GCC

Press release:

From soon-to-be high school graduates to first-time adult college students; military veterans to full-time employees; local residents to international prospects; computer geeks to the digitally challenged; and career enthusiasts of every persuasion -- Genesee Community College will have its doors open this spring welcoming potential new students of all ages, backgrounds and academic interests. In total, GCC has 15 different events on its Spring Visits calendar, which is a notable record of its own. 

"Genesee Community College, especially with our new facilities and success coaches at the main campus in Batavia, really is the number one value in educational opportunity in Western New York!" said Shelitha Williams, Ph.D., vice president for Student and Enrollment Services.

"I've worked in other institutions and traveled extensively, and I'm proud to make this claim. This spring, we hope anyone who has even the remotest thought of a college education or is seeking a new focus in life will come see us!"

The 2019 Spring Visits GCC calendar includes the following events at the Batavia Campus:

Major Exploration Days:

• Friday, March 8 - Business, Science and Technology
• Friday, March 22 - Law, Criminal Justice and Human Services
• Friday, March 29 - Health and Physical Education
• Friday, May 3 - Creative Arts, Education and Liberal Arts

The Major Exploration Days all begin at 8:45 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast before hearing presentations by Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Activities. Guests will then have a campus tour including the new Richard C. Call Arena and the Student Success Center.

From there they will meet the faculty, current students and success coaches related to their academic major.

Finally, those interested can tour College Village seeing the newest housing opportunity, namely the renovation of Birch Hall into the "communal" living facility featuring single bedrooms surrounding the large, centrally located and shared kitchen and bathrooms. 

• Spring Open House -- Saturday, April 6, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. -- This is GCC's Spring 2019 "signature" event providing prospective students and their families the chance to gain broad insight about GCC's robust services for student success. Presentations or interactive conversations with Admissions, Financial Aid, Career and Transfer Services, Student Success Center, Athletics, Student Activities and College Village will be among the many opportunities. Full campus tours will be provided, and to commence the Open House, GCC's theater majors will perform excerpts from "ENCOUNTERS" and "The Lamp is the Moon," two of GCC's performing arts events this spring.

Campus Tours and Group Information Sessions 

• Thursday, Feb. 28, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 16, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
• Thursday, April 18, 12:30 - 2 p.m.

In just 90 minutes, visitors will hear the highlights of GCC's many programs and services, as well as the enrollment process. They can also enjoy a one-hour walking tour with a College Village option for those interested in living on campus.

Targeted Academic Information Sessions 

For those pursuing a career in healthcare, attending a specific information session is often a mandatory step in the application process. For this reason, different healthcare divisions are offering their own Info Sessions as outlined below:

Physical Therapist Assistant in the PTA Lab in room A208

• Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, March 20, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, April 3, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, April 17, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 1, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
• Monday, May 6, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Nursing - Non-LPNs Only in the Med Tech Building -- second floor

• Monday, March 18, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 22, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 12, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Advanced Placement (LPN to RN) Only in the Med Tech Building -- second floor 

• Wednesday, Feb. 27, 4 - 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 26, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Thursday, April 11, 1 - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 8, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Monday, June 10, 4 - 6 p.m.

Veterinary Technology in T119A

• Thursday, Feb. 28, 12:45 - 2 p.m.

Register online for any of GCC's Spring Visits here. For more information about any of the Spring Visit events, contact GCC's Admissions Office at 585-345-6800, toll free at 1-866-CALL-GCC or email Admissions@genesee.edu. For online, door-to-door driving directions click here.

To tour GCC remotely, click here for a 360 degree virtual online campus tour!

Includes information from Genesee Community College:

The National Circus Project brings its exciting, fun-filled circus performance to Genesee Community College's Stuart Steiner Theatre in Batavia at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22. With juggling, plate spinning, devil stick AKA diabolo, as well as comedy, this performance will encourage audience participation and is full of surprises!

The day before the performance, on Thursday, Feb. 21, the experts from National Circus Project will hold six free workshops, which are also open to the public, at GCC. Please call GCC's box office at (585) 345-6814 for details about the workshop schedule.

Tickets for the family-friendly National Circus Project performance on Friday night are just $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

The Westbury-NY-based National Circus Project is an educational outreach program, an arts-in-education program, a physical education external program, and a cultural arts external program.

