Genesee Community College

Mardi Gras for HomeCare and Hospice Follow-up

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The event at Batavia Downs Casino went great! We raised a lot of money for HomeCare and Hospice. Everyone enjoyed the food and had a great time. The bands, M.A.C. and -1, were phenomenal and the  crowd loved the calm atmosphere. The GCC volunteers were in charge of the 50/50 raffle tickets, chinese auction tickets, handing out raffle baskets, taking tickets at the door, and helping Linda Cumming, the Developement Manager of HomeCare and Hospice, with whenever she needed it.

The event was held in the in the Batavia Downs Clubhouse. It was set up beautifully by the Batavia Downs staff and decorated by the GCC volunteers. After the event was over, our guests went lose and had a great time gambling with their $15 Free Play. A lot of hard work was put into the event and the turn out was great!

It was a great opportunity for the Travel Club to help such an amazing cause. Thank you Linda Cummings and Amy Slusser for the opportunity!

Batavia Downs CasinoAmber Sharick, Brianna Platt, Amy Slusser, Zana Silmi, Gary Neth, The Band -1

Chinese Auction

Batavia Downs 2

Table Setup

Batavia Downs 3

From left to right;
Gary Neth, Professor Slusser, Zana Silmi, Brianna Platt

Batavia Downs 4

Amber Sharick (left)
Brianna Platt (right)

Batavia Downs 5

The Band -1

Victoria’s Secret: Behind the Scene

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In the 8:00 a.m. Professional Sales class, we were lucky to have a guest speaker from Victoria’s Secret. Allison Suttell was Shelby Wallenhorst, a Fashion Merchandise major,  guest speaker who introduced Miss Suttell to the class. Allison Suttell was very successful at backing up everything that Mr. Dudkowski has taught us thus far.

Allison Suttell (Left)Shelby Wallenhorst (Right)

Allison Suttell (Left)
Shelby Wallenhorst (Right)

Miss Suttell is the Beauty and PINK manager in Henrietta. She told the class that she actually fell into her current position. Going to school for teaching, Miss. Suttell decided to apply for a job on the side. After being hired at Victoria’s Secret, Miss Suttell gradually began moving up in the business. She is now responsible for 160 people; scheduling, payroll, evaluations, interviewing, and making sure her employees are doing what they should be.

Even though Miss Suttell, went to school for teaching, she enjoys her high ranking job. She went from no experience with sales to her current position. She stressed to the class how businesses that are “customer oriented” are more likely to be successful,  and engaging customers with open ended questions is a tactic to build a relationship with potential customers. The word-of-mouth technique of marketing if more efficient than advertisements; she explains that if one can create a great experience for a customer, they will most likely return, tell their friends, or come back with others. Miss Suttell also explained the importance of training employees. If a person is trained in every category and aspect of the business, they will be more valuable, versatile, and most importantly, helpful to customers. Effective training keeps each location consistent; therefore, the customer who had a great first experience at one store location, can have that same great experience at another.

Having Allison Suttell as a guest speaker was extremely beneficial to the class. I think I speak for the whole class when I say that we gained more knowledge about real life experiences when it comes to professional selling. Thank you Shelby Wallenhorst and Allison Suttell for your time and effort!

 

 

 

Be the Lucky Duck in GCC’s 5th Annual Ducky Derby!

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2012 Ducky Derby

2012 Ducky Derby

For the 5th year in a row, GCC is fundraising for United Way. The Ducky Derby is a fun and exciting way to raise money for United Way and at the same time, give money/prizes away to our ticket buyers. Last year, the students raised $2,500 so the winner of the Ducky Derby received a certain percentage of that money. This years event is Thursday March 7th at the GCC swimming pool at 12:30 p.m.

Along with your purchase of a ticket (duck), you’ll receive a souvenir duck!  You can purchase a duck at your own price:
$1= 10%
$2= 20%
$3= 30% (Percentage of fund raised amount for winning duck)
$4= 40%
$5= 50%
The first duck to reach the opposite side of the swimming pool is the winner. There will also be 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the 2nd and 3rd place ducks.

There are four project managers; Natalie Brown, Candice Cooper, Kelly Wetherby, Emma Peirick, and myself, Amber Sharick. For tickets, information, and/or participation, you can contact the above project managers, business students in the Business Forum Club, Mrs. Shine, Mrs. Paisley, or Mr. Dudkowski.

