Month: July 2014

Ten Reasons Why I’m Excited for Fall 2014 at GCC

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I have to admit. I’m going through GCC withdrawal. I go to the store to pick up some pool supplies and I find myself battling through the back-to-school supplies to find the clearance pool floaties. Part of me gets mad because we haven’t even gotten through July yet, but another part of me becomes nostalgic and I suddenly can’t wait to get back in the swing of things. So I thought I would share a list with the top ten things that I am excited about for the Fall 2014 semester.

10. The GCC Child Care Center

This one is for my daughter. She talks about her classroom, teachers, and friends daily. It is such a relief to know that my daughter is well taken care of at the GCC Child Care Center and she loves every minute of it. Last fall I was beyond nervous about putting her in school but I really had no other choice. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my little lady.

The center has structured schedules, wonderful teachers, and spotless classrooms. Their services are available to children ages six weeks to preschool aged children. Children of students, staff, faculty, and the community are able to use the facility. Visit their website to learn more and to find the contact information for Staci Williams, Director of the Child Care Center, to see if they have openings.

9. Seeing Old Friends and Making New Friends

When I came back to GCC I decided that I would not be a wallflower and that I would force myself to socialize. I encourage everyone to do this. I have made some great friends at GCC and I cannot wait to see everyone. I am also excited to meet a whole new round of friends.

I think everyone should have that genuine college experience. You won’t keep the same circle of friends from high school forever. This is the time to get used to the unknown and learn to put yourself out there. You may not make friends right away but before you know it, you will find a great group of friends.

8. The Student Union

The Student Union is a great place to relax and hang out with friends between classes. My personal favorite thing about the union is the smoothies in the cafe. The cafe also offers subs, pizza and other great food. While you’re hanging out in the union with friends there is usually a few games of pool and ping-pong being played. I’ve never played but I do enjoy watching the seemingly endless games!

The Student Union is also home to the Student Activities Office. Student Activities plans a wide variety of fun events throughout the year like movie nights, dances, and pizza parties. They also run a Leadership Certificate Program to help students develop their leadership skills. This is a great program that is open to any student. To learn more about the Student Activities Office and the Leadership Program please visit the Student Activities website.

7. Clubs!

Fall 2014 Club Fair

There is a wide variety of clubs and organizations at GCC. There is something for everyone and joining one of the clubs is an awesome way to make great friends and memories. Each semester during WOW (Week Of Welcome) Week Student Activities holds a club fair where you can learn more about the clubs from their representatives in the Forum. You can find a list of all the clubs here. Some of the clubs are for certain majors and others are open to the public. All of these wonderful clubs are welcoming new members so feel free to contact the club advisors or meet them in person at the WOW Week Club Fair.

6. Stress

I guess it’s a personal preference. I feel kind of lost without the challenges and stress that comes along with my coursework and extracurricular activities. This is my last semester before I graduate and I cannot wait for the challenges that are ahead of me. I’ve found that as long I keep my work life planned then life is good. One way I do this is by going through all of my schedules and combine them on my Google Calendar. I usually sit down and put about a month’s worth of appointments, exams, and homework into this online calendar. I even set email reminders so I don’t forget about an upcoming event.

5. The T-207 Computer Lab

The T-207 Computer Lab

Whenever I need to buckle down and get a ton of work done I go here. There are usually a lot of computers available and if you’re working on a project that needs a pop of color then you can use their color printer. Don’t go crazy with the color printing. There is most definitely a page limit. This computer lab is on the second floor of the T Building on main campus and their schedule can be found here. Staff at this lab can also help you find or reset your GCC username and/or password as well as help you with your Blackboard account.

 

4. Campus Centers and Online Learning

GCC Campus Center Locations

GCC offers a wide variety of courses online, at the main campus and at six additional campuses across the area. I’m taking full advantage of these conveniences this semester by taking a few online classes, classes at the main campus, and one class at the Medina Campus. If you’re considering taking all or some classes at one of our campus centers please take a look at the Campus Center website.

