Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences held a brunch and awards event on Oct. 3 as part of Binghamton University’s 2026 Homecoming celebration, which also marked the University’s 80th birthday and the inauguration of Anne D’Alleva as the University’s eighth president. The event was held at the University’s Health Sciences Building in Johnson City, New York, which has been home to Decker College since 2020.

Almost 100 alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends, and families gathered to celebrate Decker College. 

“Our predecessor, the School of Nursing, was established in 1969 with a handful of faculty and staff, 17 students, and two classrooms,” said Sharon Bryant, associate dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Decker College. “Almost six decades later, Decker now has more than 7,600 alumni worldwide — amazing alumni from nursing, public health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology.”

Decker College update

Bryant also briefly updated attendees on recent accomplishments at the college, including:

• SUNY Chancellor John King’s Oct. 1 announcement that Decker College’s Innovative Simulation and Practice Center has been named a SUNY Simulation Center of Excellence and will receive $10 million in capital funding to expand simulation spaces and add new technology and equipment.
• The Doctor of Physical Therapy program earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education in May.
• The Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education in July.
• A new Master of Public Health/Master of Science in Community Health Nursing double-degree program became available this fall, allowing students to complete both degrees in three years.

In addition to welcoming more than 1,000 new undergraduate and graduate students this fall, the college added several new faculty and staff members. Bryant also reported that Decker is continuing to expand the University’s Health Sciences Campus by adding the Binghamton Universal Clinical Center at Park, located nearby at 18 Park St. in Johnson City. The center will house the divisions of physical therapy and speech-language pathology, as well as clinics for OT, PT, and SLP.

Alumni awards presented

A highlight of the Homecoming Brunch was the conferral of four alumni achievement awards:

E. Kay Boland is the winner of Decker's 2026 Dean’s Alumni Impact Award for creating a legacy of excellence and inspiring future nurses. She is the senior vice president and chief operating officer at United Health Services and UHS Hospitals. Boland earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1979 and, in 1982, her master’s degree and advanced certificate as a family nurse practitioner, all from Decker College. Boland was unable to attend the ceremony, so Peggy Thomas, senior vice president and chief nursing officer of United Health Services, accepted on her behalf.

Yvonne Lozano Chesna '92, MS '96, is the recipient of the 2026 Decker College Accomplished Alumni Award, which recognizes excellence in clinical practice, research, health policy, education, administration, or distinguished healthcare service. Chesna is a family nurse practitioner and dermatology-certified NP at Broome Nurse Practitioner Skincare in Vestal, New York, where she co-founded the practice.

Max Goldfarb '18, MPH '21, is the winner of the Decker College 2026 Emerging Leader Alumni Award as a graduate from the past 10 years who has demonstrated potential as a healthcare leader.  Goldfarb is putting his public health expertise to work as the emergency management program manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

Meghana Naraparaju ’22, MS ‘25, is the recipient of the 2026 Decker Connection Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni who have maintained strong ties to the college. Naraparaju is a family nurse practitioner with UHS Spine Care and Pain Management.

In addition, the event recognized donors and beneficiaries of Decker College’s advancement initiatives, including the Nursing Assessment Kit Sponsorship program, which provides nursing students with the assessment kits required for clinical and practice experiences.