Mardi Gras for HomeCare and Hospice!

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Hello everyone, this is my very first blog so bare with me!

For the second year in a row, the Travel Club will be hosting a fundraising event for HomeCare and Hospice. The event will be held on February 16th at the Batavia Downs Casino. With the theme being Mardi Gras party, the event will be fun and exciting! This allows students mardi grasstudying Hospitality and Event Planning to gain experience and help out a wonderful cause. Although the Travel Club is hosting the event, we could always use volunteers to help out.

The tickets are $35, and it includes $15 dollars of Free Play at the casino, along with dinner and entertainment. There will also be a gift basket raffle and 50/50 raffle. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and winners will be announced at the event. A few of the raffle items include:

  • 4 passes to Palm Island water park at the Clarion Hotel in Batavia
  • an overnight package to the Del Monte Lodge Hotel and Spa in Rochester
  • a jacuzzi suite with breakfast and dinner at Salvatore’s the Garden Place Hotel

For additional information about the event, tickets, or volunteering, you can contact me at asharick@my.genesee.edu or contact Professor Amy Slusser at alslusser@genesee.edu. The other option for tickets is to register online at www.homecare-hospice.org

Why Are We Here?

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Hey student nation how’s the world been treating you since last time around? Well I hope. A lot’s been going on since we last chatted. I’ve been attending all the Leadership Development Workshops and Career Service Center seminars that I can fit into my schedule this semester. John McGowan does a great job presenting the various topics for Career Services. Barbra Shine, Amy Masters, Brian Fraser, Amy Conley, and Lina LaMattina to name a few, do the LDW program just as proud. In case you didn’t know it the LDW presenters donate their time to make sure this information, this knowledge, these advantages, are available to us all. I highly recommend attending as many as you possibly can. The gift of time is the greatest gift of all. Don’t miss out on it!

Another fine activity to involve yourself with is the Toastmasters organization. Headed by Jacqueline DiBella and John McGowan you’ll learn the ins and outs of becoming a polished presenter. If you’re uncomfortable in front of an audience this is the place for you. In today’s world the ability to professionally present, both yourself and information, is vital. This club will help you on your way to becoming a confident presenter not to mention the networking aspect that walks hand-in-hand with it.

How does all this tie into the title which was the question I left you with last blog. Why are we here? I’ve asked this question around campus and here are some of the responses. I came here to become an accountant, a paralegal, IT major, and so on. Myself I enrolled here to become a business administrator or so I thought. Holy smackdown Batman was I wrong.

Business administration is what I was going to learn along the way to the ultimate goal. It’s now my opinion that we are all here to become the exact same thing, that being a PROFESSIONAL. A professional what is but a mere sidebar in my mind, hopefully something you like.  A person could know accounting till the cows come home but if you don’t handle that knowledge in a professional manner you’ll “account” for no one. First and foremost yourself!

Yes I truly believe we are all here for the exact same reason weather we realize it or not.  Are there any thoughts on that one? Please let me know. So when you get up in the morning, when you come to school, when you study and do your work, as you walk down the hall try and attack it with that train of thought in mind, of becoming a professional. What a difference one thought can make in everything you do. Well I probably shouldn’t speak for everyone but I will say this. What a difference it made for me! Go ahead, try it, don’t be scared. Let’s face it your probably already not doing it, I wasn’t!

I leave you with this question for our next chat. When someone “gifts” an item to you most people feel privileged for receiving it.  The question is does paying for an item yourself diminish the privilege of ownership? Enjoy the holiday and find something to be thankful for. Until next time student nation, be good.

Welcome Keith Compton and his Inaugural Adult Student Blog!

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Keith Compton relaxing in the GCC Library

Keith is a returning adult student who is pursuing a Business Administration degree. He graduated from Kendall in 1977. From there to a summer job in Pittsburg then out into the world. As he describes it, “I dove head first into life’s pool and touched all four sides way more than once!” When I asked Keith where he’s from he replied, “Go ahead and name a place Donna, if you’re not right on the money you won’t have missed by much!” Keith’s last port of call was Dallas, Texas where he and his wife owned a commercial subcontracting business for a number of years. During this time Keith had the opportunity to cross paths with some very interesting people, Ross Perrot, Mark Cuban, and Mary Kay to name a few.