According to their website, "Kids love to watch circus, and are very motivated to try the skills we perform. Our workshops are challenging, without being overwhelming or frustrating. This gives students an opportunity to learn patience, self-discipline and good practice habits (while having fun!)."

They say learning circus skills has these benefits:

• It's noncompetitive
• It's cost effective
• It builds self-esteem
• It teaches cooperation

To find out more about the National Circus Project, click here.

Press release:

Genesee Community College Fashion Program students are continuing in their year-long preparations for the 38th Annual Fashion Show that is scheduled on Saturday, May 4.

There really is a sense of "LIMITLESS" for students planning the program and designing new garments, and also for the community who can participate in the show as volunteer models.

"LIMITLESS" was the theme chosen by the students this year to demonstrate the endlessness of fashion possibilities and the possibilities of embracing the diversity of the GLOW region. With no limits or boundaries, this year's fashion show will draw from both classic and fiery palettes and promises to be innovative, inspirational and inclusive!

It also gives the general community an opportunity to experience the excitement and thrill of strutting down the runway. 

Following the success of "Ascendant," GCC's 37th annual show in 2018, "LIMITLESS" will take place in the 24,000-square-foot indoor Richard C. Call Arena. With plenty of space to accommodate 2,000 guests with ample parking, the students are planning one dynamic, fast-moving production.

There will be pre-show interviews and photo-ops featuring the coordinators of each scene, and a post-show party and vendor market. Currently, students are not only seeking vendors to participate in this portion of the program, but models of all ages.

Models tryouts will be held in the Conable Technology Building at the Batavia Campus on: 

• Tuesday, Feb. 5, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in T122
• Wednesday, Feb. 6, 4-5:30 p.m. in T119
• Thursday, Feb. 7, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in T119

Attend any one of the three events above to try out, and preregistration is not required. Participants will be asked to walk as if on a runway, and those comfortable wearing high-heeled shoes should bring a pair to the tryouts.

The student production team is looking for age, ethnic, gender and aesthetic diversity in models. Ages newborn to 92 are welcome. No prior modeling experience is necessary.

If chosen, models will be required to attend a dress rehearsal the evening of May 3, as well as approximately three to five scene rehearsals as required by the scene coordinator.

To fully appreciate the development of "LIMITLESS," follow @gccfashionprogram on Instagram, @trendygcc on Twitter and the FBM (Fashion Business Merchandising) program blog at https://sunygcc.blog/category/academics/fashion/. Students will be sharing details about the show, their individual scenes and more!

Any business, organization or individual interested in an opportunity to support this year's Fashion Show should contact Debbie Mancuso at (585) 345-6830 or via email at fashionshow@genesee.edu. Business donations start at $10, but event sponsorships are welcome at all levels.

Personal donations of $5 are available, and Fashion Program students will be delighted to schedule a donation pick up or make special arrangements for donations. Sponsors and in-kind donations are included in the Fashion Show Program as well as on the Fashion Show website.

Checks should be made payable to GCCA and can be mailed to Genesee Community College, Fashion Show, One College Road, Batavia NY 14020-9704.

Press release:

The Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College has released its spring lineup of events and opportunities, and it is going to be an emotional, fun and powerful season. 

First, the Roz Steiner Art Gallery at GCC will display a collection of paintings by Muhammad Zaman entitled "Finding Amal" from Jan. 22 - Feb. 22. Amal, meaning "hope" in Arabic, is what Zaman hopes to inspire through his work.

"Finding Amal" features compositions of urban calligraphy that combine the three languages that are the cornerstones of the artist's culture: Arabic, English and Bangla. Each individual canvas expresses a word, phrase or concept as if they were messages dedicated to the entire human race.

The artist will lecture on Jan. 31, at 12:30 p.m. and receptions will follow at 1 and 5 p.m.

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is also open during special events as published at www.genesee.edu/campuslife/arts. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Gallery coordinator Mary Jo Whitman at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6490, or via email: mjwhitman@genesee.edu. 

The following live performances will take place in GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus.

The National Circus Project brings its exciting, fun-filled circus performance to GCC in Batavia on Friday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m. With juggling, plate spinning, and comedy, this act encourages audience participation and is full of surprises! The experts from National Circus Project will also hold six workshops, which are also open to the public, at GCC on Thursday, Feb. 21. Call (585) 345-6814 for the full workshop schedule.

