GCC

Genesee Community College hosts its 38th Annual Fashion show this Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Call Arena.

As many as 1,400 people are expected for the show. Tickets are $5 or $25 for VIP seats. 

The show's title this year is "Limitless."

Along with thousands of programs across the United States, Genesee Community College will recognize National Law Day tonight with an Alumni and Friends Reception with keynote speaker Rochester investigative reporter Gary Craig.

There will also be an Honor Society Induction Ceremony into the Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) Chapter of two GCC students.

National Law Day, celebrated annually on May 1, is designed to shed light on how laws protect liberties and the process by which the legal system strives to achieve justice.

Every year since 1958 the President of the United States has issued a Law Day Proclamation recognizing the importance of the rule of the law. This year’s theme is “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society."

The reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the GCC William W. Stuart Forum. The public is welcome. It is free to attend.

Keynote speaker Craig is a member of the Democrat and Chronicle’s Watchdog team, and he focuses on public safety and criminal justice.

He has worked at Rochester newspapers since 1990, covering City Hall, politics and federal courts before joining the newspaper’s investigative team. He has won state and national investigative writing awards.

He is married with two daughters.

Craig is also the author of the 2017 book, "Seven Million: A Cop, a Priest, a Soldier for the IRA, and the Still-Unsolved Rochester Brink's Heist." His book is available on Amazon.

Two members from the graduating Class of 2019 will be inducted into GCC's chapter of the Lambda Chi (LEX) Honor Society, newly chartered at the college in 2018.They are Briona Siplin, of Rochester, and Arden M. Zavitz, of Medina. Membership in the Honor Society requires a 3.25 overall GPA and a 3.5 GPA specifically for Legal Specialty Courses.

At its annual conference last month, the New York State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges (NYSMATYC) recognized the Math League Competition winners.

This year, the top individual score was earned by Alexander Central School District and Genesee Community College student Nicholas D. Allen!

Allen has been an Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) program student since middle school. The ACE program at GCC has granted him access to college level courses and credit while still attending high school.

With his hard work and dedication, Allen will graduate from GCC with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems and an Associate in Science degree in Liberal Arts & Science with a concentration in Physics, several weeks before earning his high school diploma.

The NYSMATYC competition consists of two timed exams consisting of 20 mathematical questions each – once in the Fall and once in the Spring. The top five scores from each college are combined to form the college’s team score for each competition. Then, the Fall and Spring exam scores for both individuals and teams are combined to crown the academic year’s champion college and individual.

Prizes for the competition often include mathematical software generously donated by the Math League sponsors and mathematical and scientific journals and magazines.

This year, more than 500 of the best math students from 27 different SUNY and CUNY two year colleges took the exams. The collective team of Genesee Community College students took a remarkable sixth place in the competition, for the second consecutive year.

Allan’s outstanding score this year continues the tradition of excellence seen in GCC’s math students, including the 2018 competition where three GCC students received $1,200 in scholarships for their scores.

These successes are the result of GCC’s unique combination of quality faculty members, a supportive and effective Math Department and its high-tech resources and equipment. When bright and talented students are subjected to the student-focused environment GCC has created, they consistently earn merit-based scholarships and awards at the NYSMATYC competitions.

“When competing against much larger institutions, GCC’s smaller class sizes and therefore more accessible faculty members are a significant advantage to our students,” Christopher Kemp, associate professor, director of GCC’s Mathematics and Engineering Science Division and NYSMATYC president said.

“An advantage that results in unparalleled levels of commitment to our students, and in-turn, impressive student development and achievement."

NYSMATYC formed the Mathematics League for NYS Two-Year Colleges in 1980 to provide a challenge and foster interest in mathematics. The league has also generated a nearly 40-year long friendly competition between two-year colleges across the state.

Genesee Community College offers an associate degree in Mathematics, and the ACE program gives students the opportunity to earn significant college credits while still in high school. For more information on the ACE program, contact GCC at (585) 345-6801, or via email at ACE@genesee.edu.

Additional information about the NYSMATYC is available at http://www.nysmatyc.org/.

