SUNY Niagara board welcomes new student trustee

SUNY Niagara press release & photo

Daniel Manzella, a resident of Niagara Falls, was selected by the SUNY Niagara student body to serve as the student trustee of the college for a term that began July 1. Manzella, who graduated from North Tonawanda High School in 2018, is studying physics at SUNY Niagara and plans to transfer to a four-year institution to continue his degree in 2027.

“I am honored to represent the voices and interests of my fellow students as a member of the SUNY Niagara board of trustees,” Manzella said. “The college has provided a thriving environment to learn and study, and I hope to extend all of their opportunities to the student body. As I look to incorporate student opinion on larger matters, I also hope to build comradery and a better hub for student interactions on campus."

Manzella is president of SUNY Niagara’s science club and has participated in college summits that incorporated student perspectives into institutional decision-making. He also has served as a student interviewer during faculty searches and helped organize science-related workshops and educational programs at the college.

Among his academic accomplishments, Manzella earned the First-Year Student Award at SUNY Niagara’s 2026 student showcase for his STEM project, “Photometry and Spectroscopy: Light Curves and Exoplanet Chemistry.” He is also a member of the SUNY Niagara Honors Society and Phi Theta Kappa, and was named to the president’s list, an honor reserved for students who achieve a 4.0 grade-point average.

Board Chair Bryan DalPorto welcomed Manzella to the board.

“Daniel’s experiences and leadership have prepared him well for the responsibilities of this position,” DalPorto said. “He has demonstrated a strong commitment not only to his own academic excellence but also to his peers’ success. Daniel has so much to contribute to the college, and we are fortunate to have him representing his fellow students.”

The SUNY Niagara board of trustees establishes the policies under which SUNY Niagara operates. The Niagara County Legislature appoints five of the board’s 10 members. Four are gubernatorial appointees. One is a student selected annually by the student body.