The Forum Players will perform "Encounters: A Social Issues Anthology" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, Friday, March 8, Saturday, March 9, and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on March 10. This anthology, directed by Norman R. Gayford, professor of English, is a collection of six short pieces, with poetry interludes, that use stories to explore a variety of issues facing society today.

The first piece, "The Unspoken 200," written by Ehinomen Okojie of Winston-Salem, N.C., attempts to reverse the desensitization that results from using hashtags to summarize tragedies. In April 2014, 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the Town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. Today, 195 of those females are still missing! The Unspoken 200 tells the story of one of the kidnapped girls.

"I wrote this play because it became easy for myself, as well as other people, to simply type the hashtag #bringbackourgirls, and merely forget them a few seconds later," Okojie said. "Through the play, I could empathize with these girls, and I believe it will do the same for many people.

"It will challenge how they live their day-to-day lives, making them appreciate the things that are so easy to come by and to remind us all that over 60 percent of those girls are still missing. Today, it is easy for us to reduce tragic events to a hashtag. I am using this play to make people truly understand that the tragedy these girls have suffered is not and never will be equitable to a couple of words." 

The second piece in the production is "Save the Date," written by Caity-Shea Violette, of Boston. Just hours before her wedding, the play's main character, Andrea, meets her estranged lover in a park. In a tug-of-war between passion and timing, they explore the expiration date of "the one that got away."

Shifting from romance to humanity, the third social issue explored in "Encounters: A Social Issues Anthology," is in "Sister," written by Kita Mehaffy of Santa Fe, N.M. This piece tells the story of Andréa, down on her luck, who sees Alex in the park early one Sunday morning.

Andréa hopes to find the humanity in a woman who had previously looked right through her. Andréa attempts to prompt Alex's memory of their previous face-to-face encounter, but to no avail. Alex only sees what she wants to see when Andréa responds with agitated frustration. "Sometimes being invisible wears on a girl," Andréa says.

The anthology's fourth act is "Summer Storms," written by Jaisey Bates, of Los Angeles. Bates was inspired to write this piece in two phrases: "they were dancing" and "I had a dream, but now I'm woke."

These words, created in the wake of the tragedies that took place during the summer of 2016 "support mutual healing, strengthened community and positive change," Bates said. "That we might build with our joined words an enduring shelter from such storms; that we might write a new story worthy of our children, our children's children; that we might learn, in the precious few moments we are gifted, to walk together in beauty on this beloved ground."

The anthology concludes with a powerful one-minute scene called "Boulder Holder," written and performed by Crystal Jackson of Pacific Grove, Calif. This scene is about violence in schools. Encounters will also be performed at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, for students at GCC's Batavia campus.

On Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. GCC's Forum Players also present the Children's Theatre production, "The Lamp is the Moon," written by Kirk Lynn. The program introduces Shawn, a bright young girl with a head full of science and imagination, which makes naptimes particularly difficult.

Her friend, Lamp, triggers a wide-awake adventure with the dream of learning to fly and becoming the moon. With the guidance of the audience, this voyage is fit for mission control as Shawn and her lamp escape naptime and blast into space.

"I don't like to nap, but I do like to dream," Shawn says.

This show debuted at the Seattle Children's Theatre in the spring of 2018. 

The 2019 spring season concludes with GCC adjunct professor Tara Pocock artfully directing a 20-piece modern dance showcase entitled, "Freedom: A Modern Dance Show About Your Rights."

The program questions what are basic human rights and freedoms in today's ever-changing world. This powerful performance will take place on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Stuart Steiner Theatre.

Tickets for these shows in the Stuart Steiner Theatre are $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

The healthcare industry is ever-changing and many healthcare professions are in high demand. With that in mind, Genesee Community College recognizes a substantial opportunity for students enrolled in the College's Health Studies Certificate program to continue their education to earn a Health Studies Associate in Science degree, and potentially transfer on for a bachelor's or higher degree.

Upon hearing a full report by Kathleen (Kate) M. Schiefen, Ph.D., GCC's provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, the College's Board of Trustees on Monday approved the next step in the development of a new associate degree in Health Studies. It would readily transfer to other colleges and universities for a degree in Healthcare Administration.

