Alumni Spotlight: Kris VanDuyne ’96 pg. 14 Recap of the Alumni and Foundation Awards pg. 16 AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE Jim ’78 and Kathy ’78, ’84 Bullis marked their 42nd anniversary with an FLCC travel course spring 2025 theLAKER a publication for alumni and friends of finger lakes community college
The College marked its first-ever fall Nursing Pinning Ceremony in December. Most of the students in the inaugural mid-year class entered in January 2023. FLCC began accepting students for the registered nursing program twice yearly after the opening of the Sands Family Center for Allied Health. Fall graduates are, first row from left: Katrina Velte, Yiniba Torres-Solis, Liryc Lewis, Jamie Kohn, Ebony Booth, Brittany Benedict, Jacquin Highsmith Second row, from left: Ashley Hares, Lauren Lester, Antoinette Wilson, Jourdan Hurlbutt, Michelle Heerkens, Constance Bennett Third row, from left: Robin Longer, Anne Wood, Gabrielle Kanaley, Nicole McMahon Not shown: Shetara Ross In another highlight for the program, all 42 of the graduates who took the national exam for registered nurses in 2024 passed. FLCC’s 100 percent pass rate for this group on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) was reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in October.
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from the president 2 | theLAKER President Robert K. Nye Chief Advancement Officer Brie Chupalio Director of Development Michelle M. Robbins Editor/Chief Writer Lenore Friend Director of Public Relations and Communications Contributors Laura Alishauskas Jaylea Ransom Design and Layout Sarah R. Butler Photography Rikki Van Camp Cover photo illustration by Sarah Butler with images courtesy of Jim and Kathy Bullis and John Bateman 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) 785-1454 www.facebook.com/fingerlakescommunitycollege @flcc_connects @flcc_connects President Robert Nye, right, with Kiki Wilson ’06, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dear Fellow Lakers, When we talk about lifelong learners at FLCC, we mean people like Jim and Kathy Bullis, the alumni on the cover of this edition. Jim ’78 and Kathy ’78, ’84 met for the first time while piling into cars with other students headed to the Florida Everglades for the Unique Ecological Communities travel course in 1978. There, they discovered the power of immersing yourself in a new environment. The richness of the experience stuck with them, and 46 years later, they signed up for an FLCC travel course to Africa. This was not a sight-seeing tour. This was a three-credit class that involved getting up as early as 4:30 a.m. for a strenuous day of touring wildlands. For the record, they both got an A-. Beyond the in-depth look at the ecology of a South African game preserve, the Bullises enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with sharing new experiences. Most of their traveling companions were more traditional college-age students curious about the couple’s own FLCC experiences and their 42-year marriage. Such life-changing experiences are often rare, but immersive experiences don’t have to be. Many students participate in internships to get out of their comfort zones, learn new skills, and get a different perspective. Blue Mitchell’s internship at the Wegmans Organic Farm left him looking forward to transferring to a bachelor’s program in horticulture. It all starts with inquiry, one of FLCC’s four core values. There is no telling where exploration and study can take you. The recap of the Alumni and Foundation Awards, starting on page 16, provides more examples of alumni following their interests and curiosity, often to a place that benefits the rest of society. Nick Dietschler ’14, recipient of the Outstanding Conservation Alumni Achievement Award, conducts research to save our eastern hemlock forests from an invasive insect. Nikima Glatt ’11 was recognized with the Outstanding Nursing Alumni Achievement Award for giving medical and mental health support to victims of the Maui wildfire in 2023. We are pleased so many have started their journey of inquiry at FLCC. As with the Bullises, we welcome our alumni back anytime to share their experiences or have new ones with us! Proud to be a Laker! Robert Nye President, Finger Lakes Community College
FLCC unveils new website The College introduced a new public website in late February that offers a fresh design and upgraded features. It’s now easier than ever for alumni and community members to stay connected and engaged with FLCC. Here’s what you’ll find: Sleek, modern look: Enjoy a clean design with easy navigation, mobile-friendly layout, and fast access to essential information. Streamlined structure: Find key pages and resources quickly, with everything organized for easy exploration. Dynamic content: Discover new pages to help you learn more about FLCC and discover how to get involved with the college. Upgraded event calendar and newsroom: Stay in the loop with fully integrated events and news about what’s happening at flcc.edu/news. theLAKER | 3 CLASS notes pages 20–24 FROM THE COVER pages 4–7 SPRING 2025 CONTENTS theLAKER ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Kris VanDuyne ’96 page 14 page 25 SAVE the DATE flcc foundation U P D A T E pages 12–13 CAMPUS HAPPENINGS pages 8–11
4 | theLAKER from the cover The Bullises’ relationship began with a College trip to the Everglades in 1978. They have journeyed together ever since. Jim ’78 and Kathy ’78, ’84 Bullis have traveled widely in 42 years of marriage – to Australia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, England, Scotland, Ireland and most of the U.S. No destination rivals the South African game reserve they explored through an FLCC travel course in summer 2024. Every day brought wonders: rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and numerous antelopes. Not far from their camp, they heard lions making a kill, then spotted one the next day, casually chewing a hide. “Seeing an animal in the zoo is one thing. Seeing it in the wild is totally different. It doesn’t compare,” Jim says. “It was the best trip that we’ve ever been on,” Kathy agrees. Jim and Kathy seized the chance to join the 14-day FLCC Unique Ecological Communities course. They stayed in a bare-bones camp with daily outings. “My highlight overall was walking around on the ground, right in the wild, and the daily ‘dirt time’ spent learning to read and identify all the available signs of wildlife like tracks, scat and habitat changes,” he explains. Jim and Kathy traveled with a mixed group of 14 other students. Most were traditional-aged in their teens and 20s. Another alumnus joined the trip, as did a nursing instructor. Maura Sullivan and John Bateman, both conservation faculty, led the class. The tracking experts hired as guides impressed the couple daily with their encyclopedic knowledge of the reserve’s wildlife, from insects to elephants. The anticipation, the rigors of travel, and the striking views recalled another FLCC travel course 46 years earlier: the one where they met. LIFELONG TRAVELING COMPANIONS Kathy and Jim Bullis in 1978 at Community College of the Finger Lakes (CCFL) as it was known before the name was flipped in 1992. The couple in South Africa in summer 2024. Photos in this section are courtesy of Jim and Kathy Bullis and John Bateman.
