SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran Recognizes COVID Testing Volunteers for 'Roosponding'

Canton, NY (01/14/2022) — SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran has recognized faculty, staff and administration members for aiding in college-wide COVID-19 testing.

Approximately 114 employees volunteered to help the college conduct more than 43,500 tests since the fall 2020 semester. The college uses a pooled saliva test developed by Quadrant Biosciences and SUNY Upstate Medical University. The operation necessitates significant staffing to register those being tested, collect and label specimens, transport medical samples to the lab in Syracuse, in addition to overall coordination and planning. In total, employees contributed more than 3,000 hours to the program.

"There were so many people who were quick to volunteer and help us conduct our testing," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "It's been a herculean task, and we are so proud of the people who stepped up. We felt a presidential citation was in order to recognize everyone's efforts."

Previously, Szafran recognized three employees with Meritorious Service Awards for coordinating the massive testing program.

Among the employees to receive the presidential citation and a trophy for "Roosponding" were:

About SUNY Canton

As Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's and associate degrees, SUNY Canton delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, management, and healthcare fields. It is home to the Center for Criminal Justice, Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. As SUNY's leader in online education, SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 23 online degree programs. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos 15 traditional athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level as part of the North Atlantic Conference. SUNY Canton also features varsity esports and cheerleading.

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Pictured is Erin E. Lassial, SUNY Canton director of international programs, seated at her desk with her “Roosponding” trophy in the foreground.