The-Laker-Issue-Fall-2022

TECH ALUMNI FIND THEIR FIT fall 2022 theLAKER a publ icat ion for alumni and friends of f inger lakes communi ty col lege Mixed reality vs. virtual reality // pg. 8 Bridging the gap between humans & machines // pg. 16 FLCC by the numbers // pg. 18 An ever-expanding field brings challenge and opportunity

The Visual and Performing Arts Department celebrated a Spring Arts Festival in May for the first time since 2019 with a Broadway theme. Performing “Summer Nights” from “Grease” are, from left, standing, Ben Cepulo, a 2022 music recording graduate; kneeling, Ezekial Sonoga, a 2022 music recording graduate; Angel Davis, a childhood education major; Michael Evans, a music recording student; Ben Koeberle, a 2015 liberal arts graduate currently studying accounting; seated on bench, Kourtney Miller, a music recording major; Zach Clemons, a music recording major; Andrew Palermo, a 2022 music graduate; and Ben Clovis, a music recording major. See more photos on the college’s Flickr album. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP

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Dear Fellow Lakers, Community college leaders often say their institutions change lives. What do we mean by that? Generally, we are not talking about a total transformation of an individual’s outlook, priorities and direction – though that does happen. What we do mean is that community colleges are often what people need, when they need it. We are always ready to open our doors and support our students’ desires to explore, learn, grow, and change their lives for the better. The stories of our alumni in this edition illustrate this well, starting with Adam Keuer ’13. Adam was expecting his second child and working in retail management, unhappy with long hours. He had taken technology classes previously without getting a degree. FLCC was nearby with a program that would allow him to finish what he had started years earlier. Now an assistant IT director, he has a career that provides both engaging work and life balance. Kimberly Alessi ’18 entered the IT field as it emerged. Self-taught, she worked alongside others with degrees in the industry until her job was outsourced. Kimberly used state retraining funds to enroll at FLCC and relaunch her career with confidence. As she put it, “The degree was an important milestone and stepping stone for me to say, ‘Guess what? I do belong here.’” Justin Castronovo ’19 had a good idea of the general direction he wanted to take in college. A conversation with Sam Samanta, coordinator of the smart systems technologies program, helped him fine-tune that path. “I needed that mentor figure to say, ‘Hey, here’s something I think you would be good at, and I think you would enjoy,’” Justin said. He is now a human-machine interface (HMI) developer for a naval contractor. I tremendously enjoy learning, and also observing each day, how FLCC changes lives, whether it’s a simple nudge or a more substantial redirection. Our faculty and staff truly care about our mission and making a difference for our students. The By the Numbers feature in this edition gives you a clear idea of how many lives our College touches in a year. I hope you find this edition illuminating, encouraging and inspiring! Respectfully, Robert Nye President, Finger Lakes Community College 2 | theLAKER President Robert K. Nye Chief Advancement Officer Louis Noce Director of Development Brie Chupalio Editor/Chief Writer Lenore Friend Director of Public Relations and Communications Contributing Writers Nicholas Julien Justin Kuczma Design and Layout Sarah R. Butler Photography Nick Julien Jan Regan Rikki Van Camp Amanda Whitbeck COVER PHOTO OF KATHERINE GONZALEZ ’17 AND SAM DEWEESE ’14 BY RIKKI VAN CAMP The Laker is produced by the Advancement and Communications offices at Finger Lakes Community College. Views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or official College policies. Finger Lakes Community College does not discriminate based on an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Connect with us Finger Lakes Community College 3325 Marvin Sands Drive Canandaigua, NY 14424 Email: alumni@flcc.edu (585) 785-1205 www.facebook.com/fingerlakescommunitycollege @flcc_connects @flcc_connects from the president

flcc foundation U P D A T E Fall 2021 Laker earns peer award The fall 2021 edition of the Laker magazine received a Judge’s Citation at the State University of New York (SUNY) Council for University Advancement awards for excellence in June. Submissions for marketing and communications print, online and video entries are judged by peer review panels, with awards given at an annual conference. Last fall’s edition focused on the evolution of the nursing program, from the curriculum to the learning environment. Be sure to check page 14 for photos of the new nursing wing that opened to students this fall. The magazine also featured the story of Ivan Castillo-Serrano ’20, a Mexican immigrant now treating patients in the Newark-Wayne Community Hospital emergency room. Ivan started out working in the construction and service industries with limited English skills. Determined to build a more stable career, he enrolled at FLCC to develop his language proficiency and master the nursing curriculum at the same time. Rochester’s Spectrum News took notice and interviewed Ivan and his family in December 2021. The Laker is published twice per year. Back issues are available on the Alumni Association page of the College’s website: flcc.edu/alumni-association. theLAKER | 3 FROM THE COVER: IT alumni stories pages 4–7 pages 20-21 FALL 2022 CONTENTS theLAKER ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Justin Castronovo ’19 page 16 CAMPUS HAPPENINGS pages 8–15 CLASS notes pages 26–31 page 32 SAVE the DATE

