Category: Vitality

The spring Laker magazine features families with multiple alumni

Before she started at FLCC, Emma (Andrew) Swarthout ’11 got help building her schedule from former students, including her older sister Rebeccah.

And her older sister Sarah.

And her older sisters Abbey, Hannah, and Kathryn.

Emma was the sixth of the Andrew kids, all homeschooled, to attend FLCC. Her brother George followed, and William, the youngest, is currently studying business administration.

Their mother, Colleen Andrew, enrolled her first two daughters at FLCC, thinking an associate degree would be the best proof they were ready for a four-year college.

“It worked so well with the first couple of us that my mom was kind of like, ‘Why fix what’s not broken?’” said Abbey (Andrew) Copenhaver ’08.

The College keeps no records on the number of families in which parents and children, husbands and wives, or multiple siblings attend, though the connections have become increasingly apparent since the first classes began in 1968.

Some alumni marvel at the changes when the next generation attends. Tim Montondo ’88 came back nearly two decades later with his daughter, Rachel, a 2019 accounting graduate.
“It was amazing!” he said. “There was so much new that had been added. It was so cool to see. I had a hard time finding my way around to show her things.”

Sometimes the family tie is not just the College, but a program.
The late Betty Jean McAnn ’73 made a later-in-life decision to become a registered nurse, inspiring her daughter-in-law, Lisa McAnn ’93.

“I was in banking when we moved here from Oklahoma. Betty Jean was the one that encouraged me. She said I had the qualities to get the nursing degree, and she talked highly of Finger Lakes.”
Lisa is now an associate professor in the FLCC nursing department.
Betty Jean’s granddaughter, Alicia McBride, is a 2014 graduate of the program.

Ted Fafinski, a retired Farmington town supervisor, sent both his children to FLCC, and they married alumni. The College took on another dimension in his life when he taught as an adjunct for five years. His family’s connections to FLCC are among many that have grown along with the College.

“FLCC isn’t just a community college,” Ted said. “It’s part of the community.”

The federal appropriations bill signed by President Joe Biden on Saturday, March 9, included $1 million U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer secured for a new horticulture and greenhouse facility at Finger Lakes Community College.

The college’s plan to rebuild the greenhouse at its main campus is part of FLCC’s facilities master plan currently under development. The college and its sponsor, Ontario County, are reviewing a range of options for renovations and new construction to best position the college for the next decade. The plan is scheduled for adoption in May.

“The construction of modern horticulture buildings will be a top priority in the new facilities master plan. This appropriation will leverage a dollar-for-dollar state match, and combined with private donations, put us in an excellent position as our plans become more concrete,” FLCC President Robert Nye said. “We are grateful for Sen. Schumer’s support.”

Draft plans call for the demolition of the existing greenhouse behind the science wing at the main campus and construction of a new facility in a better location to take advantage of sunlight. The greenhouse would have a hydroponic system and modern temperature and humidity controls to allow for different growing environments. The facility would also include labs and classrooms that could be shared with other organizations.

The college has been exploring options and funding sources for several years to rebuild the greenhouse, which opened in 1979. The FLCC Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks private sector support for the college, has received donations totaling $1.8 million. This amount also qualifies for a state match. Over $1.7 million of the Foundation funding is an estate gift from the late Adrienne O’Brien, a longtime friend of the college and supporter of the viticulture program.

FLCC offers associate degrees and certificates in horticulture and viticulture and wine technology with a combined enrollment of more than 120 students as of fall 2023.

Following approval of the FLCC facilities master plan in May, the college and county would hire an architect to develop concept plans. No timeline for construction has been established.

UR Medicine Thompson Health has created a new scholarship for second-year nursing students to cover a full year of tuition in exchange for an agreement to work in its hospital.

FLCC full-time tuition is $5,280 per year. The first recipient is Nichelle Camp of Newark, who will graduate in May.

“I have completed two clinical rotations at Thompson and fell in love with the facility as a student,” Nichelle said. “I am honored to be a recipient of the new scholarship. I am grateful for the foundation FLCC has given me, and I am looking forward to the opportunity that is ahead as I start my job in Thompson’s post-anesthesia care unit this summer.”

