Lenore Friend – Page 2

FLCC to receive $1M for distance learning and healthcare initiative

Finger Lakes Community College will receive a federal grant to equip schools in Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Yates counties with videoconferencing equipment that can be used for college classes, telemedicine and mental health and substance abuse prevention and counseling.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the $968,805 award on Dec. 6 as part of its Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. This project builds on the college’s expertise in online learning, and more recent work to extend the college’s reach in rural areas in cooperation with libraries, workforce offices and other sites.

“FLCC is committed to overcoming barriers to education, including lack of broadband access and transportation,” said Brie Chupalio, FLCC Chief Advancement Officer. “This project connects remote locations with meaningful options for healthcare, education and training.”

Continue reading “FLCC to receive $1M for distance learning and healthcare initiative”

A wartime refuge

woman standing in front of FLCC Geneva Campus Cneter — Zhanna Zalizniak

A Ukrainian mother studies at FLCC while she waits for a clearer path forward

Zhanna Zalizniak is like many non-traditional college students.

Zhanna, of Geneva, balances a full-time course load in web and mobile development with her life as a wife to Alex and mother of 8-year-old Tanya.

The difference is that she doesn’t know if she’ll use her degree here in the U.S. or back in her native Ukraine, which she fled at the start of the Russian invasion.

Zhanna and her family, which includes her mother-in-law, Katya, spent the first few months of the war in Poland. A friend in Geneva invited them to stay through the humanitarian parole program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in May 2022. They did not have work authorization until 8 months after their arrival, so Zhanna enrolled in Erica Reid’s advanced English as a Second Language class at the Geneva Campus Center.

She had a good grasp of English grammar and vocabulary. The class helped with conversation and getting acclimated.

“Erica’s classes helped me better understand American culture and how things worked in the U.S. This was a very important part for me,” Zhanna said.

While her husband found a job, she decided to continue her education to make the best use of this uncertain time in her life. “It’s a good opportunity for me while I am here to try something new,” she explained.

‘Nobody knows’

How long Zhanna and her family live in Geneva depends on many factors beyond her control, including Homeland Security policy.

“Now they want us all to be to switch to TPS, temporary protected status, and this is going to be for two years, so it’s all very uncertain. Nobody knows what will happen,” she said.

Temporary Protected Status gives those whose home countries are unsafe the right to live and work in the U.S. temporarily. Over the summer, Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary for homeland security, announced that this status would continue for Ukrainians through at least April 2025.

Today, her attention is split among her FLCC homework, Tanya’s school activities, and news from home.

“I get news all day, every day. I never expected full-scale war in my country. It’s kind of crazy,” she said.

Each passing day puts Ukraine further away. “If I can go home tomorrow, of course I would pack and leave,” she said, but her daughter’s experience is very different from her own. Tanya was just learning to read and write Ukrainian before the war, so her skills in English reading and writing skills will soon eclipse those in her native language.

“She likes it here. She hardly remembers how school was back in Ukraine,” Zhanna said. “We don’t have enough time – for her to be engaged in Ukrainian school also,” especially with the time difference. Kyiv, where they lived before the war, is six hours ahead of New York.

Scattered community

Zhanna and her family feel welcome in Geneva though it’s different from Kyiv, where the family could walk to shops or take public transportation.

Other Ukrainians have passed through Geneva, with some taking advantage of FLCC’s programming. “I started seeing them as soon as the war broke out,” said instructor Erica Reid. Before the war, her students had generally been a mix of those escaping economic hardship or spouses of academics visiting the Cornell AgriTech research facility.

Since February 2022, she has had a dozen Ukrainian students.

“I am currently working with seven students from Ukraine. Six of them arrived about a month ago or less,” she added. They are spread across the region, including Canandaigua, Honeoye and Victor.

Some have since moved to wherever they could find work, one family went as far as Texas. That has made it challenging for Ukrainians to build community.

“Everybody is helping each other in every way, but we are all new and strangers here, and we don’t have much resources,” said Zhanna.

Where to go in the U.S., whether to resettle or resolve to return home – these decisions will be different for every Ukrainian.

“If you want to wait, wait for how long? At first we thought maybe a couple of months and then this year, and this year. It’s all different for everyone. Nobody knows what you should do. If you ask me what would my advice be, I couldn’t advise anybody.”

Ontario County leaders approve additional $1.2 million for FLCC in 2024 budget

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.

