The SUNY Delhi Alumni Association recently honored five alumni, faculty and staff for exceptional professional achievements and community service, according to a news release from the college. The 2024 recipients were Dr. Hayley Murphy, Steven Whipple, Corin Zimmer, Barbara Sturdevant and Robert Backus.
Murphy, a 1984 graduate, received the Distinguished Alumna Award for her work in the field of veterinary science. As the executive director and CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society in Royal Oak, Michigan, Murphy is the first female in the society’s 96-year history to serve in that role, according to the release. Appointed in 2021, she oversees the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Center. She has more than three decades of experience in animal welfare, conservation and zoo management, the release stated. After graduating from SUNY Delhi with an associate degree in veterinary technology in 1984, Murphy worked as a veterinary technician and later earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Cornell University. She founded and serves as director emeritus of the Great Ape Heart Project and as the veterinary advisor to the Gorilla Species Survival Plan and the Great Ape Taxonomic Advisory Group. She has chaired the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Ethics Board and the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians for the North American Veterinary Conference. She sits on the boards of directors for the Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund and Visit Detroit.
Steven Whipple, a 1998 SUNY Delhi graduate, was recognized with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for his advocacy for SUNY Delhi’s academic programs “while excelling in his career in the golf course industry,” the release stated. A native of Davenport, Whipple received an associate degree in golf course operations from SUNY Delhi in 1998 and a bachelor’s degree in turfgrass science from the Pennsylvania State University in 2000. Since 2003, Whipple has served as the golf program manager and golf course superintendent at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He is the president of the New York State Turfgrass Association and serves on the SUNY Delhi Golf/Sports Field Turf Management Program Advisory Council.
Corin Zimmer, a 2019 SUNY Delhi graduate, received the Alumnus of Merit Award. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business and technology management from SUNY Delhi, Zimmer joined Luck Grove, a Syracuse-based company specializing in telecom services for enterprise, government, and nonprofit clients nationwide, as senior vice president of business development. He is also the founder of All Things Adrenaline, a clothing line for extreme sports enthusiasts, and Arboxy LLC, a web design company. Zimmer has led initiatives to create the Telecommunications Lab at The Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse and is involved in charitable efforts through organizations such as Toys for Tots and the Ronald McDonald House Charities, according to the release.
The Exemplary Service Awards were given to Professor Emeritus Barbara Sturdevant and Director of Athletics Robert Backus, both retired from SUNY Delhi with more than 60 years of service, combined.
Sturdevant began her tenure at SUNY Delhi in 1991 as an assistant professor and advanced to the role of full professor and department chair of Delhi’s business programs, the release stated. During her 32 years at Delhi, she facilitated numerous student experiences and networking events, chaired the curriculum committee and helped plan the NJCAA National Championship basketball tournament held at Delhi for many years. She received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2005. She retired in 2023.
Robert “Bob” Backus started his career at SUNY Delhi as an adjunct instructor in 1992 and became an athletic coach in 1993, according to the release. His track and field squads won 15 NJCAA National Championships in men’s and women’s track and field and cross country. He received numerous Coach of the Year titles at regional and national levels. An athletic director since 2008, Backus oversaw Delhi’s transition to NCAA Division III, elevating the college’s athletic profile, the release stated. He also played a role in establishing SUNY Delhi’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. He received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in 2005. Backus retired in 2024 after 31 years of service.
The SUNY Delhi Alumni Association has recognized graduates, faculty and staff with the alumni awards for 47 years, according to the release.