“Nichelle is an extremely hard working, motivated student. She is engaged in scholarship and strives for excellence in all she does,” added Tina Hamilton, assistant professor of nursing. “She is currently president of the Class of May 2024 and attentive to the needs of her peers. She is a worthy recipient of the Thompson Health scholarship.”

Students must complete a competitive application process and attend an interview with Thompson’s nursing leadership. The application is included with more than 100 other awards that incoming and current students can apply for at flcc.edu/scholarships.

Those who are chosen agree to work for the health system for two years upon graduation and passing the NCLEX, or National Council Licensure Examination. Thompson will grant up to 10 scholarships per year.

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome Nichelle to Thompson and look forward to the many FLCC-trained nurses who will follow in her footsteps,” said Hazel Robertshaw, Thompson Health vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “The best part is that this new initiative builds on a longstanding partnership between our health system and the College, ensuring a strong pipeline of future nurses for many years to come.”

Graduates of the FLCC associate in nursing program had a 95 percent pass rate on the national nursing licensure exam in 2023. This is above the statewide averages of 88 percent for associate degree graduates and 90 percent for bachelor’s degree graduates.

Finger Lakes Community College students in the viticulture and wine technology program selected a wine label designed by Laura Lopez, a graphic design student from Colombia, for their 2023 varieties.

Lopez offered an abstract brand design she called Fresca Leyenda, Spanish for Fresh Legend, that is filled with symbolism.

“When I found out that my design had been selected, I experienced a mix of surprise and overwhelming happiness, validation that all the hard work, effort invested, and time spent had been rewarded,” she said.

Continue reading “FLCC students select wine label winner for 2023 vintages”

The Ontario County Board of Supervisors approved a $1.2 million increase for Finger Lakes Community College’s annual budget on Thursday night to support the college’s continued enhancements to student achievement, workforce development, and the next generation of healthcare professionals in the region.

The $1.2 million is in addition to the $3.8 million sponsor contribution the board approved in August. This 32 percent increase in funding for FLCC was included in the 2024 Ontario County budget the board approved last night.

The infusion of new funds follows discussions between college and county leaders on the best way to advance the initiatives in the college’s new five-year strategic plan.

“FLCC has a strong tradition of providing superior educational opportunities to the students in our community and throughout the region,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Todd Campbell of West Bloomfield. “Ontario County is thrilled to have collaborated with the college to come up with this new enhanced funding agreement to ensure that FLCC can continue to innovate and provide impactful educational services to the students of our community moving forward.”

FLCC President Robert Nye said the extra funding will provide immediate benefit to students through academic programming and support services.

“We truly appreciate county leaders’ partnership as we work to fill critical workforce needs in Ontario County and beyond,” he said.

The total $5 million in funding for FLCC represented in the 2024 county budget is for operations. The county also contributes $500,000 annually in capital improvements that is matched by the state.

The vote Thursday also follows the release of a report on the economic impact of the college on the seven-county region.

Lightcast, a provider of labor market analytics, found that FLCC adds $197.9 million in income annually to the regional economy. The college and Ontario County jointly sponsored the $20,000 study to understand the ripple effect of college operations and the return on the investment for students and taxpayers.

The study found that, on average, students make $4.90 in higher future earnings for every dollar they invest in their education. Taxpayers get a return of $2.40 for every dollar they invest in the college.

“Research has consistently shown the benefits of education for individuals and society in terms of greater earnings, improved health and other positive outcomes, but it has been fascinating to see how that translates to dollars and cents for a single institution,” Nye added. “The bottom line is the college creates more tax revenue than it gets.”

For the study, the Finger Lakes region is defined as Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates counties. Lightcast examined data for the 2020-21 fiscal year, drawing on academic and financial reports from FLCC, industry and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau, outputs of Lightcast’s modeling, and a variety of published materials relating education to social behavior. The full report is available at flcc.edu/about.

“Most people in our community think of FLCC as an institution of higher learning. While that is absolutely accurate, many don’t realize the incredible economic impact FLCC has on our county and our region. Ontario County was pleased to partner with the college to undertake the financial impact study conducted by Lightcast to provide quantification of the significant positive economic impact FLCC has on Ontario County. The overall impact FLCC has to our economy is both unsurprising and incredibly impressive,” said Ontario County Administrator Chris DeBolt.

The FLCC Board of Trustees adopted a new five-year strategic plan in August to focus on three areas: student success, opportunity and innovation, and community and industry engagement.