Newer IT alumni and seasoned practitioners agree that keeping your skills sharp is the key to success in this ever-evolving industry. from the cover As assistant IT director for Mozaic in Waterloo, Adam Keuer ’13 enjoys designing the computer networks that help his colleagues at the human service agency get their work done. “I have always been a very logical thinker,” he said, referring to the tasks involved in getting computers to talk to each other efficiently and securely. “It feels like home for me.” Home took a while to find. Adam logged a years-long trek through three majors at two other colleges and a detour into retail management before finding his way to FLCC’s networking and security program. His story is not uncommon among the College’s IT alumni, some of whom found their niche in unexpected ways. • Katherine Gonzalez ’17 spent a decade bartending and waitressing before giving IT a try. Today, she is an administrator for a customer relationship management software at Canandaigua National Bank and Trust and helped lead the project to add a chat function to the CNB website • Samantha “Sam” DeWeese ’14 planned to become a math teacher then discovered computer science. She moved from a teller position at Canandaigua National Bank to computer support and now works alongside Katherine. • As David Weir ’16 recovered from a serious injury, a vocational rehabilitator advised him to enroll in something that would lead to a desk job. He is currently a junior network administrator at Crosman Corp. in Bloomfield. 4 | theLAKER After consulting and then working for a large corporation, Marty Bognanno ’90 took a job as the sole information technology manager for a family of three small optics companies. He prefers a more hands-on role so he can stay up-to-date as the industry evolves. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP ‘YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING’

These newer arrivals join longtime practitioners like Marty Bognanno ’90, information technology manager for Navitar, a family of three optics companies; Karen Weimer ’16, an IT engineer and system administrator at Frontier; and Kimberly Alessi ’18, an IT security engineer, also at Frontier. All three have been intentional about keeping their skills sharp and their minds open to new opportunities. “As you go along, you realize the field is so vast that you can’t possibly know everything. You will forge relationships with many people who have specializations in different areas,” Kimberly said. ”You can draw information from them, and they can draw from you as well.” “It’s really helpful to go outside of your lane and learn other technologies and other ways of doing things,” Marty agreed. The ground floor Marty earned a degree in information systems at a time when few people had computers in their homes. “We couldn’t take our work home, so we spent all our time in the lab. We were all stuck in the same room together trying to figure stuff out, so it was a lot of collaboration. It was great,” he said. He studied COBOL (common business oriented language), first developed by the U.S. Department of Defense for data processing in the 1960s, with Sandy Brown and Fortran, another early programming language, with the late Patricia Nettnin. After graduating, Marty started working at Geneva General Hospital as nursing data coordinator and made sure he had a hand in installing the first computer networks there. “I made it known to everybody that I wanted in, no matter what happened, I wanted to be part of that,” he said. The knowledge gained there led to his next job at Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic, though soon he wanted another challenge. “The best way to learn and get everything I wanted out of my career was to go into consulting and get my hands on everything,” he added After a decade consulting, he went to work for the Constellation Brands beverage company, first as a network architect then director of information security. Now at Navitar, he is the entire IT department, and he likes it that way. “I do like being my own boss or relying on myself. I’m one of those people who, if I don’t know it, I have to know it. I have to figure it out,” he said. Karen earned associate degrees in information systems and business administration from Monroe Community College in the 1980s and has worked largely in systems administration for health care, telecommunications and manufacturing. When her son was a senior in high school, Karen reviewed college offerings with him. “I came across the networking and security program at FLCC, and I thought, ‘That sounds really interesting,’ and those weren’t areas I had ever covered in my training before. So as he was starting college, I went back, too.” As a working mom, she attended part-time and took mostly evening classes over five years. The classes made her more confident in her current role and gave her more knowledge to draw on as she maintains computer systems and makes updates for security and performance. For Kimberly, the entry of computers into the workplace changed her life. “I was a bookkeeper and doing ledgers by hand, so when I began using a computer, I thought, ‘Wow. This is amazing.’” She taught herself enough about computers to gain a foothold in IT in the late 1990s and spent nearly 15 years in the field at Xerox until her job was outsourced in 2014. She qualified for state retraining funds and used it to enroll at FLCC, prompted by years of going “toe-to-toe” with colleagues who had degrees in the field. “I worked super hard. I’ve been in this field for a long time and had no degree. I wanted to prove that I was good at what I do. The degree was an important milestone and stepping stone for me to say, ‘Guess what? I do belong here.’” theLAKER | 5 Kimberly Alessi ’18 David Weir ’16 Katherine Gonzalez ’17 Karen Weimer ’16

