Milestones

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Multicultural Communications Club, a Toastmasters International Club, is generating a lot of buzz for its significant accomplishments. Five members of the mostly student group have received Toastmasters International certification in communication and four of those five earned leadership certification as well.

Earning the communication certification is no small feat. Members must give 10 presentations from the Toastmasters International Competent Communication Manual. Each one focuses on a specific area. Among them:

*    Introducing oneself

*    Getting to the point

*    Organizing a speech

*    Using body language

*    Using visual aids

*    Giving a persuasive speech

*    Giving an inspirational speech

In addition, the Leadership Certification involves 10 projects completed at meetings. Members may act as Toastmaster, timer, grammarian or may bring someone new to the club. Serving in different club roles gives them practical leadership experience in using people skills, being decisive and authentic, and moving the club forward.

"Earning the certifications takes a high level of commitment from both the students and the faculty advisors," said Club Co-advisor Jacqueline Di Bella, adjunct professor of Humanities at GCC. "The students we have are so motivated and committed to the discipline of communication and leadership. We are happy to support their efforts."

Di Bella also serves as the club's vice president of education.

The Toastmasters Club started in March 2011 and currently has 22 members. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit education organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. At meetings, members act as evaluators, offering feedback on speeches to help other members improve.

"It's known as the 'feedback sandwich'," Di Bella said. "First you praise, then you recommend how the speaker can improve and you finish with praise. It's a very supportive environment that generates great results."

"To have these students achieve this designation so early in their academic and professional lives is amazing," Di Bella said. "It will open many doors for them in the future."

Press release:

Genesee Community College is pleased to announce Kirsten Tedesco has been named February 2013 Employee of the Month. Kirsten is a Business Training specialist in The BEST (Business and Employee Skills Training) Center, managing grant-funded training programs and ensuring client expectations are met.

Her job involves everything from scheduling to invoicing and lots of trouble-shooting in between – prompting her to describe her position as "professional juggler." She manages a heavy workload with organization, a positive attitude, and an ever-present smile. She also serves on GCC's Diversity and Creativity Committees.

Tedesco joined GCC two and a half years ago with a wide range of experience. She's been a financial consultant, a legal assistant and a teacher. She earned her business degree from SUNY Empire State College and an MBA from New York Institute of Technology.

There are many things she enjoys about her position at GCC, mostly the team she works with at The BEST Center, which she says provides "non-stop support and encouragement." She also notes, "GCC encourages employees to serve together on committees, making them a part of a larger group beyond their normal team. I love working in an environment that matches my passion for providing workforce development and training services to adult learners."

A resident of Amherst, Tedesco is passionate about her family outside of work. She is engaged to David Regan, has two daughters and two future stepdaughters who she enjoys spending as much time with as possible.

Genesee Community College is also pleased to announce Samantha Callisher has been named the February 2013 Student of the Month. Samantha, 20, is the daughter of Arthur and Pamela Callisher and sister to Jessica. She hails from Batavia and graduated from Batavia High School in 2011.

Callisher is studying Fashion Merchandising Management. A recipient of the President's Scholarship, she chose GCC because of its fashion program. Once she completes her studies here, she plans to go on to a university fashion program and eventually earn a master's degree in business. Her ultimate career goal is to become a fashion buyer for a successful retailer.

She can't say enough about what she's learning at GCC. "[Professor Rick] Dudkowski...has given me so many great opportunities and I have gained many lifelong connections from him that are going to make me into that successful buyer."

Currently, Callisher has a mentorship with NYC merchandiser Maria Pesin and is active on campus in Phi Theta Kappa and the DECA Club. She also gives back to her community by volunteering at Jackson Elementary School, the Batavia Nursing Home, and GCASA (Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse).

The College at Brockport, State University of New York, recently honored students who excelled academically by naming them to the dean's list for the Fall 2012 semester. Students who earn a GPA of 3.70–3.99 are named to the dean's list with honors, while students who achieve a 3.40–3.69 are named to the dean's list.

Dean's list with honors:

Alexander

• Patrick Guarino, with honors
• Peggy Hamm-Johnson, with honors

Basom

• Lori Stellrecht, with honors
• Elias Seward, with honors
• Danielle Hirtzel, with honors

Batavia

• Heidi Dempsey, with honors
• Kristin Aidala, with honors
• Jennifer Baker, with honors
• John Beckler, with honors
• Kaley Falkowski, with honors
• Leigh Woodall, with honors

Bergen

• Shane Chatham, with honors
• Cody Pierce, with honors
• Rebecca Smith, with honors
• Lindsay Stumpf, with honors
• Athena Corodimas, with honors

Byron

• Melissa Hale, with honors
• Tammy Fuller, with honors
• Sarah Ritchie, with honors

Elba

• Gianni Zambito, with honors

Le Roy

• Natalie Wedge, with honors
• Katherine Rogers, with honors
• Meghan Bishop, with honors
• Danielle Ford, with honors
• Gena Korn, with honors

