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Genesee on to regional finals in men's and women's soccer

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College women's soccer team will play for the 2014 Region III Division III Group B title this Saturday after winning in shutout fashion in the semifinals on Tuesday night, 4-0 over visiting Mohawk Valley Community College.

It took less than a minute for the second-seeded Cougars to grab the lead in the first half against the No. 7 seed. Kathryn Springsteen found the back of the net just 39-seconds in off of a corner kick to give GCC a 1-0 advantage. Kayla Doyle was credited with the assist on Springsteen's fifth goal of the year.

It remained 1-0 until the 30th minute when Ashley Makowski struck, heading one in off of a corner kick by Springsteen to give Genesee a 2-0 lead.

The Cougars continued to roll in the second half, grabbing a 3-0 lead in the 46th minute. Doyle buried her 14th goal of the fall off of an assist by Makowski.

Makowski ended the scoring in the 59th minute with her second goal of the game to give GCC a 4-0 lead. The goal came off of a free-kick.

The Genesee defense was solid again, allowing just four shots by the visitors. Maddie Potter made four saves in net to earn her 10th shutout win of the season.

GCC advances to the regional finals which will be held on Saturday at Tompkins-Cortland Community College. The Cougars will take on Broome Community College, which defeated Jefferson Community College 1-0 in the regional semifinals on Tuesday night. Game time is set for 10 a.m. and the winner will advance and represent Region III Division III Group B in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament.

Ashley Makowski (#11 white) works towards the net in the regional semis vs. Mohawk Valley CC on Tuesday night. Makowski scored two goals in the game for GCC

 

 

For the fourth season in a row, the Genesee Community College men's soccer team will play for a regional championship after the fourth-seeded Cougars knocked off visiting No. 5 Tompkins-Cortland Community College, 2-0 on Tuesday night in the Region III Division III semifinals.

Darius Johnson put an end to just over 25-minutes of scoreless play in the first half with what would prove to be the game-winning goal, off of an assist by Ikuma Hirano. The goal was his seventh of the season.

GCC did not need any more offense as the defense stepped up and held the Panthers in check. Although TC3 managed 13 shots on the night, only five were on net and Connor Halsted made all five saves.

Johnson added an insurance goal in the 76th minute to give Genesee a two-goal cushion, and the Cougars held off the Panthers the rest of the way to advance to the regional finals.

GCC will take on Herkimer County Community College, the No. 1 seed in the tournament and the top-ranked team in the country. The Generals defeated Finger Lakes Community College 8-0 on Tuesday night in the second semifinals match.

The finals match will take place at Tompkins-Cortland Community College on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., with the winner representing Region III Division III Group A in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament.

 Genesee lost its only regular season matchup with Herkimer on Oct. 18, 4-0.

College Village Open House

By Billie Owens

What: College Village Open House
When: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Where: Genesee Community College
College Village Student Residential Community
8170 Batavia-Stafford Townline Road
Batavia, NY 14020

The College Village Student Residential community at Genesee Community College invites the community to an Open House at its two newest buildings on Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 4-6 p.m. The Village staff will show off Hemlock and Lilac halls, recently completed and now housing GCC students.

Event Date and Time
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GCC's Start-Up New York Plan approved

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College recently received notice from Empire State Development that the College's Start-Up New York Plan has been fully approved. GCC's plan is part of the statewide initiative introduced last year by Governor Andrew Cuomo to encourage potential development on or within one mile of each of the State University of New York's (SUNY) 64 campuses by offering tax-free status to both the company and new employees for up to 10 years.

Each SUNY institution can designate up to 200,000 square feet of off-campus space in addition to available space on-campus for Start-Up New York projects that create new jobs associated with the academic curriculum offered by the connected campus.

With ESD approval, GCC can now accept business applications for Start-Up New York proposals. Each application must also include a Related Persons Report and a Competition Analysis to help ensure the business entity and proposal are new opportunities in New York State and do not compete against existing businesses.

To review the online Start-Up New York application, go to: http://esd.ny.gov/index.html

For general information about Start-Up NY go to: http://startup-ny.com/

All Start-Up NY proposals presented to Genesee Community College will be reviewed by the College administration and the Board of Trustees. Among the potential business types identified as appropriate for a Start-Up New York proposal with GCC are agricultural research, rural energy development, private protection or security services and advanced manufacturing. GCC will not consider industries or businesses that do not meet the Start-Up New York requirements including companies working in finance, business administration, support services, retail or food services.