Economic Impact: Operations

To break down the overall economic impact, Lightcast considered FLCC’s payroll, purchasing and construction activity. The college employed 476 full-time and part-time faculty and staff with a payroll of $33.7 million in 2020-21, much of it spent on groceries, mortgage payments and other household expenses. FLCC spent another $14.1 million on day-to-day expenses related to facilities, supplies, and professional services.

Lightcast then calculated a net impact by simulating a scenario in which funds spent on the college are instead spent on consumer goods and savings. The net impact is $35.4 million in added income.

In addition, the net impact of FLCC’s construction spending to maintain and improve facilities was $1.7 million for one year.

Lightcast also estimated the impact of student spending by looking at two populations: 1) the approximately 10 percent of FLCC students who come from outside the region, and 2) an estimate of in-region students who would have otherwise left the area for other educational opportunities if not for FLCC. These two groups added $5 million to the economy with spending on groceries, housing and other living expenses.

Over the years, students have studied at FLCC and entered or re-entered the workforce with newly acquired knowledge and skills. Today, thousands of these former students are employed in the region. The net impact of former students currently employed in the regional workforce amounted to $155.8 million in added income for the year.

Adding the impacts of FLCC operations, student spending and the added income of alumni, Lightcast arrived at annual revenue generation of $197.9 million.

Economic impact: Investment returns

The company then looked at the return on investment for students and taxpayers. FLCC students paid $13.6 million in 2020-21 to cover tuition, fees, supplies, and interest on student loans. They also gave up $11.8 million they would have earned had they been working instead of attending college.

In return for their investment, this group of students will receive a cumulative present value of $123.6 million in increased earnings over their working lives. This translates to a return of $4.90 in higher future earnings for every dollar students invest in their education. This means students’ average annual rate of return is 17.5 percent.

Taxpayers provided FLCC with $24.3 million in state and local funding. In return, they get back additional tax revenue stemming from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased business output, amounting to $51.7 million.

A reduced demand for government-funded services in New York will add another $6.7 million in benefits to taxpayers. For every dollar of public money invested in FLCC, taxpayers will receive $2.40 in return, over the course of students’ working lives. The average annual rate of return for taxpayers is 4.8 percent.

 

As part of his online walk and jog class, Professor Eric Marsh asks students to send in photos from wherever they are walking and jogging.

Those photos often have fascinating backstories.

This is the case for Anthony Marrero, 34, an online computer science major, who moved to La Trinidad in the Benguet province of the Philippines to marry his wife, Jane, who is originally from the Finger Lakes area.

“We have 3 kids (two are twins) and one baby on the way in October. I returned to school last fall as a computer science major to switch to a career in AI programming,” Anthony explains.  “We have been processing our visas for two years now and hopefully will be able to come back to the Finger Lakes next year.”

The photo he took for his class shows a part of La Trinidad called Alapang, where roses are grown to supply all of the Philippines. This mountainous environment is the only place with the right climate.

“I definitely recommend visiting the Philippines to any American,” he said. “Filipinos are very friendly toward us.  There are also tons of running and biking associations and events. The trail running is probably the best.  Also, if you like riding motorcycles, the mountain roads are some of the best in the world for cruising and enjoying the views.”

Finger Lakes Community College has produced a video series on mental health, with a focus on youth, that debuts Sunday, Sept. 10, on the Finger Lakes Television public broadcast network.

“Straight Talk on Mental Health” is a series of seven 30-minute episodes that touch on several aspects of mental health, including counseling, mental health first aid, trauma and resilience.

After release, episodes are archived on the Finger Lakes TV programming page.

The show features students from Finger Lakes Community College and Hobart and William Smith Colleges interacting with mental health professionals, leaders from K-12 schools, and staff from the Partnership for Ontario County.

“My hope for this series is to eliminate the stigma around mental health and raise awareness of the wide variety of training, services, and supports available for young people in our region,” said Joseph Fantigrossi, founder and former coordinator of Seneca County Community Schools and current regional community schools coordinator for Monroe 2-Orleans Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

Community school associations provide training and technical assistance to improve the ability of K-12 schools to serve students struggling with poverty, mental health and other challenges. Fantigrossi took part in episodes about Youth Mental Health First Aid and resilience.

