Kathryn Polletta Receives Academic Achievement Award

2017 May 25

Kathryn Polletta of Ossining, NY, was one of 54 outstanding SUNY Oneonta students selected to receive a 2017 Academic Achievement Award this spring. Each academic department or program selected one to three outstanding seniors to receive the award.

Polletta received the Art Department award.

To be considered for the award, a student must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in his or her major and must demonstrate exceptional academic improvement over four semesters, as well as excellence in research; leadership and involvement in department, campus and community activities; and/or participation in academic and/or professional situation outside the college.

Polletta worked with SUNY Oneonta Gallery Director Tim Sheesley as an intern in the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery, helping with exhibition installation, gallery storage space organization and maintenance, and serving as a contact liaison for artists and students. She has volunteered with a variety of organizations, including the Autism Equine Therapy Stable in Ohio, Relay for Life (Oneonta), community leaf raking (Oneonta), JDRF One Walk for Diabetes (Pennsylvania) and Mary’s Kitchen food pantry (Orange, CA). A member of the women’s basketball team for three years, Polletta served as team leader this year and attended several Dr. Joe Heissan’s Leadership Academy Program workshops. Her academic honors include membership in the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, dean’s list (3.5 GPA) Susan Sutton Smith Award (3.9 GPA), provost’s list (4.0 GPA) All-Academic Team and Commissioners List. Polletta has exhibited her artwork in SUNY Oneonta’s annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, and she received the Golden Artists Colors Inc. Award for an oil-on-canvas painting. Several of her advanced watercolor and oil-on-canvas paintings were also included in a recent group exhibition in the college’s Project Space Gallery.