SUNY Oneonta

A total of 241 SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for academic excellence during the 2024-2025 Susan Sutton Smith event on Tuesday, April 8. The Susan Sutton Smith awards are given each spring to first-year students, sophomores and juniors who have earned a grade-point average of 3.9 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The on-campus event featured the annual Susan Sutton Smith Lecture, delivered this year by Professor of English Dr. Mark Ferrara. Dr. Ferrara received the faculty Susan Sutton Smith Award, and his lecture was titled "From Local to Global: How Place-based Studies Engage International Movements that Lead to Sustainable and Just Futures." Five additional faculty and staff members were recognized at the event. Adjunct Lecturer of Archeology & Faculty-Led Programs Coordinator Dr. Elizabeth Cruzado Carranza received the university's annual Simphiwe Hlatshwayo Award for Outstanding Part-Time Instructor. Professor of Mathematics Dr. Toke Knudsen received the Innovative Pedagogy Award. Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education Dr. Elyssa Stoddard and Assistant Professor of Elementary Education and Reading Dr. Kirsten Robbins received the Esther Hubbard Whitaker Award. Business Analyst Maureen Cashman received the Academic Affairs Staff Award. This lecture and the awards for academic excellence are made possible by the generous gifts of SUNY Oneonta alumni to the Fund for Oneonta. The Susan Sutton Smith Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence is made possible by an endowment created through the generosity of Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Smith in memory of their daughter, Susan, in honor of her commitment to academic excellence.

Seven SUNY Oneonta students received awards for the 2024 Maynard Redfield History Essay competition, an annual event where students submit essays in several categories to receive a certificate and a $75 check. The Maynard Redfield History Essay Competition Committee invites students to enter their best history essay for the competition. The committee accepts and evaluates papers of any length submitted in a history course offered at SUNY Oneonta. The winners were selected on March 28, 2025. Each category has a prize winner and an honorable mention. Students may present one essay for consideration in each category: Introductory Course Essay, Short Essay, Long Historiographic Essay and Long Research Essay. Introductory Course Essay submissions must be from a 1000-2000 level History course. Short Essay submissions are anywhere from 1-12 pages in length. Both Long Historiographic Essay and Long Research Essay submissions must be at least 13 pages long. Introductory Course Essay winners were Ariahni Boyd for "A Journey from Ireland to America: Employment Expectations for Irish Immigrant Women in Colm Toibin's Brooklyn" and Lily McArdle for "Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty: Foundations of Governance and Cultural Identity." The Short Essay winner was Luca Montana for "Fear, Scapegoating, and Political Persecution." The Short Essay Honorable Mention was awarded to Alexander LaFalce-Dooling for "Populism Draped in Purple: Julius Caesar, the Populares, and Reform in the Roman Republic." The Long Historiographic Essay winner was Olivia Neumann for "The Nature of Crime and Punishment in Industrial Britain, 1750-1850." The Long Historiographic Essay Honorable Mention was awarded to Aaron Vrablic for "Discussions of European Social Catholicism and Catholic Labor Movements: From the Onset of Industrialization to WWI." Vrablic was also the Long Research Essay winner for "George F. Johnson and His Utopia: The Fight Against Unionization." The Long Research Essay Honorable Mention was awarded to Devyn Hom for "Stonewall: The Catalyst for the Gay Liberation Movement." Prizes were made possible by the Maynard Redfield Fund. Dr. Redfield, a former professor in the History department, became the benefactor to present and future members of the department by establishing a fund, through a generous bequest, that facilitates faculty scholarship; many conference papers and publications have grown out of grants from the Redfield Fund. The Maynard Redfield History Essay Competition for undergraduate students also benefits from Dr. Redfield's generous donation and is named after him.

Three SUNY Oneonta students have been named 2025 recipients of the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Fernando Trejo, Emily Petramale and Aaron Paul were among a select group of State University of New York students recognized by SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. during a reception in their honor in Albany on Tuesday, April 29. All three students are members of the Class of 2025. "We are so proud of Fernando, Emily and Aaron and all they have given to the SUNY Oneonta community," said President Alberto Cardelle. "They are true leaders and inspiring role models, and their achievements here are just the beginning. I can't wait to see the difference they'll make in the world beyond our campus." The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, or CASE, is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts.