theLAKER | 5 A steenbok and African bush elephant were among the plentiful wildlife students saw from the open-air truck. The car to Florida Lucky for Kathy, travel courses are not limited to certain majors. She was studying human services but had heard so much about the conservation trip to the Florida Everglades. “My brother went on the trip with his girlfriend in ’75, and they got to go scuba diving and snorkeling all over the coral reefs. I thought it would be great,” she says. She had seen Jim around campus, but they hadn’t spoken until she found herself in a car with him and two other students. “I thought he was hilarious. He was constantly doing limericks and stuff like that.” “I was chasing some other girl,” Jim admits. She was in a different car, also headed to Florida. After they got back to FLCC, Jim and Kathy started seeing more of each other. “It was a few weeks later, and the girl he was interested in on the trip –” Kathy begins. “ – she wasn’t interested in me,” Jim says. Jim convinced Kathy to join the logging sports team, called the woodsmen at the time. She embraced it and earned a spot on the men’s B team. Jim was captain of the men’s A team. For many years as alumni, they were scorekeeper and head judge at home meets to help out Marty Dodge. Marty, now professor emeritus, taught conservation and coached the woodsmen from the team’s inception in 1974 until his retirement in 2011. “I loved Marty,” Kathy begins. “He was so encouraging and always bringing out the best in people,” Jim says. “He was smart. He had the skills and the knowledge and was so inspiring.” A life together Kathy and Jim competed as lumberjacks for a few years after graduation in 1978. They married in 1982. Jim had an associate degree in natural resources conservation. He had taken several classes associated with the conservation law-enforcement degree and earned A’s in his Criminal Law and Law of Evidence classes. After a series of odd jobs, he had a chance to join Yates County as a corrections officer. “They were paying twice as much as I ever made in my life,” he recalls. The other officers were planning to take the state trooper exam, so Jim did, too. He passed and began a 31-year career with the New York State Police, six years as a patrol trooper and 25 years as a sergeant. For many years he was a training officer for numerous courses, mainly firearms training. Kathy worked for an electronics manufacturer, which covered her tuition for engineering courses at FLCC. While back in school, she also finished up a conservation degree and an environmental studies certificate.
from the cover Kathy then trained as an optician, a field that would allow her to get work wherever Jim was stationed. She suspended her career to care for their autistic son, James Jarvis, called J.J. Schools were just starting to grapple with special needs, so Kathy became an advocate for J.J. and other children with autism. She traveled to North Carolina to learn about and share teaching techniques and co-founded the Chenango County Autism Society. Logging sports remained a constant in their lives. After Marty retired, they switched to assistant coaching for the SUNY Morrisville team. The school is closer to their home in Oxford, about 30 miles northeast of Binghamton. Back where they started Kathy and Jim continue to maintain their connections with FLCC alumni and attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the logging sports team in April 2024. By then, they had signed up for the Africa trip that left such an impression. An encounter with a rhino left them breathless. The driver of their open truck had told them to keep an eye out as the animals could be anywhere. “If you see something, you shout out,” Jim explains. “So I said, ‘Hey … I saw something grayish.’ … The driver backs up and says, ‘Oh, that’s a rhino.’ So he goes off the road –” “– he’s driving over little trees,” Kathy adds. The driver stopped a short distance from the hulking beast so they could observe. “He said, ‘This hardly ever happens. Usually you can’t get up to them this close. So we’ll just sit here quietly and watch,’” Jim says. “So it’s there, and all of a sudden, it sees us.” “It tips its head sideways a couple times and it trots right over,” Kathy adds. “It’s horn is this far from the side of the vehicle,” Jim says. He raises both hands, holding them just over a foot apart. “He’s not exaggerating,” Kathy confirms. “The girl who was sitting at that canvas door, she was scared out of her mind. Finally, it just rumbled off,” Jim finishes, still astonished as he tells it. A formidable black rhino The travel course faculty and students, posing with their four guides.
