Genesee Community College staff members recognized with Chancellor’s Awards include, front row, from left: Rebecca Dziekan, Patricia Hume, Kathy L. Palumbo, Joyce A. Chizick, Dr. Christopher D. Caputi and Heather Jones. Back row: GCC President James M. Sunser, Lyndsey J. Oliver-Farewell, Timothy M. Palmer and Charles Scuggs.

Press Release, GCC

BATAVIA – Seven members of the Genesee Community College staff team have been recognized by State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher for outstanding contributions to their profession, the campus and the community.

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence is given in recognition of consistently superior professional achievement and encourages the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

The following faculty and staff members earned the 2015 award and were honored at a reception on the Batavia Campus.

Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Christopher D. Caputi, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapist Assistant Program – Chris earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physical Therapy from D’Youville College and a Post-Professional Doctorate of Physical Therapy from SUNY Upstate Medical University.

He spent time at Wyoming County Community Hospital and Kenmore Mercy Hospital as a staff physical therapist and worked as a physical therapist for Guthrie Healthcare System in Sayre, Pennsylvania and Crystal City Physical Therapy in Corning. He currently provides outpatient physical therapy evaluations and treatment for Sports Plus Physical Therapy in Batavia. Chris joined the College in 2007 as an adjunct professor and quickly became a full-time faculty member in 2008.

He is actively involved with students on campus as the academic coordinator of Clinical Education and advisor of the Physical Therapy Club. Chris also currently serves as a member of the Academic Innovation Committee, Academic Senate and Global Education Committee at GCC. He is an Equity and Diversity representative and a College Foundation captain. He resides in Tonawanda, NY.

Charles Scruggs, Assistant Professor of History – Charles came to GCC in 2007 after spending time as a tutor and substitute teacher for the Geneseo School District. He also held teaching assistant positions at SUNY Albany and the University of Notre Dame after earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Politics from Princeton University and his Master’s Degree in Political Science from SUNY Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs.

Charles continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a Master’s of Science in Education Degree in History Education in 2003. He has taught a dozen different courses at the College, both traditional and online. Charles serves on a number of committees at Genesee, including the Academic Senate, the Innovation Committee, the Global Education Committee, the Sustainability Committee, the Early Intervention Committee and the Online Faculty Advisory Committee.

He has participated in professional programs at Cornell University, received a travel grant to participate in a NATO Advanced Studies Institute in Scotland and a PIER Institute at Yale University on the culture and politics of revolution in Latin America. He resides in Rochester, NY.

Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

Heather Jones, Associate Professor of Fine Arts – Heather was appointed to Genesee Community College as a full-time instructor of Fine Arts in 2008 and was promoted to associate professor in 2014. She participated in the development and programming of the Roz Steiner Art Gallery, working with architects in the gallery design and the Gallery Advisory Board to develop the gallery vision.

Heather holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Alfred University and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She serves on the GCC Sustainability Committee, Fine Arts Committee and acts as the chair for the Curriculum sub-committee. Heather has also developed new course curriculum for the College, including a 2D hybrid art course, an arts topic course and an international study abroad program.

She is a working artist creating social commentaries on environmental issues and is the owner of two active small businesses. GlassFeather Studio offers arts workshops to the local community and Good Nature Press offers book packaging, writing, graphic design and illustration services. Prior to GCC, Heather taught as an arts adjunct professor for seven years at a variety of colleges and served as the director of Camp Stella Maris in Livonia, NY until 2002. She resides in Conesus, NY.

Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

Rebecca Dziekan, Director of Health and Physical Education – Rebecca began her career at GCC as the College’s athletic trainer and instructor of Health and Physical Education (HPE) in 1996. She took advantage of many professional development opportunities and became director of Health and Physical Education in 2007 and earned rank of full professor in 2011.

Rebecca has created new courses for HPE programs and created two concentrations to the Fitness and Recreation Sport Management Program (Personal Training and Golf Management). Her service to the College is extensive as she is an acting member of the Academic Senate, CAST (Campus Area Safety Team), Assessment Committee, Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee, GCCA Faculty Rep and Secretary, Creativity Committee, General Education Committee and more.

Her relationship with the community includes the development of the Genesee Sport and Wellness Camp in an effort to improve student skills in sports and the Play to Get Fit Challenge, which challenges 3rd, 4th and 5th graders in the GLOW area to record the most minutes spent physically active outside regular school hours in an effort to battle childhood obesity.

