A Keuka College administrator’s alma mater has named her its distinguished alumna of the year.
The Department of Student Affairs in Higher Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania named Keuka College Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Dr. Amy Cotner the 2024 recipient of its Ronald Lunardini Distinguished Alumni Award.
Dr. Cotner, a 1997 graduate of the SAHE program at Indiana University, was cited for her creative problem-solving abilities and collaborative spirit, according to a story on the college’s website. One colleague praised her “focused ability to cut through the ‘noise’ on campus to help individuals and committees achieve goals set forth in committee charges, grant activities, and strategic plans.”
Nominators also identified her as a student-centered professional whose work has improved the campuses where she has served.
Dr. Cotner is a regular presence at Keuka College events like the Baccalaureate Service and Commencement.
That’s certainly been the case at Keuka College, which Dr. Cotner joined in 2021. She works closely with the College’s Student Life leadership team to provide support services essential to student enrichment and success. She also serves as the College’s subject-matter expert on all aspects of Title IX and related federal and state laws.
Among the other 10 institutions Dr. Cotner has served are Penn State Mont Alto, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, and Penn State University, where she served as Assistant Director/Commonwealth Campuses & Intake, Office of Sexual Misconduct and Response immediately before joining Keuka College.
The Ronald Lunardini Distinguished Alumni Award acknowledges an alumna/alumnus of Indiana University’s SAHE department whose experiences and accomplishments as a student affairs professional significantly reflect the standards and values of the SPS program/SAHE department.
The honor comes with a $750 gift that the recipient can use to support an educational program of their choosing. Dr. Cotner said she directed the funds to support academic success programming in the residence halls at Keuka College.