theLAKER | 7 The pair were also impressed by their companions. “The students – they were the best,” Jim says. “They were so smart, they were so dedicated, they were so diligent. They were so studious. I said, ‘Guys, you are always writing in your journals!’” Jim and Kathy admit to slacking off a bit in their daily entries. This was a graded class, after all. In down times, Jim laughs, he preferred a nap. “They knew we were the old couple. A couple of them were very attentive to us, if we needed something. There were a lot of comments about ‘How can you still be in love after all this time?’” “What I tell anybody,” Kathy says, “is before you get married, talk about your divorce. Talk about the fact that there isn’t going to be one. Marriage is not always fun. You got to work at it.” “We just came from that era in the 70s,” Jim adds. “We didn't each have a lot. You get together and you kind of make do with what you do have. Life goes on, and you just work it out together.” –Lenore Friend Learning at its best The 2024 South Africa travel course had a few raise-thehair-on-your-neck moments. John Bateman, associate professor, recalls an encounter with cape buffalos that seemed to emerge from nowhere. “It’s sunset, and we’re trying to get back to the camp, and the next thing we know we’re part of this herd,” he said. They waited, unnerved, while the buffalo – one of Africa’s “big five” animals – milled around their truck before moving on. Such immersive experiences make travel courses unlike any other. “These are life-changing trips,” John said. Professor Maura Sullivan said exposure to a new environment crystallizes the knowledge and skills developed in coursework. “It takes students just a little outside of their comfort zone, and that is where the magic happens,” she said. “It is learning at its best.” Not all teachable moments are awe-inspiring. “I teach environmental science, and I talk about air pollution that comes from coal-burning power plants. But we don’t have that here in New York,” John explained. South Africa generates 85 percent of its electricity with coal. “We’re driving outside of Johannesburg, and you can see these power plants, and everyone says, ‘My head hurts. I don’t feel well.’ I said, ‘Look on the horizon, right on the skyline, you see this gray cloud. This is smog. You’re breathing in sulfuric and nitric acid.’” Travel is also tiring. Students are often ready to head home, though that didn’t happen last summer. “For me, just being on the continent, it was incredible. That’s where humankind came out of. It was so grounding,” John said. “I never heard people complain about having to get up at 4:30 in the morning or about the food. Everyone was so absolutely thrilled to be there.” On the final day, John said, students responded to news their flight was canceled with mock disappointment: “Oh, darn, we have to stay another day in Africa!” Lee Gutteridge, author of six natural history books, explains tracks to the FLCC travel course participants in summer 2024. He and Kersey Lawrence, the first woman in the world to earn the title of senior tracker, provided expert guidance. The next Africa trip The next South Africa trip is already on the books for July 6-18, 2026. The 3-credit course is Conservation 215: Unique Ecological Communities, South Africa Tracking and Field Ecology. Course activities include field lectures, wildlife drives, mapping and documentation, and field journaling. Students must be prepared for strenuous physical activities in areas with dangerous animals. Students pay all travel fees, plus course tuition, currently $672. The Emil Muller Foundation provided a $17,000 grant to defray students’ expenses in 2024, making the trip possible for several participants. The College plans to seek funding to assist with the 2026 trip as well. To ask questions or express interest, email to Maura.Sullivan@flcc.edu or John.Bateman@flcc.edu.
8 | theLAKER campus happenings Anatomage: A new tool for teaching anatomy FLCC is piloting one of the latest medical education technologies – called an Anatomage table – to help students in health care programs master anatomy and physiology coursework. The Anatomage table is an 84-inch touch screen that offers digitized images of human cadavers and interactive medical learning tools. The table features highly detailed segmentations of 2,950 structures in male and female cadavers. “There is so much to learn,” said Melissa Miller, a professor in health science and human performance. “To our students, anatomy is basically a new language. We’re trying to find ways to reach our students.” Today’s students are more comfortable learning with interactive digitals tools than with textbooks, she added. Anatomy and physiology, called A&P, is a challenging course due to the sheer complexity of human body systems. It is required for several FLCC programs: nursing, kinesiology and human performance, health care studies, physical education and exercise science, and nutrition and dietetics. Melissa said her own experience working with cadavers was transformative and happened while she attended Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls. She had taken anatomy courses before and found them unremarkable. The ability to see actual human bones and organs – as opposed to textbook images and physical models – “changed everything I felt about anatomy and physiology,” she said. It is not practical or cost-effective for community colleges to have cadaver labs. The digitized versions give a similar experience to many more students entering the health care field. Research team goes on the road A professor and three students presented their research on cultivating mushroom fibers for their nutritional content at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center outside Washington, D.C. in February. Professor James Hewlett oversees the multi-year project, which began in 2021 as a collaboration with a local company and has since grown to include the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University. Jim and three students presented their work in front of a large group of researchers, U.S. Department of Defense representatives, and employees of Lockheed Martin. Student presenters were Paul Kuehnert of Shortsville, a dual biotechnology and horticulture major; Asa McKaig of Canandaigua, a horticulture major; and Matthew Brooks ’21. The project involves developing a fermentation system for producing mushroom mycelium, the fibers that extend below the caps, and the nutritional compounds they generate. Last year, FLCC received a $100,000 Department of Defense grant to continue the work as part of BioMADE BUILD, a national academic challenge for college teams and industry mentors. FLCC was among eight institutions awarded funding and the only project with a community college as the lead agency. The goal with NCERC is to find a cheap and widely available food source for the mushroom mycelium to convert into nutrients for humans. Ethanol production yields a waste product that could be one source. The next steps involve experimenting with other waste streams and scaling up to commercial production with NCERC.