Rebecca is a graduate of The (SUNY) College at Brockport, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, and Indiana State University with a Master’s Degree in Science. She is a member of the Pavilion School Board of Education and head coach for Pavilion youth baseball, basketball and soccer.

Award for Excellence in Professional Service

Lyndsey J. Oliver-Farewell, Technical Specialist, Records Management – Lyndsey joined the College in 2004 as a peer tutor at the Albion Campus Center. She held the position of technical assistant and associate at Albion and Medina Campus Centers before being hired as a technical specialist in Records Management in Batavia in 2010.

In her current capacity, Lyndsey is regularly relied upon to manage large projects with a high degree of accuracy. Of her many responsibilities, one is the management of the credit course schedule of approximately 1,500 sections each semester. Lyndsey earned an Associate Degree from GCC before continuing her education at The (SUNY) College at Brockport where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

She then went on to the University at Buffalo where she earned a Master’s Degree in Education in Higher Education Administration. Lyndsey serves on a number of committees at GCC, including Academic Senate, Genesee Strategic Intelligence Committee, Challenge Scholarship Committee, New Employee Orientation Committee and GCC Strategic Plan Committee. Outside of the College, Lyndsey is the owner of Sweet Pea’s Cupcakery Café in Batavia and a Turbo Kick instructor in Albion. She resides in Medina, NY.

Kathy L. Palumbo, Director of Nursing – Kathy has been the director of Genesee’s Nursing Program since January of 2009 and prior to that, she taught in the program for 18 years. She is the only director of a program which prepares students for professional licensure. The Nursing Program admits and regularly graduates students twice a year, making it the second largest program of study at GCC.

Kathy supervises and evaluates 13 full-time faculty and staff, and depending on the semester, 25-30 part-time faculty, more than all other healthcare programs combined. A graduate of the University at Buffalo, Kathy earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree of Science in Nursing. Recognizing the importance of communication and connection to the surrounding community, Kathy actively participates in a number of community organizations and activities.

Most recently, she was invited to become a member of the Genesee County Health Department Quality Assurance Committee. She is also on several nursing advisory committees, including the University of Rochester, The (SUNY) College at Brockport, Daemen College and Roberts Wesleyan University. In collaboration with the Genesee County Health Department, Kathy was responsible for organizing flu clinics and supervising student administration of the H1N1 vaccine to the community, including children, when there was an urgent need to immunize against the flu strain. She is also on the board of the Genesee Valley Nurses Association which has been the recipient of grant funds to assist nursing students in the Rochester area with emergency funding, allowing them to continue their education. Kathy resides in Darien, NY.

Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching

Joyce A. Chizick, Adjunct Instructor of Art and Business – Since she began teaching at GCC in the fall of 2000, Joyce has taught a total of twelve different courses in a variety of disciplines including Art, Business Administration, Fashion Merchandising Management and Tourism and Hospitality Management. Her classes are dynamic and lively, utilizing humor, singing, dancing, acting out different works of art, in addition to traditional group work, discussions and presentations. Joyce serves as a member of the Global Education Committee at the College where she has presented several programs and assisted in over 20 others.

She is also a member of the Fine Arts Committee, an advisor for the Western Art History Club, and has served as a mentor in the Honors Program. Numerous GCC campus events benefitted from Joyce’s creative touch as she dedicates her time to activities such as the annual fashion show and Encore and other scholarship fundraising events. Joyce earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education from The State University of New York at Buffalo and also obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from SUNY Empire State College. She resides in Lyndonville, NY.

Timothy M. Palmer, Adjunct Instructor of History – Timothy has taught as an adjunct instructor for the College since 1992. He has held classes in traditional classroom settings, developed and taught online classes, traveled extensively to satellite facilities to teach, and has taken his enthusiasm and dedication into the New York State Corrections System, most notably Attica Correctional Facility. Timothy earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in History from The (SUNY) College at Brockport and taught as an adjunct professor at his alma mater from 1999 to 2011.

A voracious reader, Timothy keeps up with current developments in his discipline spending three to four hours a day reading monographs and journals. He has authored several published articles that reflect his research interests and desire to keep in tune with the latest scholarship, which he brings to the classroom to the benefit of his students.

His passion for teaching is obvious to the most casual of observers and in 1996, he was awarded the Genesee Community College Phi Theta Kappa Award for Teaching Excellence. In addition, Timothy earned the Art Lee History Award and Robert Griswold History Award at The (SUNY) College at Brockport and the Teaching Excellence Award, presented by the GCC Student Government. He resides in Greece, NY.

