TODAY

ECC partners with Buffalo’s HarborCenterECC listed among most affordable | Page 1 ECC earns Preservation Award | Page 2 Alumni Spotlight | Page 6

Fall 2014

Giving kids a smile | See page 5

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ECC listed again among most affordable U.S. colleges

Erie Community College has been recognized again nationally for some-thing Western New Yorkers have

always been familiar with: its affordability. The U.S. Department of Education’s

College Affordability and Transparency Center included ECC on its latest list of themost affordable public two-year colleges inthe country, based on tuition, fees and average net price—the cost of attendanceafter considering all grant and scholarshipaid—charged to students. The three-campuscollege appears among 77 two-year collegesacross the U.S. with the lowest average netprice. Based on numbers obtained before the2012-13 academic year, ECC’s net cost of

$2,980 per year is tops in New York State andranks 37th overall. (The national average is$7,163.) Also noted is that 85% of ECC students received some sort of college aid,considerably high among the school’s comparable state and national peers.“This is great news, and yet another

example of how ECC is gaining nationalrecognition for its education,” said PresidentJack Quinn. “We’ve been committed to keeping costs low and aid available for ourstudents, and we’ll continue to do so withoutsacrificing the college’s career-focused curriculum that’s noted throughout SUNYand beyond.”

The College Affordability and TransparencyCenter includes information for students, parents, and policymakers about college costs at America’s colleges and universities.According to their website, the Center’s listsare generated using data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics(NCES) through the Integrated Postsec-ondary Education Data System (IPEDS).IPEDS is a mandatory data collection for institutions that participate in or are applicants for participation in any federal student financial aid program authorized byTitle IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965,as amended (20 USC 1094, Section487(a)(17) and 34 CFR 668.14(b)(19)).

This past summer, Erie Community College andthe U.S. Transportation Security Administration(TSA) honored its first class of graduates from theirHomeland Security training partnership with a ceremony held at the Buffalo-Niagara InternationalAirport.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)is partnering with community colleges to provide theairport staffs throughout the nation the opportunity towork toward a TSA Certificate of Achievement inHomeland Security and/or Associate Degree inHomeland Security or a related field. The TSAlaunched the program in 2008—with airports andcommunity colleges in locations like Baltimore, SanAntonio and Washington, D.C.—to determine thebest approach to educating employees while causingminimal interruption to their work schedule. In spring

2013, ten new airports joined the Associates Programincluding Buffalo-Niagara International Airport alongwith its college partner, Erie Community College. Inits first year, ECC honored 10 program grads with aTSA Certificate of Achievement and has encouragedall to use their credits toward either an associate orbachelor’s degree.

Only 16 percent of TSA screeners have an associatedegree or higher. With this program, TSA officers

are exposed to college-level education; how it helpsimprove their job performance; teaches them aboutthe history of and need for Homeland Security; andmotivates them to continue their education.

As of spring 2014 there are 152 airports with 89partner colleges participating in the program. Thereare currently over 4,700 students enrolled nationally.

ECC, TSAhonor firstpartnershipprogram graduates

With New York State’s lowest net price among two-year colleges, ECC allows students to earn career-focused college credits without drowning in debt.

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ECC earns Preservation Buffalo Niagaraaward for restoration of City Campus

Erie Community College was recently awarded the first PeterB. and Genevieve R. Flickinger

Stewardship Award for the restorationof the school’s iconic 1901 City CampusBuilding at Preservation Buffalo Niagara’s 6th Annual PreservationAwards Ceremony and Luncheon atKleinhans Music Hall.The over $11 million preservation

project (which began in 2010) includedreplacement of the one-time BuffaloPost Office building’s roof; granite andmortar repair of the building’s toweringexterior; replacement of the stone wallsand cast iron porte cochere at the college’s Oak Street loading dock;restoration of fourth floor art glass; replacement of the entire building’swindows and window frames; and

EECCCC

The iconic Old Post Office Building

was built in

1901

The Old Post officebuilding becamehome to ECC in

1982

installation of four copper rooftopfinials—which haven’t set atop thebuilding since before 1980.Alongwith assistance from Erie County,ECC officials collaborated withFlynn Battaglia Architects, PiconeConstruction, Grove Roofing, Morris Masonry, and Jens Glass tocomplete a project ECC PresidentJack Quinn believes is vital to CityCampus’s future and downtownBuffalo’s current resurgence. “Our City Campus building is a

centerpiece of Buffalo’s higher education and architectural history,”said Quinn. “To see it restored to its current glory gives students abeautiful building to call home, andgives this region’s residents anotherlandmark to be proud of.”

As noted in the PreservationAwards Ceremony program, “therestoration of Erie Community College’s Old Post Office Buildingto its grandeur of the early 1900sepitomizes the definition of adaptivereuse and patient stewardship.” After Post Office operations

moved elsewhere in 1963, theGothic Revival-style building—withits mansard roofline, carved exteriorgargoyles and 244-foot tower—wasopen to become home to ECC in1982. Now, its City Campus Buildingis listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places, and has been glori-ously restored to stand tall as one ofBuffalo’s architectural gems.

Pictured above: One of ECC’s four restored rooftop finials (left); ECC City Campus in theearly stages of restoration (center); and President Quinn joins project representatives at thePreservation Buffalo Niagara’s Preservation Awards ceremony (upper right).