theLAKER | 9 Growth opportunities Blue Mitchell’s internship last summer at the Wegmans Organic Farm offered a chance to test what they had learned in a year of horticulture classes. “Some days I went off to transplant flowers. Other days I was pruning and trellising tomatoes. Still others I spent harvesting wheatgrass in the controlled environment agriculture building,” Blue said. “Much of it was related to principles I learned in classes like plant propagation and soil science.” Blue looks forward to graduating in May and transferring to a related bachelor’s program. Internships often give students confidence that they’re in the right program – or offer a chance to change their minds early in their education. They are a first step in building a professional network and may even lead directly to full-time work. The State University of New York (SUNY) has boosted funding for internships in recent years, making it easier for students to get real- world experiences. FLCC’s student population is trending older: 36 percent of the out-of-high-school population is 25 and older. They often live independently and pay their own housing, food and other expenses. They may not be able to afford internships that pay less or only earn them class credit. The SUNY Internship Grant provides students with a $695 stipend on completion of an unpaid internship and a $175 gas card on completion of any internship. Over the last year, FLCC has placed students in 53 internships supported by this program. A new program, the SUNY Mental Health Internship, started this spring to encourage psychology students to explore careers in mental health. Students are paid $16 per hour for up to 240 hours. Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and Wayne Behavioral Health are among the participating employers. A better way to learn welding It’s safer. It saves money. And students enjoy it. FLCC’s new welding class uses augmented reality equipment for hands-on training without the danger of sparks, molten metal and heat. Students in the 12-week course at the Newark Campus Center don a welding visor and grasp a torch-like tool. Both are connected by cables to a computer running a welding simulation program. The computer program provides real-time feedback on students’ speed, accuracy, hand positions and other factors, said instructor Jahaan Williams, a resident of Lyons. “In the welding world, it’s just muscle memory. The equipment takes away the fear factor of sparks and smoke,” he said. This allows students to focus on technique for several weeks before finishing the class with tasks in a real welding shop. Welding offers steady, good-paying work that students can do anywhere in the world, Williams noted. Welders may be in high demand, but setting up training sites with the right tools, safety equipment and raw materials is costly. The computerized kits provide an affordable, life-like experience while eliminating the risk of injury. FLCC worked with Wayne County Community Schools and the Wayne County Action Program to develop the program. Ontario County Economic Development and the SUNY Transformation Fund provided funds for the augmented reality machines. Paul Kuehnert of Shortsville, a dual biotechnology and horticulture major, gives a presentation at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center. Professor Melissa Miller gives a demonstration of the Anatomage table during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Incubator, the science tutoring center. Photo by Rikki Van Camp Horticulture student Blue Mitchell Jahaan Williams, instructor of the FLCC welding program, observes a student using the augmented reality welding machine.
10 | theLAKER An historic year for men’s soccer The men’s soccer team secured its first-ever National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region III, District B Championship. The Lakers’ 4-3 victory over Herkimer College ended the Generals’ 19-year reign as champions. This historic win earned the Lakers their debut in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament. Robin Giesing, Ben Domann, Joao Antonio-Rocha, and Allan Matheus all earned First-Team All-Region honors, while Ben Berger and Carlos Aguiar were recognized with Third-Team All-Region honors. Carlos and Joao were also named to the All-Tournament team. Of the 26-player roster, 20 are international students hailing from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, England, Germany, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, and Spain. Robin, who is from Essen, Germany, was named District B, All-Tournament Most Valuable Player. As a first-year midfielder, he contributed 18 goals, including two game-winners, 15 assists and 51 points. “I think what helped us succeed is that we were always together as a team. We had such a good bond that kept us motivated,” Robin said. SEASONS OF SUCCESS FOR LAKERS ATHLETICS The College community cheered the rising successes in men’s soccer and esports and continued strong performance by women’s volleyball during the fall. campus happenings Joseph Yates was a national standout during the regular esports season. Payton Stoddard finished her career as the most accomplished setter in women’s volleyball history.
theLAKER | 11 Joao, from Sergipe, Brazil, finished his sophomore season with 20 goals, 32 assists, and 72 points, earning him MSAC All-Conference, First-Team All-Region, and NJCAA Region III All-Tournament honors. He is the third Laker to earn All-American honors and the first in 16 years. Despite losses to Camden County College and Raritan Valley in the national tournament, the Lakers finished their season with a 15-5-3 record, an eighth-place national ranking, and a place in FLCC history. Women’s volleyball does it again Over 800 miles away in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the women’s volleyball team was competing in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. In the opening round, the Lakers defeated Monroe College-Bronx 3-0. Anna Kurtzhalts of Erie County assisted the offense with 21 kills and a .405 hitting percentage. In the next two matches, the Lakers lost 3-0 to the College of DuPage and 3-2 to Dallas College North Lake in a five-set series. In the consolation bracket, the Lakers faced the three-time national champions from Owens Community College and earned a five-set victory to secure seventh place in the national tournament – their highest-ever ranking. This season, the Lakers were led by sophomore Payton Stoddard of Bloomfield, who earned Mid-State Athletic Conference Player of the Year, First-Team All-Conference, NJCAA Region III AllTournament, and First-Team All-Region honors. She finished her career with 1,725 assists, 186 service aces, 387 digs, and 60 kills over 60 matches, becoming the most accomplished setter in FLCC women’s volleyball history. Payton, who was not originally recruited as a setter, shared that she enjoys the team’s chemistry. “It’s easy to stay motivated when you have such awesome teammates who are all working towards the same goal,” she said. The team concluded with a 30-4 record. With six new student athletes committed to the Lakers’ roster for the 2025 season and key returners Anna Kurtzhalts, Jackie Neureuter and Emily Jordan, the team has already begun preparing for another season. Esports grows in dominance The Lakers esports program climbed in national rankings in the fall with record-breaking achievements, proving its growing dominance in collegiate competitive gaming. A major highlight of the season was the Open Series Fortnite Build-Duos competition, where Carl Barwald of Webster and Robert Barrett of Lyons competed against 40 teams and over 100 players nationwide. The five-game series against Herkimer College lasted over two hours, ultimately earning them the team’s third NJCAAe National Championship trophy. Previous program victories include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2023) and Rainbow Six Siege (2022). "The season was a lot of fun, and I was able to meet great people. Being a part of esports gave me something to work toward and helped me overcome challenges. I don’t think I would be where I am without it,” said fall 2024 graduate Brittany Ploof of Rushville. The program has expanded significantly, adding 115 registered members competing in teams, intramural leagues, and community initiatives. Among them, two players stand out as No. 1 nationally in their games during the regular season: Joseph Yates ’23 of Prattsburgh in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Thomas LoDestro of Ontario in Tekken 8. After the fall semester wrapped up, the esports program celebrated 131 combined wins across all teams. With 20 teams advancing to their respective postseasons, the program has established itself as one of the largest and most competitive presences in the NJCAAe. Robin Giesing, a first-year midfielder, contributed 18 goals to the men’s soccer team’s historic season.