Adam earned four certifications – which require an industry-recognized exam – by the time he graduated. Jonathan said he enjoys getting updates from his students. “It’s such a gratifying feeling to see my students succeed in industry after graduation and hear that they look back fondly at my classes as the catalyst to their amazing careers,” he said. Sam’s entry into the field involved planning and serendipity. The math education program she ultimately left required a couple computer science classes, which got her attention. The four-year college did not offer a computer science major, so she went home to Bloomfield, got a teller job at Canandaigua National Bank and started a mix of FLCC online and night classes in information systems. One day her boss at the Eastview Mall branch gave her a heads up that the chief of IT for the bank would be visiting. “My boss said, ‘You need to mention to her that you are going to school for IT right now.’” Sam did exactly that and soon had a temporary posting from the cover She credits professors Jeffrey Howard and Jonathan Weissman for unfailing support. “It’s hard not to second-guess yourself in this field. It’s really hard to be confident,” she said. “Professor Weissman said to me that I was the smartest person who didn’t think they were smart that he ever knew. That was very enlightening and helpful for me.” Discovering IT Katherine had a knack for technology but never gave IT a thought until she tired of hospitality. “I started at FLCC right when I was 18, but I really didn’t know what I wanted to focus on. So I took some time off, got some real-world experience and realized it’s tough out there without a degree.” “My focus was, ‘What can I get a job in?’ because I talked to a lot of other friends and colleagues who don’t use their degrees. And I said, ‘I’m not doing that.’” Katherine opened an FLCC catalog, flipped through, stopped at IT and thought, “Let’s see what this is all about. I went in with an open mind, hoping to utilize my degree because I was trying to get a good job with benefits and start on my path with a career.” David came to FLCC initially to enroll in the office technologies certificate program, and Colleen Aiezza in the workforce development office asked him: Why not a degree? Had he thought about IT? “I found it very rewarding. The difference between high school and college, to me, was huge. The social pressures were gone, the stress was gone, and you actually get to pick the subject matter, so you really enjoy it.” The networking and cybersecurity program, he said, helped him understand the industry and what his place in it might be. “It’s like an ice cream store because it gives you tastes of different aspects of IT. There’s server administration, a little bit of cybersecurity, a little bit of forensics, a little bit of hardware. It’s all in there.” Adam agreed. “Professor Weissman not only has an ability to teach everyone with great understanding, but he pushes you to understand the real world of IT and the IT career field. He pushes industry certifications and their importance,” he said. 6 | theLAKER Adam Keuer is the assistant IT director at the Mozaic human service agency in Waterloo and a 2013 graduate of the networking and security associate degree program, now called networking and cybersecurity. PHOTO BY JAN REGAN

updating all bank computers to Windows 7, which led to a job on the bank’s helpdesk. A couple years later she was invited to move from computer helpdesk support to the system administration team, where she now works alongside Katherine. The workplace today Katherine and Sam say their situation is a bit unusual for an industry where trade publications and think tanks put the percentage of women between 24 and 28 percent. Katherine was often the only woman in her FLCC classes though she added, “I didn’t feel excluded or left out in any way.” She experienced some gender bias in her first job: “I was once told I was in a meeting to take notes, and that was a little bit of a red flag for me,” she explained. “Coming to CNB has been a breath of fresh air. Our executive IT leader is a woman.” It helped Katherine to have a role model like Sandy Brown. “She was just so knowledgeable. I listened to her and all of her experiences, and I was like, ‘OK, that could be me right there.’” Karen encourages women not to shy away from the field. “You should not let the fact that there are more men involved than women slow you down because I do think that’s changing,” she said. Broadly, IT grads see a few key trends. “Cloud, cloud, cloud,” said Adam. “Everyone wants everything to run in the cloud, off-site. This is great when looking at physical site security, but when you do not physically control your data, security is always a concern.” Jonathan agrees that cybersecurity is a growth area for his students. “Globally, cybercrime costs are estimated to be over $6 trillion per year. The number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is around 2 million and expected to soar to 3.5 million by 2025,” he said. David would like to focus his career on cybersecurity, and he also sees a need for people to maintain databases as the foundation of many computer applications. He is quick to add, however, that IT is not all about the tech. “When somebody comes to me with their computer problem, and I help solve it, I find it really rewarding,” he explained. Sam stressed how much IT undergirds business processes and decision-making. While she used to troubleshoot hardware problems, now she is looking for ways to use technology to improve the bottom line, for example, finding ways to make the online process for a commercial loan faster and easier. “There’s a world of difference between someone who is coding all day and someone who is gathering requirements for business needs, and it all falls under the umbrella of IT,” Sam noted. Katherine’s advice to anyone who wants to get started is to get a two-year degree and show a willingness to learn by getting relevant certifications. “Even if you got into IT, and you found you didn’t like the direction you were going, you could find another path to go down,” Karen advised. “If anybody loves technical work, IT is an awesome place to be, and it’s a field where you are always learning, and I love that.” – Lenore Friend theLAKER | 7 “There’s a world of difference between someone who is coding all day and someone who is gathering requirements for business needs, and it all falls under the umbrella of IT.” Sam DeWeese ’14 Salesforce Administrator, Canandaigua National Bank

8 | theLAKER FLCC uses both virtual reality and mixed reality in educational programming. The technologies are similar with a few key differences. campus happenings MIXED REALITY VS. VIRTUAL REALITY: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Christine Parker, associate professor of biology, leads a class in the holography lab on the main campus. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP Holograms give viewers a three-dimensional image while allowing them to see the rest of the room.