Alumnus brings space flight down to Earth

The cover story of the fall Laker magazine features Seth Lambert ’18, who used his game design skills to help people understand NASA’s Artemis missions

Laker magazine cover showing a man in front of a NASA rocket — Seth Lambert, a visualization developer for a NASA contractor, visited Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch the Orion spacecraft roll out of the vehicle assembly building in March 2022, several months before the agency launched it on a flyby of the moon. Seth built the Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW) so people could track Orion’s fight.

The email said Seth Lambert ’18 had just six hours to apply for an internship with a NASA contractor.

It was 2019, more than a year after he transferred from FLCC to Rochester Institute of Technology. As part of his bachelor’s program, he had applied for more than 100 other internships with no luck. The contractor, Universities Space Research Association, needed to fill this post quickly.

Soon Seth was headed to Johnson Space Center in Houston for an eight-month internship that led to a full-time job working as a contractor for the Orion program on the Artemis missions.

Artemis consists of a series of progressively more complex flights designed to take humans back to the moon and beyond. The first flight, Artemis I, sent an uncrewed craft in orbit around the moon.

Seth used skills developed at FLCC and RIT to create AROW, short for Artemis Real-time Orbit Website. When the Orion spacecraft blasted off Nov. 16, 2022, the AROW website allowed people to track its progress in relation to the Earth, moon and sun.

AROW, he explained, “listens to an enormous amount of data coming down from space and uses that to create a very literal visualization of what’s going on, so this is as if you were traveling through space alongside Orion. The goal was to make something that wasn’t just for internal use but that could communicate the mission to everybody.”

With Orion’s successful flight and splashdown in the Pacific on Dec. 11, Seth’s attention turned to the next phase, Artemis II, a lunar flyby with a human crew in late 2024.

“Artemis II is a slightly different mission,” he added. “It’s going to be much shorter, and the flight plan is also quite different, so there’s a lot of work necessary to bring the software up to date for the new mission. We’re adding new features and working on other exciting ways for people to visualize and track future missions.”

Family connection

Seth’s grandfather, Hubert “Norris” Lambert, was a contractor for the space agency during the shuttle program.

“I unfortunately never met him, but I grew up hearing stories about when he worked at NASA and that was always something that sounded so fantastic.”

Seth, too, is a contractor. His internship involved designing a kiosk application for conventions and museums to familiarize users with the Orion spacecraft. He then developed a Twitter bot that could take telemetry data from a spacecraft and generate text for a tweet.

When his internship ended, NASA contractor MORI Associates hired him full-time. He has continued the work as an employee of Logical Innovations and Barrios Technology. Still, Seth is part of a larger NASA culture of exploration.

“I’ve only worked at Johnson Space Center and in pretty narrow fields, but my experience of NASA has been that it’s a terrific community of learning,” he said. “One of the things that I really appreciated as an intern was just how willing everybody was to talk about what they’re working on and to hear about what you’re working on. There’s just this kind of communal excitement around the work being done.”

Learning to be curious

Both of Seth’s degrees are in game design, a field he selected after finishing high school in Seattle. His family moved east when his mom, Lori Vail, became a humanities instructor at FLCC. He applied to RIT first but couldn’t swing it financially, then learned about FLCC’s transfer arrangement with RIT.

“I really didn’t know what to expect going into it. I had very, very limited experience with any kind of programming in high school. I quickly found I enjoyed the FLCC coursework and was able to do well.”

He credits his success in part to Dave Ghidiu, assistant professor in computing sciences.

“I really appreciated his style of teaching. He encouraged all of us to foster a sense

of creativity and curiosity. If we didn’t know what a button did, press it.”

His advice to students today borrows from his FLCC experience.

“So many times I’ve learned something just by getting curious and reading a Wikipedia page. Then that led to some creative thought or some technical thought that has helped me in my work or in my personal projects. If you find yourself wondering what something does or how it works, pursue it because there may be an opportunity to use that knowledge later.”

That, and check your email often, because as Seth put it, “Life can change so fast.”

Get into the spirit of the upcoming eclipse with these videos

Man and woman on TV set — Episode 1 in the series focuses on eclipse safety.

Kellie Gauvin, professor of biology, made a series of short videos with Dan Schneiderman, eclipse partnerships coordinator for the Rochester Museum and Science Center, about various facets of the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024.

The videos were recorded in the FLCC TV studio for broadcast on the Finger Lakes TV network: Spectrum cable channel 1304, Roku, 24/7 web stream at fingerlakestv.org/live and the Cablecast app for Apple and Android.

Click here to watch the full series.

The videos are all under 10 minutes and great to watch with children.

Episode 1 deals with eclipse safety.

