President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. (center) with SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence recipients (from left): Erin Mroczka (Professional Service), Jason K. Bussman (Adjunct Teaching), Christina Hilburger (Librarianship), Dr. Reneta Barneva (Faculty Service) and Rhonda Gominiak (Classified Service).
SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence were bestowed upon five nominees whose SUNY Fredonia careers encompass over 70 years of service.
Honorees were recognized at the opening all-campus meeting of the Fall 2025 semester.
Erin Mroczka, assistant vice president for Retention and Academic Success, was the recipient of the award for Professional Service and, with 27 years of service, is the longest tenured member of the cohort.
Ms. Mroczka has held three positions within Student Success and Retention Experience: assistant vice president for Retention and Academic Success; director of New Student and Transition Programs and associate director and assistant director of Campus Life. She initially served in Administrative Office Management as the Central Ticket Office manager, beginning in 1998.
Mroczka has a M.S. in Creativity Studies from SUNY Buffalo State University and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies: Arts and Business Administration from SUNY Fredonia.
Rhonda Gominiak, administrative assistant 2 in the Finance and Administration division, was the award recipient in Classified Service.
Upon beginning her campus career as a Secretary 1 in the Student Accounts Office in 2014, Ms. Gominiak helped students and parents navigate financial aid and billing. She then worked as a program aide in the Office of Field Service, placing education students in classrooms among other related duties.
In her new assignment in Finance and Administration that began in 2020, Gominiak coordinates the production of the division’s annual report and annual assessment requirements, among other duties. Her service goes beyond her job description.
Dr. Reneta Barneva, who has held teaching and leadership positions in the School of Business, and the departments of Computer and Information Sciences and Applied Professional Studies, received the award for Faculty Service.
Upon joining SUNY Fredonia in 2001 as an associate professor, Barneva has served as an associate director, professor, chair and program coordinator. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses, served as an undergraduate thesis advisor, and advised graduate students.
Barneva has master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science from the University of Sofia in Bulgaria and is a past recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, and named the Robert Kasling Memorial Lecturer.
Christina Hilburger, research and information literacy services librarian since 2020, received the award for Librarianship. Among her many duties are overseeing and coordinating the library’s information literacy program, providing personalized research support, collaborating on initiatives to align library services with institutional goals and enhancing the physical and strategic framework of the library.
She is also an author or co-author of parts of books, refereed journal articles and book and resource reviews and film reviews and a presenter at campus, state, national and international panels and workshops.
Ms. Hilburger has a Master of Information Studies from McGill University, a B.A. in Humanities from the University of Pennsylvania and an A.A. in Honors Studies from Harrisburg Area Community College.
Jason K. Bussman of the Department of English was the recipient of the award in Adjunct Teaching.
Mr. Bussman has taught Craft of Writing, Intro. to Creative Writing and Sports Writing at SUNY Fredonia since 2019. He has also served as an adjunct lecturer at St. Bonaventure University, Jamestown Community College and SUNY Buffalo State University, and has taught in five public school districts, dating back to 2009.
Additional writing positions include news/wire editor, editorial assistant and creative consultant/copywriter/copy editor.
Bussman has a M.F.A. in Creative and Professional Writing from Western Connecticut State University, and a M.A. in English, B.A. in Adolescence Education: English and B.A. in English, all from SUNY Fredonia.
