The Oswego Alumni Association (OAA) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Alumni Awards, honoring seven graduates who have reached the pinnacle of their professions and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to service.
Four of these awards will be presented during Reunion Weekend 2026, held in Oswego from June 4 to 7.
“This year’s winners represent the very best of the Laker spirit — from groundbreaking scientific research and global media storytelling to pioneering service in the Fire Department of New York,” said Laura Pavlus Kelly, executive director of the OAA and a 2009 alumna. “Their achievements highlight the transformative power of an Oswego education. We are excited to showcase their contributions and celebrate their successes with our Laker family.”
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Edmund Peter Maziarz III ’95: A research and development director at Haleon, Maziarz of Columbia, Missouri, has driven nearly $600 million in industrial return on investment through his innovative problem-solving methodologies for such products as PureVision and Ultra contact lenses, Advil minis, Centrum formulations, ChapStick and Emergen-C. A mentor to over 50 scientists, he has led global regulatory strategies for household brands like Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
Andrea J. Sant ’77: A world-class immunologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Sant is a preeminent leader in the quest for a universal flu vaccine. A 2025 Distinguished Fellow of the American Association of Immunologists, her research on T cells has advanced human understanding of CD4 T cells from fundamental mechanisms to reshaping global vaccine design, and her work as an educator shows her sustained commitment to training the next generation of leaders in immunology.
Lifetime Award of Merit
John Kucko ’87: A legendary Rochester sports broadcaster and digital storyteller, Kucko successfully transitioned from a 32-year TV career to a global digital following of 700,000. Through his "John Kucko Digital" platform and philanthropy, he has raised over $165,000 for local charities.
Maureen McArdle-Schulman ’81: A trailblazer in the first class of women firefighters in Fire Department of New York history, McArdle-Schulman served at Ground Zero of the 9/11 attacks and later trained hundreds of probationary firefighters. Today, she continues her service as a lead advocate for pediatric health with the Yorktown Lions Club.
Alumni Impact Award
Linda Morley Loomis ’90 M’97: The founding director of SUNY Oswego’s journalism program and former editor of the Oswego Alumni Magazine, Loomis is celebrated as the "connective tissue" of the alumni network, having mentored decades of students and writers in Central New York. She is an award-winning journalist, including being part of the Syracuse Press Club Wall of Fame and a New York Press Association Writer of the Year.
Community Service Award
Christine Loschiavo Puzauskas ’73: Founder of Flight 33 Inc., Puzauskas has spent over 25 years providing essential after-school support and resources to hundreds of children every year in the Pascua Yaqui community of Arizona. Her impact at SUNY Oswego includes two scholarships she created to support future educators, each designed with a strong understanding of the academic, financial and personal challenges students face — especially during student teaching and finishing their degrees.
Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award
Sonya Kedarnath ’19: Recognized for her holistic support of first-generation students, Kedarnath’s leadership at St. James School in Philadelphia has become a national model, achieving a 97-percent graduation rate for those under her care. Her insights and systems-building work as an advisory committee member of NativityMiguel Coalition, a national network of faith-based schools, have strengthened graduate support programs across the coalition and beyond. Her award was presented during the Commencement Eve Reception on May 15.
Sant, McArdle-Schulman, Loomis and Puzauskas will receive their awards at the Conversation with the President during Reunion Weekend, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, in the Marano Campus Center auditorium. Maziarz and Kucko will receive their awards at a later date.
Hundreds of alumni are expected to return to the shores of Lake Ontario for Reunion Weekend June 4 to 7, for nostalgia and networking in addition to celebrating the presentation of four of the Alumni Awards.
“Reunion is an opportunity to witness how the Oswego legacy continues to evolve through the lives of our graduates,” Kelly said. “We invite all Lakers to join us this June as we celebrate these remarkable award-winners and the community that helped shape them.”
Learn more about this year’s award winners on the University Advancement website .
To register for, or learn more about, Reunion Weekend 2026 visit alumni.oswego.edu/reunion.
— Submitted by University Advancement