Oakfield

• Jamie Borkholder, with honors
• Zackary Kibler, with honors

South Byron

• Kallee Stein, with honors

Dean's list:

Alexander

• Cory Dick

Batavia

• Patrick Carr
• Emily Mott
• Felicia McJury
• Erin Suttell
• David Eick
• Charles Eggebrecht
• Cara Grosshans
• Carrie Putney
• Brittany Wormley
• Diane Cox
• Emily Glidden
• Katrina Mogavero
• Catherine Taylor

Bergen

• Harjit Singh
• Brian Humphrey
• Alexander Gunther
• Alyson Tardy
• Emily Drzewiecki
• Carrie Cooper
• Paul Morton

Byron

• Darren Kwiatkowski

Corfu

• Casey Herman
• Kristen Gaik

Elba

• Keenan Hughes
• Meg Stucko

Le Roy

• Joel Pitts
• Justin Becker
• Abigail Graham

Oakfield

• Samantha Denton
• Olivia Waldron
• Benjamin Cherry
• Lisa Halat

Pavilion

• Theresa Raponi
• Shawn Mascho

The College at Brockport, State University of New York, recently honored students who excelled academically by naming them to the President's List for the Fall 2012 semester. They are:

• James Mignano, of Stafford

• Matthew Andre, of Batavia

• Brian Burgay, of Bergen

• Antonio Madau, of Le Roy

• Amanda Wormley, of Batavia

• Kara Miller, of Le Roy

• Lyman Rhodes, of Le Roy

• Katlyn Brooks, of Le Roy

• Samantha Elliott, of Bergen

To achieve the honor of being on the President's List, a student must earn a GPA of 4.0.

Morrisville State College recently announced that Bobbie Jo Norton, of Corfu, was named to the dean's list for the Fall 2012 semester.

To be named to the dean's list, a student must achieve an average of 3.0 to 3.99 for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.

The college is a national leader in technology, and lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.

Katelynn Hackett, of Corfu, a Clarkson University junior majoring in mechanical engineering, participated in a co-op at General Electric - Transportation in Erie, Pa., during the Fall 2012 semester.

A co-op is a unique professional experience where students may take a semester off and work for a company. Students are commonly assigned to lead large, multi-departmental, projects.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Clarkson University #1 for having the highest rate of graduating seniors with internship experience, including co-ops.

SUNY Canton recently recognized students who excelled academically during the Fall 2012 semester.

Among the students who earned honors for academics were:

Tarry M. Brockel, a SUNY Canton Legal Studies major from Batavia, received Part-Time Honors. Brockel is a 1988 graduate of Le Roy Central School.

Todd M. Cameron, a SUNY Canton Funeral Services Administration major from Le Roy, received Part-Time Honors. Cameron is a 1989 graduate of Wheatland-Chili Central School.

SUNY Canton offers a variety of career-driven bachelor's degrees in addition to its associate and certificate programs. In the past year, the college added two new bachelor's degrees and expanded its facilities with a new athletic center, nicknamed Roos House, and the Grasse River Suites Residence Hall.

The college's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers flexible and convenient online courses and programs. The college's 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III as well as the USCAA.

Press release:

At its Annual Volunteer Awards Dinner held Saturday, Feb. 2, the Iroquois Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, honored three volunteers with the council’s highest award, the Silver Beaver Award. Honorees are Edward Fancher (Albion), Robin Louvain (Geneseo), and W. David Servizi (Newfane).

The Silver Beaver award recognizes distinguished service to youth. Each recipient is a long-tenured volunteer who has also made significant contributions by way of service to their local communities.

Local Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders were recognized for program excellence in the areas of camping, membership recruitment and retention, and helping Scouts to meet their funding needs.

Several youth members were also recognized. Cub Scout Tyler Mutka (Corfu) topped the list with Popcorn Sales of more than $3,200. The sale raises money for Scout programs, and also qualifies Tyler for a national college scholarship program. This is Tyler’s second year as top seller among Scouts in a five-county area. Other Scouts who will be inducted into the scholarship program are Noah Kutter (Corfu) and Brent Oliver (Lyndonville).

The Iroquois Trail Council provides development, leadership, and life skills to more than 3,500 youth in Orleans, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, and Livingston counties. To contact the council or enroll, visit www.itcbsa.org or call 585-343-0307.

The State University of New York at New Paltz recently conferred over 600 undergraduate degrees. Kaylee Stoneham, a resident of Corfu, was among them.

She received a bachelor of science degree in Visual Arts Education.

The State University of New York at New Paltz is located in the heart of a dynamic college town, 90 minutes from metropolitan New York City.

The following students were named to the dean's list for the Fall 2012 semester at Clarkson University.

Andrew T. Lichtenthal, of Batavia, a freshman majoring in Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Jacob D. Muench, of Darien, a sophomore majoring in Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Dean's list students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. ABC News and PayScale list Clarkson as one of 12 schools whose new graduates earn more than Harvard's. It's located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam.