"The creation of new jobs while not hurting existing businesses is the central objective of Start-Up NY," said William Emm, GCC's executive vice president for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness. "For GCC, program opportunities that support the College's mission can exist at or near the Batavia Campus in Genesee County, but also at or near the College's campus centers in Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming Counties."

GCC volleyball claims title on record-breaking night

By Andrew Crofts

For the 19th straight season, the Genesee Community College volleyball team is the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region III Division II champion. The Cougars took down Mercyhurst North East on Tuesday night and broke a 12-year-old school record in the process. 

Strong serving by Nohema Garcia Torres paced the four-set match for Genesee. Her serving was so strong, in fact, that she set the single match record for most service aces in GCC history. The sophomore recorded 14 aces on the night, which broke the previous record of 13 which was held by Karen Bakos (set in 1992).

The Cougars fell behind early in set one, but fought back and took an 11-7 lead after a stretch of 7 out of 11 points won. Tied at 20, GCC was able to hold off MNE and took the opening set, 25-23. 

Genesee fell behind again in the second set and faced a 6-1 Saints lead early on. Back to within 9-6, Garcia Torres led the charge back for the Cougars, serving to eight consecutive points which included two aces. GCC pulled away and took the second set, 25-16.

Mercyhurst N.E. took the first lead in the third set and held a lead as high as five at 18-13. Garcia Torres then rattled off five straight service aces and was on serve for seven consecutive points to put the Cougars in front by two. Despite giving up the lead, the Saints responded and won the third set 25-23. 

In the deciding game, GCC was out to a 4-2 lead before falling behind 5-4. The Cougars came right back to take a 6-5 lead and did not look back. Genesee led by as much as five on a number of occasions throughout the rest of the set and claimed its 19 straight title with a 25-16 win in set four.

Stephanie Toledo ended the night with 15 kills and six aces, Ai Miyazaki tallied seven kills and five aces and Haley Case and Kelsey Wright finished with eight kills apiece. 

Miyazaki was named the Region III Division II Player of the Year and Yu Shimizu, Toledo and Garcia Torres were named to the All-Tournament team for Genesee. GCC interim head coach Jamie Hugelmaier earned Region III Division II Coach of the Year honors.

Genesee (21-17) will now move on to compete in the Western New York Athletic Conference (WNYAC) tournament which will be held at Mercyhurst North East on Saturday. The Cougars will then host a NJCAA Districts tournament on a day and time to be announced. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

(Members of the 2014 GCC volleyball team pose after winning the 2014 Region III Division II championship. Genesee has won the title every season since 1996)

Genesee CC volleyball drops Jamestown in straight sets

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College women's volleyball team closed out its regular season schedule with a straight sets win over visiting Jamestown Community College on Thursday night.

Ai Miyazaki tallied 16 digs, 10 kills and two aces on the night, Stephanie Toledo added 10 kills and Haley Case had three aces for GCC.

Genesee closed out the first set on a 6-2 run after not leading by more than four in the opening game, winning 25-16.

A JCC service error gave the Cougars the first of six straight points to begin the second set and a 6-0 lead. Despite giving up nine out of ten points late in the middle game, GCC held on to win 25-18.

Miyazaki tallied two of her three aces in succession early in the third game to put Genesee in front 5-2. After a Jamestown CC timeout midway through, the Cougars took five in a row and held a 20-11 lead. The Jayhawks battled back to within five at 24-19, but GCC ended the night with a 25-19 win.

Genesee (20-17) will host Mercyhurst North East on Tuesday night for the Region III Division II title. The Cougars have won the championship in each of the last 18 seasons. The match will begin at 6 p.m.

(GCC’s Kelsey Wright (#12 yellow) goes up for the kill against JCC on Thursday night)

GCC soccer takes a pair from Finger Lakes

By Andrew Crofts

Up two spots to No. 8 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Poll, the Genesee Community College women's soccer team remained unbeaten at home this season with an overtime win against visiting Finger Lakes Community College on Wednesday night.

Both teams battled for possession through the first half with very few scoring chances.

