President Timothy E. Sams has been recognized by City & State New York as one of its 2026 Black Trailblazers, announced at the start of Black History Month each year. The annual list highlights leaders across New York who are shaping progress in government, education, business, and community life.
This marks Sams’ second inclusion in the two-year history of the recognition. City & State lauded him for his efforts to maintain the campus' social justice mission and for his leadership in integrating artificial intelligence across the campus' instructional and operational landscape.
In addition to this and his 2025 recognition as a "Black Trailblazer," he in 2025 was also included in the publication's "Trailblazers in Higher Education" and "Long Island Trailblazers." Further, President Sams has been featured by City & State as a member of "The Higher Education Power 100" in 2022 and 2023 and as a member of the "Long Island Power 100" in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
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