Schiefen explained the multiphase process of introducing a new degree, which generally starts in GCC's Academic Senate for a complete career and industry discovery effort and also the related curriculum development. The proposal is then carefully reviewed by the College's provost and president before being reviewed by the College's Trustees.

With Trustee approval, the proposal is then sent to both the State University of New York for a SUNY-wide peer and public review period, and once successfully vetted by SUNY, it is then sent to New York State Education Department for the final review and approval.

If each step of the process meets with successive approvals, it is possible the new program might be available by the fall semester or early in 2020.

"This new program aligns with SUNY Brockport's Health Care Administration bachelor's program, and also Buffalo State College's Health and Wellness bachelor's program among others," Schiefen noted. "It is an excellent health care transfer pathway."

In other business Monday evening, the Board of Trustees:

Approved the College's 2017-2018 audit report. Finance Committee Chair Diane Torcello said that the Committee had reviewed the report from Lumsden McCormick, the College's independent auditor, and that they had issued a "clean" audit report, meaning that no errors, adjustments, changes or findings were necessary.

Approved the renewal of four-year continuing appointments for 15 members of the College's faculty and staff: Charmayne Bloom, Campus Center associate; Carolyn Caccamise, director / associate professor of Veterinary Technology; Rebecca Dziekan, director / professor of HED & PED Studies; Karlyn Backus, ACE Programs specialist; Tracy Ford, associate professor of English; Karen Huffman, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology; Thomas Kinsey, reporting analyst; Kenneth Mead, professor of Math & Computer Information Systems; Tracy Merritt, assessment associate; Ebony Ross, admissions advisor; Skip Sherman, student athletic assistant; Daniel Snyder, ACE Programs specialist; Garth Swanson, professor of History; Candice Vacin, professor of Psychology; Michael Von Schiller, assistant professor of Health & Physical Education.

Approved initial four-year continuing appointments for six members of the faculty and staff: James Donsbach, director of Grant Services; John Maloney, marketing communications specialist; Brendan McCabe, instructor of Biology; Melissa Miller, Nursing Lab coordinator; Gregory Sharpe, instructor of Food Processing Technology; JoNelle Toriseva, director / associate professor of English

Approved the list of degrees and certificate recipients for 230 students who successfully completed their academic requirements this month. GCC is awarding 99 Associate in Applied Science degrees (AAS), 111 Associate in Science degrees (AS), five Associate in Arts degrees (AA) and 15 certificates.

Approved the acceptance of an in-kind donation of three pieces of equipment to the College's Veterinary Technology program. An ultrasound unit, and blood and CBC analyzer units were donated by Coldwater Animal Hospital of Rochester with a combined value of $12,000. President James Sunser stated that the College recently developed a donation procedure that formally outlines the steps the College takes when presented with donations.

Approved the professional services titles for the Assistant Dean of Student Services and the Director of Interdisciplinary Academic Support, to remain consistent with the SUNY master list of professional titles.

Approved Board of Trustee Policy #1021 about Sexual Harassment following the SUNY Sexual Harassment Response and Prevention Statement.

Heard Director of Campus Safety Stephen P. Wise report that the College's annual safety and security report has been posted on the College's website and is available to students and the public here. The report includes statistics about criminal incidents occurring on or near all campus property as required under the Jeanne Clery Policy and Crime Statistics Act, as well as information about College safety policies and procedures.

Heard Board of Trustee Chair Donna M. Ferry remind the Trustees that if they wish to nominate a name for an Honorary Degrees they need to notify Bethany by Feb. 1.

Heard William Emm, executive vice president of Finance and Operations, report on the upcoming lease renewal agreements for Albion and Medina Campus centers, which are due to expire in August, and the Warsaw Campus Center, which is due to expire in May.

Heard President Sunser report on the following new appointments, which are replacing existing positions and are not adding new or additional staff or faculty numbers to the College's employee base.

