GCC

Next spring, Genesee Community College will offer an immersion trip to Costa Rica to study the Central American rain forest. The tour is open to all students as well as community members who are interested in learning and studying the ecology and conservation methods of Costa Rica.

Participants will have the chance to earn college credit while learning about ethnobotany, elementary botany, ecology and earth science during this nine-day ecological tour.

The tour will be led by Genesee biology professor Maureen Leupold, who has studied the rain forests of Costa Rica on two previous college trips. Students who enroll, will earn three college credits while studying the stunning ecological terrain of Costa Rica, including volcanoes, rain forests and beaches.

Participants will travel throughout the country exploring various plant and animal habitats, experiencing the vibrant cultural traditions of the Costa Rican people and discovering how inhabitants of this diverse country are trying to conserve and protect their ecological wonderland.

The study tour starts in San Jose, the capital and cultural center of Costa Rica and continues on to the Arenal Region where students will visit a biologically diverse theme park, an active volcano, natural hot springs, biological research station and waterfalls.

The tour will continue on to Monteverde where students will visit an ecological reserve, explore rain forests, plant trees, view a canopy tour of a rain forest and attend a lecture. Participant will also experience the Central Pacific Coast and the Manual Antonio National Park. The tour closes in the Puntarenas region where students will visit a coffee plantation before returning to San Jose for their departure home.

"This is an incredible opportunity for the students here at Genesee Community College," professor Leupold said. "We strive to offer these types of hands-on learning opportunities for students at the community college level. This ecological and conservation tour is true experiential learning at its finest."

Students enrolling in the tour for college credit will register for BIO114 and be graded on a daily trip journal they are required to keep while on the tour, as well as online exams, a major research paper, oral reports, and discussions both online and in person.

The course and immersion trip is in the distance-learning format in which course material will be available online throughout the spring semester. Participants on the study tour will meet for a pre-departure seminar one month before the tour.

The Costa Rica immersion trip will run March 9-17, 2011 and is open to all. However, seats are limited to the first 24 participants. The cost for this tour is $2,227 plus airfare, with an optional insurance fee of $135. Participants who enroll for college credit in BIO114 Rainforest Biology will also pay the appropriate tuition fees for full- or part-time enrollment.

For further information on cost, registration and details, please contact Maureen Leupold at 343-0055, ext. 6394 or <http://maleupold@genesee.edu>.

Genesee Community College and Genesee Center for the Arts in Batavia continue a long-term commitment to the arts with five new theater workshops for people age 15 and up.

These one- and-two day workshops cover a variety of topics and are taught by theater experts who have worked professionally in the theater industry. The workshops take place June 21-28 at the Genesee Center for the Arts at the Batavia Campus.

How to Audition for a Play: 6 to 10 p.m. June 21 & 22  /  $50
Get that role at your next audition! Learn how to pick and perform a monologue. Learn what tools you will need to successfully audition for a play. How your voice and movement make an impression. How to make the best of "cold readings" when you have never read the script before.

Improvisation Workshop: 6 to 10 p.m. June 23  /  $25
Free yourself from the text and learn how to play with a scene. Learn the secrets behind successful improv work. Be as funny as the people on "Who's Line is it Anyway?"

Voice Workshop for the Actor: 6 to 10 p.m. June 24  /  $25
Is your voice holding you back from playing that role you've dreamed of? Learn how to project and articulate.

Musical Theatre Audition Workshop: 10 to 5 p.m. June 26 & 27  /  $75
Learn everything you need to know about auditioning successfully for musical theater. What songs to choose, how to act a song, what general dance steps will help you win the role.

Acting for the Camera: 6 to 10 p.m. June 28  /  $25
Learn the skills necessary to dazzle producers with your "on camera" persona! Learn what to wear, how to interview and what to say through the camera.

Key instructor for the workshops will be Maryanne Arena, director of Fine and Performing Arts at Genesee Community College, and her daughter Jaime Arena. Maryanne was a professional actor, singer, dancer, choreographer and director before turning to a full-time teaching career.

She holds an MFA in acting/theater and has toured the United States with several professional theater companies. Maryanne has created and implemented Theatre Programs for gifted high-school students, as well as college students.

Jaime completed her conservatory training at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. She has worked professionally as an actor and is now teaching at the Performing Arts Academy in Hartford, Conn. Jaime is a sought-after acting coach and has several students in movies and on television.

