This award is named after “Chuck Burns,” a long-time member of CEANY, who was a consummate professional and advocate of continuing education. Throughout his career he was a strong proponent of helping those who wanted to help themselves through training and education, as well as “giving back” to the less well-recognized and less-visible students, frequently the adult student.

Chuck Burns was the community college liaison to the Chancellor’s office in SUNY Central Administration for many years. In the 1980s as Director of Community College Education Services, he structured unemployment retraining programs, youth internships, and non-credit community service, occupational, and remedial courses. As a SUNY Assistant Provost, he advocated for supporting non-credit programs in community colleges and garnered SUNY support for CEANY.

Chuck Burns was an early member of CEANY and created the venue for what became the annual community college retreat in Rensselearville. He contributed to the field of continuing education, writing guidelines for best practices, promoting non-credit community-service courses and offering dual-credit courses in high schools. He conducted numerous staff development and training workshops at CEANY conferences and retreats. He passed away in 1996.

The Outstanding Adult Student Award is given in his honor and memory.

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