Middlesex Community Scholarship Elizabeth, left, and Win Harper, right, pose with Jackie Dean and her daughter, Zoey, the first recipient of the new Middlesex Community Scholarship at the Constellation Brands Honors Dinner last fall. The Harpers represented the Middlesex Heritage Group and the Vine Valley Community Center, which created the $2,000 award to encourage students from the town of Middlesex or Marcus Whitman High School to pursue higher education. Photo by Rikki Van CamP foundation update NEW SCHOLARSHIPS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES Gallo-Canandaigua Winery Scholarship From left, Sam Rocha of Naples, Amanda Mott of Palmyra, and Gerald Decker of Farmington, the first recipients of the Uncork Your Future Gallo-Canandaigua Winery Scholarship, pose with Matt Schrader ’97 at the Constellation Brands Honors Dinner last fall. Matt is the director of operational winemaking for the Gallo-Canandaigua Winery. He and colleague Scott Marciano ’91, director of operations, took the lead in arranging for their employer to sponsor the award. Applicants for the $5,000 scholarship can be new to FLCC or already enrolled in the program. Photo by Rikki Van CamP How to create a scholarship The FLCC Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the College, distributes scholarships from more than 100 funds established by individuals, families and organizations. Some donors give to memorialize a loved one. Others want to support students who are pursuing a particular field, for example, nursing or the arts. Donors have an opportunity to meet the recipients of their scholarships at an annual dinner in the fall. Margaret Lorenzetti, assistant director of development, has worked with scholarship donors for the last eight years. Here are the factors she recommends donors think about when considering a scholarship as a meaningful legacy. Consider the commitment you wish to make. An annual scholarship must be $1,000 or more and requires at least a 3-to 5-year commitment. An endowed scholarship requires a financial commitment of $25,000, which can be spread over five years. This allows the Foundation to invest the funds. It may require significant fundraising by the family or organization, but the earnings fund an award in perpetuity. Donors establish eligibility for their scholarships. Setting criteria that is too restrictive may result in several years with no awards. Donors should consider scholarships for both full- and part-time attendance as an increasing number of FLCC students are part-time. They should also think about supporting students in two-year degree and one-year certificate programs. The shorter certificate programs often serve as a gateway to further education. Foundation staff encourage would-be donors to start with an informal conversation. Email foundation@flcc.edu to set up a phone call or meeting.
Kathy Schwartz Memorial Scholarship Kathy worked at FLCC for three decades, retiring in 2022 as senior clerk for the Academic and Student Affairs Division. She was a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service for her willingness to volunteer on committees, mentor other employees and take on new tasks to improve programs and processes. She also served as court clerk for the town of Gorham for 13 years, then spent the next 26 years as town justice. Eligibility: This $1,000 award will go to a full-or part-time continuing or returning criminal justice student. Nicholas Peter Radford For the Win Scholarship Nick graduated in 2014 with an associate degree in environmental science. He transferred to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, earning a bachelor’s in conservation biology in 2016. Nick started working at Tom Wahl’s at a ge 15, developing an affinity for golden oldies and working with a team. After completing his education, he worked for Terrestrial Environmental Services then as a scientist at the Barton & Loguidice environmental consulting firm before his death on Oct. 23, 2024. Eligibility: This $1,000 award will go to a full- or part-time returning or continuing student enrolled in an FLCC Environmental Conservation and Horticulture Department program. Rich Larkin Memorial Scholarship Rich taught hotel and resort management classes in the FLCC Business Department from 1988 to 2018. He championed the creation of the culinary arts program and helped shepherd the courses through the approval process. Rich also served as a Volleyball Faculty Fellow to help players work through academic challenges. He was known for cracking jokes as emcee of College events, and he played in the bands Weekender and Unaccounted 4. Rich was also a captain for Captain Gray’s Boat Tours on Canandaigua Lake. Eligibility: This $1,000 award will go to a full-or part-time continuing or returning culinary arts student. Sylvia P. Boheen Memorial Scholarship Sylvia was a 2019 fine arts graduate and transferred to Nazareth College to study art therapy and psychology. An exceptional student, she was the recipient of the Dr. Henry Buxbaum Memorial Award for Achievement and Promise in Fine Arts and was inducted into the FLCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year colleges, in 2018. Eligibility: This $1,000 award will go to a continuing or returning fine arts student with a very high grade point average. William D. Langston Memorial EOP Scholarship William D. Langston was a World War II veteran. He survived the Pearl Harbor assault aboard the battleship West Virginia and later participated in the Jimmy Doolittle raid aboard the USS Ellet during the bombing of Tokyo in 1942. Eligibility: This $1,500 scholarship will go to a student enrolled in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which serves disadvantaged students who show potential to succeed in college. FLCC International Travel Scholarship Patricia and Christopher Albert created this scholarship to remove financial barriers for students interested in an international trip offered by FLCC. The College has sponsored trips to Canada for theatre, France and Costa Rica for language study, and the Caribbean for coral reef research. Eligibility: Any student enrolled in a travel course or research experience may apply at any time for this $1,000 scholarship. theLAKER | 13 How to give You don’t have to be the originator of a scholarship to support it. Donors are welcome to give to any of the more than 100 scholarship funds. New scholarships to be awarded in the 2025-26 academic year are summarized below. To give online: Scan the QR code or go to flcc.edu/giving and use the drop-down menu to select a fund or click “Other” and write in the name of the scholarship or project you want to support. To give by check: Use the envelope in this edition to send a check to the FLCC Foundation, 3325 Marvin Sands Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424. Put the name of the scholarship fund on the memo line.
