Alumni Hall of Fame

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Foundation is seeking nominations for its Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes those alumni who have achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on the community.

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. All nominations received by Tuesday, Jan. 1, will be considered by the selection committee.

The foundation will induct its seventh group of honorees in a ceremony on March 20 at the Batavia campus. Their photo and a short biography will be featured on a plaque displayed in the Alumni Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building.

The criteria for nominating an individual to the Alumni Hall of Fame are based on the individual's contributions to his or her profession, distinguished service to the community and/or service to Genesee Community College.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from GCC's alumni Web site (www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/) and emailed or sent to the college's Alumni office.

"We are eager to honor more of Genesee Community College's best and brightest graduates," said Jackie Christenson, GCC's alumni coordinator. "For seven years, we have had the distinct pleasure of recognizing alumni of the college who have contributed significantly to the vitality of their communities."

For the full list of previously inducted Alumni Hall of Fame members please visit www.genesee.edu/Alumni/HallofFame.

Genesee Community College has inducted three new members into its Alumni Hall of Fame.

"These three new inductees serve as great inspiration for the current students here at Genesee," said Jackie Christenson, Alumni Affairs coordinator. "They are especially inspirational to the many healthcare students we have, considering they all work within or advocate for various healthcare fields."

The 2010 Genesee Community College Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are:

James D. Fraser, Class of 1973 -- He is currently the president of Population Health Consulting Services, Inc., and was formerly chief executive officer for Intellica Corporation in San Antonio. At Intellica, he was responsible for building disease registries for the Veteran's Health Administration in support of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

After retiring from the Air Force as a colonel, he continued to provide services to the military as a senior healthcare consultant for the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Fraser has more than 40 years experience in health care, 33 years of which has been in or supporting military health care. He is also an adjunct professor of Public Health at the University of Texas School of Public Health in San Antonio. He and his wife, Susan, live in San Antonio and support a Genesee Community College scholarship to assist students who want to enter a health-related profession.

Cecilia A. Stearns, Class of 1980 -- She is a nurse practitioner/midwife at the Women's Care Center in Batavia, providing services to normally healthy women without insurance in Genesee County and surrounding areas. She was instrumental in developing the Tot Saver program in Genesee County in 1986, and has provided gynecological services for those who cannot afford it through the Breast Health Partnership.

She served on the Board of Directors of the Batavia YWCA, and has taught many RN students at GCC and in many other programs. She has been at the forefront of midwifery both at the state and national levels, and was a founding board member of the New York State Association of Licensed Midwives, serving as their second president. She has authored many grant proposals and drafted legislation for changing and improving the scope of practice of midwifery in New York State. With all that Stearns has done, her greatest contribution is undoubtedly the children she has delivered. Cecilia and her husband, Richard, live in Byron.

Dorothy Wentland, Class of 1991 -- She is a compassionate professional who has served those with mental illness and their families both on an inpatient and outpatient basis as an advocate, teacher, support person and proponent of empowerment and recovery. She established a firm foundation for the Genesee County Mental Health Association and its Social Club, and continues to serve the needs and aspirations of people with mental illness. She served as the first executive director from 1993-2001.

In 2006, Dorothy, was honored as a New York State "Woman of Distinction." Her commitment to those challenged by mental illness remains strong as she continues to volunteer in the field of mental health and serves on several boards involved with education and health issues. Wentland and her husband, Mel, live in Le Roy.

For more information regarding the Alumni Hall of Fame, please contact coordinator Christenson 343-0055, ext. 6265.