SUNY Oneonta students Daniela Hernandez and Nicolai Glouchkov were two of only 50 students statewide to receive the 2025 Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The award, now celebrating its sixth class of honorees, recognizes outstanding students in SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) for their academic merit and perseverance. The SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor John B. King Jr. recognized the students' achievements during a ceremony in Troy, NY, on March 11. The honor is named in memory of Norman R. McConney Jr. (1946-2016), a graduate of the University at Albany and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY. McConney, alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, helped create the EOP as a statewide program.

Alex Garcia, a Peer Mental Health Corps member serving at the on-campus counseling center, received the "Excellence in Service, Going Above and Beyond" award at the inaugural Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) summit on March 1 in Syracuse. ESSC members from SUNY institutions across the state gathered at the summit to provide a valuable opportunity for networking and collaboration. Participants also had the chance to engage with SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. during an insightful fireside chat. Through the program, Garcia has built meaningful connections with students and faculty members in the Oneonta community, gained valuable career-related skills and collaborated with others to support larger initiatives. Garcia is a dual major at SUNY Oneonta in Psychology and Sociology and a member of the class of 2026. "Service is important to me because since I began volunteering at a young age," said Garcia. "I've seen firsthand how it builds a community and provides a platform to hear the voices and concerns of those who are historically underserved. I believe that supporting local efforts and nonprofits turns into a push toward a more equitable and welcoming world." The Empire State Service Corps is a program that empowers students to complete 300 paid public service hours over the course of a year. Corps members are also eligible for educational awards through AmeriCorps. The program focuses on key areas such as sustainability, civic engagement, basic needs outreach, anti-hate and bias prevention and FAFSA completion.

Juliette Devenpeck, a Peer Mental Health Corps member serving at Laurens Central School, received the "Cohort Champion" award at the inaugural Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) summit on March 1 in Syracuse. ESSC members from SUNY institutions across the state gathered at the summit to provide a valuable opportunity for networking and collaboration. Participants also had the chance to engage with SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. during an insightful fireside chat. As part of the Peer Mental Health Cohort, much of Devenpeck's time is spent in a local K-12 guidance office, offering support in several areas. Her work includes assisting seniors with career exploration, five-year plans and resumes, as well as helping students in grades 6-9 with stress management and emotion regulation. She also provides individual reading support to a 7th-grade student. "Serving youth is important to me because I believe in focusing on financial literacy and other life skills as a foundation for success after high school," said Devenpeck, a Psychology major and member of the class of 2028. "I have gained valuable experience working with children of all ages and abilities." Observing the daily responsibilities of a guidance counselor has further reinforced her passion for pursuing a career in school counseling. The Empire State Service Corps is a program that empowers students to complete 300 paid public service hours over the course of a year. Corps members are also eligible for educational awards through AmeriCorps. The program focuses on key areas such as sustainability, civic engagement, basic needs outreach, anti-hate and bias prevention, and FAFSA completion.

Eighty-three SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award in the fall 2024 semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. To be eligible for the award, a student who meets the GPA requirement must either be a full-time first-year or transfer student. Students received the award on Dec. 3 following the annual Richard Siegfried Junior Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence Lecture. Dr. Chelsea McCracken, assistant professor of media studies at SUNY Oneonta, was this year's Junior Faculty Prize recipient. McCracken delivered this year's Richard Siegfried Lecture, titled "Visualizing Hollywood's Gender Inequities Through Female Dialogue" at the Morris Conference Center on campus. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen and Chekhov, his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and his leadership in improvisation's imaginative creativity.

