Author Archives: Becky Schubmehl

Elementary School Students Get College Lesson at Buffalo State

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More than 500 first-, second-, and third-graders from Buffalo Public School 39, Martin Luther King, and School 45 International School are attending “I Am College Bound” at Buffalo State.

Buffalo Public Schools and Buffalo State are working together to make college graduation a goal for these young students.

“We want children to be thinking about college as early as possible,” said John Siskar, director of the Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education (CEURE). “Research shows that children who are aware of college at an early age are much more likely to earn a college degree.”

The “I Am College Bound” program, which is in its second year, includes academic activities, a campus tour and an on-campus lunch for the elementary school students.  The students participate in various science-based activities on campus that the college professors’ tailor to the elementary teachers’ curricula.  After, the students are given a tour of the campus, library, classrooms and labs.  Finally, the elementary students get a chance to eat lunch with some of Buffalo State’s sports players.

“Our teachers discuss the importance of attending college regularly,” said one of the principals whose school was involved last year. “However, it is one thing to talk about college; it’s another thing to actually experience college.”

That experience makes all the difference, Siskar agrees. “We give each student an ID card that says ‘I Am College Bound,’” he said. “We hope they hold onto it until the day they have their own college ID.”

For more information, please visit http://www.buffalostate.edu/.

Onondaga Community College: Preparing the next generation of utility workers

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In partnership with National Grid, Onondaga Community College offers a Line Worker Certificate designed to prepare the next generation of utility workers and help address the utility industry’s need to replenish its workforce. Baby boomers in the industry continue to retire in waves, and the need for qualified workers with math, science, and engineering skills has never been greater. Advances in utility technology and increasing investment in aging electric networks puts an emphasis on training individuals to be readily adaptable to meet industry changes.

Students complete their coursework at Onondaga and earn hands-on experience at National Grid in their fully energized simulation laboratory. The one year program will qualify graduates for line worker jobs at National Grid as well as other roles at other electrical utilities and related industries.  The program’s coursework can also be applied to a two year technology associates degree if desired.

For more information on Onondaga Community College’s Line Worker Certificate, click here.

Alumni Profiles: Glenn Johnson – 13 WHAM- TV, Chief Meteorologist

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Alumni Profiles is an ongoing series highlighting successful graduates who, with a SUNY education, achieved interesting and influential careers.

Glenn Johnson is the Chief Meteorologist at 13 WHAM-TV in Rochester, NY, and an alumnus of the SUNY College at Brockport.  While at Brockport, Glenn discovered his talent for broadcast meteorology through his major in Earth Science and his minor in Communication, as well as his extracurricular activities.

Glenn Johnson (Courtesy of 13 WHAM TV)

How did your SUNY education help you prepare for life and your career?

For some students, the transition from high school to college can be rather difficult. I know it was for me, considering I was going to a school that was more than 400 miles from home. But Brockport had that family atmosphere, which made the transition for me seamless. As a result, I then was able to quickly excel as a SUNY Brockport student.

Making a career choice in meteorology is not for the faint of heart. Inherently, it has a very limited market for jobs prospects. However, Brockport allowed me to explore the possibilities in the field and ultimately, it was the faculty that shined the light on a hidden talent that I never knew I had. Forecasting the weather is one thing, but communicating it to a large audience is something very different. I was fortunate that I had professors in both the meteorology and communication majors who encouraged me to make this choice. It was in my final semester at Brockport that led to an internship and that connection to the business world provided the opportunity for my position as a television meteorologist.

As I look back after almost more than 27 years since graduation, I realize that some of the most profound changes in my life can be directly attributed to my college career at Brockport. Both personally and professionally, the SUNY college environment set the stage for who I am today.

What was your involvement with clubs/student organizations on campus?

I was involved in many activities and intramural sports during my time at Brockport. That was the joy of living on campus. But there were several organizations that really made a difference for me. First, the meteorology club pushed me to explore the field to a much greater extent. In my final year, I was elected president of the club, which brought a greater sense of responsibility.  Also, my involvement at WBSU radio showed me what was really possible after my time at Brockport.  However, what really broadened my horizon as a student was to be awarded the position of an R.A. or what is better known as a residential assistant. Sure, you can attribute this experience to increased leadership or responsibility, but for me this really proved that I could push myself beyond what I thought were my limits as a person. That was invaluable to me as I went out into the so called working world.

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Congresswoman Hochul Announces School-to-Work Initiative

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Following a School-to-Work roundtable at Monroe Community College (MCC) last week, Congresswoman Kathy Hochul stood with administrators from MCC, Genesee Community College (GCC), SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and other area schools, to announce her plan to introduce the Workforce-Ready Educate America Act, which partners local employers with educational institutions in an effort to create a job-ready workforce.

Congresswoman Hochul

“Every year, Western New York’s outstanding educational institutions educate and train our students, but after graduation many of our young people are moving to cities with better job opportunities,” said Congresswoman Hochul.  “If we create a partnership between our local businesses and our local schools, we can provide our students with the sufficient skills to meet the needs of these fast-growing industries, while keeping a trained workforce right here in Western New York.”

“Co-operative education is truly a win-win for students and employers alike,” said Nancy L. Zimpher, chancellor of The State University of New York, where the SUNY Works Network is making co-op available to all of New York. “This additional tax-credit incentive for businesses to partner with colleges and universities as they expand their co-op offerings will be invaluable.  Congresswoman Hochul is to be commended for her foresight and leadership in bringing this legislation to bear as the nation aims to double the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.”

Congresswoman Hochul’s legislation would incentivize partnerships between employers and educational institutions by providing local businesses with a tax credit for each student participating in a qualified technical training and skills partnering program.

SUNY Associate Counsel Speaks on Panel about Online Piracy

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Last week, SUNY Associate Counsel Joseph Storch was invited to speak about campus online piracy at the National Association of Attorneys General spring meeting.

As SUNY Associate Counsel, Storch provides legal advice to SUNY Cortland, SUNY Oswego and SUNY Institute of Technology and chairs the Student Affairs Practice Group.  He graduated from SUNY Oswego and Cornell Law School and is currently completing his Masters in Public Policy at the University at Albany.

Due to his specialization in digital copyright and intellectual property, Storch was invited to be part of an Intellectual Property Panel on campus online piracy at last week’s National Association of Attorneys General spring meeting.  Other members on the panel were former Senator Christopher Dodd, the Motion Picture Association of America’s chairman and CEO; Richard Cotton, NBCUniversal Media LLC executive vice president and general counsel; and Larry Conrad, UNC’s information technology vice chancellor and chief information officer.  When asked about being invited to speak on the panel, Storch said he felt honored to be invited to speak with such esteemed panelists as Senator Dodd, Richard Cotton and Larry Conrad.

The panel gave both the entertainment industry and universities a chance to share their perspective on file sharing on university and college campuses.  In his presentation, Storch recalled the phrase engraved above the Moot Court bench at his law school, “the Law Must Be Stable, and Yet It Cannot Stand Still” in arguing that, “[s]ociety has changed and copyright law must be strong, but it also must advance.  Higher Education and the entertainment industry can partner in exciting and innovative ways to protect intellectual property while providing a myriad of legal and appropriately priced options to our students.”

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