theLAKER | 9 Mixed reality In 2018, the College began using three-dimensional holography to enhance the teaching of human anatomy and physiology, a required class for several programs: nursing, kinesiology and human performance, health care studies, physical education and exercise science, and nutrition and dietetics. Under the guidance of Christine Parker, associate professor in biology, students wear Microsoft HoloLens visors in labs. The headset uses the HoloAnatomy Software Suite developed by Case Western Reserve University in conjunction with the Cleveland Clinic. This software enables students to view highly detailed, three-dimensional images of human organs individually and as part of body systems. The university’s software allows the HoloLens to project a holographic image that everyone wearing the visors – students and their instructor– can see. The instructor can rotate the image, zoom in on a particular section or zoom out to show the class how structures function and interconnect. In the labs, students work collaboratively in groups and view the same holographic image. Christine moves about the room, joining each group and pointing out features. Students can still see each other and the rest of the room behind the image. They cannot manipulate the image though they can walk closer to it and even poke their heads inside to get an internal view of a particular structure. This is helpful, for example, to understand how the flow of blood proceeds through the human heart and then out to the general circulation. This three-dimensional approach helps students visualize key physical relationships between body structures. FLCC is the only community college working with Case Western Reserve on the holography project. The university asked Christine to present on her use of the tool at the Microsoft HoloLens Education Industry Forum. The HoloAnatomy Software Suite is being used by medical schools around the world to redefine medical education. Christine is tracking the impact of mixed reality on various aspects of student learning. When used during the instruction of a musculoskeletal unit, preliminary data suggest that HoloAnatomy improves student performance on bone and muscle exams compared to students who did not use the technology. She is expanding the use of mixed reality into additional content modules and course sections, and further classroom research efforts are underway. Mixed reality is similar to augmented reality in that users can still see and hear their surroundings. Augmented reality provides some additional information within the field of view, for example, a cyclist wearing glasses showing speed, etc., while mixed reality allows for some limited interaction. Virtual reality In 2022, the College’s Workforce and Career Solutions office piloted virtual reality as part of a 16-week certified production technician (CPT) class, which teaches basic skills in advanced manufacturing. Classes were offered in real time via videoconferencing with instructor Rick Hill. Students participated from their homes and two community sites, the Bloomfield School District Operations Center and the Yates County Workforce Development Office in Penn Yan. In-person labs were conducted on Saturdays and included virtual reality headsets and hand tools. Unlike mixed reality, students are entirely immersed in an artificial setting, in this case a manufacturing plant. With the visors on, students cannot see others or the room around them, so the lesson always begins with students selecting a safe space away from others and obstructions. Safety settings allow them to merely tap their headsets to stop the video feed. With virtual reality, students have hand tools that allow them to interact with the artificial environment. For example, one exercise requires them to grip hand tools to learn the fundamentals of measurement. Ron Jones of Bloomfield, Ontario County, said once he got used to the headsets, he enjoyed the experience, “especially the electrical troubleshooting module. I think it’s a great training tool when space and real equipment are unavailable.” Virtual reality also allows people to learn safety measures without being in a dangerous environment, he added. “The VR was fun. It did help with the hands-on part of class,” added fellow graduate Ken Sanford of Bradford, Yates County. “The VR helped to see what the tools are and how they work.” Ryan Sanza of Bloomfield earned a certified production technician credential in a 16-week program that uses virtual reality to teach basic manufacturing processes. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP Virtual reality immerses viewers into an artificial setting and includes hand tools that allow them to interact in that setting.

10 | theLAKER Two days of celebration for the Class of 2022 The College celebrated the Class of 2022 with five ceremonies over two days on May 20 and 21. Ceremonies were grouped by department to keep crowd sizes smaller as part of pandemic precautions. Student Corporation President Jeremiah Naused gave remarks at the ceremony for science, technology and health science graduates. He talked about the common pandemic experience of starting college online then finishing in person. “After a year of being online, coming back on campus was so strange,” he said. “I had no idea what college was supposed to be like. Up to that point, I had only been on campus a handful of times. I had to re-learn what a college experience is, and what opportunities I could engage in.” Still, he said, he is grateful for all he learned while at FLCC. “After all of it, all of the fluctuations of modalities and the changing mask mandates, I am thankful …These experiences have made us all better prepared and equipped to handle any adventures and careers that we face after today.” President Robert Nye varied his remarks at each ceremony, sharing a few students’ stories and praising them for achievements and perseverance. At the nursing ceremony, he gave a shout out to Lway Soe, who grew up in a Thailand refugee camp before arriving in the U.S. in 2008. Lway worked through the pandemic as a patient access associate at the Rochester General Hospital emergency room, a role that put her at risk of contracting COVID-19. “I admire your selflessness, Lway. You will be a credit to the nursing profession,” he said. Criminal justice graduate Vivienne Dillon ’22 of Dundee celebrates with her boyfriend, Nicholas Noteboom, at the commencement ceremony for business and social sciences on May 21. Vivienne transferred to SUNY Cortland to study criminology. PHOTO BY JAN REGAN Jeremiah Naused ’22 Lway Soe ’22 is pinned by her mother at the nursing ceremony. Lway graduated with plans to work in the neonatal intensive care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP

