Dr. Erika Hackman named award finalist

SUNY Orange Provost Dr. Erika Hackman was recently named by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) as one of four finalists for the association’s 2026 Awards of Excellence in its Rising Star-Executive category.

The AACC annual Awards of Excellence bring national visibility to promising practices, individuals and programs among its member colleges. Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala during the AACC Annual conference April 10-14 in Seattle, Wash.

Now in her 10^th year at SUNY Orange, Hackman joined the College’s leadership team as vice president for academic affairs in 2016. In 2023 she was elevated to the role of provost, retaining her academic affairs oversight and title while adding responsibilities as vice president for student services.

“I’m deeply honored to be recognized as a Rising Star Executive finalist, as this acknowledgment reflects the collective commitment to student success that drives our work every day,” Hackman said. “I’m grateful to President [Dr. Kristine] Young and my dedicated colleagues in academic affairs and student services, whose collaboration has made transformative innovation possible. Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of serving students at a pivotal time in their lives, and this recognition inspires me to continue advancing the mission that community colleges represent—opening doors and transforming lives.”

Hackman currently serves as co-chair of the State University of New York (SUNY) Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Advisory Committee, is a member of the SUNY Transfer Task Force and the New York State Community Colleges Leadership Academy Advisory Board. From 2023 through 2025, she was chair of the New York Association of Chief Academic Officers. She has recently joined EAB’s (formerly known as the Education Advisory Board) national Research Advisory Council.

“The AACC Awards of Excellence are among the most respected honors in the community college world, by virtue of being awarded by AACC, our national organization,” said Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange president. “Erika has dedicated 10 years to SUNY Orange, transforming our academic affairs division and now guiding student services with the same relentless commitment to access, opportunity, and success.

“She has facilitated innovation, kept students at the center of the work, and quietly made excellence look easy,” Young added. “With her vision and steady leadership, we’re not just part of the national conversation, we’re helping to shape it.”