CANTON -- Maureen P. Maiocco, Ed.D., loves to teach students of all ages.

Maiocco began her career doing exactly what she loves, working with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten-age children. She's carried her enthusiasm over into the realm of higher education as a professor and early childhood program director at SUNY Canton, and her zeal has led her to be selected as the College's 2011 Distinguished Faculty Award recipient.

She will be recognized at SUNY Canton's 103rd Commencement Ceremony to be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, in the College's new athletic center, nicknamed Roos House.

"Maureen is a model educator," said Kyle Brown, Director of SUNY Canton OnLine. "During her seven years at SUNY Canton, she has grown the Early Childhood program into a thriving, popular major for SUNY Canton students."

Outside of her interactive classroom, Maiocco schedules activities for the children of the campus community at nearly every single major College function. Most recently, she orchestrated and held a campus-wide children's Christmas party on behalf of SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy.

"She's the perfect model for teachers and aspiring teachers," said Christina Martin, Maiocco's colleague and an adjunct instructor at SUNY Canton. "She's provided me with outstanding mentorship."

Faculty and staff members from across the College have benefitted from serving with Maiocco, including Feng Hong, an associate professor of physics and 2010 Distinguished Faculty Award recipient. Maiocco and Hong worked together with a delegation of Chinese faculty members from Xi'an City, China, who were interested in the American methods of pre-kindergarten education.

"Dr. Maiocco's exceptional organizational skills and tireless efforts during the 2009 Early Childhood Summer Institute made the event a success," Hong said. "The event was not only a showcase of the early childhood program, but also a showcase for the College and for all of Canton."

As a result of the Summer Institute, Maiocco was invited to teach in Xi'an, China in 2010. While there, she made the international television news for her positive work with Chinese children and faculty members.

Maiocco was also recently featured on WAMC Northeast Public Radio's Academic Minute. She delivered a compelling argument against the practice of "time out" in a group educational setting, and even offered several alternatives in the allotted one minute 40 second timeframe.

Many of her students credit her with their educational success at the College, and 16 students have recognized her outstanding work through the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

"All of Dr. Maiocco's classes were a healthy combination of hands-on activities and lecture," said Tiffany Daily-Faulkner, a 2007 early childhood graduate. "She understood that everyone learns differently. There was never a dull moment in her classes. Her humor and creativity kept us all engaged and interested in the lesson at hand."

Maiocco earned her doctorate of education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, with a specialization in child and youth studies and curriculum development. She earned her master of science in teacher leadership from Wheelock College in Boston, and her bachelor of arts in education from Curry College in Milton, Mass.

She lives in Potsdam with her husband Steven.