The Cougars broke a scoreless tie late in the 21st minute when Ashley Makowski turned and fired a lefty bid from just inside the 18 that found the bottom right corner of the net to put GCC in front 1-0. It was Makowski's 12th goal of the season.

It remained 1-0 into halftime and late into the second half before the Lakers tied the game at one apiece with a goal in the 76th minute, the first goal allowed at home by Genesee this season.

A scoreless end to regulation sent the game into overtime and in the 8th minute of the first extra-session, Kathryn Springsteen let a shot go from about 30 yards out that snuck under the crossbar and into the net to give Genesee a 2-1 win, improving its overall record to 11-3.

Maddie Potter made two saves in net for GCC, which improves to 1-2 in overtime games this season.

The goal allowed to FLCC ended over 525-minutes of play in which Genesee kept opponents from scoring at home this season.

GCC will end the regular season at home on Saturday against Herkimer County Community College at 1 p.m.

(Photo: Members of the GCC women’s soccer team celebrate with teammate Kathryn Springsteen (center) after her game-winning goal against FLCC in overtime on Wednesday)

 

The Genesee Community College men's soccer team won its fifth game in a row on Wednesday night in a low-scoring affair against visiting Finger Lakes Community College.

Ikuma Hirano scored his 10th goal of the season in the 4th minute, a goal that would prove to be the game-winner as neither team would find the back of the net again throughout the night.

Connor Halsted made six saves for Genesee, including a diving stop in the 81st minute to keep the Lakers scoreless. He earned his fifth straight shutout victory and eighth shutout win of the season.

The Cougars were outshot 9-6 on the night, but improve to 9-6 overall on the year with the win and will end the regular season on Saturday when they host No. 1 Herkimer County Community College for a 3 p.m. start.

November is National Novel and Nonfiction Writing Month, free GCC class offered Mondays

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Join us at Genesee Community College every Monday afternoon in November for National Novel Writing Month and National Nonfiction Writing Month.

Those interested in honing there skills will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. on 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, and 11/24 in room B256 at the Batavia Campus, located at One College Road.

For more information, go to nanowrimo.org or contact:
JoNelle Toriseva, instructor of English
Office: B255
Humanities
Phone: 343-0055, ext. 6627, e-mail jrtoriseva@genesee.edu

GCC's Global Education Committee plans series of events about Brazil

By Billie Owens

Press release:

From the 2014 FIFA World Cup to the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first ever to be held in South America, Brazil has become accustomed to the limelight. The local community will have a chance to learn more about the world's fifth largest country through a series of events planned this academic year at Genesee Community College by the College's Global Education Committee.

"We selected Brazil because our students will be hearing a lot about Brazil. We have students from Brazil. It's a beautiful country and an important player in the global economy," said Committee Member Nina Mortellaro.

Events begin with a lecture by GCC History Professor Charles Scruggs. "Brazil: Beyond Supermodels, Samba and Soccer" is set for Tuesday, Oct. 14, 12:30-2 p.m. in Room T102 of the Conable Technology Building on GCC's Batavia campus. The event is FREE and open to the public.

"In the past decade we have witnessed a surge in the global stature of Brazil," Scruggs said. "What accounts for this stunning transformation? What challenges linger as the world's fifth largest country attempts to carve out a new role for itself in the 21st Century?"

Scruggs will explore these questions and more, drawing on a range of historical, sociological, economic and political research.

On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the Global Education Committee presents Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble from SUNY Brockport. With choreography expressing elements of both African and Brazilian culture, Sankofa brings essences of the past into the present. The members represent the rich cultural heritage of Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas and Africa.

Sankofa will perform from 12:30 – 2 p.m. in the Forum on the GCC Batavia Campus. Light refreshments will be served.

The Committee is also planning an authentic Carnaval da Brazil to be held in February. The event will include arts, music, food tastings and more including a demonstration of capoeira (pronounced kap-way-ra), a Brazilian martial art combining dance, acrobatics and music. Students from Academia com Expressão of Rochester will show their skill.

In addition, GCC Faculty will present an "Experience Brazil" travel log in March, sharing their personal insights from visits to the country.

Cougars shut out SUNY Adirondack

By Andrew Crofts

Winners of five out of its last six contests entering Monday night, the Genesee Community College men's soccer team improved its overall season record to 6-6 with a 6-0 shutout win over SUNY Adirondack.