14 | theLAKER alumni spotlight Kris VanDuyne ’96 has a soft spot for students making the roller-coaster transition from childhood. Eight o’clock classes were not early enough for Kris VanDuyne ’96. She signed up for 7 a.m. “It was awesome because I worked out with my boss that I would be a few minutes late,” she says. In her early 20s, Kris was a full-time bookkeeper for Elderlee, a Geneva company that makes and installs highway products like signs and guardrails. An accounting major, she wanted to get a class in before work. She enjoyed a camaraderie with third-shift workers and others trying to balance adult lives with school. “One of our classmates had a brand new baby and she was bringing the baby. I love how FLCC was so incredibly accommodating.” Now, in her first year as principal at Canandaigua Middle School, she still draws on her FLCC experience. On a practical level, her accounting background makes school budgeting easier. Kris also identifies with students whose lives aren’t going the way they had hoped. Students at Canandaigua Middle School are accustomed to Principal Kris VanDuyne’s “traffic stops” with her rolling desk and its attached bicycle horn. Photo by Rikki Van CamP HONK IF YOU LOVE MIDDLE SCHOOL
theLAKER | 15 A new way forward FLCC was not Kris’ original plan for college. After graduating Waterloo High School in 1991, she had a basketball scholarship to Hilbert College in Hamburg, south of Buffalo. She injured her knee her freshman year and lost the scholarship. Back home Kris got a job and started attending FLCC. She chose accounting because her mother was a bookkeeper, but teaching was always in the back of her mind. She got married and gave birth to her daughter, Katie. “When I became a mom I thought, ‘Is this what I want to do?’” Kris enrolled at SUNY Brockport as a history major. Then, she earned a master’s in international studies and her teaching certificate at St. John Fisher University. It wasn’t easy with a toddler and soon, a son, Kyle. Kris reverted to a practice that worked when she was at Elderlee and taking a mix of early morning and evening classes at FLCC: Think of the day as a series of segments and accomplish as much as you can in each. “I would not be here if it wasn’t for FLCC,” she adds, “because I went through that challenging process of getting that associate degree and knew that I could continue to do more challenging work.” Trust the process Kris’ first teaching job was eighth-grade social studies at Canandaigua Middle School in 2004. From there she moved to Canandaigua Academy, where she served for a time as lead teacher of the social studies department. Later, as dean of students at the academy, she oversaw summer school and shared her Hilbert College disappointment with the August graduates. “I told them in my little speech that they had already worked through adversity. They saw everyone else around them graduating in June,” Kris says. She encouraged them to think of it this way: “It didn’t go the way I had originally planned, but look how it all turned out.” “I think it’s a struggle in our society,” she continues, “that when you’re graduating high school at age 17 or 18 that you’re supposed to have your whole life mapped out. I didn’t have it mapped out. I didn’t know I was going to have that knee injury that changed my path.” Another message Kris shares: Trust the process. It’s a reference to courses from her accounting degree she thought she would never use. This includes statistics, which she encountered again in her master’s program and the doctorate in educational administration she is working on at Buffalo State University. Years after her elective in community policing at FLCC, she is collaborating with a school resource officer. Embracing the angst Today, Kris is back where she started two decades ago, working with an age group where life often doesn’t go as planned. “I do like the challenge of this building,” she says. “At the primary and elementary schools, everyone thinks their life is the same as everyone else’s. At the academy, they realize it’s not, and they have found their niches. It all piles in at the middle school. The friends you had in sixth grade are not the friends you have in eighth grade and how do you reconcile that? Everything that happens at the middle school is absolutely fascinating to me because of that.” Kris and her colleagues use restorative practices to settle the inevitable conflicts. She wants kids to learn how to handle their emerging differences and to understand that they don’t have to be friends to be friendly. “We don’t want this next group to have the feeling of stress we adults have now when we’re afraid to bring up topics,” she says. Kris builds credibility with her middle schoolers by getting in their space. She “takes over” a homeroom every Wednesday and meets the buses pulling off Granger Street at 7:15 a.m. She has informal conversations while rolling a raised desk cart down the halls. Students like to honk the bicycle horn she attached to one side. Without realizing it, they may even absorb that their principal is comfortable in her own skin and where her life had led. “It all worked out,” she says. “I look at it now and I think, it’s all good. Good stories.” — Lenore Friend Kris touches base with students in the cafeteria. Photo by Rikki Van CamP
16 | theLAKER honoring alumni and friends of the College Sources of inspiration Kiki Wilson ’06 Distinguished Alumni Award • A.S. Theatre Arts • B.S. Broadcast Communications and Film, SUNY Brockport • M.S. Communications, Walden University Kiki Wilson is an online communications professor at Fortis College. Kiki travels extensively to share her series, Conscious Communication, which fosters open dialogue and new strategies in communicating about topics such as race, LGBTQIA+ issues, workplace bullying, and leadership development. “I just want to thank everybody involved here at FLCC,” she said. “I was able to really gain my voice and become my true authentic self, and I was able to come out and share my coming out story.” The College celebrated nine alumni for outstanding achievement and recognized several others for their exceptional contributions to the College at the 2024 Alumni and Foundation Awards last fall. Ethan Fogg ’00, president of the Alumni Association and emcee, opened the event with a reminder of why it is so important. “While we have so many alums doing so many great things, there are always times we just need to stop and look around and at least identify a few to create even more inspiration for those who are coming behind them,” he said. Kiki, shown with friends and family, holds the plaque with her image that is now on a wall at the College.