Top photo from left: Professor Christopher Kemp, Nicholas D. Allen, and Professor Philip Pickering.

Submitted photo and press release:

On Tuesday, April 30, at 12:30 p.m. Genesee Community College invites the campus and overall community to Social Justice Day featuring Jon Paul Higgins, Ph.D., as the keynote speaker appearing in the Stuart Steiner Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.

His talk will be followed by a series of breakout sessions featuring professionals and scholars from Criminal Justice, Environmental Justice, Women's Rights and Immigration. The overall program will conclude with a coffee and refreshments during a 30-minute reflection period in the Conable Technology Building in room T122.

Higgins is a speaker, writer, and social justice educator who focuses on issues related to gender, race and media.

He was named one of Business Equality Magazine's "Top 40 LGBTQ Under 40" in 2019, and has been featured on sites like NBC News, Buzzfeed, Vox, and Attn: and gave the first TEDx Talk on unlearned fear and reclaiming personal power in 2017.

This led to writing for Splinter, and other platforms such as Out Magazine, Them, SyfyWire, The Root, The Daily Dot, Shadow & Act, Slate, Essence, MTV News and more.

Last week, the Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at Genesee Community College held a free STEM Conference and Exhibitor's Fair bringing together local businesses, faculty, current GCC students and community members in the name of science technology.

In addition to local STEM businesses at the Exhibitor's Fair, GCC faculty and students from the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Math, and health-related fields hosted informational tables to teach guests about their programs of study and career and learning opportunities in their respective fields.

The educational components and professional realms of STEM industries collaborated for the Exhibitor's Fair to promote the targeted industries, discuss career/employment opportunities and provide insight on the changing trends in the STEM workforce.

Conference attendees were able to attend specialized workshops on topics such as: Computer Aided Drafting and Design: Mapmaking; Scratch Combo - Computer Programming for Gaming Simulation; Making STEM a Reality and more!

"We are excited about the success of our first CSTEP Exhibitor's Fair," said Jamie Schultz, project coordinator for CSTEP at Genesee Community College "and really looking forward to working with our students and partners for next year's event."

With the success of this year's event barely behind the committee, plans are already underway at GCC for the 2020 CSTEP STEM Conference and Exhibitor's Fair.

Press release:

The Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC) has approved tax-exempt bond financing for a $5.2 million project to upgrade and renovate residential facilities at College Village in the Town of Batavia.

Tax-exempt bond financing will assist projects by the Genesee Community College Foundation (GCC Foundation) Housing Services Inc. at five on-campus residential facilities owned and managed by the GCC Foundation.

The renovations will include updated technology, renovating several suites into modern communal living and learning spaces, updated facilities and amenities, safety improvements and upgrades for disability access. The work will be performed at Birch Hall, Pine Hall, Beech Hall, Oak Hall, and Cedar Hall.

About the Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC): GCFC’s mission is to assist local economic development efforts by serving in a conduit financing capacity enabling the issuance of taxable and non-taxable debt to benefit the growth, expansion, ongoing operations and continued viability of nonprofit business enterprises in Genesee County, thereby helping to maintain a sustainable long-term economy.

Rep. Chris Collins presented awards Saturday at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery at Genesee Community College to winners of the annual NY-27 Congressional Art Competition. The first-place picture will be hung in the capitol in Washington, D.C., for a year.

2019 Congressional Art Competition Winners:

• First Place, William Palmer, Batavia High School
• Second Place, Mya Showalter, Clarence High School
• Third Place. Haley Dalberth, Livonia High School 
• Honorable Mentions, Grace Rudolph, Batavia High School, and John Bruggman, Batavia High School 

The competition was judged by Roz Steiner Art Gallery Director Mary Jo Whitman and Associate Professor of Photography & Art Joe Ziolkowski.

The winning picture by William Palmer, Batavia HS.

Press release:

What is a GMO? And perhaps more importantly, should you be worried about them? GMOs, or genetically modified organisms have found their way into most of the foods we consume -- from plants and vegetables to animal products such as meat, milk, honey and seafood. So, where can you as a consumer, farmer, gardener or everyday citizen, get information and learn about the variety of perspectives on GMOs?