More than 50 SUNY Oneonta students received an Academic Achievement Award on May 8, 2024, during the 36th annual recognition reception on campus. Each academic department chooses one to three students who stand out from the rest of their peers in their major to receive this award. Undergraduate Academic Achievement Awards recognize exceptional seniors after reviewing their scholarly accomplishments. To be eligible for an Academic Achievement Award, seniors need a 3.5 GPA in their major. Faculty nominate students in their department at SUNY Oneonta based on further academic or professional pursuits and a demonstration of leadership on- and off-campus. Graduate Academic Achievement Awards recognize academic performance, leadership and excellence in scholarship. Awards are made to post-baccalaureate students at SUNY Oneonta, whether they do most of their work on campus or through a distance-learning format. Awardees may excel in various areas, including exemplary work on a thesis or other capstone project, leadership and involvement in department, campus or community activities, or exceptional academic or professional performance in the classroom and beyond.

Three SUNY Oneonta students were named Milne Library Scholars for the 2023-24 academic year and were honored at a banquet dinner on campus on April 17. The Milne Library Scholar program supports student scholarship at SUNY Oneonta by offering resources and opportunities specifically tailored to undergraduate and graduate researchers. Only four Milne Library Scholars are named at any time, three undergraduate students and one graduate student, and students from any discipline are encouraged to apply. To become a Milne Library Scholar, students must submit an application that indicates their research project meets specific criteria such as evidence that the project can be completed within the academic year with enough initial work already being completed at the time of the application, the research project must align with the mission of the Milne Library, whether or not their project will make use of library resources, demonstrates clear and focused research agenda and communication skills. Milne Library Scholars receive access to private furnished study spaces in the library, regular consultation from librarian experts on scholarly research and publication, an invitation to a banquet honoring them, eligibility for selection as Milne Library Scholar of the Year and special opportunities to showcase their scholarship to the campus community. Students are expected to produce a completed research project to show the campus community at the end of their time as Milne Library Scholars.

Three SUNY Oneonta students have been named 2024 recipients of the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Dasia Harrigan, Graham Wooden and Olivia Schuler were among a select group of State University of New York students recognized by SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. during a reception in their honor in Albany on Thursday, April 11. All three students are seniors and will graduate in May. "Graham, Dasia and Olivia are stellar student leaders and role models for their peers, and the entire university community is very proud of them," said SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle. "I know their exemplary achievements and service here is only the beginning of their story, and I look forward to seeing the wonderful things they go on to do beyond SUNY Oneonta." The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, or CASE, is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts.

A total of 206 SUNY Oneonta students were recognized for academic excellence during the 2023-2024 Susan Sutton Smith event on Tuesday, April 9. The Susan Sutton Smith awards are given each spring to first-year students, sophomores and juniors who have earned a grade-point average of 3.9 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The on-campus event also featured the annual Susan Sutton Smith Lecture, delivered this year by Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Kiyoko Yokota. Dr. Yokota received the faculty Susan Sutton Smith Award, and her lecture was titled "Clean but Green - the Paradox of the Oligotrophic Cyanobacterial Blooms." Two additional faculty members were recognized at the event. Adjunct Associate Professor of Theatre Carmela Marner received the university's annual Simphiwe Hilatshwayo Award for Outstanding Part-Time Instructor. Assistant Professor of Law Dr. Sean Shannon received the Innovative Pedagogy Award. This lecture and the awards for academic excellence are made possible by the generous gifts of SUNY Oneonta alumni to the Fund for Oneonta. The Susan Sutton Smith Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence is made possible by an endowment created through the generosity of Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Smith in memory of their daughter, Susan, in honor of her commitment to academic excellence.

Sixty SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award in the fall 2023 semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. To be eligible for the award, a student who meets the GPA requirement must either be a full-time first-year or transfer student. Students received the award on Dec. 5 following the annual Richard Siegfried Junior Faculty Prize for Academic Excellence Lecture. Dr. Matthew Unangst, assistant professor of history at SUNY Oneonta, was this year's Junior Faculty Prize recipient. He delivered this year's Richard Siegfried Lecture, titled "Then is Now: History as Politics in Germany, Tanzania, and Beyond," in the Morris Conference Center on campus. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen and Chekhov, his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and his leadership in improvisation's imaginative creativity.

SUNY Oneonta senior Samuel Rodriguez is one of just 46 students in the SUNY system to receive the Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. Awardees were recognized during a ceremony in Albany on Monday, April 17. Now celebrating its fourth class of awardees, the award recognizes outstanding Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students for their academic merit and perseverance. The honor is named in memory of Norman R. McConney, Jr. (1946-2016), a graduate of the University at Albany and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY. McConney, alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, helped create the EOP as a statewide program.

