Dental Lab Technology earns $5,000 grant | See page 5
Spring 2015
New Nanotechnology Program to help students, region toward STEM-focused future Brewing Science and Service
| Page 1
Fallen Heroes Memorial
| Page 2
“Local brewers have expressed a need for qualified personnel to help grow their offerings across the region.” – ECC President Jack Quinn.
Local industry, students to benefit from state’s first Brewing Science and Service certificate program
E
rie Community College has prided itself on its ability to craft its curriculum for career-focused students interested in entering Western New York’s growing industries. So with the proliferation of small breweries not only in the Buffalo Niagara region but across Upstate New York, the college has stepped up with possibly the most refreshing courses in its nearly 70-year history. Starting with its Fall 2015 semester, ECC will welcome students into New York State’s first one-year certificate program in Brewing Science and Service. Approved by the state’s Education Department, devised by faculty
members Donald Spasiano and Eric Paner, and informed by such local brewers as Big Ditch, Community Beer Works and Flying Bison, the 31-credit program—positioned in the college’s Business and Public Service Division—will offer such courses as Intro to Brewing, Filtration and Finishing, and Brewing Microbiology on the college’s North Campus to both educate local students on the finer points of craft beer brewing and inject skilled candidates into the region’s growing craft beer market. The certificate program will provide students with the knowledge to earn employment with breweries, beer distributors and a
ECC Kats win NJCAA Hockey title
1
hospitality industry now eager for candidates knowledgable in both the styles and processes associated with the modern brewing landscape. Hands-on training along with theoretical courses and internships will enhance student expertise in this specialized field, which currently includes brewing technology, operations, sales and management, and advanced beer-related or brewery-related business sectors. For more information about ECC’s Brewing Science and Service certificate program, contact Don Spasiano in the college’s Hospitality Management Department at (716) 851-1393 or spasiano@ecc.edu.
They started their season by christening a new downtown hockey home at Buffalo's HarborCenter—and ended it by hoisting a national title. The ECC Kats (25-3) won their second NJCAA crown in five years when they defeated Williston State College (North Dakota) 2-1 in this year’s Men's Ice Hockey Championship game, held on February 22 at the SUNY Broome Ice Center in Binghamton. Though WSC's Tetons got on the board first at the 11:51 mark in the first period, ECC scored the game's final two goals, courtesy of Tyler Riter in the 4th minute of the second period (assisted by Brad Jones and Aaron Wanat) and tournament MVP Trevor Evans, who got the game- and title-winning goal at the 4:20 mark in the third period (assisted by Riter and Rick Procknal). Both goals propped up a stellar effort by Kats goalie Will Korczynski, who had 36 stops in the winning effort.
Fallen Heroes Memorial Park unveiled at North Campus
I
n honor of Veterans Day, Erie Community College staff gathered with local veterans, police and fire departments, and community members to proudly unveil its first responderfocused Fallen Heroes Memorial Park— dedicated to former students who have lost their lives in the line of police, fire or military duty—on Thursday, November 13 outside ECC’s North Campus Law Enforcement Training Academy. “This park stands as a tribute to those ECC alums that made the ultimate sacrifice,” said ECC President Jack Quinn. “It will now be a place for others to remember and honor their sacrifice for decades to come.” The park—aided by donations from such local Western New York companies as Campobello Construction, Lakeside Sod, Love Joy Metals, Inc. and Occhino Paving; design and construction work from the
college’s Architecture Technology, Construction Technology and Visual Communications students; and completion by ECC’s Building and Grounds Department—features trees and flowered latticework; steel silhouettes of veterans, police officers and firefighters; six towering flag poles flying the American flag and the flags of the five branches of the Armed Services; a 500-pound memorial stone, donated by ECC’s 117th Police Basic Training class and relocated from a nearby police recruit assembly area; and park benches and picnic tables for those looking to come pay their respects and appreciate the sacrifices of fallen heroes. To date, 15 alumni have been lost to direct combat in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and two others have died while still on active duty in noncombat circumstances. Many of the region’s police officers and firefighters who've
died in the line of duty were either ECC graduates or graduates of the college's Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) as well, so the park will stand as a testament to their lives and the community they called their own. Morning remarks were made by President Jack Quinn; ECC representatives Richard Washousky, Dan Frontera and Ed Hempling; and various elected officials before the names of all alumni lost through military, fire and police duty were read aloud. A memorial wreath was also presented to ECC officials by members of Amherst’s Main-Transit Fire Department, followed by local bagpiper Dan McQue’s stirring version of “Amazing Grace” and local vet Sam Piazza’s trumpeted “Taps” for the event’s hundreds of gathered attendees.