The Genesee County Farm Bureau and the Science Department at Genesee Community College have partnered to present "Genesee County Talks GMOs" from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 in Room T102 of the Conable Technology Building on GCC's Batavia Campus.

This event is completely free and open to all ages from the entire community!

Guests will see a free screening of "Food Evolution," written and produced by Trace Sheehan and Scott Hamilton Kennedy, and narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson. "Food Evolution" is an impactful examination of the world's current, yet vastly varying, views on GMOs, and the risks we take every day in believing or not in the information we are presented with.

Then, listen in as three local panelists share their experiences and perspectives in dealing with this important debate. The panel will include:

• Alex Harris, of Harris Farm and East Coast salesperson for Brotherton Seed
• Emily Reiss, organic farmer in Erie and Genesee counties
• Kent Williams, district sales manager at Hubner Seed

Anyone interested in learning even more about how food is produced is encouraged to explore GCC's Food Processing Technologies program (FPT). GCC recently received a highly sought-after State University of New York (SUNY) needs grant and completed significant upgrades to student laboratories and equipment to provide the most up-to-date learning experiences.

GCC's FPT program was designed not only to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately, but to position them perfectly for a seamless transfer into a four-year degree program at any number of institutions both within and outside of the SUNY system. Learn more about GCC's Food Processing Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree or contact Admissions@genesee.edu today.

The Alumni Affairs Office at Genesee Community College has invited the entire community to a Luau being held on Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. in the College's Richard C. Call Arena.

The Luau is being thrown by GCC's Nursing Program Alumni Committee and all proceeds from the event will go to GCC's Nursing Alumni Scholarship, which helps to eliminate financial obstacles ensuring every qualified Nursing Program student can and will succeed.

Tickets to the Luau cost just $30 per person and include appetizers, dancing and chances to win big with door prizes and a cash raffle! A cash bar will also be available. Tickets are only on sale until May 3 -- so contact the Alumni Affairs Office at alumni@genesee.edu today. You can also get your tickets and RSVP online here. 

Guests are encouraged to dress in their finest tropical attire for a chance to win Best Costume, which will be awarded at the end of the evening. Emceeing the event will be Scott Gardner, GCC Class of '98 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee who will introduce guest speakers Shari McDonald, GCC Class of '79, current vice president and chief nursing officer at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, and Claire Gardner, future GCC Class of '19 and Presidential Scholarship recipient.

In addition to attending the luau, there are opportunities to sponsor the scholarship at a number of levels. The sponsorship opportunity detail is available here and includes commitments of $100 - $3,000 and includes in-kind support for those wishing to customize their sponsorship. All sponsorship levels include a variety of benefits from free advertising to photos, and GCC Foundation recognition.

All sponsorships must be submitted by April 20 for full recognition.

"Without the support of these community members, so many students would not have the opportunity to reach their educational goals," said Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Jennifer Wakefield. "These scholarships mean the difference between going to college or not for some of these students." 

The Nursing Program Alumni Committee is honored to receive scholarship support from:

Our Silver Level Sponsor:

• Corfu Veterinary Clinic

Our Titanium Sponsors:

• Advanced Auto Collision
• Michelle and Karl Grohs

Our Bronze Sponsors:

• Hart's Insurance Agency
• Trini Kuzmicki
• Sinclair Pharmacy
• Summit Family Dental, Warsaw

Our In-kind Supporters and Donors:

• Amber Lantern
• Alyssa Cutcliff, LMT
• Assessment Tech Institute
• Barb's Barber Shop, Warsaw
• Bud's Deli
• Dr. Dale Deahn
• Daniels Family Chiropractric
• East Hill Creamery
• Envision Salon
• First Choice Travel
• Genesis Salon, Warsaw
• Harrington's Produce and Market Café
• Healing Hands Massage and Spa Warsaw
• Jeffery E. Erickson Law Firm
• Laurel Sanger
• Lindsay Gerhart
• Laurie's Restaurant
• Michael Tomaszewski
• Morluski's Polish and Italian Cuisine
• Perry Shopper
• Revival Salon
• Stellar Spirits and Wines
• Tompkins Bank of Castile, Warsaw
• Tops Friendly Market, Warsaw
• Vertical Café, Warsaw
• Warsaw Penny Saver
• WCJW Radio
• WGCC Radio
• Yancey's Fancy
• Yummies