Neither team registered a shot during the first 15 minutes of the contest, until Jake Miller cashed in GCC's first goal in the 20th minute, converting a pass from Darius Johnson to put the Cougars in front.

Johnson struck in the 30th minute as the rain fell to give Genesee a 2-0 lead and Sam M'buru made it 3-0 in the 40th minute, scoring his second goal of the season.

The Cougars held possession for most of the game and the Genesee defense kept the Timberwolves to just three shots on goal.

Ikuma Hirano added goals in the 66th and 70th minutes and Dell Storey tallied his first goal of the year in the 88th minute to round out the scoring.

Connor Halstead and Bradley Paserk split time in net for GCC. Halstead made one save and Paserk stopped two.

The Cougars are now .500 for the first time this season and will return to action on Wednesday at Jamestown Community College.

(#7 Jerrold Davies and #17 Brad Rodda brace the rain after #8 Sam M’buru’s first half goal on Monday night)

Cougars top Lakers in four sets

By Andrew Crofts

In its second to last regular season home match of the fall, the Genesee Community College women's volleyball team took down Finger Lakes Community College in four sets on Tuesday night to improve its record to a game above .500 for the season.

Genesee held a nine-point lead in the first set but saw the Lakers come storming back to eventually tie the opening frame, 23-23. FLCC held serve for the final two points and took the opening game, 25-23.

The Cougars fell behind early in the second set but took six of seven points at one point to take an 8-5 lead. Nohema Garcia Torres served to four straight points late in the second game and GCC evened the night at a game apiece with a 25-17 win in game two.

During a close third set, neither team held a lead larger than three until Haley Case ended the game serving to four consecutive points, including a service ace, to give Genesee a 25-21 win.

In the fourth game, GCC jumped out to a 13-4 lead, but saw FLCC again mount a comeback. The Lakers got to within two at 19-17, but Genesee won six of the next eight points to take the fourth and final set, 25-19.

Garcia Torres ended the night with 37 assists and three aces, Case added 12 kills and four aces, Ai Miyazaki had 23 digs and 12 kills and Stephanie Toledo added 12 kills.

Genesee improves to 15-14 with the win and will travel to Mercyhurst North East on Thursday night for a 6 p.m. start.

 

Nohema Garcia Torres gets ready to serve in the fourth and final game vs. FLCC on Tuesday night. Garcia Torres tallied three service aces on the night

New Food Processing degree at GCC attracts international students

By Billie Owens

Press release:

After 20 hours of travel, their first time so far away from home, two students from the southeast Asian island nation of Timor-Leste have arrived at Genesee Community College. Arsenio Ferreira, 21, and Jorguino (pronounced Jor-gino) Savio, 19, will spend the next two years at GCC earning an associate degree in Food Processing Technology (FPT).

GCC offers its first course in the brand-new degree program, Introduction to Food Processing Technology (FPT 101), beginning with the 12-week class session, which starts on Monday, Sept. 22. A few seats are still available in the class.

Savio and Ferreira earned full scholarships to study in the United States through the Timor-Leste Hillary Clinton Scholarship Program administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The IIE suggested GCC to the two young men.

"The program officer from IIE felt that GCC was a good fit for the Timorese students based upon their program of interest, student population, international student population, student services offered and GCC's commitment to diversity," said Carrie Sputore, International Admissions specialist at GCC.

Both Ferreira and Savio come from the capital city of Dìli in Timor-Leste. The city of approximately 190,000 people is the largest in the country, which neighbors Indonesia, and has an overall population of 1.2 million. The tropical climate is much different than western New York. Neither student has ever seen snow. "Everything is new for us," Savio said, including the way Americans cook and the foods we eat.

In Timor-Leste, wood stoves are used to prepare food, 90 percent of which is imported from Indonesia. Crops grown in Timor-Leste include corn, rice and cassava (a woody shrub whose starchy tuberous root resembles a potato; tapioca is extracted from it). The scholarship program aims to train youth to take skills back to Timor-Leste, contributing to the country's economic and social development as well as its democracy.

After two decades, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and near total infrastructure destruction, the country's independence from Indonesia was formally recognized in 2002, but it has faced great challenges rebuilding.

