Four SEAS students receive SUNY Chancellor’s Award

The award, created in 1997, is given annually to recognize high-achieving SUNY students who also excel in such areas as leadership, community service, campus involvement or the arts.

Each year, selection committees from each SUNY campus consider nominees, who are then recommended to the chancellor’s office.

This year’s winners were invited to attend an awards ceremony April 11 in Albany.

UB’s recipients of the 2024 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence:

Dior Gillins of Wappinger Falls graduates with a BS in electrical engineering and a BA in media study with a production concentration. A University Honors College scholar and Dean’s List student, Gillins has been a student leader, student assistant grader, treasurer of the Women’s Healthcare and Wellness Association, and praise dance coordinator for the UB gospel choir. She also worked as a technical operations and engineering intern at CNBC and as a cloud production assistant intern at CBS Sports. In addition, she took part in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates with the University of Michigan’s PICASSO program.

Brennan Gorman graduates with an MBA and a BS in civil engineering and a minor in music performance. As president of the UB Residence Hall Association, Gorman started the award-winning. late-night talk show “Late Night at UB.” Gorman also played a pivotal role as the executive director of policy for the SUNY Student Assembly, advocating on behalf of SUNY’s 1.4 million students. An entrepreneur as well as a student, Gorman founded Bay Gull Productions to empower Gen-Z creators, and also co-founded Empowered Advocacy Network, a nonprofit dedicated to education reform.

Anoop Nilam of Williamsville graduates with a BS in biomedical engineering and a BA in mathematics. A Pride of New York scholar in the University Honors College, Nilam has conducted nanomedicine research at UB, leading a project to develop a malaria vaccine. He has served in several leadership roles, including as president of UB’s Association of Pre-Medical Students, treasurer of UB’s Tau Beta Pi engineering honors society. He is a member of Compeer’s volunteer advisory board committee, leading mental health support recruitment. Nilam also has served as a teaching assistant for introductory and upper-level biology courses.

Anna Walsh of Spencerport graduates with a BS in biomedical engineering and a minor in biological sciences. An Honors College scholar and member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, Walsh has held positions as a teaching assistant, peer mentor and leader in the biomedical engineering society. She take part in numerous programs to support early exposure, mentorship and inclusivity in technical fields. Walsh created a team that teaches introductory STEM concepts in schools without active curriculum in these areas. She also interns in the cardiac rhythm management division at Medtronic.