Press release:

The National Center for Education Statistics estimates 80 percent of college students in the United States change their majors at least once. Some fall in love with another discipline while taking electives, some experience personal life tragedies or triumphs that inspire new directions, and some just simply didn't know enough about their major when they picked it.

In alignment with its long-standing dedication to student success, Genesee Community College has established a new speaker series called "Pizza with the Pros" to help students make educated decisions about their majors and career aspirations.

GCC's Alumni Affairs office in collaboration with the Student Success Center and AEOC designed "Pizza with the Pros" to tap into GCC's vast pool of successful alumni, identifying experts (Pros) from a variety of industries who would be willing to come to campus and spend time chatting with current students from different majors.

During these sessions, the Pros share their journeys from college to career, and answer students' questions about their field.

"The 'Pizza with the Pros' series came about in an effort to expose our students to as much of their individual areas of interest as possible," said Jennifer Wakefield, assistant director of Alumni Affairs. "From new products, events or initiatives, to the mundane tasks of everyday work-these sessions give our students a view of the real world, with real stories from real people they can relate to.

"Beyond learning, these events present excellent and valuable networking opportunities for both students and alumni."

All events in the "Pizza with the Pros" series are free to GCC students. Each session will begin at 11:30 a.m. and wrap up by 1:30 p.m. in the Student Success Center on GCC's Batavia Campus.

"It is our hope that students take advantage of this networking opportunity where they will likely learn some successful strategies across many disciplines," Wakefield said. "And who knows, maybe even some resume sharing will come out of it, too."

• Wednesday, March 27: Explore Science and Technology/Information Technology with pros Serena Cooke ('92), online learning specialist at GCC and Keith Ward ('13), IT administrator at Keuka College.
• Wednesday, April 3: Explore Health and Physical Education with Beth Felix, GCC Nursing School and Krystal Forsyth, Health and Physical Education educator at Brighton Central School.
• Wednesday, April 10: Explore Business and Commerce/ Health Care with Missy Marsocci, entrepreneur and Lina LaMattina, Ph.D., director of Business Programs at GCC.
• Wednesday, April 17: Explore the Creative Arts with Trace George ('95) of VSP Graphic Group and GCC's Alumni Council, and Kim Argenta, owner and artist at Art Ah La Carte.
• Wednesday, April 24: Explore Law and Criminal Justice with Todd L. Tryon, retired assistant field office director and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Michele M. Kraynik, RN, Esq., the director and professor of Health Administration/School of Business at Roberts Wesleyan College, Benjamin Bonarigo ('79), Esq., GCC Board of Trustees and Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, and John Michalak, 2019 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, retired Batavia police officer, FBI sergeant and Army veteran.

Submitted photo and press release:

Earlier this month the SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Acceptance) Student Club at Genesee Community College announced it would host the its first-ever drag show, "The Battle in Batavia," on Saturday, March 30, in the Batavia Campus's Stuart Steiner Theatre.

On Friday, the contest judges were named. Presiding over inaugural show will be:

• Gregory Hallock, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council executive director;
• Rachel Kropczynski, owner of Monroe's Boutique;
• Thomas Priester, Ph.D., GCC associate vice president of Student Success;
• Kristen Schuth, GCC athletic director;
• Donna Rae Sutherland, GCC associate director of Marketing Communications;
• A sixth Drag Show Contest judge is yet to be named.

On Thursday, one of the professional show participants, Cassanova Theking (on left in photo above), was on campus to help to promote the show, and generate awareness of LGBTQ (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning) community as well as support GCC's new scholarship program.

All proceeds from the drag show will fund the College's first and only LGBTQ Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to eligible students facing emergency situations, or helping to offset financial hardships by covering the cost books, tuition, child care, or other obstacles to academic success. The scholarship will be available to students of the LBGTQ community at GCC facing such hardships and is the first of its kind.