theLAKER | 11 College adds two emeriti: David McGuire, Mary Coriale The Board of Trustees voted this year to grant emeritus status to Mary Coriale, retired professor of nursing, and David McGuire, retired professor of music, for their lasting contributions to the College. During Mary’s 26 years with FLCC, first as an adjunct instructor then full-time faculty member, she worked steadily to build and enhance the nursing program. She created the first of several online nursing classes, which became essential as the COVID-19 pandemic forced all classes to go online in spring 2020. She was the first to push for funding for the building expansion that has recently been completed at the main campus, making it possible to accommodate more students. Mary, who earned her master’s in nursing from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, also led the effort to transition to a concept-based curriculum to enhance the decision-making and clinical judgment skills of nursing graduates. David taught for two decades, building a reputation for passionate service to his students, his department, the College, and the community. He established the annual Music Department Convocation and collaborated with other members of the department to make the annual Spring Arts Festival a success. David, who holds a doctorate in music theory from the State University of New York at Buffalo, shared his talents as a composer and musician by organizing special events, such as the 2016 Music Village, a performance of his original musical compositions combined with spoken word and dance. He also composed the musical score for the FLCC alma mater. Both Mary and David have received SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching. campus happenings Far left, Mary Coriale pins nursing graduate Maureen Schmidt ’16. Left, David McGuire speaks at the 2019 Fall Faculty Recital. HyFlex to the rescue This fall, the College is conducting dozens of classes in HyFlex modality, meaning students can choose by the day whether to attend in person, online in real time, or online by watching a video of the class later. EdTech magazine featured FLCC in a May article on how the flexibility offered by HyFlex can help community colleges engage non-traditional students, who often have work and family responsibilities that make it hard to consistently attend daytime classes in person. Yet any student can find they need extra flexibility at any time. Ask Timothy Baley ’22, who completed his networking and cybersecurity degree over the summer. During the spring semester, he found himself without a car for three weeks. “I was working on a lab exercise for one of (Jonathan) Weissman’s courses, and I heard a giant boom from my bedroom. My neighbor texted me saying that someone hit my car. I walked downstairs to cop lights everywhere and found that someone had totaled my car, which was parked on the side of the road. Thankfully, nobody was hurt,” he began. “This was a Sunday night just before the week I had four midterms. After much coaxing with insurance companies, I finally got enough money for a new car. That process took about three weeks to get an almost brand-new car. Because of HyFlex, I was able to juggle my job, my cybersecurity courses plus their midterms, my social life, and, of course, my car troubles.” Timothy is now working on his bachelor’s degree at SUNY Canton. FLCC offers HyFlex in a wide range of classes, including accounting, graphic design, anatomy and physiology, engineering, culinary arts, and exercise science. More information is available at flcc.edu/hyflex.

12 | theLAKER campus happenings Historic moments in baseball, eSports, track and field With an 8-1 win over Jamestown Community College on April 24, Sean Marren became the winningest coach in Lakers baseball history. It marked Sean’s 245th win of his career, passing Bob Lowden, athletic director emeritus and Sean’s predecessor as coach. Sean, also assistant athletic director, started as head coach 2012, having been a standout player for the Lakers during his time at the College in the mid-2000s. The Mid-State Athletic Conference named him Coach of the Year in 2016 after a 40-win season. This past spring, the Lakers earned a third straight trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region III Final Four, entering the tournament with The men’s track and field team made College history by claiming the program’s first-ever NJCAA Region III Championship. Hunter Zangerle, above, took the top spot in the long jump, with a mark of 6.43 meters. PHOTO BY ROBERT SIMMONS FOR THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Baseball Coach Sean Marren

theLAKER | 13 a victory over the nationally ranked Herkimer Generals. Lakers starting pitcher Devin Georgetti pitched a complete game, holding the Generals scoreless for a 2-0 victory. The Lakers’ run ended when Herkimer rallied with a third game win and the right to play Niagara, which ultimately claimed the title. In another first for FLCC, the men’s track and field team, led by first-year head coach James Bathgate, claimed the NJCAA Region III Championship. The team also came home with eight first-place finishes, including Daniel DiSalvo, who picked up two wins for the Lakers, first in the 110-meter hurdles, claiming first place with a time of 19.20 seconds. He won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:07.77. The 4x800-meter relay team of Giovanni Ventura, John Zimmerman, Kyle Green, and Hunter Zangerle took first place with a time of 8:40.05, edging Hudson Valley Community College by 3 seconds. The 4x400-meter relay team also earned a first with Daniel DiSalvo, Memphis Lohnes, Tyqwan Coles, and Giovanni Ventura stringing together a time of 4:14.39. Tyqwan Coles put the Lakers on top in the men’s high jump, with a mark of 1.61 meters. Teammate Memphis Lohnes claimed a firstplace finish in the pole vault with an even 4 meters. Hunter Zangerle won the long jump, with a mark of 6.43 meters; he also won the triple jump with 12.36 meters. Coach Bathgate was recognized for his historic season by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association as Men’s Coach of the Year for the East Region. “These guys fed off each other until the end. I can’t take full credit for this. Coach (Jay) Donahue came in and helped put together a great squad that brought us to this point,” Coach Bathgate said. On the women’s side, Leah Lloyd earned four first-place finishes in the NJCAA Region III Championship. She began her day by winning the 3000-meter steeplechase, with a time of 12:21.50. She took first in the 800 meter, completing the race in 2:37.91, and in the 1500 meter, with a time of 5:27.23. Leah capped the day winning the 5000 meter, completing the course in 21:03.04. In the national championship, Leah finished first in the 3000meter steeplechase with a time of 12:09.88, earning First Team All-American honors. In other athletics news, the Lakers eSports team had the largest participation in the history of the program with 70 students taking part this past spring. The Lakers offered the team’s most comprehensive National Junior College Athletic Association eSports (NJCAAe) participation with seven teams across the platforms of Overwatch, Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Smash Ultimate, Hearthstone, and Mario Kart 8. Across those seven platforms, the Lakers picked up over 90 wins during the season. “Ask any professor, director, teacher, coach, trainer or staff member why we do exactly what we do,” began eSports Coordinator Michael Van Etten, also professor of modern language. “It’s almost never about the game, content, or activity. It is about the students, and what this does for the student, what we do for the student every single day.” His goal is to build a family-like culture where his team members can feel belonging. “We give our students something that they may never have had before. Students that may have been bullied, mocked, abused, marginalized, cast aside, ignored, neglected, pressured, desperate, and hanging on to hope.” “It’s almost never about the game, content, or activity. It is about the students.” – eSports Coordinator Michael Van Etten The eSports team had the largest participation numbers in the history of the program with 70 students in spring 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF FLCC SPORTS INFORMATION