theLAKER | 17 Andrea Williams Cornett ’87 Outstanding Art Alumni Achievement Award • A.A.S. Graphic Design • B.F.A. Illustration, Syracuse University Andrea has pursued a career in freelance illustration while promoting the arts as an instructor, curriculum designer, and grants and outreach associate for the Phelps Arts Center and the New York State Council on the Arts. She has shown her work at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery and the View Arts Center in the Adirondacks. She credits her own teachers and colleagues for her success. “What always sits with me is the level of support I received, and hopefully that is what I continue to give to my students,” she said. Max Franzone ’15 Athletic Hall of Fame • A.A.S. Business Administration • B.S. Finance, Dominican University As a member of the baseball team, Max’s batting average was .373. He drew 78 walks and reached base over half the time with a .529 on-base percentage. Max stole 44 bases, drove in 63 runs, and scored 85 runs of his own. Max said his work on the field, in the cage, and in the weight room did more than make him a good ball player. “The moments I thought would define me as a ball player were defining who I am as a person,” he said. Sarah Goodman ’10 Outstanding Young Alumni Achievement Award • A.S. Biotechnology • B.S. Medical Biotechnology, SUNY Upstate Medical University • M.S. Patent Law, University of Notre Dame • J.D. Indiana University Maurer School of Law Sarah is a partner-track associate with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, an international law firm focused on technology and innovation. She concentrates on intellectual property litigation related to biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. “I am especially grateful for the guidance and encouragement that I received from my professors, particularly Dr. (Kelli) Prior and Professor (James) Hewlett, who not only taught me valuable skills but also inspired me to pursue my goals,” she said. Amanda Rose Stack ’15 Outstanding Humanities Alumni Achievement Award • A.A. Humanities • B.A. St. Lawrence University • M.F.A. Creative Nonfiction Writing, George Mason University Amanda started her career as a professional writing mentor in The Write Place at FLCC. She is now an assistant professor of English at Francis Marion University and working toward a Ph.D. in writing and rhetoric. The alumni award reminded her of the time an FLCC professor surprised her with an excellence award. “It really does feel as though you guys saw something in me before I really saw it myself, so thank you so much,” she said. Andrea, right, with Sarah Morgan, associate professor
18 | theLAKER Nikima M. Glatt ’11 Outstanding Nursing Alumni Achievement Award • A.A.S. Nursing • B.S. Nursing, Roberts Wesleyan College • M.S. Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, SUNY Upstate Nikima is a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who specializes in treating teenagers and adults with mental illnesses and complex trauma histories. She also provided medical and mental health support following the Maui wildfire in 2023. Nikima is the author of an upcoming book, “Mental Illness: What Everyone Needs to Know.” “Every life I've saved, every patient I’ve helped, every challenge I’ve faced, it all traces back to the lessons I learned on this very campus,” she said. Christopher Sirianni ’08 Outstanding Computing Science Alumni Achievement Award • A.A.S. Information Technology • B.S. Information Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology In 2019, Christopher and two partners founded IT Insights in Rochester, navigating the challenges of the pandemic to achieve steady growth. The company specializes in crafting comprehensive IT business strategies and providing extensive IT support services. IT Insights was honored as the Penfield Business Chamber’s Business of the Month. “FLCC marked the beginning of my journey with information technology,” he said. “Some of the dedicated faculty that I worked with then I still keep in touch with today." Nicholas J. Dietschler ’14 Outstanding Conservation Alumni Achievement Award • A.A.S. Natural Resources Conservation • B.S. Conservation Biology, SUNY ESF • M.S. Natural Resources, Cornell University Nicholas is a research specialist and Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University. He has authored or co-authored 12 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and his research has contributed to efforts to control an invasive insect attacking hemlock forests throughout eastern North America. “The time and attention I received from conservation department faculty during courses, hikes, and travel ecology trips was critical to my development as a scientist,” he said. The 2024 awards ceremony is archived on the Finger Lakes TV programming page with chapters for each recipient’s moment. Nick with his wife, Marisa Paradise, left, and his aunt, Michele VanGorder ’84 Chris, right, with Jeffrey Howard, retired computing sciences professor Nikima, right, with Shayna Turner-Johnson, chair of the nursing department