Award for Excellence in Classified Service

Patricia Hume, Executive Secretary, Development and External Affairs – Patty, who joined the Genesee Community College staff in 2006, serves as the secretary to the College Foundation Board. She oversees the records and work flow of the office, and schedules all meetings and activities for the Board, which has nine committees and 31 members. Among its many functions, the Foundation Board organizes “Encore,” an annual holiday tradition which is the major fundraising event for student scholarships and involves many of the College’s departments as well as an extraordinary number of citizens from the region.

Patty serves as the central liaison for “Encore” and is crucial to its long-running success. Patty is also responsible for the important and voluminous digital records held in the office’s custody, which includes data entries on some 35,000 constituents, often appended with tightly secured personal information. She maintains an active presence at virtually all major College events and is willing to go beyond the scope of her position to help her colleagues. As an alumnus of Genesee Community College herself, Patty, class of 1988, is a strong supporter and booster of all things GCC. She resides in Pavilion with her husband Ted and son Aiden.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Brad Shelp, left, joined the Albion Rotary 57 years ago and hasn’t missed a weekly meeting – ever.

The long-time car salesman has maintained perfect attendance since he joined the club, making up meetings on vacation in Florida and at nearby clubs when he had a work commitment that interfered with the Albion club’s meetings for lunch on Thursdays.

Kevin Crosby is district governor of about 70 clubs in Western New York and Southern Ontario. He was at the Albion club on Thursday and presented Shelp with a pin and certificate.

“This is really a remarkable achievement,” Crosby told Shelp and the Albion Rotary Club.

Shelp said he enjoys the fellowship in the Albion club, and also the chance to visit Rotarians in Holley, Medina, Le Roy, Middleport and Batavia, and also when he is in Florida.

“It’s nice to see what the other clubs do,” said Shelp, who continues to work part-time in sales for the Don Davis Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership. “There’s not too many clubs that are the same.”

During his visit with the Albion Rotary Club, Crosby was presented with a check for $341 by Don Bishop, left. That money was collected during the Rotary Club’s golf tournament last month and is to be used to help eradicate polio.

Crosby said the world is nearly polio-free. Rotarians are trying to wipe it out of the two remaining countries that have the disease: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Photos provided by Alumni Foundation – The Albion Alumni Foundation held a reception last week that included Maurice and Courtenay Hoag, who have endowed a scholarship that awards $10,500 for over four years to students majoring in chemical engineering. Pictured, from left, includes Maurice Hoag, Kyler McQuillan, Trevor Hadick and Courtenay Hoag.

WATERPORT – The Albion High School Alumni Foundation held the first of what it hopes will become an annual event to honor its scholarship donors and recipients.

For this inaugural event, held at the home of Chris and Pat Haines last Wednesday, the Foundation Board of Directors honored the donors and recipients of both its largest scholarship and its most recently added scholarships.

This event was a unique opportunity for the donors and recipients to have one-on-one time meeting and talking with each other.

Maurice and Courtenay Hoag attended the event and met two recipients of a $10,500 scholarship that provides $2,625 annually to the students who major in chemical engineering. Trevor Haddick and Kyler McQuillan are both recipients.

“I was truly honored to tell him all the things that the scholarship has allowed me to achieve,” said Trevor Hadick, a student at Carnegie Mellon University. “Talking with Mo was remarkable. Getting to hear about his experiences in the field and stories regarding his world travels reminded me that you never know what the world has in store for you.”

The Panek family is funding two scholarships, including the John Panek Memorial Scholarship in honor of Jim Panek’s father. Kerry and Jim Panek are pictured with the scholarship winner, Sara Millspaugh.

Brenda McQuillan, Kyler’s mother, also was grateful to meet the Hoags and thank them for the generous scholarship.

“It was a pleasure to meet the man who is so graciously supporting Kyler’s college education through a scholarship,” Brenda McQuillan said. “Mr. Hoag shared the experiences he had throughout his 30-year career as a chemical engineer. Mr. Hoag’s enjoyment of working in this field and his resulting success were inspiring for Kyler to learn about first hand. Kyler walked away from this meeting even more excited about the education that lies ahead of him and his future career in the field of chemical engineering.”

Jim and Kerry Panek of Albion attended the event to represent two scholarships funded by the Panek family. The John Panek Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) is going to Sara Millspaugh, who is attending Cornell University.

Jayne Bannister, who is heading to Kansas State University, received the $1,000 Panek Family Farm Agriculture Scholarship.

