Judge honored for service to SUNY Adirondack

QUEENSBURY, New York (Sept. 30, 2025) — SUNY Adirondack is proud to announce longtime Board of Tustees member Robert Judge, Ed.D., was awarded the Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Trustee Service by New York Community College Trustees at its 71st annual conference.

“Dr. Judge’s steady presence reflects a sincere investment in the life of SUNY Adirondack and a deep respect for students, faculty and staff,” said Amie Gonzales, chair of SUNY Adirondack’s Board of Trustees.

Judge was recognized at the three-day NYCCT conference, which brought together 80 trustees, presidents, faculty members and stakeholders from CUNY and SUNY community colleges.

He thanked his fellow board members for the nomination. “It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve alongside such conscientious and dedicated people,” Judge said.

The Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Trustee Service acknowledges the dedicated and effective service a trustee exhibits over an extended period.

“Robert Judge exemplifies everything this award was created to recognize,” Gonzales said. “His service is not merely measured in years, but in meaningful impact. I have seen firsthand how Robert's contributions consistently elevate the work of our board and our college. He brings clarity, purpose and professionalism to every meeting.”

Judge was appointed to the Board of Trustees by the governor in 2008 and is the longest-serving member of SUNY Adirondack’s board.

Throughout his long career in education, he worked in New York City, and at Shenendehowa Central School, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School, Hudson Falls Central School, SUNY Plattsburgh and The College of Saint Rose.

He was also a consultant for the U.S. State Department, traveling throughout West Africa to provide service to the American Schools. He was an authorial reviewer for the Economy Company’s reading program and a member of Houghton Mifflin’s reference division’s task force.

At SUNY Adirondack, Judge has been instrumental in shaping institutional policy, supporting sound fiscal oversight and strengthening strategic planning. He has served as chair, vice chair and secretary of the board, and on committees including Academic and Student Affairs, Personnel, Audit and Finance, Negotiations, Trusteeship, Presidential Search and Learning committees — many of which he was chairperson.

He was a vital member of the capital campaign committee that successfully raised $5.7 million for construction of the college’s state-of-the-art turf athletic facility. He also actively supported SUNY Adirondack Foundation’s efforts to raise $2.5 million for renovation and expansion of the Nursing and Science facilities, initiatives that had a lasting impact on student success and regional workforce development.

Judge earned a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Francis College; a master’s degree in English from University at Albany; and a doctorate in reading from University at Albany.

In addition to his distinguished service on the SUNY Adirondack Board of Trustees, he served on the Executive Committee of Cub Scouts Pack 2 in Saratoga County and as a youth soccer and baseball coach. He was also a dedicated member of Hudson Falls Rotary Club, serving as president from 1995 to 1996 and receiving the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award in 1993 for his significant contributions. His community involvement extends to serving as a liaison for the Heart Fund Annual Campaign and participating in a Board of Education committee in Ballston Spa focused on reviewing and improving district testing practices.

NYCCT is a voluntary nonprofit consortium of community college trustees established to strengthen the effectiveness of New York’s community college trustees as an active force in the development and implementation of public policy impacting community colleges.