OLEAN, N.Y. — SUNY Jamestown Community College celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Cattaraugus County Campus during a gathering of about 150 people Thursday night at the Olean YMCA.
Addressing a group of attendees that included elected officials, faculty and staff, alumni, students, JCC board of trustees members, business leaders, and individuals who have supported the college over the years, JCC President Daniel DeMarte stressed that the campus’ greatest strength is its connection to the community.
“The success of this campus has always depended on the people and organizations that believe in the power of education,” he said. “People who chose to invest. People who understand that investing in students meant investing in the future of our community. This evening is our opportunity to express our gratitude.”
JCC opened its doors to students in Olean for the first time on Aug. 30, 1976, in a former elementary school building on Homer Street. The college’s presence in Cattaraugus County began after Alfred State closed its Olean extension campus because of financial constraints.
JCC moved to the former Montgomery Ward department store on North Union Street in 1984 and later to its current 12-acre, seven-building downtown campus in 2003.
Campus 50th Anniversary celebration.
Former Olean Mayor and longtime JCC Board of Trustees member Jim Griffin and former JCC President Greg DeCinque spoke to the gathering about the yearslong process of building a new campus in Olean in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The college was in danger of leaving Olean if it didn't have support from the Cattaraugus County Legislature.
Griffin initially viewed a new Cattaraugus County Campus as an economic investment project. His perspective changed when several alumni and business leaders testified to the Legislature about the impact the college had on their lives. Many said they would not have been able to attend college without JCC.
“This went on and on,” Griffin said. “Kind of like the Grinch sliding down the hill and his heart growing, I started to realize, ‘Holy smokes, this is way may more important.’ I learned that night that community college is a critical and unique asset to a community. What I learned that night has kept me on the board of trustees for 25 years since then.”
DeCinque, who served as JCC president for 19 years, spoke about the many challenges of regionalizing the college beyond Jamestown, securing political and financial support, and acquiring the properties needed to build a downtown campus in Olean.
He remembered Jim Snyder, a longtime Cattaraugus County legislator, saying the stars had to align for JCC to remain in downtown Olean.
“Most of all, it was all about so many people who believed that this was worth doing,” DeCinque said. “Those of us who had any role in it were privileged to watch it unfold. I just feel very fortunate to have been a part of it. I certainly appreciated all the support that we got from the community as we went through this process.”
DeMarte thanked alumni, elected leaders, faculty and staff, retirees, civic organizations, media partners, business leaders, and “friends who worked alongside us to help this campus grow and thrive.”
“As we look ahead, we do so with great confidence because that same spirit of partnership that created this campus continues to thrive today,” DeMarte said. “That spirit allows our students to succeed, our communities to prosper, and our region to remain strong for generations to come.”
The celebration included a buffet catered by Century Manor and chef Ike Iacono, with dishes inspired by cultural foods and beloved restaurants that have been part of Olean’s food scene over the past half century.
The menu featured items honoring the originals, including Pasta Louis, once served at Pasta Luigi and the Old Library; chicken kabobs inspired by Attard’s Restaurant; beef bites from Century Manor; the classic Vegetable Bouquetiere from the Castle Restaurant; beef on weck, popularized by the Beef N Barrel; and a Polish favorite, cabbage rolls from the Pulaski Club.
Hatch Cafe provided desserts, including a variety of cakes, while the Century Manor created a signature Jayhawk cocktail for the occasion.
Olean band Sticktights provided entertainment.
The event planning committee included DeMarte, Griffin, Taylor Lubi of the YMCA, John Whelpley and Meme Yanetsko of the JCC Foundation, and Paula Snyder, Brenda Brandon, Dale Yerpe, and Vinny Pezzimenti from JCC.
Visit the SUNY JCC Facebook page to see more photos from the celebration and sunyjcc.edu/news to read stories honoring JCC's 50 years in Cattaraugus County.