• Joanna M. Santos, is the director of Campus Center Operations in Wyoming County. With a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Education, both from SUNY Geneseo, Santos is also pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Rochester. She brings several years of experience from Geneseo including recruitment, student success and academic support. She resides in Warsaw.
• Kristina R. LoBello, is a new instructor of Nursing, and brings many years of nursing experience from Strong Memorial Hospital as a care coordinator of adult medicine and a staff nurse. She is a graduate of GCC's Nursing program and also earned a Nursing BS, and also three MS degrees in Clinical Nurse Leadership, Medical Management and Nursing Education, all from the University of Rochester. She resides in Batavia.
• Anne M. Wood, is a new instructor of Economics, and brings extensive teaching experience from Erie Community College, Eastern Gateway (online) Community College, as well as an adjunct at GCC. She earned her MS in Agriculture and Resource Economics from West Virginia University and BS in Biology with a second major in Economics from SUNY Fredonia. She resides in Akron.
• Kelley W. Zanghi, is an new instructor of Transitional English and English Composition, but an old friend and colleague to GCC. She is a former GCC student, adjunct instructor and technical specialist. She earned her MA English-Liberal Arts, and BA in English with magna cum laude, both from SUNY Fredonia. She resides in Batavia.

Press release:

The Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) is visiting every Genesee Community College campus center in January to help any current or potential student through College Entry Point and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Workshops.

The remaining events are listed below; any current or potential student can attend these workshops:

Batavia Campus -- 1 College Road, Batavia

• Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. 'til 5 p.m.

Albion Campus Center -- 456 West Ave, Albion

• Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.

Arcade Campus Center -- 25 Edward St., Arcade

• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. 'til 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 31, from 11 a.m. 'til 7 p.m.

Dansville Campus Center - 31 Clara Barton St., Dansville

• Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. 'til 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m. 'til 4 p.m.

Lima Campus Center -- 7285 Gale Road, Lima

• Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 9 a.m. 'til 2 p.m.

Medina Campus Center -- 11470 Maple Ridge Road, Medina

• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 24, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.

The complete calendar of AEOC support workshops, financial aid sessions, College Entry Point events and more is available at www.genesee.edu/aeoc/.

One of the most popular workshops the AEOC offers are the "FAFSA Fests" (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). During these sessions, anyone can receive help in completing the FAFSA and TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) forms. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the AEOC office at 1-888-394-2362 or via email at AEOC@genesee.edu to reserve a seat in any session and to learn about what information and materials are required for participation. 

All of the AEOC services are free and available to anyone, not just students of Genesee Community College. With dozens of events taking place throughout the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties, the AEOC is readily available. For a complete list of AEOC workshop and other events, visit the new calendar of events online here.

To learn more about any of these AEOC services, please visit here or contact the AEOC office at 1-888-394-2362 or via email at AEOC@genesee.edu.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Alumni Affairs Office at Genesee Community College is spending the snowy season thinking about warmer days and golf!

Under the direction of Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble Honorary Chairperson Wesley Bedford, GCC Class of 2006, plans for the event are well underway.

Registration is now open for the fourth annual Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble scheduled for Monday, July 22, at the Stafford Country Club, 8873 Morganville Road (Route 237) in Stafford.

The Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble allows up to 36 foursomes for the 18-hole event at the esteemed Stafford Country Club.

Sign-in starts 11:30 a.m. with lunch available, and golfers tee off in "shotgun" style at 12:30 p.m. Registration is $125 per golfer and includes 18 holes of golf, a golf cart, all beer and nonalcoholic beverages during play, lunch and dinner with a cash bar, and much more!

To join the event for dinner only is $25. Most importantly, all proceeds go directly to the GCC student scholarship program, making higher education possible for deserving students in our community.

The registration deadline for golfers is June 28. Contact Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Jennifer Wakefield at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6265, or via email at jgwakefield@genesee.edu. The golfer registration form is also available online here.

Additional opportunities to sponsor GCC scholarships are available at a number of levels ranging from $100 to $3,000. Sponsorships for golf games, including a putting contest, longest drive, closest to the pin, and beat the pro and other in-kind support efforts are also being accepted.

A sponsorship sign-up form with all donation details is available here and should be sent to Jennifer Wakefield at jgwakefield@genesee.edu to reserve a sponsorship level.

(Photos from 2018 Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble.)

Press release:

The Genesee Community College History Club is excited to invite the public to the first Spring 2019 Historical Horizons Lecture Series event on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. to hear Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer, Ph.D., discuss the "Winged Jewels of the Nile."

