The 2024 SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Professional Service recognized two important members of the SUNY Oswego community in Kristin I. Gublo, instructional support specialist for the Chemistry Department, and Magdalena (Maggie) D. Rivera, assistant dean of students for student outreach and support.
Gublo and Rivera both hold multiple degrees from SUNY Oswego, and nominators pointed out how they have taken increasingly responsible roles that have greatly benefited students and their alma mater.
Joining SUNY Oswego as a professional in 1993, Gublo has held progressively responsible roles in the university’s Chemistry Department, consistently providing outstanding support to the department’s faculty and students, nominators said.
A SUNY Oswego alumna with both a bachelor’s and master’s in chemistry, Gublo’s logistical responsibilities include managing the department’s stockroom and inventory, and overseeing the equipment setup for labs. Her role recently expanded to include supervising graduate teaching assistants, undertaking teaching duties and advising chemistry and biochemistry majors.
“Kristin’s comprehensive knowledge of the advisement considerations for not only the chemistry major and minor tracks, but the allied natural science and education majors, makes her an invaluable asset in advisement and a resource for other advisors,” wrote Paul Tomascak, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a geology professor. “Her thoroughness in advising and devotion to students having the best and most pertinent information make her an outstanding academic advisor.”
“It is quite evident in her interactions with students that she cares deeply for their success," wrote chemistry faculty member Thomas Brown, noting that Gublo excels in running a first-year course that helps students transition from high school to college, while getting the students to engage with each other and the department.
“Additionally, Kristin also designed the CHE 302 course, ‘Career Skills for Chemists,’ which assists juniors and seniors in deciding the career path that they would like to pursue after SUNY Oswego,” Brown said. “I sincerely believe that Kristin works with the mindset that her success springs from the students’ success. She uses her position to enhance the educational experience of all students.”
Gublo also started the university’s Pre-Optometry Club, realizing this is a path many Oswego students want to pursue, and serves as the department’s planner for many outreach activities.
Kestutis Bendinskas, Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry at Oswego, noted that Gublo goes above and beyond both with tasks related to the department as well as campus-wide drives to collect toys, food, supplies and more for those in need.
“Kristin Gublo works closely with the Admissions Office when prospective students want to get information on our chemistry programs,” Bendinskas noted. “She leads Shineman Center tours alongside our deans on open house days to showcase our STEM programs. Additionally, she has created a guide for leading tours of the Shineman Center that faculty, staff and students from any department or campus office can use to showcase the building and all of the departments housed within it.”
Through it all, her focus on student success remains clear. Gublo has received numerous accolades for her exceptional work, specifically for guiding the transition of students from high school to college and then keeping career preparation top of mind.
Creating a sense of belonging
Since joining SUNY Oswego in 2007, Rivera has held progressively responsible positions, demonstrating leadership, innovative spirit and unwavering resolve that all students feel a deep sense of belonging, nominators said.
Rivera’s contributions are deeply felt in every corner of the campus and beyond, nominators noted. She has distinguished herself through her commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, and ensuring that all voices are heard –- and all students are supported. They praised Rivera’s commitment to excellence through her active engagement in campus committees, community outreach and professional development initiatives.
Elizabeth Droz, recently retired but previously Rivera’s supervisor as associate dean of students, noted that Rivera quickly made a difference when joining the Dean of Students Office in 2022.
“Maggie enthusiastically led efforts to do outreach and assessment of students and their needs/opinions about student life at SUNY Oswego,” Droz wrote. ”Maggie and her [graduate assistants] continued to do this work and the valuable information they have provided to the Division of Student Affairs has led to improvement in how we communicate with students about resources.”
Rivera’s responsibilities are very student-focused, with her current position tasked with addressing increasing and significant student needs. Her duties have included evaluating the needs of off-campus and commuting students.
Rivera also has been active in Institute for Global Engagement committees for international scholars, study abroad and campus programming. She also was involved in fundraising for and coordinating efforts where students and other members of campus went to Puerto Rico to assemble and install water filters to support communities devastated by a pair of hurricanes.
Kenneth Marshall, an associate professor of history, noted Rivera’s “transformative effect” while coordinating the annual ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) Student Leadership Conference while working in student involvement.
“A week-long event occurring in September, ALANA empowers students to develop their leadership skills and appreciate diversity, while preparing them to succeed on their career paths,” Marshall wrote. “Along with student leaders and campus partners, Maggie hosted performers and speakers of great renown… ALANA exposed students to a variety of artists, speakers, and voices that reinforced their humanity and showcased their contributions to campus life, thereby promoting the college as an inclusive community.”
Rivera’s work ethic is mirrored in her continued desire to learn ways to better serve students. She earned a bachelor’s in Spanish, a master’s in school counseling and psychological services and a certificate of advanced study in counseling services/student development from Oswego.
In 2023, Rivera earned a Commendation Award as part of Hispanic Heritage Month from Sen. John Mannion for her contributions to and support of the Hispanic community in Central New York. This and other honors reflect how her efforts toward inclusion have rippled well beyond campus, nominators said.
Rivera “has gone above and beyond the parameters of her job description,” wrote Marisol Hernandez, editor-in-chief of CNY Latino. “One example of this work is a quarter course trip [for a faculty-led travel program] to Italy 2024 that she developed in coordination with the SUNY Oswego Office of International Education and Programs and a Student Affairs work connection in Rome, Italy. … She exemplifies consistently superior professional achievement within and beyond her position at SUNY Oswego as her record and awards received show.”