Provided photos – James Cooper created this 4′ x 6′ acrylic on canvas he entitled “Albert’s Park.” It is one of 68 pieces of art featured in the 65th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition at Memorial Art Gallery.

MEDINA – A painting from a scene in New York City by James Cooper is one of 68 pieces highlighted in one of the area’s most prestigious art shows.

Cooper painted the 4-by-6-foot artwork of East Fourth Street. He was sitting in his car at 9 a.m., watching people going to work when he started drawing. He shows a woman picking up litter with a cane. There is an image of a bird as graffiti on a building.

Cooper adds a spirit in the trees. The spirit is happy with the woman picking up the trash, and presence of so many community gardens.

The Medina native returned to his hometown three years ago after a decade in SoHo, an artist community in New York City.

James Cooper is pictured with his painting at the Memorial Art Gallery. After a career in SoHo in New York City, Cooper moved back to his hometown of Medina three years ago.

He has been painting many local scenes and landscapes since coming home. He also teaches art classes, and takes small groups out on location to draw and paint.

“I came back to paint the local area,” Cooper said. “I wanted to do something authentic.”

Cooper, who also works as an architect, is the son of an art teacher. He has enjoyed rediscovering small town life.

“I got tired of the density of the city in SoHo,” he said.

The 65th Rochester-Finger Lakes Art Exhibition is a juried show at the Memorial Art Gallery. This is a long-running showcase for artists from western and central New York. The show opened on July 26 and remains on view through Sept. 13.

This year’s exhibition features 68 works by 46 artists. They were chosen from a field of 920 entries by 330 artists by Michael Rooks, Wieland Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art.

For more on the show, click here.

For more on Cooper, click here.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Chuck Nesbitt, the Orleans County chief administrative officer, details the Orleans County budget during a public hearing in December 2013 at the County Courthouse.

Press Release
NYS Association of Counties

ALBANY – Chuck Nesbitt, Orleans County chief administrative officer, was named to the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Counties earlier this week.

NYSAC represents New York’s 57 counties and New York City in Albany and Washington, D.C. on matters germane to county governments, and informs county officials and the public about issues that impact county governments across the state.

“We are pleased that Chuck has agreed to serve on the board of directors,” said NYSAC President Anthony J. Picente, Jr., the Oneida County Executive. “His experience with local government efficiency programs and economic development will add depth and expertise to a very active and committed board of directors.”

Nesbitt has served as the chief administrative officer for Orleans County since 2005. In his post, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the county government on behalf of the County Legislature, from budgeting to departmental oversight. Nesbitt also serves at the president of the NYS Association of County Administrators, which is an affiliate of NYSAC comprised of 33 county administrators and managers.

“I have worked with Chuck for many years and I welcome his wisdom and perspective on our board of directors as we continue to advocate for mandate relief, investments in local infrastructure, and a strong economic recovery,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.

Prior to 2005, Chuck served as the state’s economic development specialist for the Finger Lakes Region, where he devised business incentives to retain and create jobs in the area.

“NYSAC is a strong county advocate and plays an important policy development role in Albany,” Nesbitt said. “I am happy to have this opportunity to serve the Association on the board. I look forward to sharing our experiences from Orleans County, and learn from the leaders of counties in other parts of the state.”

Photos and article by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Jennifer Ohar Scott has found a way to funnel her outrage about what she sees as the over-testing of children and stifling of their creativity.

Scott, a Medina High School art teacher, has turned to painting to vent her frustrations with Common Core and state leaders, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former Education Commissioner Dr. John King. He was commissioner when the state implemented Common Core.

Some of Scott’s paintings are featured in an art show at the Marti’s on Main art gallery at 229 North Main St., Albion. There will be a closing reception there on July 24 from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

The top photo shows Gov. Andrew Cuomo with a crown of hundred-dollar bills on his head. That mixed media art work is entitled “Cuomo: The Emperor of Contingent Funding.”

It is includes a column from New York Times writer Paul Krugman, who on Feb. 23, 2015, wrote “Knowledge isn’t power.” Krugman argues that a failed education system isn’t the cause of the wealth gap in the country. Click here to see the article.

Jennifer Scott created this mixed media artwork of John King, the former state education commissioner.

“The King of Standardized Testing and Unregulated Data Sharing” depicts King wearing a crown made of a test bubble sheet.

The artwork also include portions of a letter written from Medina English teacher Karen Jones to King. She sent him a six-page letter, detailing her concerns about Common Core testing. Scott said King never responded, and his lack of a response angered her.