“I hope that individuals who view this learn more about mental health and the impacts of trauma,” added Ashley Lewis, vice president of operations for Family Counseling Service of the Finger Lakes. “I would love to see individuals empowered to seek out mental health supports and to know they are not alone. The more we discuss mental health, the more we dismantle the stigma associated with it.”

Lewis served as the expert for episodes on mental health counseling and trauma.

The series also features Hennessey Lustica, community schools mental health director at the Seneca Falls Central School District and assistant professor at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester.

The episodes will run on Finger Lakes Television, the public broadcasting network based at FLCC. Finger Lakes TV is available  four ways:

• Roku
• A 24/7 webstream at fingerlakestv.org
• Spectrum cable channel 1304 in the Finger Lakes region
• The Cablecast app for Apple and Android

“Straight Talk on Mental Health” will run daily at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. with two additional spots at 9 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays. Each episode runs for two weeks. After release, they will also be available on demand on the station’s website at fingerlakestv.org and the Finger Lakes Community College YouTube channel.

Episodes and release dates are as follows:

Episode 1: Mental Health Counseling, Part I: The Basics, Sept. 10

Zachary Shirley and Terrance “Dom” Dominguez-Hover, president and vice president, respectively of the FLCC Student Veterans Organization in 2022-23, interview Hennessey Lustica about the basics of mental health counseling with a focus on middle and high schoolers.

Episode 2: Mental Health Counseling, Part II: Tough Questions, Sept. 24

Shirley and Dominguez-Hover ask Ashley Lewis of Family Counseling Service of the Finger Lakes, about what happens when counseling doesn’t seem to be working. This episode addresses both youth and adults.

Episode 3: Mental Health: Who are the Players? Oct. 8

Shirley and Dominguez-Hover meet with Lustica to talk about the different types of professionals who work in mental health, including social workers, with a focus on those who work in K-12 districts.

Episode 4: Mental Health First Aid, Oct. 22

Joseph D. Fantigrossi of Monroe County and Seneca County Community Schools, meets with a community member and Hobart and William Smith Colleges student who trained in youth mental health first aid. Terrence Rodgers, a youth advocate and job coach for Finger Lakes Community Schools, and Colleen McElduff, an HWS master’s degree student, explain why they took the course and what they learned.

Episode 5: Community Resources, Nov. 5

Shirley learns about mental health programming available from the Partnership for Ontario County. Tracey Dello Stritto, the executive director, and Ashley Tomassini, program coordinator, explain recent initiatives: Ontario Cares, an online resource, and Lock and Talk, a suicide prevention project to reduce the availability of guns and medications.

Episode 6: What is Trauma? Nov. 19

Shirley and Dominguez-Hover ask Ashley Lewis to explain trauma, reactions to trauma, and how people can get past the trauma in their lives.

Episode 7: What is Resilience? Dec. 3

Blythe Hodgson, an FLCC student, asks Joseph Fantigrossi how individuals of all ages build resilience to get past the tough times in life.

“We had a great group representing a wide range of people from the Finger Lakes region,” said Lenore Friend, director of public relations and communications for FLCC. “We made a TV series to explore topics in depth. For example, advice to get counseling sounds simple, but students had a lot of questions about what that really means for people of different ages.”

Friend worked on the project with staff members Jay Gillotti, creative director and editor, and Hugh Laird, videographer. Funding for the series comes in part from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, COVID relief legislation.

All six wines bottled in 2021 under the Synthesis label at the Finger Lakes Community College Viticulture and Wine Center were awarded medals in the New York Wine Classic competition this summer.

The wines are produced by FLCC students under faculty instruction as part of their work toward a viticulture and wine technology degree or certificate.

Medals are as follows:

Gold Medal: Empire White Bland
Gold Medal: Empire Red Blend
Gold Medal: Rose, Blaufrankisch
Silver Medal: Chardonnay
Silver Medal: Riesling
Bronze Medal: Cabernet Franc

The New York Wine Classic, an annual competition organized by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, included 749 entries from 108 wineries from across the state. Judges awarded 10 Platinum, 320 Gold, 294 Silver, and 81 Bronze medals. Full information is available at newyorkwines.org. FLCC has received medals in every New York Wine Classic since 2016.

