GCC's Campaign Kickoff Celebrates a Half Century of Community Connecting Through Education

Related Media

Members of the Call Family

BATAVIA, NY (01/23/2015)(readMedia)-- The "Creating Our Future Together" Campaign Kickoff at Genesee Community College on Wednesday night was a multifaceted, multimedia and multi-generational celebration of higher education-past, present and future in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming Counties.

The event featured the public announcement of Genesee Community College's comprehensive fundraising campaign, entitled "Creating Our Future Together," which supports a significant capital project to expand the Batavia campus, and also new student scholarship programs throughout the GLOW region. College officials, including Campaign Chairman, Craig Yunker were delighted to reveal that through the quiet phase of the campaign just over $4 million has already been pledged toward the overall goal of $5 million.

In his heartfelt remarks, Yunker not only spoke about the efforts of his own parents who were passionate supporters of the formation of a college in Genesee County exactly 50 years ago, but also about Richard C. Call, who encouraged Craig to lend his support of the plan to expand the Batavia Campus today.

"Dick made this project and this campaign a dream of his and his enthusiasm for the project, especially for the Event Center, was contagious," Yunker told a crowd of nearly 100 supporters. "He built excitement among his own family and later among many of us in the agricultural community."

Sadly, Mr. Call passed in August 2014, but his dream continues through his family members, many of whom were in the audience at the Campaign Kickoff Wednesday night. "I can report to you that Dick inspired every member of our campaign cabinet and his ideals remain a guiding force of this campaign," Yunker said.

The Campaign Cabinet includes the following members holding leadership roles:

• Craig Yunker, General Chair / CY Farms/Batavia Turf

• Peter R. Call, Leadership Division Chair / My-T Acres Inc.

• Donna M. Ferry, Board Division Chair / GCC Trustee/ SJF Construction

• John M. McGowan, Faculty/ Staff Division Chair / BEST Center, Genesee Community College

• Nathan L. Rudgers, Agriculture Division Chair/ Farm Credit East / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Richard B. Henry, Major Gifts Division Chair / Clark Patterson Lee / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Monica Hale Dawson, Special Gifts Division Chair / Shepard, Maxwell & Hale / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Todd J. Bender, General Gifts Chair/ The Igniter Group / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Margaret B. Dadd, Wyoming East Division Chair / General Practice Attorney

• Russell G. Miller, Wyoming West Division Chair / Plato Brook Farms

• Jodi Gaines, Orleans Division Chair / Claims Recovery Service

• Les Cole, Livingston Division Chair / Commodity Resource Corporation/GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• William R. Fritts, Prospect Review Chair / Lawley Genesee, LLC

• James Fulmer, Campaign Treasurer / Bank of Castile

• Robert L. Boyce, Member at Large / College Trustee / President of GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• John C. Dwyer, Member at Large / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Norbert J. Fuest, Member at Large / GCC Foundation Board of Directors

• Maureen J. Marshall, Member at Large / Trustee, Genesee Community College

• James M. Sunser, Member at Large / President, Genesee Community College

The "Creating Our Future Together" kickoff also shared the highlights of the new facilities currently being planned for the Batavia Campus. These include:

• The Student Success Center bringing together in one place the array of state-of-the-art services focused on academic, career and success coaching for students. The $5 million, 9,000 square foot facility will nearly encircle Clock Tower Plaza, transforming the outdoor space into an inviting courtyard.

• The College and Community Event Center will be located adjacent to the outdoor athletic fields on the Batavia Campus. At a cost of just under $14 million, the 43,000 square foot Center will be able to accommodate a wide variety of events, such as home and garden shows, business conferences, and numerous sporting events including track and field meets. This space expands opportunities for the College to partner with the community.

Once the two new building projects highlighted above are completed, the vacated areas within the existing facilities of the Batavia Campus will offer the opportunity to add instructional spaces for state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories for new academic programs.

The program concluded with the premiere of a specially created video that illustrates the important economic impact GCC has made on the surrounding community as well as the contribution to local businesses and lives of thousands of individuals. To view the video go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd6JKsypJAg

For more information, contact Associate Director of Marketing and Communications Donna Rae Sutherland at (585) 343-0005 ext. 6616 or via email dsutherland@genesee.edu.

# # #

For photographs from the Creating Our Future Together Campaign Kickoff, go to:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Call Family_1_21_15.jpg

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/CraigYunker_Speaking1.jpg

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Boyce_Sunser_Yunker_Bohm_1_21_15.jpg

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/GCC_PresidentsPast_Present.jpg