Ninety-seven students at JCC’s Jamestown Campus were inducted into the Alpha Kappa Beta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national two-year college honor fraternity, on February 27.

Robert B. Anderson, a JCC alumnus from the class of 1990 and principal of Gowanda High School, was the guest speaker.

A student must achieve at least a 3.50 grade point average to be considered for induction and must have two faculty recommendations.

The Arbor Day Foundation has announced that JCC is a 2009 Tree Campus USA college for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship.

JCC is the first community college in New York to be named a Tree Campus USA college. JCC’s Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses and North County Center are included in the designation.

Bard College and Cornell University were the other New York state schools named to the Tree Campus USA list.

Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities and the leaders of the campus and surrounding communities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship. Tree Campus USA is supported by a grant from Toyota.

Middle School Challenge, an academic quiz bowl competition featuring teams from Cassadaga Valley, Fredonia, Maple Grove, Persell Middle School, Ripley, Sherman, Southwestern, and Washington Middle School will be held March 20, beginning at 9 a.m. at JCC’s Jamestown Campus.

Spectators are welcome to attend the matches which will be conducted in Scharmann Theatre in the Arts and Sciences Center.

Match times are: Fredonia vs. Persell, 9 a.m.; Maple Grove vs. Cassadaga Valley, 9:30, Sherman vs. Washington, 10, and Southwestern vs. Ripley, 10:30. The semifinal matches begin at 11:15 and 11:45 with the championship match expected to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Students in JCC’s World Politics course participated in a live interactive interview with John Park, international expert on Korea and Korean relations at the US Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, DC in early February.

The students will play the roles of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea in an online simulation during March and April with students from various colleges throughout the U.S.

The interview with Dr. Park was offered to JCC in recognition of JCC’s ongoing commitment to global education and the involvement of Gregory Rabb, associate professor of political science and coordinator of JCC’s global education program, with USIP programs. Rabb has guided various international simulations for several years through educational consortiums.

JCC is participating in the pilot release of the new campus-based leadership development program created by the Institute for Community College Development (ICCD) at Cornell University.

JCC is working in conjunction with Cayuga Community College and Finger Lakes Community College to test the program with ICCD. The program allows the participants to use the Gravitational Leadership 360 (GL360) Skills Inventory, the first such tool designed expressly for community college leadership development. Information obtained from the GL360 assists participants in identifying strengths and strategies to lead.

JCC will host a healthcare job and education fair from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on March 26 in the Physical Education Complex on JCC’s Jamestown Campus.

Healthcare employers and representatives of four-year colleges have been invited to attend the event to provide information on job opportunities in the healthcare field.

Visitors to the job fair should several copies of their resume and should dress appropriately since they will meet with potential employers.

For more information about the job fair, call Rita Freeborough, JCC’s employment development specialist, at 716.338.1066 or email ritafreeborough@mail.sunyjcc.edu.
 

Artwork created by three JCC students will be included in the spring State University of New York Student Art Exhibition.

A self-portrait in graphite by Sarah Modica, a self-portrait in airbrush by Baca Potts, and a dry pastel by Caitlin Ross were submitted to the juried show. The works will be on display in the main concourse of SUNY Plaza in Albany through May 28.

Other works by Ms. Ross which were included in the fall 2009 SUNY exhibition were selected for the Best of SUNY exhibition which will be held at the State Museum this summer.

Works judged as best of show will be displayed June 7 through September 24. SUNY student art exhibitions can be viewed at www.suny.edu/artGallery.
 

Of Mice and Men opens March 12 on the Scharmann Theatre stage.

Performances will be held at 8 p.m. on March 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20 and at 2 p.m. on March 14. Ticket prices are: general admission, $7, senior citizens and area students, $6, and FSA members, $5. Tickets can be obtained by calling the JCC box office, 716.338.1187, or at the theatre door.

The production contains some content that may be inappropriate for children. Parental discretion is advised.

The cast features JCC students Jason Farrar of Dunkirk, Louis DeCarlo of Gowanda, Stephan Howell and Tony Taylor of Jamestown, Adam Hughes and Megan Lindahl of Lakewood, and Aaron Puvel of Salamanca. Steven Gustafson, Dan Callahan, and Skip Anderson will also perform.

Dana Shelters has been named coach of the women’s softball team at JCC’s Jamestown Campus.

The Jayhawks will open their season on March 25 at Westmoreland College.

“Coach Shelters brings continuity to our women’s athletics program with his experience coaching our soccer team,” said Bill Burk, JCC athletics director. “He has a lot of experience coaching women and the sport of softball, and understands what it means to be successful at the intercollegiate level.”

Shelters is also coach of the JCC women’s soccer team, a post he has held since 2007.
 