"The Battle in Batavia" will feature a drag queen and king competition where professional drag artists from Buffalo and Rochester will skirmish amongst amateur drag queens and kings from the campus community.

Anyone interested in entering the fun-filled competition under the Amateur and GCC Alumni categories can easily sign up and there is no cost to enter. Click here to sign up.

The show begins at 6 p.m. with a reception in the Lobby of the Stuart Steiner Theatre where attendees can meet some of the contestants already in character. Refreshments will be provided.

At 7 p.m., the battle is on! Each contestant will perform his or her piece to music of their choosing. There will be two acts, and during the intermission a question-and-answer session will allow the audience to interact with the stars of the show.

Purchasing advance tickets is strongly advised! A single advance seat is just $5 in advance or $6 at the door, if available.

Discounted group rates are also available. A group of 10-19 people is $40; and a group of 20 or more people is $75. Tickets are available by calling (585) 345-6836; or emailing Kate Trombley, director of the TRIO Adult Educational Opportunity Center and advisor for GCC's Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) kbtrombley@genesee.edu; or by stopping by Office D208 at GCC's Batavia Campus.

This show is recommended for mature audiences only as it may include strong language or sexual innuendo.

Those not interested in competing, or unable to attend -- but who would like to support the important cause, can contribute as a sponsor or make a charitable donation. In addition, volunteers are being sought to work at the event and will receive free admission to the show. For further information contact Katherine Trombley, director of GCC's Adult Educational Opportunity Center at aeoc@genesee.edu or by calling (585) 343-0055, ext. 6836.

From SR Education Group:

Genesee Community College ranks number 11 among New York's 22 community colleges that offer an online associate degree or certificate, according to SR Education Group, which helps prospective students find the right online college.

Each community college was ranked by several important factors, including retention rate, graduation rate, percentage of online enrollment data, and the number of online associate degrees offered. SR Education Group also provides a manually researched tuition rate that is based on the college's website.

SR Education Group, a leading education research publisher founded in 2004, released the first-ever online community college rankings categorized by state last week.

In order to develop rankings, the organization only considered states with at least three regionally accredited schools offering at least one fully online associate degree. The rankings include a nationwide Best Overall Community College ranking and 38 state-specific rankings, featuring a total of 423 schools.

Each community college highlighted on the rankings lists received a score based on several important factors, including retention rate, graduation rate, and percentage of online enrollment data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The number of online associate degrees offered was collected from school websites and considered in the ranking score as well. All ranked schools scored 70 percent or higher. 

Since 75 percent of online college students live within 100 miles of their school’s campus, the 2019 Online Community College rankings by state are an especially valuable resource for prospective community college students. Many students may choose to stay in state because of tuition discounts, familiarity with the school, or flexibility for classes that may have hybrid, in-person requirements.

New York is home to 22 community colleges that provide opportunities to earn an online associate degree or certificate. Of the schools on this list, 19 cost less than $5,000 per year, including GCC, which typically averages $4,150 in yearly tuition, and they all cost less than $6,000 per year.

Students interested in a part-time, full-time, or accelerated-pace online learning program can earn an associate degree (10 options) or certificate (four options through Genesee Community College’s e-learning platform.

Many programs are 100-percent online; however, some are 75-percent and 50-percent online. Classes are conducted both synchronously and asynchronously. Communication with instructors is done via the internet, phone, and teleconferencing. Online students have access to presentations, labs, textbooks, video lectures, and online discussions. Degrees offered online include an AS in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Press release:

Since 2008, Genesee Community College has offered the Genesee Promise Plus (GPP) scholarships to help remove financial barriers to higher education for citizens in the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) counties.

Qualified individuals, from students in high school to adults who have never taken a college course before are encouraged to apply for up to two summer semester courses tuition-free at GCC!

"Summer is a perfect time for new GCC students or students in our Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) program to jump-start their college coursework," said Lindsay Gerhardt, assistant dean for Recruitment and Admissions. "The GPP program provides a wonderful opportunity for college-bound students to cost effectively earn up to eight transferrable credits.

