CHANCELLOR AWARDS
SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence
Four Rockland Community College employees were honored for
outstanding professional achievement at Commencement 2017,
receiving SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.
EXCELLENCE IN
FACULTY SERVICE
PATRICIA ZODDA, Associate Professor/Chair, Ex-
ercise and Human Performance, has been an RCC faculty
member since 1994 and full-time instructor since 2000.
She was instrumental in procuring the Perkins Grant to
develop the College’s Human Performance Lab, and she
initiated the College’s Fitness Specialist program and AS
degree in Human Performance Studies.
She supports the College community through service on academic committees
and has played a key role on the Reapportionment, Tenure and Promotion Policy
and Procedures Committee. Her dedication to charitable causes on campus
includes fundraising efforts for the scholarship that honors the memory of
Melissa Dimataris, a performing arts student who died in 2013.
A certified personal trainer, Zodda has taught exercise science, physical
education, fitness and wellness, fitness counseling, and swimming, encouraging
lifelong fitness goals and structuring curriculum to maximize enjoyment and
appreciation of exercise activity. Zodda earned a BS in physical education from
SUNY Cortland and an MS in exercise science from Long Island University.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
KEVIN BARRETT, PhD, Assistant
Professor/Chair of Criminal Justice, served
the Englewood Police Department (32
years) and brings the College a wealth
of real world experience. He updated 17
Criminal Justice courses and added four
new ones, while encouraging other “pra-
cademics” to teach here so students learn
from experts who bring textbook concepts to life.
Barrett instituted a recognition ceremony for high-achieving CJ
students and was instrumental in developing the Criminal Justice
Career Mosaic where students learn about career opportunities
from agencies including the FBI, Rockland County Sheriff,
Rockland District Attorney’s Office, the Center for Safety and
Change, the NYPD, and private security firms.
Dr. Barrett co-chaired the Middle States Re-Accreditation
Self Study, a rigorous two-year cross-campus study and report
that successfully concluded in March 2017 with approval on
all standards. A certified instructor at the NJ Police Training
Commission and full-time faculty member at RCC since Fall
2010, Barrett earned a BA in political science from Montclair State
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College, and an MA, a Master of Philosophy and a PhD in criminal
justice, all from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
GEORGE D. REPIC, Instructor/
Chair of Business, has assumed many
leadership roles since joining the faculty in
Fall 2013. He has chaired several depart-
ments, including Business, Economics,
and Office Technologies, and served as
Coordinator for Marketing, Management
and Multicultural Studies. He coordinates
the SUNY Cobleskill BBA program at RCC.
Repic recently developed and taught a SUNY COIL
(Collaborative Online International Learning) course, partnering
with a La Salle University professor for the course in Mexico
City. Now a PhD candidate in global affairs at Rutgers University,
Repic brings more than 20 years of corporate experience to his
teaching, with academic experience across business, economics and
political science disciplines.
He combines high standards with a deep understanding of