Timor-Leste has benefitted from oil procurement in offshore waters. Arsenio's father works for oil producer ConocoPhillips. He's excited for his son to study abroad as he earned a master's degree on scholarship in Norway. Arsenio is the second of five boys in his family. He also has two sisters. His mother is deceased.

Jorguino has a 21-year old sister studying engineering in Indonesia and a 12-year old brother. Both of his parents are primary school teachers.

"When I got the scholarship, my mother was very proud," he said. "It's very hard to get this scholarship. But when I left my mother was crying."

He already misses his family, but appreciates the educational opportunity he's earned.

Both Arsenio and Jorguino will live in College Village, adjacent to GCC, with American roommates.

"They are very friendly," Arsenio said.

Both he and Jorguino have studied English since high school. They also speak Tetum (official language of East Timor), Portuguese and Indonesian.

The Timor-Leste Hillary Clinton Scholarship program is funded through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Scholarships were awarded to academically talented and qualified Timorese students with the goal of strengthening the base of skilled, high performing professionals in Timor-Leste to contribute to the country's economic and social development.

GCC soccer sweeps visiting Corning

By Andrew Crofts

The Cougars men's soccer team won its second straight match on Wednesday afternoon, defeating visiting Corning Community College by a final score of 5-2.

Ikuma Hirano staked Genesee a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 5th minute after being set up by Kazuyuki Nakane.

Brad Rodda made it 2-0 GCC in the 16th minute, cashing in on his only shot on goal during the match.

The Cougars controlled possession throughout the first half and extended their lead to 3-0 in the 31st minute after a goal from Jake Miller off of an assist by Darius Johnson.

Corning got its first goal late in the half in the 43rd minute and GCC took a 3-1 lead into the half.

The Red Barons drew to within one with an early second half goal, but Hirano gave Genesee some breathing room with his second goal of the game in the 64th minute to put the Cougars in front 4-2.

GCC added to its lead with the final goal of the game in the 82nd minute. Nakane took a pass from Sam M'buru and beat the Corning goalkeeper to send Genesee to its second win of the year.

Connor Halstead made four saves in net for GCC, which will return to action at home this Saturday against Tompkins-Cortland Community College at 3 p.m.

 

The Genesee Community College women's soccer team earned its second shut-out win of the season on Wednesday night after downing Corning Community College 5-0.

Ashley Makowski went upper-right for the game's first goal in the 4th minute of the first half to give GCC a 1-0 lead. She scored again off of a free kick in the 7th minute, and the Cougars did not look back.

The Genesee defense held strong the entire night, allowing just one shot on goal during the match.

Kathryn Springsteen made it 3-0 Genesee with a goal off of a header in the 37th minute and GCC held a three-goal lead at half.

Mia Velletta kept the scoring going for the Cougars with a goal in the 51st minute off of an assist from Springsteen.

Emily Alvut buried the final goal of the match in the 74th minute and helped Genesee improve to 2-2 on the season.

Makowski finished the night with nine shots on goal and Megan Mase made the save on the only shot at the GCC net.

The Cougars will host Tompkins-Cortland Community College at 1 p.m. on Saturday for their next match.

GCC volleyball takes home opener

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College volleyball team improved to 2-9 on the season with a three sets to one win against visiting Mercyhurst North East on Tuesday night.

The Cougars took ten out of twelve points midway through the first set and won the opening game, 25-12.

Mercyhurst responded in game two and after trailing 5-2 early on, the Saints took a 7-5 lead and held a lead as large as six points before winning the second set, 25-22.

Stephanie Toledo served to four straight points for Genesee in the third set and helped the Cougars take a 16-7 lead. Mercyhurst got back to within four at 22-18, but GCC was able to hold off the visitors and a Toledo ace sealed game three for GCC, 25-19.

GCC did not trail in the fourth and final set and jumped out to an 8-2 lead. The Cougars led by as much as eight in the finale and won the final game 25-17 and the match 3-1.

Toledo finished the night with nine service aces and Nohema Garcia Torres had seven. Haley Case had 14 digs and 10 kills and Ai Miyazaki added 24 digs.

Genesee will travel to Erie Community College for its next match on Thursday night. Start time is set for 6 p.m.

GCC hosts 'Discover the Stars' reception for donors and scholars

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College administrators will welcome to campus donors who've contributed to the College's scholarship funds and students who've received scholarships, as well as two outstanding graduates who have excelled in pursuing their career goals for the Discover the Stars reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8.

