SUNY Jamestown Community College is proud to announce that two of its students have been named recipients of the 2026 State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence.
Alexandria Goodyear, a Nursing student from Hinsdale, N.Y., and Mufaro Malungisa, a Computer Science student from Pretoria, South Africa, will be honored at a statewide ceremony Monday, April 27, at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, N.Y.
The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence is among the most prestigious honors bestowed by SUNY, recognizing students who have best demonstrated integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in leadership, campus involvement, athletics, community service, or the arts. More than 200 scholars from across the SUNY system will be recognized at this year's ceremony.
Goodyear is set to graduate this spring with a Nursing A.A.S. degree from the Cattaraugus County Campus. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA while meeting the demands of rigorous clinical and laboratory requirements of the Nursing program, earning a place on the Dean's List each semester. In fall 2024, she was selected to the All-USA Academic Team, one of the most competitive national honors for community college students.
Beyond academics, Goodyear has led as president of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society's Cattaraugus County Campus Chapter, where she spearheaded a second-hand Christmas cart initiative to support students in need during the holiday season. She has also served as a peer tutor across multiple disciplines — including nursing, science, math, English, and psychology — and participated in a two-week service trip to Guatemala in summer 2025, where she worked with children facing physical and mental health challenges.
Goodyear plans to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing through Western Governors University and pursue certification as a registered nurse anesthetist.
Malungisa graduated in December with a Computer Science A.S. degree. Originally from Zimbabwe, Malungisa earned a 3.76 GPA and maintained Dean's List status each semester while pursuing a demanding Computer Science curriculum. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and participated in JCC's Honors Program, completing applied projects in data analysis and web development.
Malungisa held an exceptional range of leadership roles during his time on the Jamestown Campus, serving as a student trustee, resident assistant, student senator, vice president of the International Club, and team manager for JCC's men's basketball team.
In addition to his campus involvement, Malungisa completed both an artificial intelligence internship focused on integrating AI tools into JCC systems, and an information technology internship at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown during summer 2025. He is committed to leveraging technology and leadership to drive meaningful change as he advances his academic and professional career.
"Alexandria and Mufaro represent the very best of what our students accomplish at JCC," said Daniel DeMarte, JCC president. "Their dedication to academic excellence, their service to their communities, and the leadership they have shown on our campus make this honor well deserved. We are incredibly proud of both of them."