Alumni Hall of Fame

Press release:

The OACS Alumni Hall of Fame Committee will be honoring the Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2018 during an Alumni Hall of Fame weekend scheduled for Oct. 19th-20th.

This year's honorees are: Mark Boyce ('76), David Reed ('97), and Brett Willmott ('91).

On the evening of Saturday, Oct. 20th, there will be a community dinner and ceremony to induct our newest members. The dinner will be held at the OACS High School cafeteria. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6 o'clock.

Tickets are on sale only through Oct.13th and are available at the high school check-in main entrance, at Santino's Pizza on Drake Street in Oakfield, or by contacting committee member Brandon Brummert through email at bbpennstate10@aol.com. Tickets are $20 each.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding OACS alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives and chosen field after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements. 

We hope to see you there!

For bios of this year's honorees, click here.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Foundation is proud to announce its 2017 and 2018 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. The entire community is invited to join us at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in the Conable Technology Building at One College Road in Batavia for the induction ceremony.

Candidates for the Alumni Hall of Fame are nominated by friends, family, colleagues or other associates.

Each of the selected honorees has made impactful contributions to their profession and has provided distinguished service to the community and/or Genesee Community College. The GCC Alumni Hall of Fame, which is located on the second floor of the Conable Technology Building, boasts honorees from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds.

Each of these outstanding GCC graduates has made a lasting impact on their communities and earned this honor. We are proud to welcome the following to the Alumni Hall of Fame:

2017 Inductees

George Walker IV, '98, SVP of Creative Development, Dynamic Attractions

James Branciforte, '80, CEO Lifetime Assistance Inc.

2018 Inductees

Georgann Carrubba, '03, President and CEO, Tencar

Scott Gardner, '98, President and CEO, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce

The complete list of Hall of Fame members is available at www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/.

The Alumni Hall of Fame Induction is free and open to the public. GCC welcomes all Hall of fame members, GCC alumni, and of course, the friends and family of our newest inductees to attend this celebration.

Byron-Bergen’s 2017 National Honor Society.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Byron-Bergen chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) welcomed 16 new student members to their distinguished company on April 26. The ceremony also honored the two latest inductees to the Byron-Bergen Alumni Hall of Fame.

The event began with music from the school’s vocal group, the Singing Silhouettes; welcome and congratulations from Superintendent Mickey Edwards; then short addresses from alumnus Dr. Paul Brill (Class of 1982) and Pam McCarthy, the sister of the late Barry Miller (Class of 1983).

Dr. Brill spoke of his difficult years at school, and credited his teachers, especially Arthur Rohe, along with his older sisters and brother with challenging him to do better.

“There were mentors in my life that helped me change the path I was on,” he said. Today, he is a distinguished neurologist, involved community member, and dedicated husband and father in South Carolina.

Miller was a foundational member of the Bergen community: business owner, volunteer firefighter, and Genesee County coroner, among many other roles. McCarthy spoke of her brother, who was killed in 2015 while performing his duties as the chief of the Bergen Emergency Medical Services.

“He was always looking out for the little guy,” she said. “He touched many lives and made the world a better place.”

Both Barry Miller and Dr. Brill serve as inspirational role models to the youth of Byron-Bergen, and epitomize the purpose of the Alumni Hall of Fame.

National Honor Society President Brittany Rada introduced the second half of the evening, and welcomed guest speaker Coach Rich Krzewinski.

“Always put forth your maximum effort,” he said, “and never give up.”

New NHS members received traditional honor cords and certificates.

National Honor Society membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but also challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service. The organization has chapters in all 50 states, Canada, and beyond.

The traditional candle-lighting ceremony, which acknowledges the high standards students in NHS must exhibit in knowledge, character, leadership, service, and scholarship, was performed by students Olivia Audsley and Chase Felton. New members took the NHS pledge and were presented with their honor cords and certificates.

Current Members of the Byron-Bergen National Honor Society: Olivia Audsley, Rose Bower, Cameron Brumsted, Catherine Brumsted, Lauren Burke, Benjamin Chaback, Quinn Chapell, Brionna DeMichel, Chase Felton, Margaret Graney, Justin Hannan, Hayley Hoehn, Brian Ireland, Daniel Jensen, Peyton Mackey, Kelsey Maurer, Celia Mercovich, Makenzie Muoio, , Grace Pulcini, Brittany Rada, Leah Thompson, Dana VanValkenburg, Adam Walter and Michael Zwerka.

2017 Inductees to the Byron-Bergen National Honor Society: Larissa Ashton, Sarah Bleiler, Lydia Campbell, Jean Denson, Adam Drake, Jared Fregoe, Morgan Fuller, Emma Goodman, Annaliese Hersom, William Johnson, Brendon Kendall, Hunter Leach, Erin Parnapy, Sabastian Pawlukewicz, Joshua Phelps and Brianna Shade.

Below: The school’s Singing Silhouettes sang “Build Me Up, Buttercup” to start the evening with music.

Press release:

Over the past 10 years, nearly 35 outstanding graduates of Genesee Community College have been inducted into GCC's Alumni Hall of Fame. The College Foundation knows there are many more outstanding graduates who've made a lasting impact on their communities and invites nominations for the 2017 Alumni Hall of Fame. Submissions are due by Dec. 31.

Candidates nominated for the Alumni Hall of Fame should be individuals who've contributed significantly to their profession and have provided distinguished service to the community and/or service to Genesee Community College. Nominees must have completed their GCC degree at least ten years prior to nomination. Past inductees have represented a wide variety of career fields, from law enforcement to economic development.

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. Nomination forms can be downloaded from GCC's alumni website www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/ and emailed or sent to the College's Alumni office.

A selection committee will choose honorees. New inductees will be honored at a reception in March 2017, and 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. 

"I am just beginning to appreciate the many amazing accomplishments of GCC alumni both within our local community and beyond," said Jennifer Zambito, the new assistant director of GCC's Alumni Affairs Office. "I am excited to meet, greet and promote so many kind and generous members of the GCC Cougar family.

For the full list of previously inducted Alumni Hall of Fame members please visit http://www.genesee.edu/offices/alumni/hall-of-fame/. 

For more information, contact Jennifer Zambito, assistant director of GCC's Alumni Affairs at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6265 or jmzambito@genesee.edu.

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.