Did you know that you can earn some degrees with GCC completely online? Yup. It’s true! There are over a dozen degrees that can be completed online, plus another thirty can be completed almost entirely online. Check out this list to see which program fits your schedule.

3. The Alfred C. O’Connell Library

The library at GCC is basically awesome. There are four banks of computer stations, a technology classroom in the back of the library, quiet study rooms for groups, and an endless amount of resources. The librarians are friendly and are more than willing to help you find the proper resources you need to complete your coursework. The library will allow you to check out laptops and textbooks but you cannot take them out of the library. I like borrowing textbooks from the library because it helps me focus and get a lot of work done. One of the newest online resources available to students with a GCC username and password is Mango Languages. Thanks to the Alfred C. O’Connell Library students can now learn over 60 different languages. Check out a recent blog post about Mango Languages to learn more.

2. The City of Batavia 

Over the years I’ve become very impressed with Batavia’s growth. When I started attending GCC for the first time in 2005 there wasn’t much to do. Now the city is booming and there is a better variety of shops, restaurants, and fun times. The Batavia Business Improvement District has set up a great website and Facebook page with information on upcoming events and local businesses. Check out these websites to learn about the Batavia Farmers Market, Jackson Square Concerts, and more.

1.  Student Success Driven Professors, Faculty, and Staff

I truly believe that the biggest reason why I succeed here at GCC is because of the amazing professors and staff. They want to see their students succeed and are more than willing to give their students the tools for success. You can always find help on the Student OneStop website. This is a huge resource that is available to students that need help finding their advisors, learn how to get involved with clubs or sports, and even request your diploma.

photo-1Honorable Mention: The Spring 2015 Fashion Show Although I won’t be a student in the Spring of 2015 I am looking forward to attending the 34th annual fashion show. The talented students and designers work very hard to put together WNY’s longest running fashion show and they never disappoint. Check out our website to learn more about previous GCC Fashion Shows.

What GCC means to me.

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Genesee Community College is my second home. If you met me today you would never know I used to be extremely shy, or have a problem making friends. I believe GCC has had a huge impact on me and deserves a lot of credit for who I am today.

Prior to college, I had a hard time in school. I didn’t fit in well and didn’t have to many friends. I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere. In the Fall of 2012, I enrolled at GCC and became a full time student. I was very nervous but also extremely excited. It was a brand new start for me.

My first semester I learned about the leadership certificate program, and thought it was an awesome way for me to enhance my leadership skills. I also felt like it was a good first step in meeting new people and getting myself out there. Then my second semester I learned about Alpha Epsilon Gamma, the service sorority on campus. I was really skeptical at first because I really wasn’t sure I would fit in, or that anyone would like me but I decided to give it a try.

Joining AEG and the leadership certificate program opened so many doors for me. I made a numerous amount of friends, and not just acquaintances, real friends that I can depend on. I had the opportunity to work in the Dean of Students office as a work study, join the GCCA board, become orientation leader and so much more. That is when I realized GCC stopped feeling like school and more like a second home.

I got to chose classes I was interested in and met so many of the awesome faculty on campus. I never had so many professors that cared how I did and would go the extra mile to see me succeed. If I was having a hard time, they would help me or send me somewhere I could get help. They encouraged me and it was a really great feeling.

Like I said GCC has become a second home. I made a place for myself here and because of that I have become more outgoing and confident. I believe that anyone who wants to can find their place as well. There are so many different clubs and organizations on campus that anyone can find something that interests them.

So, I would like to say thank you to all of the people at GCC that have pushed me, helped me, and molded me into the person I am today. For those who feel like they don’t fit in, look a little harder because I guarantee if you do you will find your place too.

Online Class Experience

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Last semester I didn’t have that many options when it came to actually attending a class in person. So I decided to take online courses for the spring semester instead. I had my concerns for it; would I be able to keep up with it and earn a passing grade?

However, it turned out that by the end of the semester that I did alright because I managed to get by with one A and one C. Which is not too bad I suppose! If you’re considering taking any online courses I suggest contacting your professors before that start of the semester to find out if you can get a syllabus. That way you can sort of get an idea of what the class is going to be about.