theLAKER | 19 Prashanta "Sam" Samanta, Ph.D. Alumni Association Exceptional Service Award Following a decade of research in nanoscience, Sam has dedicated more than 30 years to FLCC students as a professor of physics. Since 2009, he has played a key role in founding and coordinating the Smart Systems Technologies (SST) program. Sam has worked closely with the Ontario County Economic Development Office and regional tech leaders to address the workforce needs of over 50 businesses in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region. He has developed eight new courses integral to the SST program and works tirelessly to help his students find co-op experiences that often lead to rewarding full-time work. The Children of Mary Porcari Brady Benefactor Award The children of Mary Porcari Brady – Jinny Keough, James Porcari, III, John Porcari, and Charles Porcari – were inspired by the life of their mother, to support future health care professionals. After the loss of her youngest child to a rare genetic disorder, Mary earned a degree in nursing and dedicated over two decades of service as a registered nurse. After Mary’s passing in 2001, her children established a memorial fund in her honor. The fund has distributed more than $1 million over the past 20 years to support community college nursing students at six upstate New York community colleges and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Stephen R. Martin Foundation Award Stephen Martin’s volunteer work on behalf of the College and its students is a testament to dedication, leadership, and community spirit. He served on the Foundation Board of Directors from 2006 to 2013 and has been an FLCC trustee since 2013, including two years as chairman. Steve also chaired the search committee that recommended the hiring of current President Robert Nye. Steve is a retired senior vice president of Canandaigua National Bank and Trust Co. His contributions to the College include the areas of risk management, finance, and human resources, where his expertise and calm demeanor have been invaluable. Karen Luong ’17 Outstanding Horticulture Alumni Achievement Award • A.A.S. Horticulture • B.S. Plant Pathology, Cornell University • Ph.D. Plant Science, Penn State University Karen is an assistant professor of biology at Grove City College, where she teaches general biology and environmental science. Karen is also developing a plant science curriculum. Her research interests include sustainable disease management and the evolution of plant pathogens. “My time at FLCC was so meaningful,” she said. “I was inspired to pursue a career in teaching … because I really appreciated the interactions I had in and out of the class with my professors.” Sam, right, with Ethan Fogg ’00, emcee for the awards ceremony Charles and Jenn Porcari Stephen Martin and his wife, Ann
20 | theLAKER the ’70s John D. Clark ’76 (Nursing) has retired after 29 years of running Clark Eye Care Center in Geneva. His future plans include traveling, spending quality time with his loved ones, and consulting. Candi Smith ’75 (Office Technologies) retired as a senior probation officer for Ontario County in 2010 and took classes in floral design. She became an accredited flower show judge in 2017. She and her husband, Professor Emeritus Frank Smith, have eight grandchildren. the ’80s Darren Hercyk ’81 (Mechanical Design and Drafting) is an assistant professor and director of the Humanitarian Action and Human Rights program at Liberty University. He also published a book called “The Last Mile in Ministry: Raising the Bar in Mercy Ministry High Enough to See the Image of God.” Gloria Dancause ’86 (Graphic Design) completed three English courses at FLCC and is an extra for locally produced films in the Finger Lakes and in southwest Florida. Gloria is involved in her community, serving with the Rotary Club, Elks, and American Legion in Canandaigua. She also volunteers for fundraising events at the Ontario County Historical Society, Ontario County Arts Council, and the Ontario/Yates Fund for Women and Girls. CLASS notes Dear Friends of the College, Happy spring! I hope you enjoy the stories in this edition of the Laker. We’ve worked hard to bring you engaging content that reflects the spirit and accomplishments of our vibrant community, including the personal milestones many of you shared in the Class Notes on the following pages. The energy that comes from longer days in spring has inspired a group of alumni to work with FLCC’s Advancement Office to revitalize our Alumni Association. This diverse committee has accepted the task of identifying and developing fresh new ways to help our alumni build connections, support our alma mater, and engage with friends from their days. As part of this effort, we are committed to creating meaningful opportunities – both virtual and in-person – for alumni to gather, connect and celebrate throughout the year. Please check out the upcoming events on page 25. In July, we will host a wine tasting in Geneva for alumni to connect with friends. Then on Sept. 26, we will honor a new group of deserving alumni at our Alumni Association and Foundation Awards. Information on these and other College events can be found at event.flcc.edu or on the FLCC Facebook page. Submitting an Alumni Update Form by scanning the QR code is the ideal way to stay in touch, no matter where life takes you! One event I am particularly passionate about is Laker Day of Giving. The first day in May will be defined by the collective generosity of alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of FLCC as they come together to support scholarships, academic programs, and campus initiatives. There’s room in this effort for everyone! No matter the size, every contribution to Laker Day of Giving will help shape the future of our College and the lives of its students. On behalf of FLCC and its more than 30,000 alumni, I invite you to submit an Alumni Update Form and join us for these exciting events. Your continued involvement helps us remain strong, relevant and valuable in our communities and in the lives of our past, present and future students. Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to seeing you soon! Warm regards, Ethan S. Fogg ’00
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