ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Three St. Bonaventure University faculty members were presented this month with awards of excellence.

Nicholas Kicior, adjunct instructor of counselor education, won the Adjunct Faculty Award for Professional Excellence. Dr. Robin Valeri, professor of psychology, won the Professional Excellence in Service Award; and Dr. Tara Walker, assistant professor of communication, won the Junior Faculty Excellence Award.

They were recognized at the annual Staff & Faculty Awards ceremony May 1, and again Sunday at the university’s 165th annual Commencement Exercises.

Kicior has been an adjunct faculty member in SBU’s Counselor Education program since 2017, and a school psychologist in the Portville Central School District since 2022.

Dr. René Garrison, dean of the university’s School of Education, said many of Kicior’s students in the graduate program reached out directly to her to say how much he helped them in their journey to become counselors.

“Nicholas interweaves the subject matter with a skill set that imparts the theoretical knowledge of counseling, therapeutic techniques, and ethical frameworks in a style that invites each student to engage in self-reflection and personal growth,” said Jake Haelen, who will graduate with his master’s in Counselor Education in 2026.

Marie Altavilla, a 1997 SBU alumna, graduated Sunday with her master’s degree in counselor education.

“He demonstrated the ability to inspire and engage students in the classroom, creating an inclusive and dynamic learning environment,” Altavilla said of Kicior. “His courses allow for comfortable and informal discussion. Professor Kicior is an open-minded listener and helps his students articulate their questions and answers using counseling language without judgment.”

Rachael Hall, who’s working her way through the program, has taken two courses with Kicior and said he brings more to the class than expertise in the field.

“He brings quiet confidence to the classroom that allows his students to express themselves, remain curious, and even falter without the fear of judgement or ridicule,” Hall said. “He reinspires my love for counseling by sharing his own experiences, victories, and even moments of defeat that have shaped him as a professional.”

Few faculty members have committed more of their time to service than Valeri, both on campus and in her hometown of Cuba, New York.

A firefighter with the Cuba Volunteer Fire Department since 2013 and a longtime board member and volunteer at the Cuba Library, Valeri also served for seven years as a fire investigator in Allegany County.

“Robin has demonstrated a profound commitment to making a positive impact on the lives and safety of individuals and families in our community,” said Robert Walk, a retired school psychologist and Cuba resident. “Her work at the library has helped make it a beacon of a wide variety of cultural resources.”

Walker has taught graduate classes and in the Media Studies, Journalism and Strategic Communication undergraduate programs since coming to SBU in 2020.

Dr. Denny Wilkins, professor emeritus from the Jandoli School of Communication, was among many who offered support for Walker to be honored.

“Little time passed before the students and faculty of the Jandoli School realized the hire of Dr. Walker had brought into our midst a talented, collegial, and hard-working academic,” said Wilkins, who retired in December.

“Her breadth of experience has allowed her to teach throughout the Jandoli curriculum — from the school’s freshman writing courses to nuanced upper-level courses in pragmatically applied media theory and ethics to courses in our graduate programs.”