More than 50 SUNY Oneonta students received an Academic Achievement Award on May 10, 2023, during the 35th annual recognition reception on campus. Each academic department chooses one to three students who stand out from the rest of their peers in their major to receive this award. Undergraduate Academic Achievement Awards recognize exceptional seniors after reviewing their scholarly accomplishments. To be eligible for an Academic Achievement Award, seniors need a 3.5 GPA in their major. Faculty nominate students in their department at SUNY Oneonta based on further academic or professional pursuits and a demonstration of leadership on- and off-campus. Graduate Academic Achievement Awards recognize academic performance, leadership and excellence in scholarship. Awards are made to post-baccalaureate students at SUNY Oneonta, whether they do most of their work on campus or through a distance-learning format. Awardees may excel in various areas, including exemplary work on a thesis or other capstone project, leadership and involvement in department, campus or community activities, or exceptional academic or professional performance in the classroom and beyond.

Three SUNY Oneonta students have been named 2023 recipients of the prestigious SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Melissa Rose "Rosie" Garrecht, Jamie Crique and Robert C. "Bobby" Lang were among a select group of State University of New York students recognized by SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. during a reception in their honor Monday, April 24. All three students are seniors and will graduate in May. "These are exceptional student leaders who have served as role models for their campus peers," said SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle. "We're extremely proud of Rosie, Jamie and Bobby, and I am confident that their exemplary service and achievements here will be the groundwork for wonderful things beyond SUNY Oneonta." The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, or CASE, is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts.

More than 40 SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award this semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. In order to be eligible to receive the Richard Siegfried Student Award, a student must be a full-time freshman or transfer student with a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen, and Chekhov, to his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and to his leadership in the imaginative creativity of improvisation.

SUNY Oneonta recognized more than 50 outstanding students with its 2022 Academic Achievement Awards. One to three students were chosen from each of the college's academic departments and programs. In addition to their excellent work in the classroom, students were honored for distinguishing themselves in many ways, including research, activism, mentoring, athletics, involvement in campus activities, and volunteerism.

Thirty-two students were recognized by SUNY Oneonta's History Department during its Awards and Phi Alpha Theta Induction ceremony on April 8 in the Morris Conference Center.

SUNY Oneonta's Sociology Department inducted seven students into the International Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Delta.

December 2021 SUNY Oneonta graduate Catherin Flores Granados is one of 45 recipients of SUNY's 2022 Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. Now celebrating its third class of honorees,the award recognizes outstanding Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students for their academic merit and strength in overcoming significant personal obstacles throughout their lives. The honor is named in memory of Norman R. McConney, Jr. (1946-2016), a graduate of the University at Albany and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY. McConney, alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, helped create the EOP as a statewide program.

Four SUNY Oneonta students are among an elite group chosen to receive the 2022 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Teresa Lopez-Long, Gabrielle Cecere, Alyssa Carbone and Alexa Laska were four of just 180 State University of New York students recognized by SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley during a reception in their honor Tuesday, April 26, at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, NY. "Teresa, Gabby, Alyssa and Alexa are impressive scholars and exceptional leaders who have served as role models for their campus peers," said SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle. "I have seen their dedication first hand, and I am confident that their exemplary service and achievements will be the groundwork for great things beyond SUNY Oneonta." Created in 1997, the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, career achievement, campus involvement, athletics, community service, or creative and performing arts.

A total of 196 students received the SUNY Oneonta 2021-2022 Susan Sutton Smith Award for Academic Excellence. The awards are given each spring to first-year students, sophomores and juniors who have earned a grade-point average of 3.9 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Over 80 SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award this semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. In order to be eligible to receive the Richard Siegfried Student Award, a student must be a full-time freshman or transfer student with a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen, or Chekhov, to his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and to his leadership in the imaginative creativity of improvisation.

