Four members of the Farmingdale State College faculty and administrative staff are the 2015 recipients of Excellence Awards from the Farmingdale College Foundation. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that provides financial assistance in advancing the purposes and development of Farmingdale State College.
The four winners are: Dr. Lynn Marsh, Excellence in Teaching; Dr. Jeff Poplarski, Excellence in Teaching (part-time); Dawn Grzan, Excellence in Professional Service; and Linda Vitale, Excellence in Professional Service (part-time). All are Long Island residents.
Poplarski, a resident of Massapequa, is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and teaches in the sport management department in Farmingdale’s School of Business. Said the Foundation: “His dedication to his students and to volunteerism has made Dr. Poplarski, according to many students, ‘The best teacher I’ve ever had.’” He is noted for organizing student field trips and volunteer outings. Recent events include a visit to the U.S. Open golf tournament to meet the tournament’s medical team. He served for 10 years as the U.S. Golf Association’s Chairman of the Wellness Team.
Marsh, a Sayville resident, is an associate professor of dental hygiene in the Theresa Patnode Santmann School of Health Sciences. The Foundation noted Marsh’s “superior teaching ability both in the classroom and the online environment. Student evaluations indicate her classes are ‘highly interactive, and she maintains an excellent teaching presence.’” She has also served as director of the Long Island Oral Health Coalition.
Grzan, an East Northport resident, serves as Director of Sponsored Programs & Research. Under her leadership, Farmingdale’s grant funding as grown from $1.8 million to $4.6 million. The Foundation lauded her for “performing her duties with integrity and a consistent commitment to high standards.” She was responsible for organizing the college’s Institutional Review Board, with a mission to increase faculty scholarship and research, and to increase external funding. Off campus, she is a mentor to the Melville Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals group.
Vitale began her Farmingdale career as administrative assistant to the aviation department, and currently is administrative assistant in the School of Engineering Technology, where she has contributed to the college’s International Conference on Renewable and Sustainable Energy. She was recognized for “her attention to detail, punctuality, and dedication to her department and its students.”