Birds and bird imagery filled the world of the ancient Egyptians. Every fall, the arrival of millions of waterfowl in the delta marshes coincided with the Nile flood.

The Egyptians saw in these natural and cyclical events a symbolic reenactment of the moment of creation when, according to some versions of the myth, a divine goose laid an egg on the first mound emerging from the water. From this egg hatched the sun god, who flew high in the sky and created the other gods and humanity.

In addition to presenting how birds, from cradle to coffin, permeated most aspects of Egyptian society, Bailleul-LeSuer will discuss the work she has conducted and is pursuing on a selection of bird mummies held in museum collections.

Using medical imaging and scientific analyses to complement findings from ancient texts and artifacts, her research aims at shedding some additional light on the phenomenon of Sacred Bird Cults, in which these mummies played a significant role. With her expertise in this unique field of study, Bailleul-LeSuer has edited the book, "Between Heaven and Earth, Birds in Ancient Egypt," which was published by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in 2012.

The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building, is free and open to the public. The other upcoming Historical Horizons Lectures scheduled on the first Wednesday of each month during the Spring 2019 Semester include:

• Wednesday, March 6: " 'Race' and the Dilemma of the New England Puritan: Intersections of Ideas and Identities" presented by Richard Bailey, Ph.D., associate professor of History at Canisius College and author of "Race and Redemption in Puritan New England" (Oxford 2014);
• Wednesday, April 3: "The Shadow of Slavery: Black Women and Political Mobilization during Reconstruction" presented by Justin Behrend, Ph.D., associate professor of History, SUNY Geneseo and author of "Reconstructing Democracy: Grassroots Black Politics in the Deep South after the Civil War" (University of Georgia Press, 2015.);
• Wednesday, May 1: "Military Campaigns of 1755 -- French and Indian War" presented by William Griffith, associate at the Gettysburg Foundation.

The Health and Physical Education department at Genesee Community College has announced Le Roy Central School as winners of GCC's 2018 Play to Get Fit Challenge!

The Get Fit Challenge effort began in 2011 to motivate third-, fourth- and fifth-graders in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) region to get more active.

Every year, the program illustrates how many minutes young people spend engaged in physical activity outside of school in a manner the children can see and understand. Throughout the five-week program, participating students record their active minutes on a calendar log specially designed for the "Play to Get Fit" challenge.

Walking, biking, running, skating, swimming, playing a sport, playing tag, playing on a swing set and other active, creative games are all eligible for active "credit" minutes. However, video fitness games utilizing Wii, Xbox Kinect or other similar gaming systems are not eligible.

This year, Le Roy Central School recorded an impressive 2,673 average active minutes based on the number of students enrolled in third, fourth and fifth grades. The school was awarded the 2018 winning plaque and each student received a certificate recognizing their participation and effort.

The three most active participants (based on the total number of minutes recorded) in the GLOW region this year were:

• Reagan Moroz, of Perry, with 9,400 minutes
• Benito Bautista, of Le Roy, with 8,045 minutes
• Cameron Riggi, of Le Roy, with 7,650 minutes

In addition, the program recognizes the three most active students from each participating school district:

• Le Roy -- 1st Benito Bautista; 2nd Cameron Riggi; 3rd Connor Corcimiglia
• Batavia -- 1st Cade Shamp, 2nd Aiden Kopper; 3rd Ella Shamp
• Warsaw -- 1st Parker Cartwright; 2nd Jason Holmes; 3rd Jack Fraser
• York -- 1st Connor Boyd; 2nd Bailey Orman; 3rd Ethan Berger
• Pavilion -- 1st Peyton Gay; 2nd Emily Conway; 3rd Tessa Hall
• Perry- - 1st Reagan Moroz; 2nd Tysen Deaton; 3rd Aja Harvey
• Elba -- 1st Chase Zuber; 2nd Jireth Arias Diaz; 3rd Bing Zuber
• Medina -- 1st Dylan Johnston; 2nd Sawyer Lilleby; 3rd Robert Clute

"The Play to Get Fit program encourages kids to lead an active lifestyle in a way they can measure and see," said Becky Dziekan, GCC's director of Health and Physical Education.

"Each year, the participating school districts see proof that the program works! Congratulations to LeRoy and all of the students who worked hard to be active and enjoy the program."

