David Owens receives SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence

2015 Apr 9

SUNY Oswego studio art major David Owens of Cato has received the 2015 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, the highest student recognition through the State University system.

The award, presented April 2 in a ceremony in Albany, honors students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives, which may include leadership, campus involvement, athletics, career achievement, community service or creative and performing arts.

Artist, entrepreneur and volunteer, Owens completed "Twelve in Oswego," paintings in the city to evoke each month, presenting it at the college's Quest, the State Museum and, upcoming, at Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn. Recipient of two Presidential Purchase awards at college exhibitions, Owens is an Oswegonian cartoonist and twice Great Lake Review cover artist.

He presented an art history paper at Quest and won a Dean's Writing Award for it. Founder of a company to accept freelance work and commissions, Owens also volunteers for his church, managing a concession crew, planning activities for a youth group and helping coach soccer.

"I've applied to graduate school, but I also plan to work as an in-house graphic designer of marketing, and to freelance as an illustrator," Owens said.

Four other SUNY Oswego students joined Owens as recipients of the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence: Dianora DeMarco of Bronx, Joshua Drake of Fulton, Molly Matott of North Syracuse and Eyub Yegen of Schwabisch Gmund, Germany.

About SUNY Oswego

Admission to SUNY Oswego is competitive. U.S. News Media Group counts SUNY Oswego among the top public regional universities in the North for 2015, and the Princeton Review includes Oswego in its 2015 college guidebook "The Best Northeastern Colleges," as well as its 2015 list of "best value" colleges and universities nationally. Kiplinger's also selected SUNY Oswego a 2015 Best Value College.

A 154-year-old comprehensive college in the State University of New York system, Oswego enrolls about 8,000 students in its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; School of Business; School of Communication, Media and the Arts; and School of Education.

Visit oswego.edu for more information.