president’s report to the community Associate Professor Paul Brock, left, supervises students bottling 2023 vintages at the FLCC Viticulture and Wine Center in Geneva. The College’s viticulture and wine technology degree and certificate programs were designed in partnership with the region’s wineries to ensure graduates have the skills required in modern facilities. PHOTOS BY RIKKI VANCAMP The 2023 vintages bear the Fresca Leyenda (Spanish for “fresh legend”) label. Laura López, an international student from Colombia, designed the label for a competition that gives students an opportunity to apply their classroom skills in a real-world scenario. Dear Community Member, Interconnectedness is one of FLCC’s four institutional values. It is not more important than the others: inquiry, vitality and perseverance. Yet it often forms a foundation for these to take root. Our students' connections with faculty and staff lead to new opportunities for internships and further education. Take the Honorable LaToya Lee ’03, the Rochester City Court judge featured in this edition’s cover story. LaToya turned to her faculty mentor, Cassy Kent, for advice on a bachelor’s degree program and a recommendation to law school. Cassy’s direction provided an outlet for LaToya’s inquisitiveness about the legal system and the perseverance she tapped to get through law school. Institutions thrive on their connections, too. FLCC builds relationships with local employers to keep our programs up-to-date. This makes our students good job candidates. We also work on economic development projects with our sponsor, Ontario County. The county has contributed funding to cover short-term hospitality training for local businesses (See page 18). A new SUNY grant also supports our students’ ability to get real-world experience (See page 20). As you will see in this report, the College master plan takes the idea of institutional interconnectedness a step further. As we project future needs for classrooms and labs, we are thinking more deliberately about how we could use our space on campus to support our partners and communities. For instance, we are in the planning stages for a horticulture facility that some county-sponsored agencies can share. Everyone – including taxpayers – benefits when we pool our human and financial resources. A bunkhouse expansion at Muller Field Station is another project that will deepen our interconnectedness with fellow institutions. Since the late Florence Muller donated her retreat at the south end of Honeoye Lake to FLCC, students of all ages and researchers from across the region have taken advantage of its rich plant and wildlife resources. Overnight accommodations will be a game-changer for this property. This report gives examples of FLCC’s efforts to leverage personal and institutional connections. We are confident our work will improve our community and the quality of life for those who live here. Regards, Robert K. Nye President, Finger Lakes Community College IN THIS REPORT A new master plan, pages 16-17 Who we serve, page 18 Demographics, page 19 Hands-on learning, page 20 Foundation update, page 21 Budget breakdown, page 22 Our supporters, pages 23-27
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