The Health and Physical Education program at Genesee Community College offers several areas of study. The Sports Management Studies transfer degree programs or Associate of Science (A.S.) program includes foundations in accounting, marketing, sports facility management and more.

The Fitness and Recreation Management Applied Associate of Science degree (A.A.S.) program offers a Personal Trainer concentration and the opportunity to earn the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited credentials through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a certified personal trainer. In addition, GCC offers an A.A.S in Physical Education Studies in which students have the opportunity to earn a coaching certificate for NYS non-Certified Physical Education Teachers.

The spring semester is a great time for individuals seeking higher education or even some training to enroll. GCC has more than 80 introductory courses available, including Beginning Personal Fitness (PED259) which teaches basic fitness training and conditioning techniques and much more.

The full spring semester course schedule is available here.

Photo, clockwise from left: Le Roy Central School Physical Education (PE) teachers Michelle Sherman and Brian Herdlein, GCC Director of Health and PE Rebecca Dziekan, and Le Roy Central School student Benito Bautista (2nd Place).

Terry Thompson and Becky Marsh, of Mercy Flight/Mercy EMS, talk about a career as a paramedic to a group of 10th-graders from throughout the region as part of the 10th Grade Career Day at Genesee Community College, sponsored by Batavia and Mount Morris CTE.

Throughout the morning, students rotated among a couple of dozen classrooms led by speakers from the local community representing various career fields including environmental science, cosmetology, educational administration, media and communications, the military, border protection, and nursing, among other fields.

More than 450 students from GLOW along with Steuben County participated.

Chris Suozzi, vice president of business development, Genesee County Economic Development Center, was the keynote speaker to kick things off in the morning.

Genesee Community College's Forum Players present "Single Black Female," written by Lisa B. Thompson, an award-winning playwright, with an open performance tonight followed by performances Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In this show, quick comic vignettes tell the story of two thirty-something African-American middle-class women looking for love, clothes, dignity and more in a world that only sees stereotypes. This production is a thesis project for co-director Jaime Arena, who is pursuing a master's degree at Regent University.

The GCC production stars Tori Ogunsanya, of Brooklyn, and Khalisah Muhammad, of Harlem.

The supporting cast includes Natsumi Sasabe, of Tokyo, Akane Hagiwara, of Tokyo, Runo Suzuki, of Hokkaido, Japan, Fu Kikuchi of Fukuoka, Japan, Chiyori Nakadai of Chiba, Japan, Lakeithia Lindsey, of Tampa, Fla., and Salma Huzair, of Waterport (not pictured in cast photo below).

Performances: 

• Tonight, starting at 7:30
• Tomorrow, starting at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, 2 p.m.

Tickets for these performances are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

The performance is staged on the theater stage so seating for each performance is limited.

Photos by Howard Owens except cast photo (submitted by GCC).

Photo of GCC faculty Derek Maxfield and Tracy Ford, who will perform as generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman.

Submittted photo and press release:

The History Club at Genesee Community College continues its Historical Horizons Series with a special homegrown performance! On Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in a unique presentation, Derek Maxfield, associate professor of History, and Tracy Ford, professor of English, will present "Now We Stand By Each Other Always."

It's the portrayal of an engaging conversation between generals Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. The two-man play is based on historic resources and references.

Together, they recount the important meeting and conversation held at City Point, Va., in March 1865 when the two Union generals discuss the campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas and consider how to close out the Civil War.

All lectures in this series begin at 7 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Submitted photos and press release:

Employment rates, government benefit program statistics, healthcare costs and starvation statistics are everywhere. While more than 14 percent of the population in New York State is living in poverty, the Global Education Committee (GEC) at Genesee Community College is doing more than facing the facts.

In the College's nearly full William W. Stuart Forum last week, the GEC hosted a very real simulation called "Disrupting Poverty" for students in Christine Belongia's Teacher Education and Adolescent Development classes, Karen Wicka's Criminal Justice classes and Kari Heidemann's and James Myers' Human Services classes.

The simulation was designed by Missouri's Community Action Poverty Simulation and facilitated by Juanita Henry, director of the Genesee Region Teacher Center and Pat Mullikin, director of the Tri-County Teacher Center.