When asked to describe himself Keith replied, “But Donna what about the PG rating? Hey take it easy.  I suppose you could say I’m a unique blend derived from a combination of many varied people, places, and experiences. I’m a life taster and I hold my legs totally responsible for it. They’re been forever dragging me in front of something else to see or do.”

In his spare time you’ll find Keith either next to, in or on the water. Fishing is his passion. “It’s where I go to clean my slate. It’s my fortress of solitude and my calling. I’ve known it since a young age. The only thing that tops that is taking someone along who would rarely or never go and sharing it with them, showing them how.” Keith also enjoys building “things”, playing euchre till the sun comes up, writing, taking sunrise and sunset photos, “picking” with a good friend of his, listening to old school Motown rhythm and blues, and as he puts it, “stinking up a kitchen.” As some of you are aware by now Keith is quite the accomplished cook.

When I asked Keith what his plans after graduating are he replied, “Where am I headed? My brain tells me I’ve options available now that I wouldn’t have dared dreamed just a few years ago, nothing definitive on the horizon.  Truth be told though my hearts been telling me I’m already there. Time will let me know. It lets us all know.”

Transformation.

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Hey it’s Kiley giving advice and suggesting  leisure activities!

The semester is finally over and the grades are in!

I took six classes this semester and my goal for next semester is to procrastinate less.  Sometimes I felt a mix of being overwhelmed and this fueled anxiety due to my structured procrastination. I would mix my priorities up and do everything, but my important tasks. Large tasks should be broken down, instead of being taken on all at once. I received three A’s a B and two C’s. This was a tough semester and I feel that the shift in my grades were due to a mix of burn-out due to four summer classes and procrastination. My overall average went from a 3.57 to a 3.44. This effects my ability be in the Honors Program another semester and PTK. This may also effect certain competitive scholarships for  next fall. I am disappointed in myself, but I will learn from my mistakes.These  obstacles do not make me any weaker of a person. I will rise above and achieve success for next semester.  Life does not always go as planed and sometimes people have to roll with the punches of life. I am my biggest critic at times, but am proud of the accomplishments I have made this semester.  Though perfection is ideal it is almost impossible to execute.

 

Must see movies and TV Shows:

Black Swan- disturbingly beautiful

Snatch

Iron Man 2

ROME-HBO show

Bored to Death-HBO show

 

Local Restaurants-

Red Coach Inn-A bit pricey, but overall delish. The bread was stale, but it came with 3 different dipping (butter, strawberry butter, and vinaigrette oil) I had a succulent scallop bisque and pecan sauced salmon. The veggies on the side were frozen, this was a turn off.The potatoes were crisped with a satisfying crunch.  I enjoyed red velvet cake, the presentation was beautiful.

Froghair-A very interesting concept for a restaurant. The atmosphere was a modern mix of virtual golf, sports TVs, and a antique romantic feel. Instead of bread this place offered pretzel sticks with mustard. This sets this restaurant apart from the majority of restaurants serving bread.I had the signature lobster bisque, truly divine. I do not normally eat burgers, but I had to try the Kobe beef burger with truffle french fries and dill mashed potatoes. Kobe beef cows are meat from  pampered cows in Japan. I prefer to eat that rather then the cheaper burger-full of hormones. I had a well done burger and it was  by far was the best burger I have ever had. I recommend this restaurant!!!!

 

The Froghair

 

Happy Holiday’s!

Encore2010!

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December 15 2010

This elegant evening was held  here at GCC! This event was hosted by the Genesee Community College scholarship foundation. I had the opportunity to represent Student Government as a senator.If interested in joining please feel free to stop by the SGA office located in the Student Union.The start of the next semester of SGA will begin  a recycling effort around the campus. If you are a supporter of being green please feel free to join our cause and share your ideas!  I was happy to see that GCC  theatre students volunteering for this exquisite event, full of enthusiasm and sophistication. The night began with a cheese and wine tasting. Guests were welcomed by the GCC family with open arms. AVI food service served a scrumptious meal. It was a serve yourself style with a variety of food that any food pallet would enjoy. The employees were very prompt and professional. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performed a mix of holiday selections. The audience members were filled with the holiday spirit by this beautiful music. Emily Hellenbrook ,a 16 year old “vocal prodigy” , gave a great performance on several songs. Viewing performances always inspires me to dream big and create my own versions of artistic expression. Holiday performances keep the magic and spirit of the season alive! Art promotes critical thinking skills and  creates change in our society.

