April 22, 2025 — Distinguished faculty members across Marist are often celebrated for their contributions to academics and the Marist community, but recognition from the students they teach is especially meaningful.

Each year the Student Government Association (SGA) honors outstanding professors with Faculty of the Year Awards. This year, over 149 nominees were submitted, followed by a voting process in which students selected from the top three nominees in each of Marist’s six schools.

“The impressive number of nominations from the student body is a true reflection of both the exceptional talent of Marist faculty and the meaningful impact they have on students’ lives,” said John Genoni '27, Deputy Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Students want to recognize the faculty members who have made a difference in their college experience, and their overwhelming participation shows how seen, supported, and valued they feel.”

The winners are then honored at the Faculty of the Year Award Ceremony, hosted each year by the Student Government Association's Academic Affairs Board. This year, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Ana Domenici '27, advocated for the award ceremony to be held in the Dyson Atrium to elevate the event.

"I was really excited that we were able to have the event in the Dyson Atrium because it is the perfect space to foster connection between faculty and students," said Ana. "It was incredibly rewarding to see students and faculty come together to celebrate the accomplishments of our professors and the impact they’ve had on students’ academic journeys. I seriously could not have asked for a better team to work with."

“There are so many ways to define what makes a great professor—whether it’s leading engaging lectures, offering valuable industry insight, or simply being someone students can count on for guidance and support,” said Noelle Stamm '26, SGA Co-Representative. "The awards are our way of saying thank you to those who have helped us grow, challenged us to think critically and deeply, and supported us in reaching our goals."

Provost Katie Kodat and President Kevin Weinman both attended the celebration to extend their congratulations to the honorees and to acknowledge their significant contributions to the University.

See below for this year’s winners.

School of Communication and the Arts: Rebecca Brown

(Left to right) Noelle Stamm '26, Rebecca Brown, Jami Rusczyk '26, and Lily Petruzzo '25. 

Professor Rebecca Brown, senior professional lecturer of fashion merchandising, has been involved with the fashion industry for over 20 years, where she has become a leader in the field. She has brought this knowledge to Marist, making a meaningful impact on students and faculty through her attachment to the fashion program. Professor Brown has made a lasting mark on the Marist community by directing the experiential MPorium Retail Entrepreneurship course that allows students to gain substantial exposure to the retail merchandising world.

School of Science: Heather Schiller

(Left to right) Jen Liguori '25, Abigail Oliveros '26, Heather Schiller, and Alexa Abrams '26. 

Dr. Heather Schiller is a lecturer of biology with a background in microbiology. Her PhD dissertation focused on characterizing processes and elucidating cell-shape determinants in a species of archaea. She’s also worked to develop accessible microbiology experiments for high school and undergraduate programs and mentored undergraduate research.

School of Computer Science and Math: Carla Hill

(Left to right) Adam Macklin '28, Professor Carla Hill, and Giana Schmidt '26. 

Professor Carla Hill is a lecturer in mathematics, and she began her higher education teaching career as an adjunct instructor at Dutchess Community College, where she discovered their passion for teaching and working with students. She continued her teaching career at Marist as an adjunct, and since then has become a full-time professor. Professor Hill has been a dedicated educator for over 20 years teaching primarily statistics and First Year Seminar.

School of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Stephanie Purington

Adam Macklin '28 and Stephanie Purington. 

Dr. Stephanie Purington is a professional lecturer of education and received her PhD in teacher education and curriculum studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she studied math identity and mathematical knowledge for teaching. At Marist, she works with our teacher education students teaching math concepts for the elementary school classroom as well as STEM courses which equip candidates with the skills needed to facilitate lessons relating to science, technology, engineering and math.

School of Liberal Arts: Annamaria Maciocia

(Left to right) Madeline Hill '28, Sabrina Coppola '27, Annamaria Maciocia, and John Genoni.

Professor Annamaria Maciocia is a senior professional lecturer of law and the Director of the Paralegal Program. Throughout her time at Marist, she has also become a pre-law advisor and serves as a mentor for students applying to law school. When she is not working with students, Professor Maciocia serves as a Judge for the Dutchess County Court. 

School of Management: John Finnigan

(Left to right). Robert Moia '26, John Finnigan, and Zofia Matis Iacovitti '27. 

Professor John Finnigan is a senior professional lecturer known for teaching the investment analysis and financial literacy courses at Marist. He is involved in advising for the MBA Program, as well as serving as an advisor for both the Business Club and Beta Alpha Psi. He has also helped implement financial literacy initiatives across Marist. He began the ASPIRE Program, which is an international study program designed to help finance and accounting students accelerate their studies and experience international travel.

Part-Time Faculty: Steven Rossi

Noelle Stamm '26 and Professor Steven Rossi. 

Professor Steven Rossi is an economics professor at Marist University who brings a wealth of real-world experience to his teaching. He previously served as Vice President of Credit Administration at Rhinebeck Bank and Vice President of Finance at Medallies, Inc. Professor Rossi played a key role in founding Marist Red Fox Financial, our student-run credit union on campus. He currently teaches financial markets and macroeconomics, and will soon launch a new personal finance course aimed at helping students gain confidence in managing their finances after graduation.