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By Elizabeth Egan 

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

Students are chosen by a selection committee from their university and are then recommended to the chancellor. 

After tearing two ACLs during high school, Markham’s interest in learning more about medical devices and processes things like the biodegradable screws in her knee and MRI machines drew her to study biomedical engineering.

“I love biomedical engineering because even though the field is challenging, solving the puzzle of the human body has the ability to change millions of people’s lives at once,” said Markham. “Each year of college, I realized more and more that the biomedical field is complex, interdisciplinary and constantly evolving.”

At the University at Buffalo, Markham said that she values the opportunity to serve as a mentor in programs like the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) STEM Outreach Program and as a student leader in freshman engineering courses. She noted that an overarching theme of her time at UB has been making meaningful connections with students and faculty, and she added that saying yes to new opportunities played a significant role in furthering her academic and professional career.

One of Markham’s favorite experiences was attending a study abroad program in Romania, led by John Atkinson, associate professor and Scott and Coleen Stevens Chair in Engineering Sustainability in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. They joined students from over 12 other countries for a program hosted by the Board of Europeans Students of Technology to learn about Arduino coding and Romanian culture. Markham noted that Fetzner attended the trip as well, and that the two have been friends since meeting on their first day at UB during a welcome event.  

“Receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence means so much to me because I am proud of the hard work I have done and will continue to do,” said Markham. “The award is special because it acknowledges students who strive to be involved in the SUNY community beyond just academics.”

After graduating in May, Markham will start a position as an electrophysiology clinical specialist at Abbott, a medical device company in Buffalo and Rochester.

Fetzner is passionate about sustainability and making a positive impact on the planet.

As a student, Fetzner strives to immerse herself in many experiences that involve sustainability. She worked as a member of UB Sustainability’s Student Sustainability Impact Team and as a zero waste student assistant. As zero waste assistant, Fetzner launched a food scraps collection program in UB apartments, serving 218 students. She is also a part of the UB student club, Engineers for a Sustainable World, where she co-created an led a project turning algae into biodiesel.

“Recycling and composting have been an important part of my life and studying engineering gave me an outlet to build systems that will help improve our communities,” said Fetzner.

On top of the Romania program that she attended with Markham, Fetzner studied abroad in Costa Rica, a program also led by Atkinson, where she got to learn about clean energy systems, agroforestry and different cultures, an experience that she said was especially significant to her time at UB.

Fetzner is also an Empire State Service Corps member and works in Buffalo’s The Tool Library, a volunteer-led nonprofit that lends tools to community members. She is a UB Honors College scholar and a Western New York Prosperity Fellow.

Following her graduation in May, Fetzner plans on working for Casella Waste Systems in Buffalo, working on their university accounts in Western New York to accelerate zero waste programs and help universities reach their climate and waste diversion goals.

“Receiving this award is very impactful to me because the award embodies service towards the SUNY, UB and Buffalo communities,” said Fetzner. “I am passionate about giving back to the Buffalo community, which I now get to call home, and I am so thankful for my experiences at the university.”

Markham and Fetzner were recognized at an awards ceremony in Albany on April 29.