Eight Women Named Distinguished Professors at the State University of New York

The State University of New York System is the largest university system in the United States with 64 campuses that enroll more than 467,000 students. Recently, the SUNY board of trustees named 21 faculty as Distinguished Professors. Since the program’s inception nearly a half-century ago, SUNY has appointed 942 faculty members to the rank of Distinguished Professor.

This year, eight of the 21 new Distinguished Professors are women. Here are brief biographies of the women honored by the SUNY trustees.

(L to R) Maria Hepel, Julie Newell, Beth McCoy, Lynn Anderson, Linda House, Judith LaRosa, Lauren Lieberman, and Ruth Weinstock

Maria Hepel is a professor and chair of the department of chemistry at SUNY Potsdam. She has been on the faculty at the university since 1985. Dr. Hepel has published nearly 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Jagiellorian University in Krakow, Poland.

Julie Newell is a professor of voice and coordinator of the opera program at SUNY Fredonia. She joined the SUNY Fredonia faculty in 1990. Professor Newell has promoted study abroad programs in Italy and Japan.

Beth McCoy is a professor of English at SUNY Geneseo. She teaches courses on African American literature and core courses in the humanities and writing. She has been on the university’s faculty since 1997. Professor McCoy holds bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees, all from the University of Delaware.

Lynn Anderson is a professor of recreation, parks, and leisure studies at SUNY Cortland. She has been on the faculty since 1998 and served as department chair for 12 years. Professor Anderson is a graduate of the University of North Dakota. She earned a master’s degree at the University of Oregon and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

Linda House is a professor of communicative disorders and sciences at SUNY Geneseo. She has chaired the department for 24 years. The department operates the Speech and Hearing Clinic which offers members of the community services at a nominal cost and provides valuable clinical experience for SUNY Geneseo students.

Judith LaRosa is one of the founders of the School of Public Health at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Professor LaRosa holds a doctorate in health education from the University of Maryland.

Lauren Lieberman is a professor of adapted physical education at SUNY’s College of Brockport. In 1996, she started Camp Abilities, a sports camp for children with visual impairments. Professor Lieberman is a graduate of West Chester University in Pennsylvania. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and a Ph.D. from Oregon State University.

Ruth Weinstock is a professor of medicine at SUNY’s Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. She is the director of the Upstate Joslin Diabetes Center. Professor Weinstock holds a medical degree and a Ph.D. from Columbia University.