The event will be held in the Stuart Steiner Theatre located in the Genesee Center for the Arts on the GCC Batavia Campus, One College Road, Batavia.

Discover the Stars is an annual event that brings together GCC scholarship recipients and donors. Members of the College Board of Trustees, Foundation Board of Directors, and College administrators will also be present.

In addition, two alumni speakers will share their career paths following their time at GCC. Jessica Stabell graduated in 2007 and earned her bachelor of arts degree in Anthropology from Buffalo State College where she received the President's Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in 2013. She has earned attention for her research and is continuing her studies toward a Ph.D. in Forensic Entomology.

Dan Ireland, of Byron, graduated in 1992 and went on to earn his bachelor of science in Nursing from SUNY Brockport in 1994 and an MBA from RIT in 1997. He began working at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia while still a student. He started as an orderly, became a floor nurse, then IT clinical analyst, and administrative analyst. In 2004 he was named director of Quality Management and then became vice president of Operations. In December 2013, he was named president of UMMC, which will be the top administrative position at the hospital once it completes a merger with Rochester Regional Health System this December.

Two GCC student golfers in national college athletic Division lll tournament this week

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College's Adam Baumeister (Lancaster, NY) and Chris Mandia (Highland, NY) will take aim at the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Golf National Tournament this week at the Chautauqua Country Club in Chautauqua. The four-round tournament begins on Tuesday and will conclude with the final round on Friday.

Baumeister brings experience to this year's championships after finishing 23rd in last year's national tournament as a freshman. He medaled three times this spring and finished in the top-ten of every event, including a fourth place finish at the Region III Championships. He was an All-Region selection for the second year in a row this season, shooting an average round of 75.3.

Mandia earned his entry to the national tournament after winning a playoff at the Region III Championships. The freshman finished 15th and was selected to the All-Region team. He shot an average round of 80.5 this spring and had four top-10 finishes including two in the top-five.

The Chautauqua Country Club and host school Jamestown Community College have hosted the national tournament every year since 1999. Golfers from over 20 states and 40 colleges will compete for the national title and round-by-round results can be found online: http://www.sunyjcc.edu/student-life/athletics/njcaa/Tournament-Statistics or by following Genesee Athletics on Twitter: @GCCSports.

Genesee Community College athletics program endeavors to provide a quality and competitive intercollegiate athletics program consistent with the National Junior Collegiate Athletics Association (NJCAA) philosophy and the overall educational mission of Genesee Community College. Participation in collegiate athletics should be an extension of the total educational experience for the student athlete. The inherent philosophy emphasizes the athletic setting as a classroom used to teach character, commitment, work ethic, respect for differences, and the importance of sacrifice, teamwork, and cooperation.

For further information and pictures go to Genesee's Athletic webpage, which is updated regularly with game results, team rosters, photographs and information about Genesee's overall athletic program. http://www.geneseeathletics.com

GCC announces three award recipients

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College Board of Trustees learned at the August monthly meeting that two members of their own, as well as a long-term GCC faculty member, have been selected to receive awards recognizing their dedication, leadership and service.

GCC Trustee Maureen Torrey Marshall has been selected to receive the Marvin A. Rapp Award for Distinguished Trustee Service by the New York Community College Trustees. Mrs. Marshall began her service as a GCC trustee in 2003, and just concluded her two-year term as chairman last month. She is a lifelong resident of Genesee County and co-owner of the 10,000 acre Torrey Farms, Inc. She serves on several agricultural associations at the state and national levels.

Current Board of Trustee Chairman Diane D. Torcello has been selected to receive the 2014 Donald M. Mawhinney Trustee Leadership Award. Appointed to GCC's Board of Trustees in 2005, Mrs. Torcello is vice president Community Banking manager for Tompkins Bank of Castile, former chair of the Presidential Search committee for GCC, former chair of Genesee County United Way, and she continues to serve as a member of the Board and the Campaign Cabinet. She also serves on the Mary Immaculate Church Finance Committee and she is the Treasurer of the Pavilion Republican Committee. Diane was also named to the Buffalo Business First 40 Under 40.

Both honors will be recognized at the 60th Annual NYCCT Conference entitled "Celebrating 60 Years of Trustee Education and Leadership" on Saturday Sept. 20 at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs.