"In the past we have offered a two-week theater experience for area youth," Maryanne said. "This year we wanted to reach out to another sector of our community and involve adults in the Center for Arts. There is an abundance of talent in our region and our goal here at the college is to educate and provide creative avenues for individuals of all ages."

For further information and/or to register, please contact Ann Winters at 345-6814, or e-mail <http://boxoffice@genesee.edu>.

Genesee Community College Director of Student Activities Clifford Scutella, on left, was recently honored by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) at their International Convention in Orlando, Fla. He was among only 25 administrators, from 400 chapters in the nation honored with the Administrator of Distinction Award.

This is awarded to community college vice presidents, deans or other leaders serving a community college in an administrative capacity. Awardees have served in their position for at least two years and have demonstrated a strong level of support for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Scutella was nominated by Genesee's chapter of PTK for his commitment to the students and PTK initiatives. As a community college graduate, Scutella knows the value of Phi Theta Kappa and the work the students do.

He came to Genesee in 1989 after serving as the assistant director of Student Activities at Monroe Community College from 1978-1989. He has held the position of director of Student Activities for his entire tenure as well as serving as dean of students for a few years. He resides in Brockport.

"The students at Genesee are eager to learn outside of the classroom," Scutella said. "Through clubs, organizations and student government, the students are learning about life and developing practical life lessons.

 "...I'm lucky I get to work with amazing students, but also a very supportive administration. I work with people that understand the importance of co-curricular activities. The staff and administration know that clubs and organizations enhance the quality of life at the college and contribute to student retention."

Established in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.6 to become a member.

For more information please contact the office of Student Activities at 345-6832.

Sean Walker, a 2006 graduate of Geneseo Central School, is the winner of GCC's Student Art Show, which runs through May 2 and showcases the best works of the college's Fine Arts students.

Walker has been an artist since he was a kid, and he spent the last few years developing his talent before enrolling at GCC. His goal is to start a career in freelance art and eventually become an art director.

He specializes in realism and fantasy artwork, and is also interested in Romanticism and storytelling via illustration.

Photo submitted by Elisa DiPietro

The team takes time out to pray with students curbside

Liz and Dana two RA's enjoy the candy for all students donated by Olivers Candies

Spring was definitely in the air at GCC Thursday evening. While the students were busy playing volleyball, baseball, attending Self defense classes,  a team of 7 volunteers were on campus knocking on all 95 door rooms.

The ministry goes once a month to the campus dorms with treats and prayers in hand. There has been great relationships built with the students. We were there longer than usual tonight, as many students wanted to visit, talk of their struggles and have prayer. Six of the students made a committment of giving their life to the Lord!

Care-A-Van will be going back for our last visit this school year on Thursday, May 6th. We will host a cookout in the dorm parking lot beginning at 5:00 PM.  A special thanks to all of you for your support of the ministry. It is through your continued support that Care-A-Van is able to go forth and share the good news of the gospel and help others in need. 

This weekend, the big city is coming to the small one in Genesee Community College's production of "Chicago."

"I've always wanted to do 'Chicago,' but we've never had the right people together at the right time," says Director Maryanne Arena. "It's been a dream of mine, and a dream of Patti [Simmons, the choreographer]'s. She's someone that I respect very much, and we just thought that if we don't do it now, we never will."

"Chicago" is an exciting show that is all about jazz, sex and fame -- and the lengths people will go to for all three. Set in the title city during the Prohibition Era, the musical centers around two imprisoned murderesses awaiting trial in Cook County Jail: Roxie Hart (portrayed by Kiara Davis), who dreams of being a Vaudeville star, and Velma Kelly (played by Jessica Francis), who already is one. Both are clients of the smooth lawyer Billy Flynn, and will do anything for the spotlight.

Those only familiar with the movie version, starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones, will find the stage version to be slightly different, with a dark, minimalist set and mostly black costumes.

"The stage version is more like a Vaudeville show," says Arena. "The show is traditionally done with practically no sets, and all in black. But that wouldn't transfer to the screen properly; it wouldn't hold anybody's attention. The movie is done as though it's all inside Roxie's head, so it could be done in a very flashy way."

Arena says she doesn't believe the show is as racy as its reputation makes it out to be.

"It's about life in the Twenties," she says. "There was murder then, just like there's murder today."

Johnny Dow, who has the role of Billy Flynn, agrees: "I've seen worse. The reaction will depend on the audience."