A total of 503 students were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2009 semester at JCC's Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses. The students named to the list earned at least a 3.50 average, equal to a B plus or better, in 12 or more semester hours of study.

Allegany Rita Bielinski, Scott Burroughs, Chelsea Carey, Justin First, William Meister, Kristine Wilson
Andover Carly Olds
Angelica Barbara Hewitt
Ashville Daniel Auflick, Korey Carlson, Chelsea Fisher, Jordan Flint, Brent Johnson, Patty Josephson, Samantha Leone, Amber Lussier, Rebecca Nies, Lauren Norris, Ajaye Pattison, Alyson Raynor, Taylor Shreve, Ashley Sweeney, Greg Yuchnitz
Belfast Carlie Ellison, Jessica Thompson
Belmont Mariah Evans
Bemus Point Ryan Lucas, Darlene Maier, Miranda Stoddard, Brittany White

Spanish in Guatemala: Explore and Volunteer, a four-credit course that provides participants the opportunity to receive instruction in Spanish and perform career-related volunteer work in Antigua, will be offered May 29 through June 12.

The cost of the trip, which includes housing, meals, and roundtrip airfare to Guatemala City, is $2,500. The first deposit is due March 15. To register for the course, or to obtain additional details, contact JCC faculty members Theresa Baginski, 716.338.1159, or Andrea Turton, 716.376.7550.

One-on-one Spanish instruction with a native Guatemalan instructor will be provided. Students will explore the social, historical, and cultural history of Guatemala while living with a Guatemalan family and volunteering for a local organization. Tours of Antigua, the Mayan Market of Chichicastenango, the Mayan ruins in Tikal, and the Pacaya volcano will be conducted.

The Bonnie Loch Fiddlers, under the direction of Sue Tillotson, will perform at 7 p.m. on March 10 in Cutco Theater on JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus.

The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by Cutco Foundation, Olean Medical Group, and the JCC Faculty Student Association.

The performance, part of the Rising Star Series, includes a blend of traditional, contemporary, and original Celtic music. Band member Lydia Byard, reigning U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion in the Open division, will be featured. She was one of six finalists in the Niel Gow International Composition Competition last fall.

Aemile Donoghue of the Olean Area Irish Dancers will accompany the group in selected pieces. Miss Donoghue, aseventh grader at Ellicottville Central School, studies with Katie Duggan.

A total of 152 students earned degrees and certificates from JCC's Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses in December 2009. Three students earned highest honors, 35 earned high honors, and 23 earned honors.

Students graduating with highest honors, representing a 4.0 grade point average, included: Associate in Arts (A.A.)-Social Science - Nancy Gallets of Jamestown; Associate in Science (A.S.)-Business: Business Administration - Krista Hurley of Fredonia; and Certificate-Computer-Aided Design and Numerical Control - Beau Kibbey of Warren.

JCC received backing from Assemblyman Joseph Giglio to fund a one-time safety project by granting JCC an $8,000 2009-2010 member item to purchase and install six automated external defibrillators (AED) at its Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean. An AED was placed in each of the six buildings on campus.

John Sayegh, dean of the Cattaraugus County Campus stated, “JCC is fortunate to be the recipient of grant funds from Assemblyman Joe Giglio. He understands that in the rare occasions of heart-related emergencies on campus, it is essential that a defibrillator be accessible within a few minutes of a cardiac arrest. We appreciate Assemblyman Giglio’s help in making JCC a safer place for our student population, employees, and visitors.”

Five JCC students participated in the annual SUNY Model European Union Simulation (SUNYMEU) held earlier this month at the University of Limerick in Ireland.

Aubrey Richir from JCC’s Jamestown Campus and Melissa Graves, Mariah Wild, Amber Cheladyn, and Chad Austin from the Cattaraugus County Campus were accompanied by JCC faculty members Gregory Rabb and Martha Zenns. The JCC students represented Sweden and Latvia.

JCC’s course on the EU simulation is taught via interactive television technology between the Jamestown and Olean campuses.

This year’s program was “European Council Summit: The Spanish Presidency.” Students were assigned a role as a representative of a larger delegation (an EU country or the EU Commission), as heads of government, foreign ministers, EU commissioners, or even, for journalism majors, as members of the press corps.

JCC’s Jamestown Campus recently hosted a regional workshop for the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT).

NAPBIRT, the largest non-profit international educational association dedicated to the advancement of the craft of band instrument repair, sponsors regional workshops throughout the country but the JCC event was the first for this area.

“The regional workshop is a great resource for people who want to share and better their craft,” said Bill Eckstrom, an adjunct music faculty member at JCC and workshop presenter.

The JCC event attracted seven participants, including individuals from Ohio and Buffalo, who were focused on guitar, woodwinds, and brass repair techniques. Eckstrom, who has been a NAPBIRT member since 2000, hopes to sponsor another workshop again.