GCC's Professor of Business M. Richard (Rick) Dudkowski has been selected to receive the Northeast ACCT Faculty Member Award at the Winds of Change Leadership Congress '14 this October in Chicago, sponsored by the Association of Community College Trustees. This award honors excellence in teaching through innovative programming, special initiatives, problem solving and leadership within two-year postsecondary institutions as well as the local community.

Throughout his 30 year tenure at GCC, Mr. Dudkowski or "Mr. D.," as his students are fond of calling him, has been an exceptional contributor to the college community as a dedicated professor, mentor, success coach, colleague, civic leader and friend. He teaches 10 different courses in the business division and is the lead faculty member of the Fashion Merchandising Management program that produces the annual Fashion Show, which will enjoy its 34th annual production in 2015. He is a "go-to" staff member volunteering for many additional assignments, such as serving on the planning committees for the College's 40th anniversary, the retirement reception celebrating Stuart Steiner's 37 years as president and the inauguration of James Sunser, GCC president in 2011.

Mr. Dudkowski is a two-time recipient of the State University of New York New Chancellor's Award for Excellence, first in 2002 for Excellence in Teaching and in 2008 for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. He also was recently inducted into Susan Makai's Personal Best Model and Talent Agency Hall of Fame for Marketing Individual Excellence in a Competitive World.

Works by GCC Arts faculty on view at Roz Steiner Gallery, opening reception is Sept. 11

By Billie Owens

Press release:

They teach their craft to students every day, but they are also practicing artists outside of the classroom. This fall, see the work of the Fine Arts faculty at Genesee Community College in an exhibit entitled "Art Matters: GCC Arts Faculty Exhibit."

The show is now on view in the Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Gallery in the Genesee Center for the Arts on the GCC Batavia Campus. Opening receptions for the exhibit are planned on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and again at 5:30-7:30 p.m. The afternoon opening will include a performance by Music instructor Jennifer Sisbarro.

The show will feature the works of six GCC faculty members. They include Joe Ziolkowski, Instructor of Photography, who is coordinating the exhibit; Moi Dugan, associate professor of Ceramics and 3-Dimensional Design; Heather Jones, assistant professor of Fine Arts; Pamela Swarts, assistant professor of Digital Art; Jennifer Sisbarro, instructor of Music, and Ed Hallborg, Theater technician.

Ziolkowski, who teaches digital and film-based photography, creates unique self-portraits that use multiple formats, including 35 mm, 4 x 5 inch pinhole, digital SLR, mirror-less and iPhone digital cameras.

"In a world filled with the effortless 'selfie,' my work is effort filled," Ziolkowski notes. "As the artist, I select the vantage point and frame the subject, making my lens the viewers' eye. As subject, I place myself within the frame and guide the viewer through the frame with my own gaze. Within this gaze, I join the viewer, experiencing the joy of gazing myself."

Moi Dugan's new work is inspired by the woodlands surrounding her family's new home.

"My wheel thrown and handbuilt ceramics act as canvases for my painted narratives. While my work is functional, I strive for each piece to stand alone as a work of art when not in use," Dugan said.

She uses brightly pigmented slip and the sgraffito ("scratch") technique to produce the layers of color, texture and pattern on each of her one-of-a-kind pieces.

The mixed media creations of Heather Jones integrate glass, metal, paint and untraditional materials to "create social commentaries that speak of environmental issues.

"My current artwork focuses on the ethics of patenting life and the scientific processes of changing plants, animals and humans at a cellular level," Jones said.

Pam Swarts features graphic artwork on posters and event design materials.

Cultural debris is the focus of Ed Hallborg's work entitled "Remnants," which "is meant to be consumed in passing, like digital graffiti." Automated slide projectors display the words and images.

And musical sound bites featuring vocal performances by Jennifer Sisbarro will play continuously. Sisbarro's selections come from classical, jazz, and musical theater genres. She's an experienced performer who's been singing since the age of 3. Sisbarro will perform jazz standards with Deborah Sorenson accompanying her on piano during the opening reception from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Sept. 11.

The exhibit will be on display through Nov.  20. The Roz Steiner Gallery, located in the Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College, is open Monday – Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by special appointment. GCC's Batavia campus, located at One College Road, is just a short drive off exit 48 of the New York State Thruway. Directions to the campus are available at http://www.genesee.edu/about/visit/maps.cfm.