Richard Sands, fourth from left, flanked by state Sen. Pam Helming and FLCC President Robert Nye, cuts the ribbon on the sidewalk outside the Sands Family Center for Allied Health. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP Nursing students Sarinah Hubbard, left, of Newark and Alexis Rippey of Pittsford gave demonstrations to visitors, including Pauline Motkowski ’77, following the ribbon-cutting ceremony. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP 14 | theLAKER SANDS FAMILY CENTER FOR ALLIED HEALTH OPENS The expansion and renovation means the College can accept more nursing students, starting in January. FLCC celebrated the opening of the $7.2 million Sands Family Center for Allied Health, a renovation and expansion of its nursing wing, at the main campus just before the start of the fall semester. With the expansion, the college will accept new students in both the fall and spring semesters. The application for the spring 2023 semester is currently open through Oct. 15. FLCC will also launch a licensed practical nursing program, starting in fall 2023.

President Robert Nye addresses a gathering before he and several others line up to formally open the center. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP The Sands Family Center for Allied Health features murals of nature images taken by Sophie Parshall, president of the FLCC Student Corporation. PHOTO BY TIM WILKES Susan McCarthy, professor of nursing, thanks student Caroline Muthoni of Rochester for giving demonstrations. Also shown, from left, are instructor Katie Schaeffer McCool, associate professor Lisa McAnn and instructor Joselyn Busch. PHOTO BY RIKKI VAN CAMP theLAKER | 15 campus happenings “The Sands Family Center for Allied Health reflects a true team effort among the Sands Family Foundation, Thompson Health, Ontario County and the college,” said President Robert Nye. “We were united in our mission to fill a critical community need for nurses at our hospitals, medical offices and skilled nursing facilities.” Richard Sands, representing the Sands Family Foundation, joined college and community leaders for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The Sands Family Foundation contributed $3 million to the project. “As important as today’s ribbon-cutting is, I am already thinking about the impact this center will have on our community,” Sands said. “Five years from now, hundreds of students will have passed through these halls and taken their places in our medical facilities where their compassion and skills are so needed.” In addition to the Sands Family Foundation donation, the FLCC Student Corporation contributed $250,000; the FLCC Association, $200,000; and the FLCC Foundation, $200,000. New York State provided $3.6 million in matching funds to all the private contributions. Thompson Health will contribute an instructor for the licensed practical nursing program. After the work began, the College received a $1.5 million state workforce development grant to add an additional science lab by mid-2023. Visitors at the ribbon-cutting were able to tour the facilities and view a demonstration of how students use computer-controlled manikins that can simulate a wide range of symptoms. The tour also included a stop at two other facilities included in the overall project, a holography lab and the Center for Student Well-Being. (See more about holography on page 9). The Center for Student Well-Being provides access to counseling and health services, well-being and emergency resources, and preventive programming. Examples of services include free 24/7 virtual medical and mental health care, in-person appointments for preventative care, and treatment of common health problems. The center also offers assistance with basic needs such as food, transportation, housing expenses, and referrals to community agencies.

alumni spotlight 16 | theLAKER Justin Castronovo ’19, shown at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) shipyard in Philadelphia, works on the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system. WHEN HMI DEVELOPMENT IS YOUR DREAM JOB Naval personnel operating ballistic missile defenses need to know the status of those systems at a glance. That means someone has to figure out how to collect, aggregate and present a range of data in an easy-to-understand visual format on a computer monitor or touch screen. Such readouts are called human-machine interfaces, or HMIs. For Justin Castronovo ’19, building them is his dream job. Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are everywhere – think smart phones – and most people take them for granted. Not Justin Castronovo ’19.

