Genesee Community College Honors November Employee and Student of the Month

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Charmayne Bloom, November 2014 Employee of the Month

BATAVIA, NY (11/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Genesee Community College is pleased to announce Charmayne Bloom has been named November 2014 Employee of the Month. Charmayne is an academic advisor at the Medina Campus Center, where she's worked for seven years. She was there when the center opened and sees daily its value to the community where she was born and raised. "Without the building being here, there are a lot of younger and non-traditional students who wouldn't have come to school," she said.

Charmayne wears many hats at the Medina Campus Center and is described as "calm, steady and flexible." She works directly with students as an academic advisor and coordinates health and wellness activities for them. She enjoys "seeing them fulfill a goal or two; showing them they really can do it and helping them get there." In naming her Employee of the Month, the College noted "Charmayne is a well-informed advisor who is creative, organized and can always be counted on to be a team player." She serves students "with compassion and her ever-present smile."

As a lifelong Medina resident, Charmayne has also developed workshops for the community that have been offered at the campus center through GCC's The BEST Center. These have included genealogy, knitting and a number of computer courses for which she has written some of the curriculum. She has been active professionally with NACADA (The Global Community for Academic Advising) and has attended two conferences in Denver (2012) and Salt Lake City (2013).

Before she came to GCC, Charmayne spent 11 years as a teacher's assistant working with special education students in the Medina Central School District. When she saw the opening at GCC, it was a chance to return to her alma mater. She earned an AS in Human Services in 1986, ten years after she'd graduated high school and the same year she married her husband of 28 years, Bob.

The couple has one daughter, Chelsey, who earned a healthcare certificate from GCC and is now a junior studying psychology at D'Youville College. Charmayne's older brother also studied at GCC. "It's very homey having the campus here in Medina," said Charmayne. "It's doing a lot of good."

When she's not working, Charmayne enjoys camping and knitting (she learned through a class at the Medina Campus Center). She is a member of the Orleans Genesee Human Services Council and is also a Level 2 Reiki practitioner.

Genesee Community College is also pleased to announce Ami Cornell has been named the November 2014 Student of the Month. A native of Pittsford, NY, Ami is a 2013 graduate of Pittsford Sutherland High School. She is pursuing a degree in Fashion Merchandising Management.

Ami serves as the Student Trustee to the GCC Board of Trustees and is doing an excellent job in representing the interests of students. Ami also played a key role in the success of the College's annual spring Fashion Show last year and will be making significant contributions to this year's show as well. In naming her Student of the Month, the College noted "She has excellent leadership and communication skills and is a great role model for others."

Ami, 19, chose to attend GCC because of "the amazing fashion program." She also appreciates "the ability to attend school, work and save money simultaneously." She's been very pleased with her decision. "From the amazing faculty, to the students, everyone's always overwhelmingly kind and welcoming. They all want to see you succeed, and that's a great feeling!"

Once she completes her GCC degree, Ami plans to transfer to a four-year institution to continue Fashion studies and take more coursework in communications/publication. "My dream job would be to write for a major fashion magazine such as Vogue," she said.

Ami is the daughter of Joel and Christine Cornell. She has a little sister, Sydney.

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Editor's Note:

A photograph of Charmayne Bloom is available here:

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

A photograph of Ami Cornell is available here:

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