Pictured above: ECC’s Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Richard Washousky joins local and college leaders to address the crowd at the college’s unveiling of North Campus’s Fallen Heroes Memorial Park.
2
New Nanotechnology Program to help stu
W
hether in classrooms, laboratories or the Oval Office of the White House, conversation has persisted about the importance of proper training in science, technology, engineering and math (referred to as STEM) for our nation’s current and future generations of students. Erie Community College recognizes this and, starting with its Spring 2015 semester, is now proud to offer the area’s first two-year degree in Nanotechnology—and serve as Western New York’s leader in STEMrelated training. “ECC prides itself on providing affordable, career-focused education for all of Western New York,” said ECC President Jack Quinn.
“But after this education, our students need to transition into sustainable careers. In recent years, STEM-related job opportunities have multiplied not only across the country, but right here in our Buffalo backyard. We want to prep our students for these opportunities, and this program will help us do that.” Instituted with $5.75 million attained in September through NYSUNY’s 2020 Challenge Grant Program and faculty preparation through the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization at Penn State University, ECC’s Nanotechnology A.A.S. degree program is designed to help
3
prepare students from a broad range of disciplines for careers in fields involving nanotechnology, which is engineering at the atomic-length scale, a size range which, until recently, was only available to nature. Being able to engineer such small structures opens the door to a multitude of new opportunities in the fields of electronic and semiconductor fabrication technology, micro-technology labs, material science labs, chemical technology, biotechnology, biopharmaceutical technology and environmental science. “ECC is proud to be the first local institution to offer a degree in Nanotechnology,” said Rick Washousky, ECC’s Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, and a driving force in delivering the program and awarded grant funds to the college. “This new A.A.S. program will further reinforce ECC’s efforts in STEM technology.” Students will study electronic device and circuit behavior, basic chemistry and fabrication techniques used to create micron and submicron scale structures. Techniques covered include reactive ion etching, metallization, thick and thin film deposition and photolithography; and graduates will be able to enter the Western New York job market with the skills necessary for soughtafter positions in such fields as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and university research. The program—which will also involve Genesee Community College students working in shared space with ECC students—was established in response to the various large scale nanotechnology-related projects announced across upstate New York. And with only two other semiconductor manufacturingrelated A.A.S. programs in New York State (at Hudson Valley Community College and Schenectady County Community College), this degree program will develop a highlyskilled homegrown workforce capable in filling the large number of nano-related jobs being created across the state. Existing aforementioned A.A.S. degree programs offered in the Capital Region primarily supply their local employers, who themselves still are
forced to hire 50 percent of employees out of state. This project will train homegrown employees to work in the nanotechnology sector here in New York State. $3.1 million of the NYSUNY grant was spent on renovations to the ECC North Campus Bretschger Hall, with the remaining allocation dedicated to equipment used to train both ECC and GCC students. The program aims to enroll 50 new students; usher 20 graduates into regional employment on an annual basis; ensure that there is a trained workforce to take advantage of forthcoming opportunities at South Buffalo’s RiverBend campus, on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and within the planned Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in Genesee County. Additional ventures and growth in the region’s nanotechnology sector will lead to more opportunities for community college students, as well as the eventual creation of a homegrown workforce.