Students in the viticulture and wine technology two-year degree and one-year certificate programs produce commercial wines that are available at Ryan’s Wine and Spirits in Canandaigua and Pedulla’s Wine and Liquor in Geneva. Orders can also be arranged via online form on the FLCC website at flcc.edu/viticulture-center.

The Synthesis label was created by Emer O’Brien, a 2023 graphic design graduate. Every fall graphic design students present designs in a competition to select a label for the wine that will be bottled the following spring. Graphic design students present their work during an event at the FLCC Viticulture and Wine Center in Geneva to viticulture and wine technology students, who vote to select a winner. The winemaking and label design are part of the college’s emphasis on hands-on learning that aligns with current industry practices.

For more information about the viticulture and wine technology program, visit flcc.edu/wine.

Seven Finger Lakes Community College employees and students have received the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, which acknowledges individuals across the SUNY system for notable achievement. They are as follows:

Hannah Hoffman of Cameron, Steuben County, a business administration major, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. She has served in three roles on the Student Corporation: executive secretary, executive treasurer and president, and was a member of the softball team. Hoffman joined the Phi Theta Kappa honors society in 2022.

Zachary Shirley of Phelps, Ontario County, a May 2023 liberal arts and sciences graduate, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. Shirley served from 2016 to 2021 in Army intelligence and currently serves in the U.S. Army Reserves. While president of the Student Veterans Organization for two years, he led Veterans Week, a series of events to honor veterans in November. He was master of ceremonies for the 2022 FLCC Veterans Day Ceremony.

Wendy Bacon of Canandaigua, Ontario County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service. She is the senior clerk for the FLCC Office of Instruction where she oversees the scheduling of classes and events and has filled in as assistant to the provost, managing administration of faculty teaching assignments. She is credited with helping manage many adaptations necessary to keep classes running during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Melissa Soules of Canandaigua, Ontario County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. She is the disability services coordinator with the FLCC Academic Success and Access Programs Office. Soules works with more than 300 students each semester arranging accommodations and is credited with advocating for improved inclusivity across the college. She is often an informal academic counselor and personal advocate and coach for students.

Kathleen Fuchs of Geneva, Ontario County, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. An FLCC adjunct instructor for more than 12 years, Fuchs has taught Composition I and II and Children’s Literature. Her nomination included colleague and student testimonies. Students wrote they felt welcomed, supported and respected in her classes and grew in critical thinking skills. Over the past 25 years, Fuchs has been a member of the Geneva Martin Luther King Jr. Committee and is a recipient of the Geneva 2008 Martin Luther King Educator Award.

Maureen Maas-Feary of Rochester, Monroe County, professor of humanities, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. She led the Humanities Department through the COVID-19 pandemic and the restructuring of developmental English that streamlined the pathway for students to complete composition courses. She also co-chaired the effort to prepare an extensive report for the College to maintain its accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Lisa McAnn of Middlesex, Yates County, associate professor of nursing, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She has taught at FLCC for 15 years and played an important role in revising the nursing curriculum to align with contemporary nursing practice. McAnn developed two case studies for Wolters Kluwer, a Dutch health care and research company, for its upcoming medical-surgical textbook and received a national award for implementing successful strategies in assessing students’ readiness for the national nursing exam.

For more information about the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards, visit suny.edu and search for “chancellor’s awards.”

 

Finger Lakes Community College celebrated its first phlebotomy class graduation in May, following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fourteen students from across the region completed the nine-week course, which trains participants to work in blood draw stations in medical settings.

Those interested in taking any of the College’s healthcare training programs, which also includes certified nurse assistant and home health aide, can fill out a form at flcc.edu/reimagine or email workforce@flcc.edu.

Grant funding is available to cover costs for these in-demand programs; all 14 of the most recent phlebotomy graduates received assistance from government workforce grants.

Below are graduates by town:

Canandaigua: Emma MacDonald

Fairport: Jacquelyn Geihs

Geneva: Jasmine Hoffman, Sarah Pesta, Emily Ubiles

Phelps: Azure Wing

Rochester: Patricia Hollins, Octavia Overton, and Desha Snow

Romulus: Eva Lunduski

Seneca Falls: Mykaela Turner

Sodus: Julie Steffler

Waterloo: Adi Aunkst-Park, Kimberly Shores