Marion Terenzio, Ph.D.

Marion Terenzio, Ph.D. is a dedicated educational professional who has worked tirelessly to grow our SUNY system while also contributing greatly to our regional economy.  

Dr. Terenzio is the President of the SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill. She holds a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from Michigan State University, and two Master’s degrees in Community Psychology and Music Therapy. Her Bachelor’s degree is in Music from Vassar College.

Dr. Terenzio enjoys national attention for her shared governance model in creating thriving campus communities and stimulating higher education as an economic driver. She led downtown revitalization efforts and consulted with national organizations such as the College Board, The Institute for Higher Education Policy, the National Intelligence Council, and the United Nations. She is currently the Co-Chair of the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council, and a member of the NYS Department of Health Rural EMS Task Force.

She has worked with the National Governor’s Association initiative on Rural Resurgence, sharing her work nationally on establishing the Institute for Rural Vitality, which received an innovation in economic development award from the American Association of Colleges and Universities in 2019.

Dr. Terenzio’s community engagement and advocacy for the rights of students includes her current service on the NYS Blue Ribbon Commission on K-12 reform, and her most recent work as the Co-Chair for SUNY’s Empowering Students with Disability Task Force. She received the New York State ACE Women’s Network Catalyst Award in 2019 for her work with women leaders, and the Jay Kappraff Award in Excellence in Science and the Arts from NJIT in 2022.

In 2023, Dr. Terenzio was selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award in Agricultural Education from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Her project took her to France in October 2023, where she focused on collaborative initiatives designed to elevate agricultural education programs in New York and create a robust international curriculum at SUNY Cobleskill.

Dr. Terenzio has also been selected by the Women’s Business Council of the Capital Region Chamber as a 2024 Women of Excellence recipient for her professional work and community contributions.