udents, region toward STEM-focused future
“Training for sustainable careers, right here in Western New York. That’s our pledge to our students, and their success will help move our community forward.” – ECC President Jack Quinn 4
Partnership offers education opportunities to growing refugee, immigrant communities
T
hrough its English as a Second Language Pre-Collegiate Studies Program partnership with Journey’s End Refugee Services and Pilgrim-St. Luke’s/El Nuevo Camino United Church of Christ, Erie Commnity College is now offering courses in life skills, math, and ESL—as well as general college and high schol equivalency prep courses—to provide local refugees, immigrants and other ESL students with college preparatory experience that is designed to meet their unique educational needs. “We are excited to host this new ESL Pre-Collegiate program,” said the Reverend Justo González, II, co-pastor of Pilgrim-St. Luke’s and El Nuevo Camino. “This collaboration offers refugees, Latinos and other immigrants the opportunity to grow personally and professionally by investing in their own potential while having a team of dedicated teachers to support and mentor them along the way. This new program is consistent with our mission and outreach efforts to the new and emerging faces of the West Side of Buffalo.” Instruction started last fall and is now running through spring semester at the aforementioned partnership locations. Those academically ready after one semester session could be admitted to 5
ECC as soon as the following semester, which is a possibility ECC President Jack Quinn would welcome. “ECC is always eager to work with its surrounding communities, and this is another example,” said Quinn. “We look forward to assisting these students, welcoming them into our college community and preparing them for their lives and eventual careers.” The goal of this groundbreaking partnership is to provide an underserved population of students with an entry point to higher education; community-based support to help them excel; and the necessary skills to not only attend and graduate from ECC, both also to continue on to a four-year education or Western New York-based career. So far, 25 students are enrolled but more could be admitted after the start of what Journey’s End Education Director Donna Pepero considers innovative instruction. “This program applies an “out of the box” approach to educating refugee and ELL students that have experienced little academic success in high school,” said Pepero. “Students are highly motivated and excited about their dreams of higher education. Journey's End Refugee Services’ MAC program is proud to be transitioning students into this program this fall.”
Dental Lab Technology Program earns $5,000 foundation grant Erie Community College’s Dental Lab Technology Program earned a $5,000 Foundation for Dental Lab Technology’s Keystone Grant, announced before spring semester by the foundation’s Tallahassee, Floridalocated representatives. The prestigious Keystone Grant was established to support educational institutions with dental laboratory technology programs. The annual and competitive grant selection process awards national recipients based on submitted materials that include a program outline, current efforts being made to strengthen the program and planned usage of the funds. For ECC—a school that also boasts competitive programs in Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene—the award will certainly strengthen an already solid dental focus. “Our faculty’s number one goal is to train our students for sustainable careers,” said ECC President Jack Quinn. “This grant will certainly help with that mission.” ECC’s Dental Laboratory Technology Program trains students to be capable of the design, fabrication and production of dental prostheses, including full and partial dentures, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances. New state-of-the-art techniques, equipment and materials are emphasized, and students are instructed in all aspects of prosthodontic dentistry. Opportunities are available for secondyear students to work with dentists in private practice, at hospitals and at commercial dental laboratories as they prepare to join the profession.