Every performance will be unique, as two of the lead characters, Billy Flynn and Amos Hart, have been double-cast. Dow will be portraying Billy in the Thursday and Saturday performances, while Norm Gayford will have the role on Friday and Sunday. Roxie's husband Amos will be played by Richard Torres on Thursday and Friday, and Rob Reiss on Saturday and Sunday. Arena decided to split the parts because all auditioned equally well:

"Each of them approached their role differently, with different voices, even a different way of walking. They all deserve it."

Dow, a GCC student, says that although he and Gayford play the same part, they have created very different characters.

"Norm's more realistic, and I wanted my Billy to be more surreal. Mine is very cheesy."

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. General admission ticket prices are $8 for adults, $5 for students, seniors (55+) and GCC faculty, and $3 for GCC students with a valid ID.

Here's news from Genesee Community College about its board of trustees meeting earlier this week.

Genesee Community College has been awarded a $457,661 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for replacement of campus lighting with new energy-efficient devices.

Through the grant, the college will replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting fixtures and ballasts with more efficient fluorescent lighting and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs over the next year. LED bulbs are highly energy-efficient and last longer than traditional bulbs, according to Kevin P. Hamilton, vice president for finance and operations.

"These changes create greater light output per unit of electrical power used," Hamilton said. "And will result in savings of at least $48,000 annually at Genesee.

NYSERDA is a state agency created to fund research and infrastructure initiatives that result in greater efficiency throughout the state, and ultimately a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA grants are highly competitive. The grant proposal was coordinated by longtime Buildings and Grounds Director Timothy M. Landers.

"This is a grant we have never had before," President Stuart Steiner told trustees. "It is very significant."

Hamilton told trustees that the college will continue to seek "green" grants.

"Our hope is that we will receive additional funds to be able to complete other projects such as boiler replacements, upgrades to the energy management system and motor replacements," Hamilton said. "We continue to study the feasibility of solar and wind power."

In other business, the board of trustees:

• Approved a $16,863 athletic facilities upgrade change order for the purchase and installation of new lockers in the men's locker room.
• Heard Board Chair Laurie J. Miller appoint a three-member board subcommittee to review proposed fees for the college's Batavia Campus athletic fields. Named to the ad-hoc committee were Maureen T. Marshall, Chair; Kenneth A. Dodd, and Laura J. Bohm.
• Heard Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin P. Hamilton report that drywall is being installed in the portion of the new Genesee County Economic Development Center's Med Tech Park designated for the College's nursing program. Staff should be able to move in by July 1. Hamilton also said that only "punch list" items need to be completed on the turf field project. These include landscaping and bleacher work. He also shared preliminary architectural sketches of the planned Art Gallery. Architects recommend a limestone exterior, to match the nearby Batavia Campus entranceways.
• Heard Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia M. Taylor report that 1,308 individuals applied for admission as full-time students for the Spring 2010 semester, up 32% from the 990 individuals who had applied a year earlier.
• Heard Taylor report that the college is receiving applications from area high school students for Summer 2010 Genesee Promise Plus scholarships. Under this program, seniors enrolled in area high schools receive a scholarship for one or two summer courses at Genesee. Last year, the Promise Plus program had 351 registrations, up 14% from the 217 registrations received in summer 2008, the program's first year.
• Heard Genesee student Lori Mould describe "Bridge Winter Camp," an event that brought 200 SUNY faculty, staff and students to The People's Republic of China over the winter break. The Chinese government invited SUNY to send a delegation as a follow-up to SUNY's gesture a year earlier to bring 150 Chinese students from earthquake-ravaged Sichuan Province. Eight Chinese students completed a year of study at Genesee during the 2008-2009 academic year. Mould shared photographs of Beijing, Olympic Village, Chinese art and architecture, the Panda Research Center, and the Great Wall of China. She was able to meet one of the former Genesee students during the trip. Mould called the visit to China a "life-changing experience." Mould also serves as Genesee Community College student trustee.
• Heard Genesee student Colleen McKay describe her business experience in her native Canada, and how she came to select Genesee as her college choice. McKay, whose family lives in Woodstock, Ontario, started a farm market business with her brothers and sisters as a youngster. The business operates about six months a year, selling produce and baked goods. Called – "Your Farm Market" – it has grown over the years and now earns more than $400,000 annually in gross revenue. McKay, 20, and a longtime softball pitcher, met Genesee Assistant Softball Coach Pat Clark, who was visiting Woodstock and talking to prospective students. "I spent about five minutes with him, and he taught me six new pitches in that short period of time. I was so amazed by him, and after he left, I looked up Genesee Community College on the web. I knew I wanted to come here and play softball." McKay is pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurship and holds a 4.0, or straight A, average. She calls Genesee an "amazingly friendly place.

