Applied Psychology Faculty Member Promoted at SUNY Canton

A SUNY Canton faculty member who has exceled in multiple disciplines has been promoted.

Christina Lesyk of Norwood recently became an Associate Professor within the college’s School of Business and Liberal Arts. Lesyk first began her career as a part-time adjunct instructor nearly 10 years ago, and has taught almost all the individual classes in the Applied Psychology program.

“Christina is a great professor, colleague, and ambassador for SUNY Canton,” said Interim School of Business and Liberal Arts Dean Kirk K. Jones. “I’m always impressed with her leadership in whatever project she takes on.”

Most recently, Lesyk partnered with the St. Lawrence County Office of the Aging to host a screening of the documentary “All the Lonely People” as part of the college’s community outreach.

Lesyk’s specialties draw from both her background in the hospitality management industry and social work. She holds a Master's in Social Work from the Hunter College School of Social Work and is licensed to practice in New York State.

“I’ve seen how psychology and social work perspectives can influence the business of hospitality management,” Lesyk said. “It is always the people that will determine if a business is successful.”

Recently, she has begun a research study on the preventative strategies for compassion fatigue for academic advisors and has presented on the topic at the National Teaching Professor Conference and at a SUNY Statewide Student Conduct Officers Association meeting.

Previously, she has conducted research and presented on how new hotels and hospitality renovation projects should consider design of aquatics facilities such as swimming pools and spas and include greater attention to accessibility for guests. She published the "Where Did Our Server Go?  A Case of Service Failure in a College Hotel Restaurant" in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases. She’s presented on customer service, accessibility issues, and the cruise industry at national conferences.

“I am also collaborating with the Director of our Funeral Services Administration program at SUNY Canton on authoring a national funeral services examination textbook,” Lesyk said. “I will be authoring the social sciences, business management and ethics chapters.”

Lesyk is no stranger to academic writing, having reviewed the 2022 release of the Drugs and Society textbook by Hanson, Venturelli and Fleckenstein.

She coordinates the Applied Psychology Practicum and the program’s minor. Lesyk is the current chair of, and represents her school on, the college’s academic standards committee. Her other accolades include receiving the Stellar Advisor Award in 2019. She has also earned the national human services-board certified practitioner credential. By earning this credential, Lesyk has voluntarily met board requirements based on national standards for all 11 content areas in the field of human services.

Outside of the college, Lesyk is the elected board secretary for the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and is the elected treasurer for the chapter's political action for candidate election committee.