Also, if you’re class requires discussions as a part of your participation, always get involved. Most of the time everyone is really friendly and positive that it makes you realize what the genuine meaning of the community part of Genesee Community College truly means. So if you’re sort of lost like I was last winter than don’t rule out the option of online classes.

I’m also taking some online courses for this summer semester right now and when I finish with that experience I’ll fill all of you in on what that was like. But meanwhile I hope that you’re all having a fantastic summer and an even a postive start for this coming fall!

A day in the life of an arts major…

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Being a Fine Arts major, my “average” day may not always be so average. There are those who wake up, and get ready, grab their books, and head out to class or what have you; then there’s me.

I am the girl who you’ll see driving over the line in my lane just to reach my coffee so I can wake up, and is blasting my favorite song/band at the time to get inspired for the day.

Once on campus, you can see me making my way through the parking lot, bags upon bags on my arms, and most of the time, you’ll see a large floating canvas before you’ll see me.

I make my journey from the back of the parking lot, to the elevator, which most of the time is down for repairs, so I lug everything up the stairs to get to my classes.

I spend the day thinking of oddly creative things, good conversation, and of course more coffee.

I end my day the same as I started, only this time not as rushed, to get back to my apartment to start working on my projects once more, to then get ready to some rest. To wake up and then do it all over again. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Why I chose GCC…

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Looking back about 5 or 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be in the position I am in now. I’ve successfully completed 1 1/2 years of study at GCC, I was selected for the Dean’s list, I am part of the Leadership Certificate Program, and I am currently an Orientation Leader for our new students attending this fall. It seems that so much has happened in such a short span of time, but despite the initial “butterflies” back in the spring of 2013, I feel that I have come a long way.

While I work a full time job for Wegmans, I do my part time studies at GCC. Fortunately I have had this summer off, but previously I had literally spent the entire last year and a half almost non-stop with my studies. I am currently striving for a Computer Repair Certification, of which as a full time student it takes about 2 years to complete, doing it part time, my goal is about 3 1/2 years to complete it. At that point, I will re-assess what has happened up to and including that point, and perhaps I will go for a degree as well.

But going back to why I had chosen GCC. At the time prior, I was at a point in life where I was very unhappy with things. The years would come and go, I would see friends and coworkers come and go at Wegmans, and I just kept thinking “Nothing changes for me”, and “Life is just passing me by”. It took me about 3 years to make the commitment to become a student again. Now keep in mind, I had never gone to college before, although I had taken a few night classes over the years, of which included learning ASL, commonly known as American Sign Language, but since then I have pretty much lost what I have learned since it was many years ago. So prior to that, after I had graduated high school, I was just going from job to job over the years, of which seemed like an endless nightmare of no direction.

At the time I graduated, I had originally thought that I would take a year off and then go back, but when I had started to see what I would qualify for as far as financial aid and etc, I hit a roadblock since I was still living at home and unfortunately my parents made too much money for me to qualify for any sort of help. So as a result of so many set-backs, i pretty much put my life on hold, and consequentially let my life pass by.

At the encouragement of some good friends, and my girlfriend of many years, I decided to take the plunge and give college life a try. Little did I know what was ahead, and yes I was pretty nervous at first. “What am I doing??” and “I must be crazy for doing this” were 2 things that had come to mind as I remember. I’m not much of a risk taker by any means, but I decided that I wouldn’t know anything unless I at least tried and gave it the best shot possible. The rewards thus far have greatly outweighed the risks that I had calculated in my brain.

So as my time At GCC transpires, I look forward to each step along the way, and I embrace the changes in life that will eventually come. New challenges equal new opportunities. My only regret is not having come to the realization sooner. Yes, I may have some regrets,  but in the same instance, if I hadn’t taken the chance like I did, those regrets would become more prominent, and my life would not have any meaning to it. I now have a clear direction, and will continue to follow wherever this path may take me.

