Micaelina Velardi
  • Theatre B.S
  • Class of 2016
  • New Berlin, NY

Micaelina Velardi Recognized for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity

2015 Apr 22

Micaelina Velardi of New Berlin, NY, was one of 12 SUNY Oneonta students recognized for outstanding research at the 2015 Student Research & Creative Activity Day.

Velardi, a senior, received the 2015 College at Oneonta Foundation Award for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity for a project titled "Design and Creation of Nagamandala Masks and Puppets." Velardi developed the project under the guidance of Dr. Patrice Macaluso of the Theatre department.

Students were nominated for the awards by their faculty sponsors, and finalists were selected by a group of faculty and staff. During the college's annual Student Research & Creativity Day on April 16, finalists presented their work to a team of reviewers, which ranked and selected the winners. Student honorees will be recognized at a reception, co-sponsored by the college's Grants Development Office and Faculty Convivium Committee, on Monday, May 4. They will also receive monetary prizes funded by the College at Oneonta Foundation.

Created to recognize and promote undergraduate scholarship and creative activity, Student Research & Creative Activity Day has become the premier on-campus event for scholarly student exhibition. A total of 163 students, supported by 71 sponsors from academic and administrative departments, participated in this year's event, which featured presentations on a wide variety of topics across academic disciplines.

Half of the award-winning projects were supported through SUNY Oneonta's Student Grant Program for Research and Creative Activity, which is funded by the College at Oneonta Foundation and the Oneonta Alumni Association through the generosity of alumni and friends of the college. More than $58,000 was available this year for student grants and excellence awards. In addition, the college's D'Antonio travel program, also supported through charitable gifts, has allocated $105,000 over the last seven semesters to support more than 450 student trips to conferences and academic meetings.