"Courses can be prerequisites, general education courses or beginner courses in specific fields of study that give students a head start on a degree program."

GPP is available to GLOW region citizens who are high school juniors (rising seniors), graduating high school seniors or new adult college students who have never attended college before.

With more than 100 courses being offered this summer, in two summer sessions both online and at GCC's seven campus locations, there are ample opportunities for all eligible applicants in these categories: 

High school juniors (rising seniors) and qualifying homeschool students are eligible for scholarship funding to take one course. 

Graduating high school seniors are eligible for scholarship funding to take one or two courses

Adults who have never attended college are eligible for scholarship funding to take one course. This includes adults who have received a GED prior to May 1, 2019 or graduated from a GLOW area high school on or before December 2018. GCC will require a copy of high school transcripts.

GPP scholarship applications are being accepted until June 21 for the 2019 summer session.

The complete list of courses available this summer is available here. The wide array of different subjects includes Basic Math Skills to Statistics and Pre-Calculus, History to Healthy Living, Psychology to Sociology, Business to Biology, and unique courses including Females Roles in Film (CIN242) and Hiking, Walking and Backpacking (PED260), plus many others.

Applications, qualification criteria and additional information are available here.

All interested individuals are encouraged to contact the office of admissions at admissions@genesee.edu or by calling (585) 345-6805 today!

Students from throughout the region competed Thursday at Genesee Community College in the 12th Annual Tech Wars, which gives them a chance to test out their ideas and designs in engineering and technology-related contests against students from other schools.

Press release:

Every second, three new businesses "startup" in the United States. In the time it takes the average reader to finish this paragraph, nine new companies will be born, according to the 2018 GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) national report.

Conversely, the Small Business Administration tells us that 50 percent of those will fail during the first four to five years; but why is that? Do half of the entrepreneurs in the country have lousy ideas? Actually, among the leading causes for startup failure is a lack of basic business experience.

In lieu of losing thousands of investment dollars, today's entrepreneurs have found another way to gain that experience before launching their startup -- education.

"If you don't educate yourself, you'll never get out of the starting block because you'll spend all your money making foolish decisions," said Daymond John, investor on "Shark Tank," a reality television show on ABC in which contestants pitch their business ideas to a panel of potential investors in hopes of launching their retail dreams.

Genesee Community College offers both degree and certificate programs in Entrepreneurship to prepare emerging business owners and investors for success. To further open up learning opportunities to both students and the public, GCC teamed up with the GCEDC (Genesee County Economic Development Center) to sponsor the second annual Business Idea Pitch Competition.

The competition will be held Tuesday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building at the Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus.

The deadline for competitors to register to participate is April 5.

Registration requires the participant to submit an Executive Summary of their business idea, and attend at least one of the preparation workshops listed below. Participating high school students are not required to attend a workshop.

The competition is limited to 25 participants who will be selected based on their Executive Summary submissions and announced on April 5.

Executive Summary criteria and submission instructions are available by contacting Lina LaMattina, Ph.D., at lmlamattina@genesee.edu. 

The GCEDC's StartUp Genesee Networking Group has donated cash prizes which will be awarded at the Pitch Competition on April 30. Prizes of $100 for first place and $75 for second place will be awarded to the most outstanding competitors in the "most likely to succeed" and "most creative" categories. Pitches will be judged by local business leaders.

To help participants pursue their passions and take their first entrepreneurial steps, GCC will host three preparation workshops. 

• Starting a Business -- Tuesday, April 9, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in room T121
• Business Plan Basics -- Tuesday, April 23, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in room T121
• Idea Pitch Practice -- Thursday, April 25, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in room T122

These workshops are free and open to anyone participating in the Business Idea Pitch Competition. To sign up for a workshop, please contact Lina LaMattina , Ph.D., at lmlamattina@genesee.edu.

Press release:

The Fine Arts program at Genesee Community College is proud to share this year's student exhibit with the entire community at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery on the Batavia Campus. The exhibit, prepared entirely by GCC students, is titled "Emerge" and will be on display from March 5 - April 4.

