Dr. Heather McEntarfer and Assistant Professor Daniel Lendzian.
Recipients of the 2026 William T. and Charlotte N. Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award will be recognized and share their work. Assistant Professor Daniel Lendzian and Dr. Heather McEntarfer will make presentations on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m., in Rosch Recital Hall at SUNY Fredonia.
Lendzian, a faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance, will present “Some are Born Great, Some Achieve Greatness, but All need to Collaborate: Inter-action in Theatre Making,” while Dr. McEntarfer will present “Insights from Qualitative Research on Supporting Trans College Students and Trans Teacher Candidates.”
Lendzian has created original works for the stage, including an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” for Alleyway Theatre that sold out multiple performances, and has directed world and regional premieres of new plays at venues in Buffalo and beyond. He has also directed numerous productions as part of the Walter Gloor Mainstage Series at Fredonia.
As a performer, his portrayal of Malvolio in Shakespeare in Delaware Park’s 50th Anniversary production of “Twelfth Night” drew critical acclaim, with one reviewer calling it “a masterful performance.” He has performed nationally and internationally.
Lendzian has pursued training in internationally recognized acting methodologies through intensive study in Germany, Scotland, Ireland, and France. At Fredonia, he oversaw the inaugural One Act Play Festival, giving student playwrights the opportunity to see their original work produced on stage, and hosts the “Soundstage Western New York” podcast for Buffalo Rising, amplifying the voices of artists across the region.
McEntarfer is an associate professor in the Department of English. Her scholarship “sits at the intersection of teacher education, narrative inquiry, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.” Her 2016 book “Navigating Gender and Sexuality in the Classroom: Narrative Insights from Students and Educators” (Routledge) was the first book-length study to use narrative methodology to examine gender and sexuality in teacher education.
Subsequent research by McEntarfer has focused specifically on the experiences of transgender and nonbinary teachers and teacher candidates — work that has resulted in over twenty publications, as well as over twenty conference presentations.
Her research has had direct, concrete impacts at Fredonia — informing program changes that better support trans and nonbinary teacher candidates — while also offering an evidence base for educators and policymakers navigating these questions nationally.
The annual Hagan award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding recent achievements in research or creativity. The award is named in honor of the late William T. Hagan, Ph.D., a SUNY Distinguished Professor and eminent scholar specializing in the history of the American Indian. He was a former chair of the Department of History at SUNY Fredonia, as well as acting vice president for Academic Affairs.
The Robert W. Kasling Memorial Lecture and Hagan awards are funded through endowments established with the Fredonia College Foundation. There was no Kasling lecturer named for 2026.
The Oct. 20 event is free, and the public is invited to attend. It will be followed by a reception.