theLAKER | 17 Justin is a graduate of the instrumentation and control technologies program, now known by a more straightforward name: smart systems technologies. He is a civilian contractor at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Philadelphia where he works on the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system. “The human can’t just go to the chilled water system and get all the data from it,” he explained of the complex machinery. “There has to be some in-between way to get all that data in a reasonable format for a human to look at quickly and say, ‘Hey we’ve got a high-pressure alarm at the chilled water system.’” HMIs are everywhere, including laptops and cell phones. “Little do people know that behind that screen is a lot of programming that goes into it to make those communications happen, and that’s where I lie, in making that conversation happen with the machinery in the field,” he added. HMIs appeal to Justin’s interest in the inner workings of technology. In high school, he enrolled in BOCES classes for electronics and computer technology. As a senior, he visited the Victor Campus Center and met Sam Samanta, professor of physics, an unflagging advocate for the smart systems program he coordinates. “I needed that mentor figure to say, ‘Hey, here’s something I think you would be good at, and I think you would enjoy,’” Justin said of that pivotal encounter. “I knew I wanted to be in the tech industry, and I knew I wanted to do something with electronics and computers, but I wasn’t sure what. So when I found Sam’s program, I was like, ‘This is perfect, this stuff is awesome.’” The smart systems degree combines a range of fields, from electronics and automation to process improvement and data acquisition, appealing to Justin’s fascination with what goes on behind the screen. As a graduate of Caledonia-Mumford High School, he also appreciated the atmosphere of the Victor center. “It seemed more like a family there and a home, and that’s important to me because I grew up in a very small town. Knowing the people I go to school with and knowing my professors and having that connection was important,” he said. He credits Sam with keeping the programming relevant and engaging. “Technology is ever-evolving, and I think that’s something Sam incorporated well into his program. He wasn’t just stuck teaching the same thing. He’d always be switching up the material and courses, which helps you evolve to learn new things and keep up with the technological times,” Justin added. As part of the program, he interned with Bosch Security Systems in Fairport, testing security products such as motion sensors. Sam, as program coordinator, takes the time to match a student’s skills and qualities to the specific needs of a company when making co-op placements and job referrals. This custom approach helps both parties: students continue learning while small- and medium-size companies get potential future hires. “The keystone in this arc of community growth is a motivated, life-long learner, of which Justin Castronovo is a prime exemplar,” he said. “Justin is an unboastful, joyous collaborator. He lets his work speak for itself.” At Sam’s urging, Justin transferred to SUNY Oswego for computer science. Before graduating in 2021, Justin worked two summer and two winter breaks for New Scale Technologies in Victor, testing a robotic gripper that could pick up and measure a part to make sure it met certain specifications. In the back of his mind, he wanted to pursue HMI. “I fell in love with it in college and knew it was something I wanted to do. People might say, ‘Whoa, isn’t programming hard?’ Well, no. It’s just a different way of thinking, and maybe sometimes that scares people,” he began. “That different way of thinking, that engineering mindset, it does change the way you think when you take computer science courses, but that’s what it’s supposed to do, and you’re supposed to grow as a person. “I really like where I’m at with my career, and I like that I can call it a career now because it definitely does feel like a job that I can do for a long time.” — Lenore Friend “Justin is an unboastful, joyous collaborator. He lets his work speak for itself.” —Sam Samanta, Ph.D., professor of physics

18 | theLAKER flcc by the numbers Service to a Community Finger Lakes Community College posted a total of 11,418 enrollments during the 2020-21 academic year throughout its four main programming areas. While the College may be best known for offering two-year degrees to high school graduates, thousands of students across the region take FLCC classes at their high schools under the Gemini, or concurrent enrollment, program. Gemini allows students to take college prerequisites and general education classes before entering college, potentially shortening their time to a degree. About 2,000 enroll in non-credit training programs for professional development or job-related certifications through the Workforce and Career Solutions Office. FLCC also works each year with hundreds of students seeking to learn English or get a high school diploma. For example, the accompanying chart includes workers from Wayne County who enrolled in a professional development seminar to prepare for the New York State notary public licensing exam as well as students who took a credit-bearing college class for at least one term. (FLCC offers classes during spring and fall semesters, a winter session, and three summer sessions.) These numbers may count some individuals twice, for example, if an adult basic education student earns a general equivalency diploma (GED) in the fall and starts FLCC college classes in the spring. Or a concurrent enrollment student who graduates high school then takes an online FLCC physics class over the summer to get ahead on college credit. Value and Stewardship Credit classes for high school graduates: 5,124 Adult basic education: 1,053 Concurrent enrollment: 3,118 Workforce development: 2,123 Full- and part-time students who are high school graduates, taking at least one credit-bearing class at an FLCC site or online Students enrolled in high school, including homeschoolers, taking FLCC courses at their high school, an FLCC location or online Students who participate in workforce training, professional development and community education Students who take classes to prepare for the New York State high school equivalency exam or classes for English as a Second Language (ESL). FLCC tuition for 2020-21: $4,864 The average SUNY community college tuition was $5,021 per year in 2020-21. FLCC’s operating cost per full-time equivalent (FTE) student $11,880 The SUNY community college average is $12,599. Source: SUNY Community Colleges Annual Summary Report, 2020-21

theLAKER | 19 Most popular college degree programs in fall 2021 Demographic snapshot: Fall 2021 Financial aid A total of 2,733 tudents, or 76 percent of students enrolle in degree and certificate programs, received financial aid in 2021-2022. The total dollar amount of financial aid distributed in the last year was $18, 220,142 A look at the makeup of the 3,279 full-and part-time students enrolled in a creditbearing course at one of FLCC’s campus locations or online in the fall 2021 semester. 79% of FLCC tudents are from seven area counties Health Care Studies Business Administration Networking and Cybersecurity Psychology Registered Nursing Horticulture Childhood Education Human Service Criminal Justice Engineering Science 61%full-time 39%part-time under 20 20–24 25–34 over 34 40% 24% 21% 15% Age breakdown 33% First Generation College Student Monroe Wayne Ontario Yates Seneca Livingston Stuben female male unknown 58% 41% 1% Gender Breakdown Race & Ethnicity Students of color 22% White 73% Unknown 4%