"The simulation is not a game," Belongia, professor of Teacher Education and Humanities at GCC said. "It's an educational experience designed to heighten awareness, foster empathy and challenge assumptions surrounding issues of poverty."

The poverty simulation positions several different family units, being role-played by GCC's students, in the middle of a community typical of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans or Wyoming counties.

During the one-hour simulation, each of the family units must manage expenses, attend meetings and appointments, and struggle to meet the overwhelming needs of their family for one month, played out in a series of four 15-minute weeks. Each family unit is given detailed lists of bills that must be paid, restricted income statements and limited sources with the task of making hard choices to survive living in poverty.

As in any community, there are resources and organizations available to the simulated family units that they can choose to visit -- if they can afford transportation which was represented by having a paper "pass" bus ticket, cab voucher, or gas money for a friend or driver, all making the simulation even more realistic. More than a dozen different resources were represented in the simulation by role-playing GCC students.

At one desk, a bank offering loans and cashing checks; at another, a child care center with daycare expenses; and another with an employer offering jobs with specific shifts available. In addition, as in the real world, other desks held pawn shops, healthcare offices, pay-day advance agencies who charge high interest rates, and or course, homeless shelters and other resources for the severely destitute.

Throughout the simulation, students in the family units had to work together to plan and cover expenses, including food and shelter.

"If we buy these groceries today, how will we pay for daycare next week," one student asked his family unit. "My paycheck plus your Social Security check is only enough to cover rent and electricity this month."

The students in the family unit then researched their family situation and visited various organizations and resources to find ways to make ends meet.

"This simulation is powerful for our students," said Karen Kovach-Allen, Ph.D., dean of Human Communications & Behavior at GCC. "Some of them live in poverty in the real world and this simulation is practice for knowing what resources are available and what choices they have.

"For others, the simulation offers a unique glance into the lives of those living in poverty and perhaps leaves them with a little perspective, and an appreciation for what others might be going through."

This is the first time GCC students, faculty and staff have had a simulation experience on campus. The program is part of this year's Global Education, "Food and Cultural Identity" theme.

Beyond activities such as this, the Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) at GCC works to address issues of food insecurity on campus every day offering a variety of classes and raising awareness of available resources, including GCC's Food Pantry available to students year round.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Genesee Community College History Club is excited to once again celebrate the holiday season as Charles Dickens, played by WKBW-TV's Meteorologist Mike Randall, presents "A Christmas Carol." All are invited to the College's Batavia Campus on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. to enjoy this festive and heart-warming storytelling experience. 

A multifaceted actor, Randall studied both theater and meteorology in school and since 1983, Randall has reported the weather on WKBW-TV in Buffalo. An award-winning reporter, his interview repertoire includes such talents as Willie Nelson, Jerry Lewis, John Candy, Steve Allen, Gregory Peck and Robert Goulet. In September 2017, Randall was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Back in 1868, Charles Dickens toured the country bringing his classic novel, "A Christmas Carol" to audiences everywhere. Nearly century and a half ago, Dickens' performances were completely sold out in Buffalo. For the last decade, with only a replica of Dickens' famous velvet, fringed reading lectern and a copy of "A Christmas Carol," Randall has been transforming himself into Dickens, recreating the original tour atmosphere in stages, halls, classrooms and many other venues.

Randall performs in a period costume with a beard and wavy hair, and through his expert theatrics he brings Charles Dickens to life. He plays each of the novel's characters with distinguishing voices and mannerisms capturing all of the subtle comedic timing of Dickens' original work.

The performance will take place at GCC's Batavia Campus in the Stuart Steiner Theatre. Tickets for the performances are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Advanced ticket purchases are strongly recommended as seating is limited! 

Proceeds from the performance will go to the Genesee Community College History Club.

"When the History Club presented this event last year, many people indicated they enjoyed it so much that they'd like to see it," said Derek D. Maxfield, GCC's associate history professor and advisor to the History Club. "As the program helps my students learn about value of coordinating and planning events that embrace history and engage the community, it is a simultaneously a pleasure to watch local friends and families enjoy a holiday event that is fun for all ages." 

For advanced tickets or more information, contact Associate Professor of History Derek D. Maxfield at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6288, or via email: ddmaxfield@genesee.edu.