ECC Spring Newsletter 2014

Grand Opening | See page 3-4

TODAY

Spring 2014

Training Students for Green Technology Rosina Foods Scholarships | Page 1

FASNY Tuition Program | Page 2

Alumni Spotlight | Page 6

Pictured from left to right: Brian Muscarello, Ryan Covelli, Herb Stockschlaeder, Rosina Vice President John Zimmerman, Shelby Strack, Rosina CEO Russell Corigiliano, ECC professor Paul Stenzel, Tina Grant and Lylia Alkhatib.

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Culinary Students Cook Their Way to Rosina Foods - Sponsored Scholarships

t Erie Community College, students of all programs spend semesters searching for their own recipe for success. But, with the help of Buffalo-based Rosina Foods, four of the college’s culinary students recently found out the secret to their success may be in their recipes.

On Friday, December 6, North Campus students Ryan Covelli and Shelby Strack welcomed City Campus classmates Lylia Alkhatib and Tina Grant to their home turf to compete for $2,000 in Rosina-aided scholarships in the first Rosina-ECC Recipe Contest, a cooking competition featuring products chosen by the

ECC Adds Food Processing to its Growing List of Local IndustryFocused Certificate Programs 1

Italian food company’s management. Covelli’s creation of ravioli and fried eggplant stack in a roasted tomato cream sauce took home the top scholarship ($1,000), while Grant ($500), Strack ($250) and Alkhatib ($250) took home the remaining monies for their assorted culinary creations.

“Our college has formed many partnerships with local businesses,” said ECC President Jack Quinn. “But, after reading through our students’ recipes, this partnership is certainly one of our most delicious partnerships.”

The objective of the contest—which will also

Throughout the past three semesters, Erie Community College has offered training for one of Western New York’s growing career fields, biomanufacturing. In spring 2014, it plans to offer a one-year certificate in one of the field’s thriving subsections, food processing.

The flourishing local food processing industry —which boasts more than 18,000 employees throughout 670 processors—is experiencing a renaissance with wine and yogurt makers, craft brewers and dairy farmers. But, with 30 percent of the industry’s workforce slated for retirement within the next five years, there will be a massive demand for employees—and a gap in skills for those seeking to fill these jobs. Enter ECC’s Food

be open to second-year ECC students in the Spring 2014 semester— was to develop recipes not only instructive to their education, but to be distributed to Rosina customers with the intent on becoming menu items at local restaurants and hospitality institutions.

Throughout the fall semester, Rosina’s culinary team made visits to ECC to work with students on not only understanding how to utilize a culinary education within the region’s growing manufacturing environment, but to inspire their eventual contest recipes for an appetizer or small plate item.

Processing certificate program, crafted to meet the needs of these growing local companies.

The program will look to enlist students interested in food processing careers as a manufacturing technician, quality technician or laboratory technician, with courses mostly offered in the evening (and at North Campus) focused on quality control; good manufacturing practices; regulatory compliance; food processing; food safety and sanitation; and facility operations in food and beverage.

Students will also learn from a veteran and industry-experienced faculty about yogurt making, fermentation of beer and wine, and dairy processing with such summertime staples as ice cream.

Students Earn Top Spot Among State’s FASNY Tuition Program Enrollees

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s recently as spring 2012, Erie County’s community college students couldn’t take advantage of a New York grant program that allows volunteer firefighters to receive tuition reimbursement in exchange for first responder service. Now, not only can Erie Community College’s students access the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York Higher Education Learning Plan but, for the Fall 2013 semester, they boast the state program’s highest enrollment.

“Today we celebrate the success of this higher education opportunity for our brave first responders,” said Erie County Legislator Edward Rath, whose tireless work on a resolution helped bring the noted grant funding to western New York in time for the Fall 2012 semester.

The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) developed the plan as an incentive for people to serve in volunteer fire service. New York’s volunteer fire departments are

Number of New York State students registered with the FASNY program:

210 Number of those students currently enrolled at ECC:

73

currently experiencing a critical need to recruit and retain members.