The JCCAlumni Association’s “Mystery at the Clown Convention” on January 29 and 30 has sold out. Ticket reservations are no longer being taken.
 

“Architectural Observations: Paintings by Hope Zaccagni” will be displayed in the Center Gallery on JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean February 12 through May 7. The gallery is located on the second floor of College Center.

An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on February 12. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibition is sponsored by JCC and the Cattaraugus County Arts Council.

“Architectural Observations” is a gathering of five small series of paintings of buildings, spaces, and places.

The JCC Cattaraugus County Campus women’s soccer team earned the National Silver Team Ethics/Sportsmanship Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) for the 2009 season.

For the second year in a row, the Jaguars have won the award which recognizes fair play and sporting behavior. The silver award is given to teams that accumulate no red ejection cards and a maximum of five yellow caution cards throughout the season.

Jaguars head coach Ryan Deppa accepted the award recently at the annual NSCAA convention in Philadelphia.

“This is a fantastic award not only for the team, but also for the Cattaraugus County Campus,” said Deppa. “It speaks highly for the girls to earn national recognition.”

The Community Reads Project, sponsored by JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus and the Olean Public Library, launches activities around its 2009-10 book selection, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, in February.

The Community Reads Project is part of the “one book, one community” movement that has spread across the U.S. from Seattle where it originated. 

For more information on Community Reads Project activities, contact Mary Jermann at JCC, 716.376.7594.

The Kite Runner is the story of the friendship of two boys growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan during the final days of the monarchy.

The program series includes a discussion on Islam and its practice by Fr. Michael Calabria, a lecturer in the Arab and Islamic Studies program in the modern languages department at St. Bonaventure University, at 5 p.m. on February 1 in the Magnano Reception Room at JCC.

JCC has signed transfer articulation agreements with D'Youville College and Hartwick College.

The agreement with D’Youville facilitates transfer into D’Youville’s exercise and sports studies degree program. It guarantees acceptance and junior standing with the transfer of 56 or more credit hours for JCC students who graduate with an appropriate associate’s degree and a minimum JCC cumulative grade point average of 2.5.

JCC students are also guaranteed the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in four semesters at D’Youville if they take courses specified in the appropriate agreement as part of their associate’s degree.

“Stories Through the Microphone,” by actor and playwright Annette Daniels-Taylor, will be one of the features during a community-wide observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at 6 p.m. on January 18 on JCC’s Jamestown Campus. The program is free and open to the public.

A pre-program performance by Steel Pan Alley, an ensemble of the Infinity Performing Arts Program, will begin at 5:45. The ensemble, under the instruction of Howie Feldman, will also perform with members of the Emmanuel Baptist Church youth choir during the program.

Other program features include a recitation of one of Dr. King’s speeches by Jamestown city councilman Michael Taylor. “Thoughts on Racism,” which focuses on positive awareness through original lyrics and music, will be performed by members of the Eastside YMCA’s Rising Stars program. A step dance team from the Cassadaga Job Corps will also perform an original work.

Music by area groups Babik and Zamira will be featured during the opening reception for “Live, Laugh, and Die: Unraveling Contemporary Culture and Media,” an exhibition of works by Colette Copeland, on January 30 in the Weeks Gallery on JCC’s Jamestown Campus.

Copeland will present an artist’s talk at 6:30 p.m. The reception begins at 7, featuring hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer tasting, and music by Zamira. Babik performs at 8:15.

Tickets for the event can be obtained through JCC’s box office, 338.1187. Admission is $12 for the general public, $10 for area students and senior citizens, $8 for JCC Faculty Student Association members, and $4 for children 12 and under.

The event is sponsored by JCC, JCC FSA, JCC Foundation, the Arthur R. Gren Company, and the Southern Tier Brewing Company.

The JCC Alumni Association will present “Mystery at the Clown Convention” on January 29 and 30 in the Student Union on JCC's Jamestown Campus.

The event, which is the organization's 21st original, interactive mystery, begins at 7 p.m. Admission, which includes hors d’oeuvres and refreshments served throughout the evening, is $20 per person for the general public and $17.50 for members of the alumni association or JCC's Faculty Student Association.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling the alumni office at 716.338.1056 or completing and mailing the online reservation form.

Proceeds from the event support the JCC Alumni Fund, which includes four different scholarship programs, and have also provided several special gifts for the college.
 

Advisement and registration for individuals who plan to enroll for the spring semester at JCC’s Jamestown Campus will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. on January14 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 15.

Advisement and registration at the Cattaraugus County Campus will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on January 14 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 15.

Spring semester courses begin January 19. Additional information can be obtained by calling 716.338.1065 on the Jamestown Campus and 716.338.7520 on the Cattaraugus County Campus.