Her Common Core-themed artwork has been featured in Buffalo galleries. She won the “People’s Choice” award for the artwork on John King at Gallery 464 in Buffalo.

“At the very least this should provoke a conversation,” said Scott, who lives in Lockport. “I feel strongly about educating parents, but I don’t want to shove my viewpoint down their throats.”

“One Size Will Not Fit All” is a statement about standardized testing.

Scott opposes the reliance on standardized tests in assessing students’ and teachers’. Those state tests don’t measure students who may learn and test better through auditory, cognitiive and other learning styles, she said.

“One style of testing is the antithesis of what I’ve learned,” Scott said. “The testing they’re doing now is not helpful. It only benefits the testing companies.”

“This is a Normal Brain” is a work by Jennifer Ohar Scott.

“This is Your Brain on Common Core” is displayed next to the other painting of a healthy brain.

Scott teaches teaches eighth grade and high school at Medina. She was recently selected as one of 25 teachers of merit by Buffalo Business First.

She said she doesn’t oppose the state wanting accountability for teachers. But she said the overreliance on test scores is not good for students, teachers or the community.

She stressed her artwork is her opinion and not the Medina school district’s. Scott said the testing issue, which prompted many students and parents to “opt out” of the most recent tests this spring, has dominated her artwork.

“Everything I’ve been doing lately is about Common Core,” she said.

For more on Jennifer Ohar Scott, visit jenniferoharscott.com.

To see the artwork at Marti’s, contact gallery owner Kim Martillotta-Muscarella at 589-6715.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – John Robinson is making his third ride along the Erie Canal, going 363 miles from Buffalo to Albany. He is pictured at about 11:15 this morning with his wife Andrea. They are close to the Main Street lift bridge in Albion.

This time the journey has been harder. The rain has softened the towpath, making it mushy and requiring more push from Robinson to move his adaptive use bicycle.

Robinson is pictured on East Bank Street, headed to the former Grammar School on East Academy Street.

Owen Robinson, 12, joins his parents Andrea and John on the bike ride, which took a brief detour off the canal today in Albion so the family could meet residents served by The Arc of Orleans County.

Robinson, 46, stopped in Albion late this morning. He visited developmentally disabled residents served by The Arc of Orleans County. Robinson, who was born without arms and legs, was given a big reception and he happily greeted residents and posed for pictures.

He has made promoting abilities and skills of the disabled to businesses and government officials. He wants people with disabilities to have a shot at employment. When they can’t work, he wants there to be services in place so they can remain part of the community.

John Robinson is praised by Donna Saskowski, executive director for The Arc of Orleans County. She also leads the state ARC chapter in Genesee County.

“We’re doing everything we can to advocate for people with disabilities at the local, county, state and national levels,” Robinson said during a reception at the former Grammar School in Albion, where The Arc provides services. “We’re trying to make a better life and a better economic opportunity for people with disabilities.”

Robinson in October was honored at the White House as a “Champion of Change” for his efforts to connect disabled residents to jobs.

Robinson lives in the Albany suburb of Glenmont. He is managing partner and CEO of Our Ability, a company that supports people with disabilities.

Robinson meets with local developmentally disabled residents.

He recalled when he first stopped in Albion two years and was struggling on the bike ride. He didn’t think he would be able to get to Albany, about 300 miles away.

But a big crowd of residents, including local officials and many disabled residents, gave him a huge welcome, including a quilt with blocks showing their support for his trip.

Robinson keeps that in his office. He is also a motivational speaker and he shares how the enocuragement from the Albion group lifted his spirits during a trying time.

“You guys inspired me to keep going,” Robinson told a group of about 30 people today. “I mention Albion, NY, and Orleans County every where I go.”

Andrea Robinson rides behind her husband John and their son Owen as they go down East Bank Street today in Albion.

The Robinsons started today’s trip in Medina and plan to go to Spencerport at the end of the day. It will take about two weeks to travel the canal.

They are traveling with Robinson’s business partner Doug Hamlin, a para-palegic who is using an adaptive use bicycle. Hamlin was slowed today because of the rain and soft towpath.

Robinson said he hopes their example will inspire the community to look past the disabilities and see the abilities in everyone.

He said he was encouraged after the visit at The Arc today.

“Everybody in here has a will to live and has a family that wants the best for them,” he said. “We’re trying to send the message that we are people with ability.”

For more on Robinson and Our Ability, click here.