As an incentive for people to serve, FASNY developed the Higher Education Learning Plan (FASNY HELP). This program provides tuition reimbursement to individuals attending community college for up to eighty (80) credit hours. In Fall 2012, ECC enrolled 38 students in the tuition assistance program.

According to ECC FASNY Tuition Representative Tom Chmielowiec, the college hosted 63 students in fall 2013, with hopefully even more expected next semester.

“ECC is very proud and honored to be able to serve our firefighters with the education needs they have,” said Chmielowiec, who reports that students are currently enrolled in 18 of ECC’s FASNY-approved programs like Criminal Justice and Nursing.

Under FASNY HELP, studentvolunteers are eligible to have up to

100 percent of their tuition reimbursed in exchange for maintaining their grades and fulfilling defined service requirements. They must also be a “member in good standing” in one of New York’s volunteer fire companies during both their school years and service payback period--just like Travis Smith, a Getzville Fire Co. line clerk who’s working toward a business-related bachelor’s degree.

“If it wasn’t for the Getzville Fire Co., FASNY HELP and ECC,” said Smith, “I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Students who meet FASNY requirements, including a 4.0 grade point average, are eligible for full reimbursement. Students recording a 3.0-3.99 GPA receive 85 percent reimbursement and a GPA between 2.0-2.99 earns them 75 percent reimbursement. The grant program also requires that students/volunteers meet the necessary service demands of their fire department.

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Green Building Technology Center t rie Community College has been recognized as a Western New York leader in career-focused education and workforce development. If their latest facility development off South Campus is any indication, they’ll soon be acknowledged as the region’s leader in green building technology training as well.

On Thursday, September 12, ECC officials joined state, county and federal representatives to unveil the college’s state-of-the-art, renewable and energy efficient Green Building Technology Center with a morning press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Abbott Road facility’s grounds near the college’s South Campus.

“This fabulous Green Building Technology Center provides the college with a unique opportunity to train students and employees in new energy emerging industries.”

Carrie Kahn, ECC’s Executive Dean of Workforce Development

"(ECC) Workforce Development leveraged our training expertise with multiple government partners to provide funding for energy efficient and renewable energy training,” said Carrie Kahn, ECC’s executive dean of Workforce Development. “This fabulous Green Building Technology Center provides the college with a unique opportunity to train students and employees in new energy emerging industries. We are now the showcase for western New York.”

Constructed and made operational by West Seneca’s Occhino Corporation, Grand Island’s Advanced Architecture and Planning, and ECC’s facilities and information technology departments—in conjunction with project managers within the New York State Weatherization Directors Association (NYSWDA)— the 1,700-square-foot training center will be utilized for ECC program-related training in renewable energy and energy efficiency; 3

enhanced, non-credit workforce development pertaining to Western New York’s emerging green building technology field; and as a showcase for local kindergarten through grade 12 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students.

“Housing science and the dynamic of how residential buildings perform is far more complex than most people recognize,” said Andy Stone, executive director of NYSWDA. “This facility will allow all of us to train hard skills in a real world atmosphere and we are excited to be able to bring it to this part of the state.”

Construction of the $600,000 training facility —complete with multi-floor training rooms, an IT smart station, house Wi-Fi, and forthcoming pole-mounted solar panels—was made possible through New York State Homes and Community Renewal-assisted funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (via the U.S. Department of Energy). $185,000 of equipment and supplies were funded by a 2010 Program Opportunity Notice (PON) provided through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA); and $50,000 for solar transformation photovoltaic (PV) equipment and supplies through Department of Energy-directed federal stimulus money.

“To have a facility like this for our students and local workforce is truly remarkable,” said ECC President Jack Quinn. “At ECC, we’re always looking for ways to provide the best career-focused training for our neighboring residents. This Green Building Technology Center will allow us to provide such opportunities.”

Quinn’s remarks joined those of various local leaders at the opening, including Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, ECC Executive Dean of Workforce Development Carrie Kahn, Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Homes and Community Renewal Leonard Skrill, ECC Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Rick Washousky, NYS Senator Mark Grisanti, and NYS Assemblyman Michael Kearns.

r to Train for an Emerging Economy

ECC’s Green Building Technology Center celebrates its grand opening with Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and other local politicians (right); informed Green Technology professor Cynthia Cox (far right); and a solar panel atop the training roof outside ECC’s Green Building Technology Center (bottom right).

