Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences shines at Career Champions breakfast
College earns excellence award, Decker faculty member named supervisor of the year
On Friday, March 27, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences received the Excellence in Career Integration Award at the Binghamton University 2026 Career Champions breakfast. Additionally, Rodney Gabel, a professor in Decker’s Division of Speech and Language Pathology, was named Supervisor of the Year, and 17 faculty and staff members from across the college were selected as Career Champions (see list, right).
Established by the University’s Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development in 2015, career champions are nominated by students to recognize faculty and staff who have helped them discover their purpose, identify their career goals, strengthen academic or professional plans, or secure employment. Career champions may have assisted students in a variety of ways, including exploring career options, networking with professionals, applying to graduate school, connecting with employers for jobs or internships, gaining technical or professional skills, and learning industry knowledge.
This year’s event marked the start of two new awards: the Excellence in Career Integration, awarded at the department/program and school/college levels, and Supervisor of the Year.
Presented by Allison Pham, a nursing student from the Class of 2026, the Excellence in Career Integration Award honors outstanding collaboration in advancing the career partnership through intentional integration of career education into curriculum and programs, expanding access to career development, and enabling students to connect their academic experiences with meaningful career paths.
“Career education is built into the student experience across programs, including nursing, public health, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. This year alone, those efforts reached more than 650 students,” Pham said.
The college also makes career support easily accessible outside the classroom, she added, citing opportunities such as healthcare-focused career fairs, resume workshops, and the NYC Connections program that takes students to healthcare facilities across New York City to tour the sites, connect with nurses (including Decker alumni where possible) and administrators, and learn about internship and job opportunities.
Having resources from the Fleishman Center and Decker College, “make a real difference in helping students feel prepared and confident as they move into the healthcare field,” Pham added before inviting Sara Wozniak ’06, MS ’09, PhD ’24, associate dean, Decker College, to the podium to accept the award.
Kathie Boice, assistant director of student employment at the Fleishman Center, presented Gabel with the Supervisor of the Year Award. This award recognizes a Binghamton supervisor who has made an exceptional impact on student employees through mentorship, leadership, and support. It highlights supervisors who create meaningful employment experiences that help students develop professional skills, gain confidence, and prepare for their future careers. Boice noted that Gabel received multiple nominations for the award.
“I appreciate everything that you all do to support each of our students in their journey of holistic growth and holistic student success here at the University,” Binghamton University President Anne D’Alleva, the event’s final speaker, told the audience. “Thank you for the things that you are teaching our students today, things that will make such a difference to them as they move on in their careers.”