The following students were named Presidential Scholars for the Fall 2012 semester at Clarkson University.

Patrick D. Flynn, of Batavia, a freshman majoring in Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Kaley M. Johnson, of Bergen, a senior majoring in Engineering and Management.

Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point average and carry at least 14 credit hours.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. ABC News and PayScale list Clarkson as one of 12 schools whose new graduates earn more than Harvard's. It's ocated just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam.

Courtney Smith, of Batavia, a student at Batavia High School, has been nominated to represent New York as a National Youth Correspondent to the 2013 Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University. It will be held July 7-12 in Fairfax, Va.

Courtney has been awarded the opportunity to join a select group of 250 students from across the country to participate in an intensive week-long study of journalism and media. Smith was chosen based on academic accomplishments and a demonstrated interest and excellence in journalism and media studies.

National Youth Correspondents participate in hands-on, experiential learning through decision-making simulations that challenge them to solve problems and explore the creative, practical, and ethical tensions inherent in journalism and media. The experiential portion of the program is complemented by speakers who are well-known leaders in the media community.

Presenters include prominent journalists, CEOs of major media outlets, researchers, and recent college graduates successfully entering the field. Last year's conference included Hoda Kotb, Chuck Todd, Brian Lamb and Neil Leifer.

With distinguished faculty, guest speakers, and direct access to elite D.C. practitioners, the Washington Journalism and Media Conference offers aspiring journalists an unparalleled experience.

The University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce that Jessica A Henning, of Batavia, was named to the dean's list for Fall 2012.

To be included on the dean's list, students must have completed 12 or more credits during a semester for letter grades with at least a 3.30 quality-point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 credits with a 3.30 quality point average.

The University of Rhode Island is known regionally and worldwide for its innovative, big ideas, adaptive intelligence and breakthrough solutions to today's puzzling problems.

Nazareth College is proud to announce the following students have earned dean's list honors for the Fall 2012 semester:

Karisa Kobel, of Bergen, is a senior studying Health Sciences.

Lauryn Krebs, of Corfu, is a freshman studying International Studies & Modern Foreign Language.

Kathleen O'Donnell, of Batavia, is a freshman studying Biology & Toxicology.

Courtney Taylor, of Bergen, is a freshman studying Biology.

A student's grade-point average must be at least 3.5 or above, and they must complete 12 credit hours of graded work that semester in order to be included on the dean's list at Nazareth.

Founded in 1924, Nazareth College is located on a close-knit, suburban campus in the dynamic, metropolitan region of Rochester. It offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs in health and human services, education, and management.

The following local residents have been enrolled for Fall 2013 admission at Rochester Institute of Technology:

• Steven Cacner Jr., son of Heather Cacner, of Stafford, and Steven Cacner, of Oakfield, is in the Computer Engineering - BS program in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering and is a 2013 graduate of Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School. Steven has been awarded the RIT Innovation & Creativity Award.

• Erica Hickey, daughter of Rhonda and Brian Hickey, of Byron, is in the Journalism - BS program in RIT's College of Liberal Arts and is a 2013 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School.

Rochester Institute of Technology is internationally recognized for academic leadership in computing, engineering, imaging science, sustainability, and fine and applied arts, in addition to unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

RIT's cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.

Emilie M. Wetzel, of Le Roy, has been selected for inclusion on the dean's list for academic achievement during the Fall 2012 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton.

To be eligible for the dean's list at St. Lawrence University, a student must have completed at least four semester units and have an academic average of 3.6 (based on a perfect 4.0 scale) for the semester.

Wetzel, a member of the Class of 2013, graduated from Le Roy Central School.

St. Lawrence University is a private, independent liberal arts institution of about 2,300 students.

Melissa Levins, of Batavia, earned a perfect grade-point average of 4.0 during the Fall 2012 semester at SUNY Oneonta and has been named to the college's Provost's List.

Of the more than 5,800 undergraduates enrolled at the college, 106 qualified for the Fall 2012 Provost's List by earning a perfect GPA while carrying a course load of at least 12 semester hours.

Established as a state normal school in 1889 and incorporated as a founding member of the state university system in 1948, the college is well known for its outstanding faculty, strong academic programs, educational technology, community service and character-building activities, and its scenic campus.

Richard Ely, a graduate of Batavia High School, was a recipient of the Dean's Award for academic excellence during the 2012 Fall term at Colgate University, where he is a member of the Class of 2015.

To be eligible for the Dean's Award, a Colgate student must achieve higher than a 3.30 average while enrolled in at least four courses.

Colgate is a liberal arts college in Hamilton.

Audrey Waterman, of Bergen, has been named to the dean's list at Paul Smith's College for the Fall 2012 semester. Waterman, who majors in Culinary Arts and Service Management, earned a semester average of 3.3 or higher to receive this distinction.

Paul Smith's College is on the shores of Lower St. Regis Lake, and it's the only four-year institution of higher education in the six-million-acre Adirondack Park of New York State.