Two Alfred State Employees Were Honored At A Luncheon

Matt DiRado and Jen Enke were honored with the Leadership through Civic Engagement Awards at the college annual employee recognition luncheon. The award is presented annually by the College Council to acknowledge students, faculty, and staff who have led or initiated exemplary academic and/or co-curricular initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to engaging in the community – locally, nationally, or globally – through service, volunteerism, activism, politics, and much more.

DiRado, an Associate Professor of Architecture, has emphasized and embedded civic engagement principles into his teaching, research, and service at Alfred State. Through sustained partnerships with Southern Tier communities, his work has connected students with community needs through public-interest design, historic preservation, and urban revitalization projects.

He has served as faculty director for revitalization projects in communities, including Friendship, Belfast, Wellsville, Angelica, and Cuba. Just this semester he worked with the Almond Community Church, the Wellsville Theater, and the Ludowici Terra Cotta Building. His work is innovative and allows the students to approach projects that use real public policy, planning, and preservation standards. His endeavors have benefited so many local communities and has used the design talent that is being developed at Alfred State to help the Southern Tier.
Enke, the Associate Director of Athletics, has helped foster a culture where service and community impact are woven into the fabric of the department. Under her guidance, civic engagement has become an ethos with the department. The department actively tracks civic engagement by team, and their records emphasize the breadth and depth of this commitment.

Every team participates in meaningful service projects from Special Olympics to partnerships with local community initiatives. She is the common denominator and thread woven through the department’s efforts. She has transformed civic engagement from an aspiration into a lived reality for over 400 student-athletes.

At the college’s Honors Convocation, Alfred State students Isaiah Dempson and Tayler Taitt received similar awards from the College Council.