July 2020 – FLCC Forward

FLCC announces fall athletics: Cross country, logging sports, eSports

logging sports team member chainsawing log — FLCC’s men’s and women’s logging sports teams will return in the fall semester. Their season will be determined by participation among competing institutions.

Cross country, logging sports and eSports will be offered at Finger Lakes Community College in the fall semester under an amended athletics plan that has been approved this week.

The plan aligns with the safety guidelines set forth by state officials as well as the National Junior College Athletic Association. FLCC is a Division III competitor in the NJCAA’s Region III.

Logging sports does not fall under the jurisdiction of the NJCAA, as FLCC’s men’s and women’s teams compete against mostly four-year institutions from across the Northeast. The teams’ fall competition schedule will be determined largely by participation among competitors.

Men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball will be moved to the spring semester in adherence with the NJCAA’s plan announced earlier this month. The teams, however, will be permitted to hold a limited number of low-density practices during the fall semester. The men’s and women’s basketball season is slated to begin in January.

“This has been a challenging time for college athletics as we balance the need to keep our student athletes safe while also trying to develop a plan to return to play,” said Samantha Boccacino, FLCC’s director of athletics. “This path forward allows for engaging opportunities for our student athletes while prioritizing their health and safety. We are looking forward to seeing our Lakers return.” Continue reading “FLCC announces fall athletics: Cross country, logging sports, eSports”

Scholarship will allow Midlakes grad to complete college, debt-free

Head and shoulders of Katelyn Roland — Katelyn Roland of Phelps is the recipient of the Farash Foundation First In Family Scholarship.

A recent Midlakes High School graduate has been selected to receive the Farash Foundation First In Family Scholarship, enabling her to attend Finger Lakes Community College at no cost.

Katelyn Roland of Phelps is planning to study nursing and will be the first in her immediate family to go to college.

“Katelyn demonstrates a high level of maturity and determination, and we are confident in her ability to excel at FLCC,” said Brie Chupalio, director of development at FLCC. “It is obvious that graduating debt-free will have a tremendous impact on her career endeavors, and we anticipate her taking full advantage of all this scholarship offers.”

Chupalio said Roland’s application was a standout because of her extensive list of volunteer and extracurricular activities. She was a student council leader, served on school committees and belonged to the peer support club Youth to Youth and the Interact Club, which, among other things, has student members serving as Salvation Army bell ringers and food cupboard helpers. She also played varsity softball and belonged to the racquet and chess clubs.

Those activities and good grades earned Roland placement in the National Junior Honor Society. She will start FLCC this fall having already earned credits for Advanced Placement and several Gemini courses offered by the College in her junior and senior years.

“I took these challenging courses because I am going into the health field, where education level is important to provide the best possible care for patients,” said Roland, who aspires to eventually transfer to St. John Fisher College and become a nurse practitioner or doctor in a family practice.

In 2012, the Farash Foundation First in Family Scholarship Program began providing scholarships for students who are first in their family to attend college at institutions of higher education in Monroe and Ontario counties. In addition to FLCC, participating colleges include Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Monroe Community College, Nazareth College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher College, SUNY Brockport and the University of Rochester.

The Foundation supplies all funds needed to pay for the Farash Scholar’s tuition, room and board, textbooks and fees. The Foundation’s support continues over the course of the recipient’s college careers, for up to five years.

“This scholarship will help me tremendously,” said Roland. “I am proud to be the first generation in my family to go to college, and I will push through any obstacles I come across and try my absolute hardest, not only for myself, but for my family and my community.”

FLCC announces fall plan for student courses, classes start Aug. 31

Reporter speaking on camera in front of FLCC main campus — Tanner Jubenville of 13WHAM in Rochester reported on FLCC’s opening plans on July 20. Click on the image to watch the video on the 13WHAM website.

Finger Lakes Community College has finalized its fall course schedule to maximize faculty and student interaction in a low-density environment by converting traditional in-person classes into live remote and hybrid classes.

Remote classes, also referred to as synchronous online classes, are held via the web conferencing software Webex, allowing professors and students to interact in real time. Hybrid classes are partly online and partly in person. Classes will be divided into small groups that take turns meeting in person with their instructor. Details are available at flcc.edu/covid.

“We know people come to FLCC for small classes and personal engagement, so we looked for ways to maintain that tradition in this new environment,” said FLCC President Robert Nye.

Signs like this one are going up at the FLCC main campus and campus centers as FLCC prepares for fall operations.

Forty-six percent of FLCC course sections will be live remote classes, while 28 percent will be hybrid classes. The remaining 26 percent are traditional online classes, in which students work independently on their own schedules. Before the pandemic, about a quarter of all FLCC classes were already online, given its rising popularity with students. In 2019, 42 percent of all FLCC students took at least one online course.

Students will be able to visit the library, computer labs, academic support centers, One Stop Center and other offices — though hours may be more limited and appointments may be necessary. The college will begin accepting walk-in traffic on Monday, Aug. 17.

“Overall, we expect the main campus to feel a bit like a traditional summer: fewer in-person classes going at any given time, fewer employees around and more informal interactions – albeit, with masks, social distancing, and lots of handwashing,” Nye said.

Continue reading “FLCC announces fall plan for student courses, classes start Aug. 31”

FLCC reading event supports racial justice

Finger Lakes Community College will host a silent reading event in support of racial justice on the birthday of Ida B. Wells, a black journalist and activist in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

FLCC Pages for Peace will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 16 in the Arboretum and Serenity Garden on the grounds of the main campus at 3325 Marvin Sands Drive, Canandaigua.

Attendees are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. Restrooms will not be available due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The event will begin with brief opening remarks by organizers and FLCC Student Corp. President Erik DiPasquale.

Then, attendees will quietly read books, poems and other works about racism and the African-American experience written by and about people of color.

“Our plan is to sit quietly and read,” said Maureen Maas-Feary of Rochester, a professor of humanities at FLCC. “Those who would rather not attend are encouraged to join us by reading a book, poem or other work from the comfort and safety of home.” Continue reading “FLCC reading event supports racial justice”

556 FLCC students named to spring semester dean’s list

A total of 556 full- and part-time students were named to the Finger Lakes Community College dean’s list for spring 2020.

To be named to the dean’s list, students must have a 3.5 grade point average and meet other criteria as follows:

Full-time students are eligible if they are matriculated – meaning enrolled in a degree program – and achieve a 3.5 grade point average for the semester (12 or more hours of earned credit) with no grade below passing and no incompletes.

Part-time students are eligible if they are matriculated, have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours at FLCC, earn a combined total of at least 12 credit hours for a given year and achieve a 3.5 grade point average with no grade below passing and no incompletes. The student must be part-time for both semesters. The dean’s list for part-time students is compiled at the end of the spring term only.

Below are students by county and town:

Continue reading “556 FLCC students named to spring semester dean’s list”

FLCC, Empire State College announce cybersecurity transfer agreement

A screen shot of the online ceremony to mark the new transfer agreement.

Finger Lakes Community College and SUNY Empire State College today announced a new agreement allowing guaranteed admission of graduates from FLCC who have earned an associate degree in networking and cybersecurity to SUNY Empire’s new bachelor of science in security studies program. SUNY Empire’s bachelor of science in security studies will help prepare qualified professionals to meet the national and global security challenges of the 21^st century in high demand areas such as homeland security, emergency management, disaster relief, and law enforcement.

The agreement was celebrated with a online signing ceremony that included FLCC and Empire faculty and staff as well as SUNY administrators.

Continue reading “FLCC, Empire State College announce cybersecurity transfer agreement”