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Rochester Area Colleges Continuing Education (RACCE) recognized 35 outstanding adult students, including three from ��Ӱֱ�� State, in its 32^nd annual Awards Ceremony and Banquet April 20 at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Henrietta.

The RACCE consortium of area colleges promotes and advocates for continuing education to adult and other non-traditional students in the greater Rochester area. RACCE’s extensive network of college administrators provide information about educational programs to students and fosters collaboration and professional development opportunities among its membership.

The Outstanding Adult Student Award recognizes adult students who have excelled academically while successfully combining their college education with other commitments to family, job, career, and service to the community.

This year’s recipients come from 13 Rochester-area colleges: University of Rochester, RIT, Keuka, St. John Fisher College, Nazareth College, Empire State College, College at Brockport, Genesee Community College, Monroe Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, ��Ӱֱ�� State, Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, and Roberts Wesleyan College.

Receiving awards from ��Ӱֱ�� State were Steven Richardson, agricultural technology, Akron; Dorothy Smith, culinary arts, Bath; and Shawn Murat, electrical construction and maintenance electrician, Bath.

Richardson maintains a 3.73 GPA and is on the dean’s list, while juggling college, a family, a farm, and community service. He credits ��Ӱֱ�� State for giving him a much deeper understanding of agriculture and a heightened understanding of the benefits of research and higher education. Richardson is a veteran and helps out with all ��Ӱֱ�� State’s Future Farmers of America events and has been a big voice for the chapter.

Smith worked for 32 years at Phillips Lighting in Bath, before starting over at ��Ӱֱ�� State. She maintains a 3.79 GPA and is on the dean’s list while balancing her family, internship, and fundraising/charity events. Smith is described as the “mom” of her program by other students, who value her work effort and ethics, as well as her approachable and welcoming personality. She volunteers her time for Culinary Arts Scholarship fundraising events and Christmas dinners for the Salvation Army.

Murat has a 3.81 GPA and is on the dean’s list while juggling school, family, a farm, and community service. He came to ��Ӱֱ�� State to continue his education and to learn a new trade. Murat plans on working in his field and continuing at ��Ӱֱ�� State to earn his bachelor’s degree in technology management. He is a great mentor to younger students, a former Army Reservist, a volunteer for the Steuben County 4-H program, and has refereed soccer for many years.

Tammy Woods Edwards, coordinator of Continuing Education at ��Ӱֱ�� State, said “Seeing the students receive their awards and hearing about all of the obstacles they have faced and overcome is very humbling. The three students from ��Ӱֱ�� State were just a few of the many adult students who were deserving of this award. Coming back to school after being out for many years is hard enough, then you add family, work, and other activities on top – these students are amazing.”