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U.S. Grant Funding to Aid Campus Child Care Services

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“They’re happy and relieved that this funding rie Community College has been will allow them the opportunity to stay in chosen to receive $364,000 throughschool and persist with their degrees.” out four years in grant funding Funded under the Child Care Access through the U.S. Department of Education Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) to support campus-based child care services program, grants can be used for child care for low-income student parents. services for all age groups: infants, toddlers, The grant—one of 58 distributed to coland preschoolers, as well as before leges across 28 U.S. states— will and after-school care for schoolallow ECC to continue to proage children. Students eligible vide quality child care ECC will receive to receive services for their through ongoing profeschildren through sional development and $364,000 throughout CCAMPIS must be eligible training for the college’s four years to support for Pell grants, which are child care staff. It will be campus-based awarded based on financial distributed at $91,000 per childcare services. need. Susan Holdaway, year, and 94 percent of the executive director of Auxiliary grant funding will be used to Services Corporation, the not-forprovide child care subsidies for profit that operates ECC campus child the children of ECC low-income student parents who attend City Campus. This fund- care, thinks this aid will be tremendously beneficial for the college’s efforts to help its ing will also enable the college to promote student parents in and out of the classroom. higher student retention, graduation and “We are thrilled to be recipients of the time-to-completion rates among these parCCAMPIS Grant, enabling us to meet the ents, ones who struggle with a full class and demand for quality, affordable on-campus work schedule while trying to raise a family. child care, and aid in the retention and gradu“Our student parents are over the moon (about the grant),” said Brenda Feidt, director ation of ECC’s low-income student parents.” of ECC’s City Campus Child Care Center.

Alumni Spotlight

ECC Makes it Five Straight at National Mastercam Contest For the past four years, students of Erie Community College’s celebrated Industrial Technology Program have enjoyed fall seasons full of awards on the national stage of Mastercam’s Wildest Parts design competition. This year, they added the 2013 competition’s top prize to their ongoing pile of prizes.

In a field open to students from over 74, 000 schools around the country, ECC’s Robert Busch notched first place honors in the decades-old contest’s Postsecondary Division.

This is the fifth year in-a-row that an ECC student has been awarded either first, second or third place in the event, which challenges students enrolled in Mastercam courses to create a unique, original design using Mastercam software.

Busch won with his display model of a miniature V8 engine (pictured above), which includes the block, cylinder sleeves, crankshaft, and oil pan. Robert spent countless hours using this entry as an opportunity to reach well-beyond his comfort zone. He took on a difficult design with a lot of parts that required a good fit. It took multiple setups to machine the block and most of the other parts of this assembly. According to Mastercam judges, “(Busch) really committed to making an excellent entry and it shows.”

This victory is simply the latest victory for an ECC Industrial Technology Program that is leading the way in Western New York advanced manufacturing by providing trained graduates to answer the region’s dire need for skilled laborers, manufacturers and technicians. Its enrollment has surged over the past eight years and, thanks in part to the college’s $926,922 received through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program (TAACCCT) in 2012, has added new state-of-the-art training labs and advanced equipment for students eager to enter the area’s expanding industry.

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Christopher Sansone ’93

hristopher Sansone graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree from ECC’s Mechanical Drafting Program in 1993 en route to his current roles as President of the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance (BNMA) and CI manager for Keller Technology Corporation (KTC), a global supplier of engineering and manufacturing services in Buffalo.

Within the BNMA, Sansone leverages his 20 years of manufacturing experience to help unify the industry and advocate for manufacturers all across the WNY region. At Keller Technology, Sansone’s focus is researching and evaluating state-of-the-art global technological

advancements and implementing the most highly cost-effective, productionboosting methods to streamline KTC’s manufacturing processes from order to delivery. Sansone has held various positions within KTC during his prolific career— including project and production management—and holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Industrial Technology from Buffalo State College. He continues to be active with ECC, serving as a contact for the college’s Industrial Technology Program and as a member of the ECC Foundation Board of Directors.

