Daniella Palermo and Tiffany Telarico Caza receive Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence

SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- Upstate Medical University’s Daniella Palermo and Tiffany Telarico Caza are among 274 State University of New York students honored with the 2014 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

Palermo, a fourth-year medical student from the Bronx, and Telarico Caza, a Waterloo, N.Y., native in her final year of the M.D./Ph.D. program, received their awards April 2 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany from SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Upstate interim President Gregory L. Eastwood, MD. In June, Palermo will begin her medical residency in psychiatry at Brown University and Telarico Caza will begin her medical residency in pathology at Upstate.

Telarico Caza said the M.D./Ph.D. program at Upstate has provided numerous opportunities to learn and grow as both a scientist and clinician.

“I am very grateful for the dedicated faculty who have helped me in my journey to becoming a physician-scientist,” said Telarico Caza. “My mentors Dr. Andras Perl and Dr. Steve Landas, especially, have been unbelievably supportive. I have had an incredibly positive experience here at Upstate and am excited to begin as a resident this summer.”

Palermo, who has served as president of the Latino Medical Student Association on campus, said it’s an honor to receive an award that recognizes students for their ability to successfully manage academic achievement, leadership and community outreach.

“I am grateful for the continued support of countless individuals at SUNY Upstate, which allowed me to impact communities both within and outside the university,” she said. “As a Latina medical student, it has truly been an honor to create initiatives addressing cultural education and advocacy all the while becoming my dream.”

Zimpher said the students honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence “truly embody the power of SUNY.”

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have achieved national or international recognition in such fields as academics, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, leadership, entrepreneurship and career achievement.

Caption: Tiffany Telarico Caza, left, and Daniella Palermo are among 274 State University of New York students honored with the 2014 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.