Episode 2 focuses on viewing methods besides eclipse glasses.

Episodes 3 and 4 are about the science of eclipses.

Episode 5 deals with how eclipses are regarded in history and culture.

Faculty explore what constitutes a reasonable search

To mark Constitution Day (Sept. 17), James Valenti, J.D., associate professor of social science, and Eric Duchess, Ph.D., associate professor of social science, made a video to highlight how the U.S. Constitution goes to great lengths to defend the rights of citizens. The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. The discussion included all kinds of searches including whether the government can gather your DNA.

Barbara Hamlin retires from FLCC Board of Trustees

The Finger Lakes Community College Board of Trustees adopted a resolution in August honoring departing member Barbara Hamlin, who has served the College for more than a decade.

The board acknowledged her role in offering guidance based on her experience as a community leader and for her support of new initiatives at the College.

“It has been a distinct privilege to serve with Trustee Barbara Hamlin,” said FLCC President Robert Nye. “Her vision, drive and desire to learn about and support our faculty, staff and students was truly inspiring, and we will miss her presence at FLCC.”

“Barb was a conscientious and insightful board member,” added Joan Geise, current chair of the FLCC Board of Trustees. “She has helped enrich the FLCC community with her unwavering support of the College. Thank you, Barb.”

Hamlin served as board secretary for two years (2014-15 and 2018-19) and vice chair for three years (2015-2018). She also served on the board of the FLCC Association, the nonprofit that provides auxiliary services, including housing and childcare.

“I think the Suites are a huge bright spot for FLCC,” she said, referring to the Suites at Laker Landing, a 350-bed residence hall.

Hamlin also worked on fundraising initiatives for the FLCC Child Care Center, open to FLCC employees and students as well as the general public.

She was pleased by the launch of Dinner at Julia restaurant nights, a series of Fridays during the fall semester when the public can enjoy gourmet meals prepared by culinary arts students. “Julia is a wonderful initiative. It has helped FLCC become better known in the greater Canandaigua community,” she added.

Hamlin developed her knowledge of the Canandaigua community and its needs during 12 years on the Canandaigua City Council from January 1976 through December 1987. During her tenure, the city developed the five-year capital spending plan, developed a street and sidewalk replacement program, and obtained a federal Housing and Urban Development grant to redevelop the central business district.

Hamlin was the first-ever development director for Bristol Valley Productions’ summer theatre, where she secured the organization’s first grant from the state Council on the Arts and increased membership and annual revenue. Her success led to local positions in fundraising for the Arts for Greater Rochester and WXXI Public Broadcasting, followed by a move out of the area to work for the Metropolitan Opera Association, National Audubon Society and the PBS’ flagship television station in New York City, WNET.

Returning to Canandaigua in 2002, Hamlin served nine years on the Wood Library Board of Trustees. During her tenure, she was president of the board and served as co-chair of the $4 million campaign to renovate and expand the library, enabling it to serve more patrons and expand programs.

In 2012, Hamlin joined the FLCC Board of Trustees. During her tenure, the college redeveloped the Geneva Campus Center and opened the FLCC Viticulture and Wine Center in Geneva and the Sands Family Center for Allied Health in Canandaigua.

FLCC launches SUNY microcredential certifying workers who assist the disabled

Finger Lakes Community College has launched a program to train people for a new State University of New York direct support professional microcredential that can also be applied toward a two-year FLCC human services degree.

Direct support professionals work with people who have physical or developmental disabilities, assisting them with everyday tasks and integration into the community.

The direct support professional program at FLCC begins on Sept. 26 and consists of three eight-week courses that lead to national certification in the field of developmental disabilities. FLCC’s program is part of a statewide initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan, a COVID relief legislation. The funding will cover tuition and materials for new students.

Classes will be held online in real-time two evening per week to make it easier for those already working to attend.

Those who successfully complete all three courses will also earn nine credits toward the FLCC human services two-year degree program.

Anyone interested in the program may call (585) 785-1670 or fill out an online form at http://bit.ly/flcc-dsp.

The program was developed in partnership with the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to recognize the distinct skills and competencies required of today’s direct support professionals.

FLCC around the world: Notes from the Philippines

Anthony Marrero took this photo for his walk and jog class with Eric Marsh.

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.

Family of 5 — Anthony Marrero with his wife, Jane, and their children, Jan Xylo and twins Anna, and Abby.

“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.”

A view of the city of Baguio in the Philippines

FLCC offers 7-part video series: ‘Straight Talk on Mental Health’

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.