Encore Photos

 

“What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me.”

— Helen Keller

What does “SUCCESS” mean to you?

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Hey Ebony here stating her opinion.

We live in a world where we are judge by our success through other people. Society tell us how to live our lives, and tells us what we need to do in order to be titled as “SUCCESSFUL”. Many people may feel unsuccessful because they have not met society’s standards.

What do you hear all the time? “Make sure you go to college to get an education, a good job, and be successful”, do we really have to go to college to be successful? Do we really have to pay other people to measure how smart we are?

There are a lot of people who attended college and have gotten their bachelors, masters, and/or PhDs but do not have anything to show for it other than thousands of dollars worth of loans they have to pay back. While there are some people who never went to school and have all the qualifications and required knowledge, but do not have that stamped paper to prove it.

I do not have anything against college because obviously I’m here. I am here because I WANT TO BE and I feel I should be here to satisfy myself and my own needs, not others. Many of my friends and I have these group discussion about the measurement of success all the time. Some of them aren’t happy, some say they are here because their friends are in college, or their parents made them, and some just say “I don’t know”.

We should measure our own level of success and not let other people create our lives. Some people don’t really know the real reason why they go to school. Maybe it makes them feel bigger and better than the people who do not have a diploma.

How do you measure your level of success?

Some people can measure their level of success by

  • Getting a B+ on an exam
  • Spending time with their families
  • Being a stay at home mom or dad
  • Graduating high school
  • Getting a college degree
  • Finishing a project that has been sitting on their desk for years
  • Doing volunteer work and helping other people
  • Buying a house or a new car
  • Paying off debt

My bottom line is live up to your own expectations; do not let other people tell you how to live your life and measure your level of success for you. Ask yourself “AM I SATISFIED?”

What do you think and what makes you feel successful?

Thoughts on “Semester Success”

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Hi, I’m Eunice Bellinger,  from  Academic Affairs at GCC.  I’m trying this blogging out because it’s a cool way to communicate and sounds like it might be fun! As the snow descends on Genesee Community College, thoughts of final exams, projects due and papers to be completed loom large in the minds of both students and faculty.  We acknowledge another semester coming to a close re pleat with successes, failures and memorable moments of understanding.    What I like to think of as the measure of a successful semester is, upon reflection, realizing that I learned something, created something, helped someone and took the time to get to know someone I hadn’t known before.  So, I’m thinking I still have three weeks to make sure this semester comes to a “successful” conclusion.

I know that I learned a great deal about Brazil this semester.  We had the Boyds and the Drexels return this summer from teaching at FATEC college in San Paulo, Brazil.  They shared their experiences in a world I had known very little about.  Who knew that the area had been settled by ex-Confederate Soldiers and their families in the late 1860’s!  I’m looking forward to learning more as faculty and students travel there in the future.   As I serve on the “SUNY Strategic Planning Committee: SUNY and the World” I become increasingly aware of the internationalization of the American educational experience.

We all help to create the “GCC experience” and I guess, as creativity goes, I hope I add something positive to that experience.  We’re still working on new programs and concentrations (Logistics, Medical Office Tech. and Fashion Design) as well as new study abroad opportunities.  And of course we’ve created the “Office of Academic Affairs Newsletter” … another way tocommunicate.

http://gccnet.genesee.edu/depts/AcademicAffairs/AcademicAffairsVol1No3.pdf

I know we all help students and I hope that I’ve done my share as well.  I’ve always figured that we have a great opportunity to transform lives in higher education and I think that is particularly true at the community college level.  Sometimes when conversations are all about the singular events that disrupt our jobs  it’s easy to forget the positive difference we make on a daily basis in the lives of those we touch.

The ‘getting to know people’ part of my successful strategy…. I try hard but I get caught between endless meetings and EMAILS … so you can help me by stopping in, sitting down and chatting with me …. “it’s all about me” …. I need you to help me make my semester a success!  STOP IN!!