 

Making the Call

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Original Article by Joanne Beck of the Daily News

Blue light phones are placed on campus at Genesee Community College for use during emergency situations. The phones automatically connect the caller with Campus Security. GCC officials believe the phones, video monitoring and the small campus atmosphere have kept dating and domestic violence incidents down at the Batavia campus.

Officials at GCC have begun to tally accounts of stalking, dating violence and domestic violence for a report to be filed this fall, Associate Vice President for Human Resources Gina Weaver says. Although GCC has dealt head-on with such incidents and making referrals for help, there is now one more layer to the task, she said.

“And also the education of what your resources are, the services that are available, that you have resources both internally in the college and externally, and education of what is consent, what are the different phases of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, along with the definition of it.” Weaver explained.

The state Education Department has proposed a new rule as part of the Clery Act (which requires colleges to report crime statistics on/near their campus) to provide more thorough numbers and give a better picture of how many of these incidents are happening on college campuses.

Though this change, which is to take effect in 2015, means more work for college officials, it has also prodded GCC to offer more social education to students.

“It does bring it to the next level. Title IX has some stipulations that require college campuses to follow … to make good faith efforts to provide resources to individuals that are affected by sexual assault, sexual misconduct, those types of things,” Weaver said. “We have the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook and a lot of the information will be in that. It’s being updated now as a result of this.”

There will also be similar workshops given during orientation and throughout the year, she said.

Resources on campus include the counseling center and counselors in the Dean of Students Office for one-on-one consultation and the campus safety office. As for off-campus assistance, counselors will typically make referrals for students to visit Restore Sexual Assault Services, YWCA’s Domestic Violence Crisis & Prevention Services and Genesee County Mental Health.

 Incidents can be reported to a counselor, a campus safety officer or other college official, a College Village Resident Assistant or by calling 911.

New to the college’s agenda will be including dating violence in its crime statistics. They have been documented but not totaled for comparative use. Numbers for 2013 will be posted online by Oct. 1 and each year will be available from now on, she said.

A new training program being considered for the 2014-15 school year is about bystander prevention. That would offer tips for what to do if one sees some type of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. Students would learn about how to intervene and knowing that it’s OK to do so.

Another training is one that Weaver believes should be more widespread. It’s focused on men and their roles in dating violence.

“To me, that’s the population you need to reach. When you think about sexual assault, we tend to gear all our education toward females: don’t walk alone, watch out about what you drink, make sure to go to a party with someone else,” she said. “When is somebody going to tell the males that it’s not appropriate? Where’s all the education for them?”

GCC’s student population can count on getting such lessons in the near future.

It’s crucial to get people talking about this issue and to stop blaming the victim. The perpetrator needs to be responsible for the crime, she said.

She agreed that education geared for men is every bit as important as those tips for women. By being told not to walk alone or having other good social behaviors, women victims often get the message that “I must be doing something wrong.” That’s not the case, she said.

“GCC has always been really good in education and outreach and in supporting victims,” Theresa Asmus-Roth, Restore area supervisor said. “My biggest concern is those schools that do the best job of … addressing these issues head on may have the most frightening numbers, because people feel safe to report.”

She sees about a handful of GCC students each year, which isn’t reflective of how many referrals are made. Many victims don’t follow through after talking to a college counselor, she said. And there may yet be others that don’t even go to the counselor.

Part of that is due to the professional not always knowing that a client is a student and that the incident was domestic or dating violence. Vallett has done case management for YW’s Domestic Violence Crisis & Prevention Services program, including visits to GCC.

YW Executive Director Jeanne Walton would like to strengthen her agency’s collaboration with GCC in order to best serve victims. “We want to provide services to students who need them, but we can’t do that if we don’t know about all of the domestic violence related incidents,” Walton said.

GCC’s safety director was hired last year and upgraded more recently to serve as a peace officer, which gives him the power to make on-campus arrests, Weaver said. There are six full-time safety officers plus seven part-time that work shifts for 24/7 coverage throughout the campus, including College Village.

