Albany, NY – The State University of New York announced two student-athletes and members of the SUNY Canton Class of 2023 received the prestigious Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence (CASE).

Samantha Dayter, a Nursing major from Cohoes, and Jonah R. Black, a Forensic Criminology and Applied Psychology double major from Canton, accepted their awards at a special ceremony in Albany from SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr.
This honor, established in 1997, is bestowed upon students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement.

"There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and each of the students recognized is an example of our extraordinary student body and their rich and diverse 'SUNY stories,'" said Chancellor King. "Student success is at the core of everything we do, and I am honored to celebrate students from 63 SUNY campuses who are receiving this year's Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence. Every student can find their community at SUNY, and I congratulate each of the CASE winners for making the most out of their college experience."

Samantha Dayter
Dayter is a standout student-athlete who has excelled in one of the college's most academically demanding programs, while making community service a priority.
 
She previously earned an Associate's degree in Nursing and is a licensed Registered Nurse. Earlier this month she graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nursing and a minor in Applied Psychology. Her academic accomplishments include both President's and Dean's List honors.
 
Dayter, a two-sport athlete competing on the women's lacrosse and basketball teams is a native of Cohoes. She was named the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Player of the Year three times in women's lacrosse, earned First Team All-Conference accolades three times and earned Second Team All-Region honors from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) in 2022. Dayter has broken numerous program records for the women's lacrosse team and led the team to two conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths during her time with the team. She has been captain of the women's basketball team for the last two years and led the team with 127 assists (4.88/game) this season. Dayter was also named the SUNY Canton Athletics department's Female Student-Athlete of the Year in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years.
 
Her extracurricular endeavors include serving on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and as a peer tutor. Her community involvement includes volunteering at youth lacrosse and basketball clinics, as well as representing SUNY Canton as a torch-runner for the 2023 FISU World University Games. 
 
Dayter is considering several post-graduate degree paths.
 

Jonah Black
Black, a member of the men's cross country team, is among the first students at SUNY Canton to take advantage of a new policy that allows students to earn a double major and has maintained a 4.0 GPA in both the Forensic Criminology and Applied Psychology programs.
 
As an honors student, he has completed a number of research projects throughout his academic career on topics related to the FBI's impact on the field of forensics, as well as the cultural psychology of the FBI. His extracurricular activities include being a member of the men's cross country team for four seasons, as well as a member of the Outdoor Adventure Club and serving as the Student Government President during the 2021-22 academic year.
 
In addition to his campus involvement, he has been a volunteer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 2019 and has completed professional training in team communications and risk management as part of his membership.
 
After graduation, Black plans to continue his education to earn a Master's degree in Business and enlist in the Coast Guard.
 
 


About SUNY Canton
As Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs, SUNY Canton delivers quality hands-on programs in digital design, engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. As SUNY's leader in online education, SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 23 online degree programs. The college placed first in 14 categories in a SUNY-Wide Student Opinion Survey, most notably in career services, tutoring, library resources, and classroom facilities. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos 15 traditional athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level as part of the North Atlantic Conference. SUNY Canton also features varsity esports and cheerleading.