When he is not at work or advocating on behalf of manufacturing, Sansone is enjoying time with his wife and three children.

Savings earned after one year at ECC Versus a public four-year college: $4,660 Versus a private four-year college: $25,061 *Information from College Board’s Trends in Pricing, 2013-14

New Round of Honorees for 2014 Celebrate ECC Eight individuals and two companies will be recognized at Celebrate ECC on Thursday, March 6 inside City Campus’s historic atrium.

This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winners include: Dr. Marti Peterson ‘95, Pediatric Dentist & Owner, Just 4 Me Pediatric Dentistry Mary Garlick Roll ’79, Patient Ambassador, Quintiles/AbbVie Anthony Spada ’77, President & CEO, AAA Western and Central New York James R. Stachewicz ’79, Corporate Sales Manager, Keller Technology Corporation Timothy T. Tevens ’76, President & CEO, Columbus McKinnon Corporation Garnell W. Whitfield ’12, Commissioner of Fire, City of Buffalo John Godert ’79, Professor/Head of ECC’s Ophthalmic Dispensing Department, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Employee Award. Paul Lamanna, ECC Director of Registration, will receive the Louis J. Billittier Honorary Alumni Award for his service to the college. Moog, Inc. will receive the President’s Award for extraordinary support of ECC’s academic programs. Liberty Mutual Insurance will receive the Foundation Award for extraordinary support and dedication to the ECC Foundation.

For sponsorship information regarding Celebrate ECC, please email dennee@ecc.edu or call (716) 851-1999.

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n behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Erie Community College, I would like to thank you for reading about some of our recent achievements. Since arriving at this venerable institution in 2008, I’ve been consistently amazed at not only the good news we’ve been able to share, but also at the focused educational and professional opportunities we’re able to provide for incoming students, year after year.

We offer more than 100 degree and certificate programs in the areas of Business and Public Service, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Engineering and Technologies, designed by an award-winning faculty with the purpose of advancing students forward. Our three-campus college provides an accommodating environment, and is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top associate degree producers—as well as the number one choice of Western New York high school students and veterans.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center, our college’s average net price is the lowest in New York.

Students can enter ECC, endure through their first college classes, then continue toward a one-year certificate, two-year degree, or utilize our comprehensive transfer agreements with a litany of colleges or universities—all while saving on tuition costs. How much can a student save by attending ECC? Check the average public and private tuition costs listed earlier in this newsletter.

Compare these totals with the cost of a year at our college—taking the same classes offered at a traditional four-year—and you’ll see why an ECC education makes sense.

Do these savings come at the expense of opportunity?

Absolutely not. Aside from our associate degree-related successes, Buffalo’s Business First recently ranked the college’s affiliated workforce development program #1 among colleges and universities in the region. And, when it comes to connections, the college currently boasts more than 300 partnerships with area businesses like Delaware North, Moog and M&T Bank, all knowledgeable of ECC’s career-focused curriculum.

I, along with every member of our college community, am dedicated to continuing this momentum of good news. Until next semester, stay tuned for more exciting details for students interested in starting, restarting or redirecting their academic journey at Erie Community College.

Sincerely,

E R I E C O M M U N I T Y C OLLEGE

City Campus

North Campus

South Campus

121 Ellicott Street Buffalo, NY 14203

6205 Main Street Williamsville, NY 14221

4041 Southwestern blvd.

Orchard Park, NY 14127

(716) 851-1ECC www.ecc.edu

Sense for today.

Cents for tomorrow.

Erie Community College offers thousands of transferable courses to advance students forward—affordably.

Average tuition and fees (per year) Private four-year college: $29,056 Public four-year college: $8,655 Erie Community College: $3,995 Finally, a college plan that makes sense—and saves students plenty of cents.

Jack Quinn, President of Erie Community College ECC Today is produced by the ECC Public Relations Department.

Please contact the Public Relations Department at 851-1866 with questions, comments or submissions.