There are also video monitors and emergency blue light phones throughout campus to help deter crime and help victims connect to campus security immediately.

Fall 2014 Civil War Lecture Series Line-up Announced

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It’s back again! The Civil War Lecture Series!

That First Day

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When I first came to GCC, I afraid of meeting new people. I grew up in a small town, and graduated with the same 90 other kids that started 7th grade with me. It was strange to think that I would never see some of them again, and also hard to know that for the most part I wouldn’t really see many of them who did come to GCC, as my major put me in a separate field and the opposite end of the building as most of my friends.

However scared I was that first day, it disappeared rather quickly as I began to hang out with a few classmates, who like me came in early to get a parking space. I found out that one of the best ways to get through class is to make friends with at least the people near you when you sit down. There are many reasons behind that fact of life.

  • Reason 1: you never know just when your pen will chose to die or go missing.
  • Reason 2: teachers are tricky and have a tendency to make you talk to each other to go over papers or during review sessions.
  • Reason 3: if you miss class, they can help you catch up.

So don’t be afraid to say hi to that person in the desk next you, chances are you’ll need their help down the road!

…And Now I’m Here

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When I decided to come to GCC last spring I honestly had no idea what was in store for me. I didn’t exactly plan on going out of my way to join any clubs or organizations. I had already been out of school for four years at that point and I wasn’t interested in having the entire college experience. To be honest I was more concerned with getting a degree and getting out of here.

When I began classes however I found that this all quickly changed. I had Dr. Tom C. Priester for First Year Experience (FYE 100) and I suddenly found myself involved in campus activities. (Anyone who knows him knows that he has a way of making this sort of thing happen) I joined the Leadership Certificate Program and that lead me to becoming an orientation leader. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to become involved on campus and how accepting all the different people were.

You know in high school how your teachers are always telling you “wait until you’re in college! Its going to be 10 times harder.” I haven’t found that to be true yet. Yes, the work is harder, but as a student you are also more advanced. Plus the people in college are all in different places in their lives and they don’t have time to deal with menial high school drama. They all just get along and that was something amazingly refreshing to me.

Going into Orientation Leader training I had no clue what to expect. I thought that it would be impossible to make friends in the three short days we spent together before our first orientation. But here I sit on the eve of our first session feeling confident in not only my ability but our teams ability to help new students feel welcomed coming into GCC. It’s amazing how the energy and people grow on campus. Its almost like our own little world here to just be accepted for who we are, not for our past or future actions. It’s a place for growth and learning and for the most part everyone wants to be here.

I know some people are disappointed when they have to come to a community college as opposed to a four year school but I think that GCC does a great job in keeping the hometown feel but still giving students the full college experience. So if you were to ask me, I would say go for it! Take a leap of faith, ask someone in class to hang out, join that club you were always interested in, study abroad. After all there’s no time better than the present.

What’s in Batavia?

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The question is, what is there in the community? Batavia seems so small compared to the other cities that are surrounding it. Look at Rochester or Buffalo or even go so far to look at New York City. Batavia could not have anything that is even remotely close to what any of those cities have.

Most people are right when they have this feeling, because they think that there is no comparison and they are right! But not for the reasons that they think. Batavia does have a lot, on the outside it looks like just a small town, but it really is big if you think to venture out and see what it has to offer.

You can find people anywhere in Batavia that have stories to tell about what has happened in this little city. Stories that most people would not even believe!

You can travel to any little diner, or better yet volunteer at the Veterans Administration. You will not only learn about Batavia but you will learn about life and the world around you. The people here could tell you happy stories or their childhood that make you smile or tell you horror stories about war that would make you cry. They know what they’re talking about, and they protected you from that horror.

If that is not enough and you still don’t believe that a little city like Batavia is sweet, If you think that those big cities have all that has to offer, ask someone in that city how to tie an eight knot, or how to milk a cow, do they know how to hunt? Probably not! If you travel to this little city you will find such a person, here, in Batavia. They are there, they will even teach you if you want to learn, just remember to ask them nicely. Can you find that in the Big Apple or maybe even Rochester?