Emerge showcases artwork recently produced by students enrolled in fine arts courses at Genesee Community College. Each piece is crafted for a specific classroom project reflecting a range of the course's learning objectives and challenging students to use their technical skills to create pieces that communicate and express their concepts and messages.

The exhibit includes artwork produced in GCC's Two and Three-Dimensional Design, Drawing I & II, Painting I & II, and Ceramics I & II courses.

The entire community is invited to meet these talented artists from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and again from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21.

"Each year, the student exhibit features emerging concepts, emerging talent and emerging artists. This year's students have worked hard and have produced meaningful and powerful pieces in a variety of media," Mary Jo Whitman, art gallery coordinator, said.

"The Fine Arts department is excited to celebrate student achievements through this deep and diverse body of work created by GCC students."

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information on all upcoming events at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery visit here.

File photo from Tech Wars at GCC in 2012.

Press release:

Anyone interested in watching teams of teens and young adults embrace, engage and enjoy all facets of new and existing technology should come to Genesee Community College Batavia Campus for the 12th Annual Tech Wars on Thursday, March 14.

More than 750 students from 24 regional school districts will be competing in 30 different events and hands-on activities that use technology of all kinds.

New to Tech Wars this year is STEAM Jam @ Tech Wars! (STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). STEAM Jam is a way for students in third through fifth grades around the GLOW region to be exposed to the opportunity of Tech Wars once they reach middle school.

STEAM Jam students will have their own competition including activities with building/engineering, circuit and robotic/coding challenges. Part of their day will be to tour and observe the multiple venues and competitions of Tech Wars, and plan for future participation when they enter middle and high school.

The main Tech Wars event matches area middle and high school students against each other in many competitions including the Robotic Tractor Pull, Catapults and SUMO Bots in the gymnasium, the Regatta in the Aquatics Center, and Bridge Designing in the central Forum.

Also a favored feature is Battlebot Soccer where high school students design and build a remote control robot to compete in a soccer match.

Tech Wars is hosted by the College's ACE (Accelerated College Enrollment) Program for students in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) region.

The event brings area middle and high school students to GCC's Batavia Campus where teams of students work collaboratively to demonstrate their technical expertise through innovative, mind-expanding competitions.

The students arrive at GCC at 8:30 a.m. with the competitions scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 12:30.

Students participate in a variety of challenges, many in groups of two or more. Some competitions involve bringing projects they've been working on to GCC, while others provide a more spontaneous opportunity or "mystery" event where materials and directions are shared that day.

The winning Tech Wars 2019 logo, designed by Dylan Duffy from Dansville High School is a great example of the creativity and hard work that happens well in advance of the overall program.

"Tech Wars is a great opportunity for students and instructors to work together toward a common goal," Ann Valento, GCC Career Pathways program specialist said. "It fosters an atmosphere of encouragement and teamwork and the hard-work of each participant is acknowledged and appreciated. It is simply a fun way for students to realize and tap into their talents!"

In addition to the Battlebot Soccer competition listed above, there are 29 other events to challenge students in an array of technologies. The 2019 Middle School events include: Catapult, CO2 Car Challenges, Logo Design, Mystery Project, Paper Airplane, Rube Goldberg, Sculpture and Tower.

The 2019 High School events include: Battlebot Soccer, Bridge Design, Architectural Design in CAD, CO2 Car Challenges, King of the Hill, Logo Design, Mystery Project, On Site CAD Project, Regatta, Reverse Engineered CAD Drawing, Robotic Tractor Pull Limited and Unlimited, Sculpture Event, Skimmer Car, SUMO Bots and Trebuchet which must launch a projectile at a given target 40 feet away. 

For the rules and details on all these competitions, click here.  

Tech Wars is supported by significant sponsorships. The Gold Sponsors this year include: Liberty Pumps, Turnbull Heating & Air Conditioning, Northeast Industrial Tech Inc., Graham Corporation and Amada Tool America Inc.