20 | theLAKER foundation update As FLCC’s 2020 recipient of the Farash Foundation First In Family Scholarship, Katelyn Roland found the real gift was the freedom it gave her. “It has made college life so much easier. I no longer have the stress of balancing a job with school, and in return it helps me focus on my school work,” she said. “Additionally, not having to work enables me to have more free time to make friends, paint, go to the gym, etc., making college a great experience.” It also gave her the freedom to decide what she really wanted to do with her life. Two years ago, she started out as a nursing major. In May, she graduated with an associate degree in liberal arts and sciences and has since transferred to SUNY Brockport’s mathematics adolescent education program. “I decided nursing wasn’t for me and am now on my way to become a high school mathematics teacher,” she said. Katelyn was inspired, in part, by Bryan Ingham, professor of mathematics. “I had him for Precalculus and Calculus I. He went above and beyond for his students and was an amazing professor overall,” she explained. Katelyn learned after graduating fromMidlakes High School that she would receive the Farash award, which supplies all funds needed to pay for the student’s tuition, room and board, textbooks and fees. The Farash Foundation’s support continues over the course of the recipient’s college careers, for up to five years. In 2012, the program began providing scholarships for students who are the first in their families 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. Katelyn is FLCC’s third Farash recipient. The newest recipient is Jason Taylor, a 2022 graduate of East Rochester High School. Jason plans to major in environmental science. The biggest lesson of Katelyn’s FLCC experience, she said, is “to be determined. No matter how many obstacles get in your way, you must get through them to achieve your goals. “There’s an abundance of support available, you just need to look for it. If you want to get higher education, then do it.” For more information about the Farash First in Family Scholarship, visit the Farash Foundation website, farashfoundation.org. The application for the Farash and other scholarships for new and continuing FLCC students opens in late January of each year at flcc.edu/foundation. Farash grad aspires to teach math Katelyn Roland ’22 with College President Robert Nye. PHOTO BY BRIE CHUPALIO

2021 2020 2019 Cash $238,325 $463,736 $149,123 Net contributions receivable $43,723 $79,527 $110,395 Investments $3,325,380 $2,412,979 $2,480,198 Net Property and equipment $893,054 $989,843 $983,326 Liabilities $25,166 $77,946 $105,017 Total net assets $4,475,316 $3,862,950 $3,602,808 NET ASSET CATEGORIES 2021 Without donor restrictions $1,357,357 $881,855 $950,131 With donor restrictions $3,117,959 $2,981,095 $2,652,677 FLCC Foundation Statement of Financial Position (Fiscal year July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 with comparative totals for 2019, 2020) theLAKER | 21 The Finger Lakes Community College Foundation resumed in-person events in 2022. Here are some of the highlights: The 6th Annual Vintners & Valentines (March): Twenty-three Finger Lakes wineries shared their vintages at this event, which raised $80,000 in support of FLCC’s viticulture and wine technology and hospitality programs. Alumni Happy Hour (April): Alumni from four decades gathered at Young Lion Brewing on Canandaigua Lake for the first in-person opportunity to reminisce in more than two years. Alumni Baseball Gathering (May): Former baseball players and retired Coach Bob Lowden gathered to watch the current Lakers baseball team take on Tompkins Cortland Community College. After the game, alumni met at Star Cider with current Lakers Coach Sean Marren and current players to catch up. FLCC Foundation Golf Tournament (June): The annual golf tournament fundraiser was held at Ravenwood Golf Club. The day started off damp but cleared up while everyone was on the course. Over $30,000 came in during the event for student scholarships. Foundation event highlights LAKER GIVING Alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends generously contributed to scholarships, programs, and emergency funds during the annual Laker Day of Giving in May. During the 24-hour chaenge, 190 donors gave $16, 738. This exceeded the Foundation’s goal of 150 donors, making this the highest number of donors to give to the College in one day. 2021-2022 FLCC Foundation Board of Directors Ethan Fogg ’00, Chair Kevin Flynn ’79, Vice Chair Marci Muller ’81, Secretary Jason Redman, Treasurer` Debi Jones ’91, Immediate Past Chair Linda Hawks M. Joan Geise Kyle Gifford Coleen Emblidge Yvonne Jolly ’89 Kurt Koczent Alejandro Mendoza Ryan Staychock ’96 Mike Rusinko Connie White Santa Abraham Visit the Foundation on the web: flcc.edu/foundation The FLCC Foundation website offers information about the 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, scholarships, and the Alumni Association. It also has links to back issues of the Laker magazine and to the College’s Flickr site with thousands of photos of memorable moments for faculty, staff, students and graduates.

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