Pictured are Mike Nelson of Utah,  Sonny Moscato of Buffalo, Dan Walczak of Tonawanda and Michale Quinlan of Buffao, all members of the team

                        Jordan and Linda joining in on the night

On Thursday evenings when the Care-A-Van bus is out in the neighborhoods knocking on doors to invite folks out for dinner and prayer, you never know who might be behind the doors.

Tonight when the ministry was at the Parksite apartments on North Spruce Street , behind  one door was 4 members of the GCC Men's Lacrosse Team. The guys came out to the bus and had some  delicioius famous Care-A-Van chili. We were blessed to meet them and spend time with them. It has been interesting when meeting the students to find out where they come from. Mike Nelson, one of the Lacrosse team members is from Utah!  Several other families came out to enjoy dinner, receive clothing groceries and prayer. It was an awesome night out and we were blessed to be a part of their kickoff for their upcoming season. If you are a Lacrosse fan you can find their schedule at this link :  http://www.genesee.edu/athletics/teams/mlax-201002/dspSchedule

Good luck guys and may the Lord bless you all!

Genesee Community College will once again offer the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship program to all 2010 GLOW area high school graduates. Under the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship program, any 2010 high school graduate is eligible to take up to two free college courses during the July 6 - Aug. 7 summer session if they attended high school in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans or Wyoming Counties (the College's GLOW service area).

The Genesee Promise Plus also includes the following students:

• Students who live in the four-county GLOW service area who earned a GED Diploma in 2010 are eligible for up to two free summer courses, regardless of age.
• 2010 GLOW area graduates from home-school programs.
• 2010 high school graduates who attended high schools outside of the GLOW service area but have accumulated GCC college credits through the College's ACE Program.

Under the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship Program, students can take up to two free summer courses at any of the College's seven campus locations including Albion, Arcade, Batavia, Dansville, Lima, Medina and Warsaw. The scholarship pays all tuition and fees and the student is only responsible for purchasing required textbooks. These earned credits can be used to get a head start on college and can be used not only at GCC, but can also be transferred to State University of New York (SUNY) schools and most other colleges and universities.

The deadline for submitting the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship Application is June 18. The one-page application form is available at all seven Genesee Community College campus locations, as well as on-line at www.genesee.edu/promise <http://www.genesee.edu/promise>. There is no limit to the number of students receiving these scholarships.

For more information, contact Tanya Lane-Martin through email, tmlanemartin@genesee.edu  <http://tmlanemartin@genesee.edu> or call the Admission's Office at 585-345-6800 or 1-866-CALL-GCC. In Batavia, the college is located at 1 College Road.

Here's information provided by a press release from GCC.

More than 600 students were able to begin or continue their education at Genesee Community College during the last five years as a result of the Genesee Community College Foundation's Emergency Assistance Program.

The foundation provides financial grants for students who may have to leave college as a result of sudden personal hardships that occur through no fault of their own. Over the last five years, emergency grants have been provided to students who were victims of house fires, death or desertion of a spouse, or some other personal emergency or tragedy.

Although the foundation raises funds for emergency grants as part of its annual fundraising efforts, a mainstay of emergency-assistance support comes from earnings from the foundation's Challenge Fund. It's a $525,000 endowment fund created between 2000 and 2004 by private donors and the Department of Education. The fund was established after the college received a highly competitive Department of Education challenge grant, offering two dollars for every private dollar raised. The foundation raised the private dollars, created the endowment and dubbed it "The Challenge Fund."

The college is fortunate to recently receive a second endowment challenge; this one is an $80,000 dollar-for-dollar challenge for each of the next five years. As the foundation raises $80,000 in private gifts, the Department of Education will forward an additional $80,000 to expand the endowment, and the earnings will provide more assistance to students in need in the future.

In each case, the emergency grant provided a modest sum that enabled the student to continue their education, according to Alice Weather, director of the Foundation's Annual Fund.

"For example, one student recently lost her school supplies and textbooks in a fire that destroyed her family home," Weather said. "We provided funds to replace these materials. We sometimes see single parents in their 30s or 40s who are working, raising a family and struggling to get an education, then their car breaks down. For most of us this isn't a huge problem, but students depend on their cars to get to class, so we can help with emergency repairs.

"In another case, we provided funds for a week of child care after an adult student's mother, who had been babysitting, was rushed to the hospital with a medical emergency. To many students the grant is literally the lifeline they need to overcome an emergency and stay on track with their education."