SUNY Oneonta recognized more than 50 outstanding students with its 2021 Academic Achievement Awards. One to three students were chosen from each of the college's academic departments and programs. In addition to their excellent work in the classroom, students were honored for distinguishing themselves in many ways, including research, activism, mentoring, athletics, involvement in campus activities and volunteerism.

SUNY Oneonta student Arene Daziah Holston is among an elite group chosen to receive the 2021 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence is the highest honor that SUNY bestows upon students. It is presented annually to SUNY students who demonstrate academic excellence and integrate it with accomplishments in other areas, such as leadership, career achievement, campus involvement, athletics, community service, or creative and performing arts. Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor's Office for a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award. Since the Chancellor's Award program was implemented, 100 SUNY Oneonta students have received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence.

A total of 318 students received the SUNY Oneonta 2020-2021 Susan Sutton Smith Award for academic excellence. To be eligible for the award, a student must be a freshman, sophomore or junior with a grade-point average of 3.9 or higher.

Student Jennifer Le, was honored with the 2021 Psi Chi Honor Society Regional Research Award for her study "Psychopathy and Functions of Aggression: The Mediating Role of Behavioral, Cognitive, and Emotional Dysregulation." She was recognized at the recent Eastern Psychological Association's annual convention held on March 5-6. Le is a junior dual-majoring in psychology and criminal justice. She is conducting research with Dr. Katherine Lau in the Development of Aggression and Pathological Personality (DAPPer) Laboratory. Le's study investigates what may underlie the aggressive behaviors that we observe in detention center youth who show psychopathic personality traits. Specifically, she is looking at whether the aggressive behaviors are due to poor control over behavioral impulses, poor cognitive planning and considering of consequences, and/or the experience of intense emotions and difficulty with coping with those emotions. Psi Chi is an international honor society whose purpose shall be to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship of the individual members in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology.

SUNY Oneonta's Sociology Department inducted seven students into the International Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Delta.

Teresa Gonzalez, a senior at SUNY Oneonta, has been chosen as a recipient of SUNY's 2020 Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The award, which bears the name of the late Norman McConney, one of the architects of the statewide Educational Opportunity Program and a champion of youth empowerment, was established last year to celebrate EOP students who have overcome significant obstacles to achieve their educational and personal goals. An Adolescence Education major with a concentration in Spanish, Teresa is passionate about addressing challenges and inequalities faced by English Language Learner students in the United States. After leaving her home in Mexico as a teenager and coming to the U.S., Teresa faced many obstacles. Learning English was a challenge, particularly because the school she transferred into could not adequately accommodate her needs. Because of this, Teresa aspires to work with ELL students in seventh through twelfth grade and help them transition smoothly into the U.S. education system. Teresa is an active member of Chi Alpha Epsilon Honor Society and Phi Sigma Iota, the International Foreign Language Honor Society. She is also a Susan Sutton Smith Award for Academic Excellence winner, has been on the Dean's list for three consecutive semesters, and is active in the CAMP and AOP programs and the Hispanic Organization for Learning Advancement (H.O.L.A.) club. She has been a role model and mentor to many students, including an Oneonta High School student who had just arrived in the U.S. from Mexico. Teresa will be recognized at SUNY's virtual ceremony on Monday, Dec. 14. The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is a comprehensive support program for academically disadvantaged students from low-income families in New York. EOP is one of the oldest and most successful college access programs in the nation. In 2017, EOP marked a milestone, celebrating 50 years of providing college access, success, and opportunity.

Seventy SUNY Oneonta students received the Richard Siegfried Student Award this semester for earning a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. In order to be eligible to receive the Richard Siegfried Student Award, a student must be a full-time freshman or transfer student with a total GPA of 3.9 or higher. The award is named in memory of Richard K. Siegfried, SUNY Oneonta Professor of Theatre from 1958 until 1995. Professor Siegfried (or Sieg as generations of students fondly called him) epitomized excellence in his academic life, through imagination, meticulous scholarship and discipline, and through his expectation of the same pursuit of excellence in his students and colleagues. His dedication brought excellence to his work in such historical theater worlds as Aristophanes, Moliere, Ibsen, or Chekhov, to his rigorous study of the skills of voice and movement, and to his leadership in the imaginative creativity of improvisation.