GCC men's soccer loses fourth straight game to start the year

By Andrew Crofts

 

The Genesee Community College men's soccer team fell to 0-4 this year after a 5-1 loss to visiting Monroe Community College on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tribunes scored twice in the first five minutes of the game and took a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the opening half.

Genesee got on the board in the 10th minute when Kazuyuki Nakane beat the MCC goalkeeper to draw the Cougars to within 2-1. Ikuma Hirano was credited with the assist.

Monroe added to its lead before the half with a goal in the 40th minute and held a 3-1 advantage at the break.

The Tribunes scored twice in the second half, once in the 55th minute and once in the 57th minute, and controlled possession throughout the rest of the match to drop Genesee for its fourth straight loss to begin the year.

Connor Halstead made two saves in goal for GCC and Brad Rodda and Hirano tallied two shots on goal apiece.

Genesee (0-4) will return to action on the road on Saturday at Mohawk Valley Community College for a 3 p.m. start.

Training for healthcare jobs offered at The BEST Center

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Great job opportunities with substantial salaries exist in the healthcare industry and two programs offered this fall at The BEST Center at Genesee Community College provide the skills needed to secure a dynamic new career in this ever-growing industry.

Become a phlebotomy technician or learn to be a medical billing and coding professional. With seats limited, anyone interested is encouraged to enroll today. Classes begin the week of Sept. 22.

Phlebotomy technicians collect blood specimens from clients for the purpose of laboratory analysis. These positions are in demand as the elderly population grows, and experienced phlebotomists have the potential to earn more than $40,000 a year. The training program involves 90 hours of preparation and begins Monday, Sept. 22 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays and a few Saturdays through Dec. 15 at the Batavia Campus. The cost of the 11-week program, including textbooks, is $1,599.

In the Medical Billing and Coding program, students learn the claims processes for medical insurance and third-party reimbursements. The course covers completing common insurance forms, manually filing claims (using the CPT-Current Procedural Terminology and ICD-9 –International Classifications of Diseases-9 manual), solving insurance billing problems, tracing delinquent claims, appealing denied claims and the use of generic forms to streamline billing procedures.

Medical coders are in high demand and that is expected to continue. The U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22-percent growth in the medical records field into the year 2022. Average hourly pay is $15-$17 and experienced coders can advance into higher-paying positions in medical office management.

The BEST Center's Medical Billing and Coding Program begins Tuesday, Sept. 23 and is held at the Batavia Campus Tuesdays and Thursdays through Dec. 2 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. as well as two Saturdays, Oct. 4 and Nov. 1. Tuition for the 80-hour program, which includes textbooks, totals $1,799. Those interested are encouraged to enroll now as class size is limited.

To enroll or for more information, contact The BEST Center at Genesee Community College at (585) 345-6868 or bestcenter@genesee.edu. You can also apply online at http://www.genesee.edu/best/

Genesee women's soccer ranked in the preseason top-ten

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College women’s soccer team is ranked No. 10 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) preseason top-10 poll, which was released by the association on Wednesday.

(Ready to roll: Mariah Niemiec (white) will be one of nine returning players for the No. 10 GCC women's soccer team)

 

Second-year head coach Jeff Reyngoudt returns after a trip to the regional finals and a 13-4-1 campaign during his first season at the helm in 2013. The Cougars were ranked as high as fifth in the NJCAA National Poll last season and Reyngoudt was named the Western New York Athletic Conference (WNYAC) Coach of the Year.

GCC will return nine starters including 2013 second team All-American goalkeeper Maddie Potter (Oakfield, NY) and All-Region selections Ashley Makowski (Kendall, NY) and Sarah Loranty (Alexander, NY). Potter made 15 starts in goal last fall and allowed an average of just 0.94 goals per game. She totaled seven shutouts and had a save percentage of better than 85 percent. Makowski was second on last year’s squad in goals scored (12) and tallied 28 points during her freshman season. Loranty helped anchor a defense that allowed an average of 1.37 goals per game and totaled eight shutout wins.

Genesee will begin its 2014 season on Aug. 28 at home against NJCAA Division I Mercyhurst North East. It will be the first of seven scheduled home games this fall for the Cougars and one of six contests scheduled against WNYAC opponents.

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