"Without the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers, the dedication of our area technology teachers and the commitment of our participating students, this event would not be possible," Valento said. "We are grateful for all."

The ACE Program's Career Pathways helps students explore career options and make a smooth transition from high school to college and ultimately to professional careers. Tech Wars is among several dynamic programs giving students the opportunity to learn hands-on, often in business settings and with industry professionals.

For more information, please contact Ann Valento, Genesee Community College Career Pathways program specialist at 585-343-0055, ext. 6316, or amvalento@genesee.edu.

Genesee Community College Fashion Program students continue their yearlong preparations for the 38th Annual Fashion Show that is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.

This year's theme "Limitless" was chosen by the students of the Fashion Program. It is a no boundaries, inclusive, inspirational and innovative take on fashion.

The show will feature a variety of colors, creativity and originality in an array of designed and styled scenes.

"Limitless" will take place in the 24,000-square-foot indoor field house of the Richard C. Call Arena on the west side of the Batavia Campus.

With plenty of space to accommodate 2,000 guests including ample parking, the students are planning one dynamic, fast-moving production, and a post-show party with entertainment and a vendor market.

Tickets are now available for purchase online here. General admission tickets remain just $5 (plus a ticket processing service fee of $1.30 per ticket.)

This year however, special VIP tickets are also available for $25 (plus a ticket processing service fee of $2.41 per ticket.) providing preferential seating, a GCC Fashion Show SWAG bag, as well as admission to the Vendor Fair, Fashion Show, entertainment and the post-show reception.

For questions or to support "Limitless" send an email to: fashionshow@genesee.edu

(Photo of model in 2018's "Ascendant" fashion show at GCC. )

Submitted photos and press release:

Last year, Homeland Security Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 28,000 seizures of counterfeit goods valued at $1.4 billion. One raid alone in Laredo, Texas, brought in 181,000 items valued at $42.9 million. The serious issue of counterfeit merchandise hits much closer to home, however, with ongoing investigations and detective work occurring each year at the New Era Field in Orchard Park throughout the Buffalo Bills season.

John K. Payne, senior detective with the Orchard Park Police Department will share his vast experience and knowledge about counterfeiting NFL products and other merchandise on Wednesday, March 6, at 1 p.m. in room T102 as part of Genesee Community College's Fashion Business Speaker Series. The event is free and open to the public. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Counterfeiting is a form of theft and seriously impacts businesses, the economy, and our society. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates nearly $500 billion in lost economic activity in one year alone as illegal competitors steal brands and products from legitimate companies who hold genuine trademarks and patents.

Many companies have invested years of research and millions of dollars in product development, typically they employ U.S. citizens, and also support local communities. Stealing revenue from these companies through counterfeiting their products not only affects their bottom line, but also significantly hurts their ability to innovate and invest back in the company and community.

This crime can also pose a serious health risk with products in the food and pharmaceutical industry. 

Detective Payne began his efforts to curtail counterfeit merchandising at football games nearly ten years ago when the Buffalo Bills alerted local law enforcement that numerous vendors were selling illegal items outside the stadium. NFL officials worked closed with the Orchard Park Police Department to train key members of the force to identify legitimate products against the counterfeit.

Detective Payne assembled a task force which included the assistance of federal agencies. In the past few years, numerous arrests have been made including a major supplier, and thousands of dollars of counterfeit merchandise has been seized and destroyed. 

With more than 25 years in law enforcement, including 20 years with the OPPD, Detective Payne has a broad base of experience in criminal justice. He has been a SWAT Team member, sniper, observer, major crimes and fire investigator, as well as an instructor with the Erie County Police Academy. He earned both a master's degree in Police Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Hilbert College.

"This is the first time the Fashion Business Lecture Series has covered the topic of counterfeit merchandising, and we are honored to have Detective Payne share his expertise to our campus and community," said Laura Taylor, instructor of Fashion Business.

"This is not only an important subject to my fashion business students, but GCC's criminal justice and business students will also gain a vast amount of information from his lecture."

Below, Orchard Park Police Department Senior Detective John K. Payne and some counterfeit NFL merchandise.