"Students are often stretched to the limit," said Tamara Adams, outreach specialist in the Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AOEC) at Genesee. "We want to retain students who are truly dedicated to their education and have genuine needs from emergencies. Every semester I see unexpected expenses turn into a financial crisis that can end up taking a student out of school. We cannot permit strong, capable students to disrupt their education over a few hundred dollars."

Adams noted that students facing an emergency must have a nomination from a faculty or staff member, employer or human services agency who can verify the emergency before a grant will be made. When the emergency assistance money runs out, students have to be turned away. The occasions of students needing emergency or unplanned emergency support are growing and becoming more costly.

Adams said that the college often receives thank-you notes from students who have received emergency support. A victim of a devastating fire wrote: "Thank you so much. You have helped me tremendously when I thought all hope was lost. I had to find another apartment and my text books were completely incinerated. I just want to say thank you to everyone!"

The Genesee Community College Foundation seeks financial support to meet the new endowment challenge grant to support students in need as well as to provide for a wide range of other scholarships, including academically oriented scholarships and scholarships for students preparing for careers critical to the region's growth. Pledges and gifts for the foundation scholarship and grant programs are payable to: The Genesee Community College Foundation, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020.

For more information on foundation programs call (585) 345-6809 or write to the address above or foundation@genesee.edu

The Genesee Community College Foundation was founded in 1986 by civic and business leaders to provide philanthropic and volunteer support to the College. The foundation has provided several thousand scholarships since that time, assisted in the financing of two new buildings on the Batavia Campus, and it was instrumental in the acquisition of student housing.

Genesee Community College now offers 12 completely online SUNY-accredited associate degree programs.

That means GCC students no longer have to live in proximity to the college's seven locations in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties (GLOW region). In fact, they don't even have to live in the United States to earn an associate's degree from Genesee Community College.

They do, of course, need a computer, Internet access, English language skills and the ability to benefit from college-level work. The tuition is affordable; the faculty is top-notch; schedules are flexible and study times are convenient.

Earning an online degree is ideal for working adults and people with family or employment responsibilities, who may be prevented from attending traditional classroom-based college courses. Students enrolled in online courses and degrees have the flexibility of rich resources, active online discussions, taking tests, studying and submitting assignments at different times of the day or night. When flexibility, convenience and affordability are critical for student success, regardless of the student's location, Genesee has solutions.

Genesee now offers four online Associate in Science degrees, three online Associate in Applied Science degrees, one online Associate in Arts degree, and four online certificate programs. These online degrees are:

• Criminal Justice, AS
• General Studies, AS
• Business Administration, AS
• Teacher Education Transfer, AS
• Criminal Justice, AAS
• Business Administration, AAS
• Entrepreneurship, AAS
• Liberal Arts-Humanities and Social Science, AA

Plus, Certificates in Criminal Justice, Teaching Assistant, Sales and Customer Service and General Education.

Furthering Genesee's online degree opportunities is the recently implemented Pathways program with Empire State College. Under the program, Genesee students earn up to 83 Genesee credits toward an Empire State Bachelor's Degree -- the equivalent of five semesters of GCC study. Students then enter Empire State's program of individualized study for the balance of their baccalaureate education. Students can complete their studies at Empire through independent study, group study, supervised tutorials, and/or online studies-all guided by qualified professional mentors.

"Enrolling in a Genesee online degree program is one of the most cost-effective options available for earning a SUNY degree," Robert Knipe, Dean of Learning Technologies at Genesee said. "An associate degree is the first step in earning a bachelor's or higher degree. GCC has the resources and technologies to make those educational dreams a reality, when the student is learning-ready."

Online degrees and courses are ideal for mature, self-motivated students who work well autonomously, can effectively budget their time, and set priorities independently. Genesee Community College carefully helps students appreciate this facet of online learning through careful advisement. An informal self-assessment, or quiz is available on its website at: http://www.genesee.edu/_content/depts/dl/Quiz/Online_Course_Choice.htm

"Earning a degree online is a life-changing opportunity, but each student needs to have the correct tools and temperament for the work required," Knipe added. "We carefully guide students through the first steps to help ensure their success."

To find out more about all the online degree opportunities through Genesee Community College visit www.genesee.edu/DL <http://www.genesee.edu/DL >  or call (585) 345-6969.

For information on the Pathways Program with Empire State College visit www.esc.edu/GeneseeCC.  <http://www.esc.edu/GeneseeCC>