Dr. Heidi Macpherson, President of SUNY Brockport, was chosen as the first-ever recipient of the Greater Brockport CommUNITY Award. The award was given to Dr. Macpherson during the Brockport Village Board meeting on February 1.
The Greater Brockport CommUNITY Award was established by the village board in 2019 at the recommendation of Dr. William G. Andrews, who also provided funding for the $500 cash prize and a commemorative plaque. A nomination review committee comprised of appointees from the Village of Brockport and the Towns of Clarkson, Hamlin, and Sweden forwarded their recommendation, upon reviewing community nominations, to the Village of Brockport Board of Trustees. Their recommendation letter follows.
2020 Greater Brockport CommUNITY Award
The selection committee is wholeheartedly in favor of endorsing Dr. Heidi Macpherson for the inaugural Greater Brockport CommUNITY Award.
Allan Berry nominated Dr. Macpherson and noted that not only has she participated in numerous local activities, she recognizes our close association and engages with the greater Rochester community as well.
Interim Brockport Central School District Superintendent, James Fallon, supported this nomination because Dr. Macpherson has always advocated for the Brockport School District by finding creative ways to collaborate with the college. In particular, she has opened up the college admission process during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A strong advocate for Dr. Macpherson’s nomination was Mike Andriatch, Vice President for Advancement at Brockport College. He has witnessed this college president become an entrenched member of our community since her arrival in July 2015. In Mr. Andriatch’s lengthy letter, we came to learn of Heidi’s past and recent achievements such as:
•Ensuring that Community Engagement is one of the four college strategic plan goals
•Co-chairing the Town-Gown Committee along with Mayor Blackman
•Actively volunteering with the Western Monroe Historical Society
•Encouraging a stronger role for the college in the Holiday Parade
•Participating in reading programs at the Seymour Library and Brockport Central
•Creating the highly successful Brockport Community Breakfast, which annually hosts local business and community leaders
•Sitting on four boards of large community organizations (YWCA, United Way, Willow Domestic Violence Center, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce)
•President of Rochester Area Colleges President’s Network
•Winner of 2020 ATHENA International Award
•Winner of 2018 Teddi Award from Camp Good Days and Special Times
The list continues as Mr. Andriatch also mentions that a colleague shared that Heidi is a “facilitator of creative thought” and that Mayor Margay Blackman spoke about Heidi’s genuine friendliness and engagement with the community that is evident in many little actions as well.
Fifty-year Town of Sweden residents Richard and Joan Fenton penned a support letter listing many of the same community-minded actions. They have interacted with the past five college presidents, and they feel Dr. Macpherson has been the one who was most committed to bringing the college and community together. They believe Heidi has displayed “significant new ways to strengthen the bonds of community” while still doing all the things a college president must do on campus.
Congratulations go to Dr. Heidi Macpherson, and thank you to Dr. William Andrews for creating and funding this CommUNITY award.
Linda Ketchum, chair, Village of Brockport
Michael Myers, Town of Sweden
Jennifer Goodrich Voelkl, Town of Hamlin
Leslie Zink, Town of Clarkson