D
Alumni Spotlight
ECC welcomes Pilkey as head football coach Erie Community College has announced University at Buffalo’s former director of high school relations and player development—and former ECC assistant coach—Scott Pilkey as the school’s new head football coach. “There were many outstanding candidates who expressed an interest to lead our program into a new era,” said ECC athletic director Peter Jerebko, “but Scott’s proven ability to recruit both local and regional student-athletes— along with his national network he developed while at the University at Buffalo to move players onto future football opportunities— gives me strong reason to be confident in Scott and the potential of the Kats football program.” After coaching with Niagara Falls High School (offensive and defensive line coach, 2000) and ECC (wide receivers, quarterbacks and tight ends, 2001-05), he moved on to a successful stretch under UB’s Turner Gill and Jeff Quinn, starting in 2006. He served the program as an offensive and defensive assistant (with both lines and running backs), but his expertise as a developer of student-athletes has allowed him to be an integral part of molding more than 16 current, past and future NFL and CFL professional athletes. This past experience—as well as his success as a UB recruiter—should help an ECC program (2-7 in 2014) looking to return to the consistent winning ways last familiar when Pilkey was a Kats assistant. “ECC prides itself on offering students a chance to start here and go anywhere,” said ECC President Jack Quinn. “To have a coach as committed to that same mantra and to the overall development of our student athletes makes us all very excited for next season.”
David Heer ’93 • Don Needham ’79
avid Heer began his career in 1986 at Moog as a full-time machinist before he enrolled in the Industrial Technology Program at ECC. After graduating with an AOS degree in 1993, he accepted a position with American Axle as a die manufacturing and assembly supervisor while continuing toward a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering Technology from Buffalo State College (2008). Upon graduation, he re-joined Moog as its employee development manager. He entered into operations as the company’s process manager for the $8.8 million Valve Cell (managing over 70 highly skilled machinists), and is currently working in Moog’s supply chain as a commodity lead for machined parts components. Don Needham has been with Moog for more than 31 years. Four years after earning an Associate Degree in Materials Science in 1979, he earned a job as a raw material inspector at Moog in 1983,
thanks to his career-focused classroom training at ECC. While working in Moog’s Quality Department, he earned his B.S. in Industrial Technology at Buffalo State College in 1995. Ten years later, he received an Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Medaille College. In his time at Moog, Needham’s held positions with duties that include employee development, operations management and assisting in the management of flight control systems configuration for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. He’s now in human resources, focused on building and maintaining a talented supply chain of individuals to support Moog’s strategies.
David Heer ’93
Don Needham ’79
2015 Celebrate ECC Honorees Ten individuals, one company and one college were recognized at Celebrate ECC on Thursday, March 12 at City Campus. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winners included: Thomas R. Allen ’03, Clinical Director, CCS Oncology Dr. Brendan Alleyne ’06, Plastic Surgeon Resident, Cleveland Clinic Joyce DeLong ’75, Owner, Insty Prints of Cheektowaga Deborah L. Pease ’77, Director of Education, NY, Wendel Companies Richard S. Pyszczek ’94, Social Studies Teacher and Staff Developer, City Honors Carl Stokes ’01, Team Leader of Youth Services, L.I.F.E. Program, Heritage Centers Nathan Witkowski ’99, Assistant Professor, Industrial Technology Program Erie Community College, received the Distinguished Alumni Employee Award. Western New York Dental Group received the President’s Award for extraordinary support of ECC’s academic programs. Penn State College of Engineering received the Trustees’ Award for outstanding leadership in higher education. Mark L. Martin, Administrative Vice President, M&T Bank received the Foundation Award for extraordinary support and dedication to the ECC Foundation. Eugene Vukelic, Chairman and CEO, Try-It Distributing Co., Inc. received the Community Impact Award as an outstanding leader in Western New York. John Danna received the Louis J. Billittier Honorary Alumni Award as a non-alumnus whose personal and professional pursuits reflect the standards associated with ECC.
Savings earned after one year at ECC Versus a public four-year college: $4,280 Versus a private four-year college: $26,372 *Information from College Board’s Trends in Pricing, 2014-15
6
O
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? Look up the tuition cost of your local public and private universities. 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, the college boasts more than 25 one-year certificate programs, all crafted to train students for sustainable professions 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.
E RIE C OMMUNITY 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
Sincerely,
Jack Quinn, President of Erie Community College
ECC Today is produced by the ECC Public Relations Department. Please contact their office at 851-1866 with questions, comments or submissions.