Submitted photo and press release:
Last month, Genesee Community College announced the beginning of its year-long celebration of the Nursing Program's 50th anniversary.
During a special "Tea and a Toast" event, the Nursing Program Director Laurel Sanger, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs Tamatha L. Arneth, and Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Jennifer Wakefield kicked off the program's centennial with several impressive announcements all stemming from one of GCC's most substantial scholarship gifts to date.
The significance of this gift has allowed the College to name its School of Nursing after its largest benefactor, specifically, The Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing.
(Above inset photo is Antoinette Marchese Clancy.)
"It has been my honor to work with the Clancy family to help them introduce an opportunity that recognizes and supports second-year nursing students who have exhibited dedication and excellence in their first year of study, and promise to continue this distinction in their second year," Arneth said.
"The dream of helping the next generation of GCC nursing students has been very important to the Clancy family despite the many years and the physical distance between Mrs. Clancy and her alma mater."
Antoinette Marchese grew up in Batavia and in 1970 graduated from Notre Dame High School, where she had met her husband, Emmet Clancy.
After working as a nurse's aide at St. Jerome's Hospital, she enrolled at D'Youville College, but transferred and graduated from GCC in 1974 earning the Nursing Excellence Award, an honor that is still very important to her.
The Clancy family, now residing in California, has grown to include five children and 11 grandchildren throughout their 45-year marriage.
Earlier this year, Emmet Clancy contacted GCC exploring how his wife's desire to help future nursing students could become a reality. He also wanted to recognize the hard work and dedication of his beloved.
Knowing how much GCC and the Nursing Excellence Award means to his wife and inspired by her selflessness, Emmet Clancy worked with Arneth to establish two opportunities available to nursing students next year.
- The Antoinette Marchese Clancy Scholarship Fund has been established through a generous gift from the Clancy family and recognizes Antoinette, GCC Class of 1974. Each year going forward, this scholarship will support several second-year GCC nursing students who are academically in the upper third of the class and have illustrated excellence in their clinical performance.
- In addition, the Antoinette Marchese Clancy Excellence Award will be awarded for the first time to the top clinical performing nursing student at the annual Nursing Recognition Ceremony that is scheduled before the college-wide Commencement, which will occur next on Saturday, May 16.
A formal recognition reception with the Clancys in attendance is also scheduled for Thursday, May 14, as a highlight of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of GCC's Nursing Program and the annual Nursing graduation ceremony.
