference All-Academic
Quote: "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful" - Eric Thomas
Faculty Member: John Sharp
 




Jennifer O'Leary (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Accounting
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018. SUNYAC Commissioner's Honors Roll 2016-2017, 2017-2018
Quote: "The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential..these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence." -Confucius
Faculty Member: Akram Ibrahim
 




Reid Oreste (Baseball)
Major: Biology
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018)
Quote: "Don't give up the ship."
Faculty Member: Preeti Dhar





Emily Puciloski (Women's Lacrosse)
Major: Marketing
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2018), Commissioners List (2016-17, 2017-18), Member of Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society
Quote: "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way" - Babe Ruth
Faculty Member: Russell Zwanka
 





Philesha Teape (Women's Basketball)
Major: Biology
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Spring 2017 through Fall 2018)
Quote: "Mistakes are a fact of life: It's the response to the error that counts." - Nikki Giovanni
Faculty Member: Jennifer Waldo
 






Kelsey Trudden (Softball)
Major: Communication Disorders
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019)
Quote: "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" (Walt Disney)
Faculty Member: Kathryn Burke
 






Sophia Urrutia (Field Hockey)
Major: English
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), SUNYAC Commissioner's Honor Roll (2017-2018), The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Academic Squad (2019)
Quote: "I never viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy's sleeping, I'm working." - Will Smith
Faculty Member: Jed Mayer
 




Madison Van Pelt (Women's Basketball & Volleyball)
Major: Communication Disorders
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Commissioner's List (2017-2018), Dean's List (Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018)
Quote: "It is what it is. But, it will be what you make it." -Pat Summitt
Faculty Member: Lynne Telesca
 




Emily Visintini (Women's Volleyball)
Major: Early Childhood & Childhood Education B-6:  Art History
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018)
Quote: "We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." -Aristotle
Faculty Member: Lindsey Russo
 






Gordon Walker (Men's Soccer)
Major: Public Relations
Year: Junior
Academic Accolades: Dean's List (2017, 2018, 2019)
Quote: "Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen." - Michael Jordan
Faculty Member: John Palencsar






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