BUFFALO—SUNY Erie Community College’s Men of Merit Program—established to foster
excellence, distinction and integrity in the school’s male African-American,
Hispanic and Native American students—kicked off its Spring 2018 Distinguished
Speaker Series with Buffalo City Court Judge Craig D. Hannah inside the
College’s City Campus Auditorium on February 14.
After
spending a decade as a trial attorney in city, state and federal courts, Judge
Hannah was appointed to Buffalo City Court by Mayor Byron Brown in 2006.
Throughout his tenure, the graduate of Canisius College (’92) and University at
Buffalo Law School (’95) has been active and decorated. He presides over
Buffalo’s Opiate Invention Court (the first of its kind in the U.S.) and serves
on the City of Buffalo’s Ethics Commission and the Community Action
Organization of Western New York—all while accepting accolades as recipient of
the Minority Bar Association of WNY’s Legal Service Award. Outside the
courtroom, Judge Hannah serves as co-director of the City Kids at Camp youth
initiative.
His
afternoon speech to SUNY Erie’s Men of Merit members focused on personal
responsibility, social awareness, and the importance of overcoming failure to
learn from your mistakes. Judge Hannah touched on his experience with silencing
the discouraging voices while chasing his goals; asserted the need for mentors;
and reminded the audience that college is a microcosm of real life.
“Thanks
to programs like Men of Merit, one learns the importance of standing out and
distinguishing oneself,” said Judge Hannah. “Remember to always speak up, be
recognized, and most importantly, make sure you have a mentor to help you
master the skills you need to be successful in life, education, and the
workforce.”
The
Men of Merit program provides ambitious minority male students the chance to
pursue excellence through a wide array of services designed to maximize
academic success; and the opportunity to chart a course to graduation often
hindered by poverty, crime and unemployment within local and national minority
communities. Members have access to advisers, mentors and leaders—from both
SUNY Erie and the school’s extended community—who strive to prepare students
for college success.
Program
members also have access to a support network comprised of vital College-guided
services like academic readiness workshops, crisis counseling and career
development necessary to achieve their desired goals. With this backing and a
strict adherence to the aforementioned program tenants of excellence,
distinction and integrity, members are guided to stay in college, advance
academically and serve their community, as they become the men they aim to be.
For
more information on this event, future Distinguished Speakers Series guests or
SUNY Erie’s Men of Merit Program, please call (716) 270-6439 or email Dr.
Marvin Wilson at wilsonma@ecc.edu.
Since 1946, SUNY Erie
Community College has met the needs of a diverse student body while
contributing to the economic vitality of Western New York. As a member of the
state’s SUNY system, the three-campus college provides flexible, affordable and
accessible educational programs in an accommodating academic environment.
Equipped with the knowledge of these programs, SUNY Erie’s faculty, staff and
students strive to enrich their host communities through skill, service and
partnership. For more information, visit www.ecc.edu
or call (716) 851-1ECC.