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HarborCenter and ErieCommunity College areheading into the Fall2014 semester primedwith a partnership that’s

made HarborCenter the home of ECC Katshockey, beginning with the 2014-2015 season.“Welcoming the ECC Kats Hockey

Program further affirms our commitment tohockey development,” said John Koelmel,President of HarborCenter. “It is our goal toimprove hockey at all levels. With the help ofour state of the art facilities, ECC will be ableto offer its student athletes a high level opportunity that far exceeds a typical juniorcollegiate hockey program. We’re proud thatECC will be able to better serve their studentsand the community at HarborCenter.”

"On behalf of the students, faculty and administration of Erie Community College, I'd like to thank John Koelmel, Nik Fattey andthe rest of the HarborCenter team for makingthis partnership a reality,” said ECC PresidentJack Quinn. “ECC, whether with our picturesque City Campus or career-focusedstudents, has always had a strong presence indowntown Buffalo. But to be involved withone of the most impressive developments inthis city's history just takes that presence to another level."The ECC Kats Hockey Program currently

competes in Region III of the National JuniorCollegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) andis an independent member of the American

Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).Under NJCAA rules, the program competes ina total of 26 regular season games against bothRegion and ACHA teams. The Kats won anational championship in 2011."The Erie Community College Athletic

Department and Kats Hockey Program areextremely excited to be involved with theopening of HarborCenter,” ECC Athletic Director Peter Jerebko added. “ECC enjoys atremendous tradition in junior college hockey.I'm confident that our reputation in andaround Western New York will only be en-hanced as our coaches can now show futureECC hockey players such an outstanding facilitywe can call home for many years to come."“We’re pleased to welcome ECC’s tradition

to HarborCenter,” said Vice President and Di-rector of Hockey Nik Fattey. “In addition toour partnerships with Canisius CollegeHockey and the Buffalo Junior Sabres YouthOrganization, The Rinks at HarborCenter willalso now be home to high end junior collegehockey.” Scheduled to open this fall, HarborCenter

will be home to two NHL size ice surfaces,with a seating capacity of 1,800 on Rink 1where ECC will play, the Academy of Hockey,IMPACT Sports Performance training facility,(716) Food And Sport restaurant, a one of akind Tim Hortons Café and Bake Shop, and a750 space parking ramp. A 205 room, full-service Marriott Hotel will open in the complexin the spring of 2015.

HARBORCENTER announces partne

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rship with Erie Community College

“ECC, whether withour picturesque CityCampus or career-focused students, hasalways had a strongpresence in down-town Buffalo. But tobe involved with oneof the most impressivedevelopments in thiscity's history just takesthat presence to another level."

- Jack Quinn,President of ECC

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ECC dental students to helplocal childrenon Give Kids aSmile DayAs part of their Spring 2014 semester, fiftyErie Community College Dental Hygienestudents utilized Getzville’s Just 4 Me Pediatric and Adolescent Dental Care offices to provide free dental care to severalhundred children from Erie and NiagaraCounty as part of the American Dental Association-sponsored Give Kids a Smile Day.The ADA’s nationally recognized day—

now in its 12th year—is a promoted dentistry initiative to bring disadvantagedchildren into dental offices for free

treatment. Many have never been to a dentist before. But in partnership with Just4 Me dentist and ECC Distingushed Alumnus Dr. Marti Peterson, the college’ssenior dental students provided cleaningsand information about dental care to a day’sworth of new patients.“It was a great opportunity to not only

give our students an on-site learning opportunity, but also to service our surrounding communities,” said ECC President Jack Quinn, who stopped by to observe and honor the day with those training for careers in the dental field.“These students are the future of WesternNew York, so to have them so invested inthe region makes that future look verybright.” ECC’s Dental Hygiene students usually

perform such free services for adults at theirNorth Campus clinic. Through the fall andspring semesters, students apply classroomlessons about preventive care by assistinglocal patients with cleanings, x-rays andcancer screenings.

With Western New York’s advanced manufacturing sector becoming a vital part ofthe region’s resurgence, trained professionalsare needed to surge the sector forward. Asleaders in career-focused education, ECC andErie 1 BOCES are currently training studentsto fill these positions, and have now formed apartnership to introduce even more candidatesto these professional opportunities. Beginning this fall, up to 12 WNY high

school students will be accepted into the newone-year Manufacturing Technology programat Erie 1 BOCES. These students will attendclasses at Buffalo’s Harkness Center and atECC North, where students will be registeredfor a total of four courses within ECC’s CNCPrecision Machining Certificate Program (totaling eight credits). Classes will be attendedover two semesters to complete the requirmentsof the Erie 1 BOCES program. The ECC/Erie 1 BOCES collaboration will

involve up to 12 students each academic year.After these groups of students complete theirECC credit hours, they’ll be encouraged tocomplete the 16 remaining credit hours required to earn their CNC Precision Machining Program Certificate following their high school graduation. This will enablestudents to pursue advanced manufacturingcareers, ones that are a focus at ECC and ofthe WNY Regional Economic DevelopmentCouncil.

CNC Precision Machining teamswith Erie 1 BOCES to offer students college credits

Dental Hygiene FREE ClinicThe Erie Community College School of Dental Hygiene offers itsservices to the community at no charge, and are provided at NorthCampus by ECC Dental Hygiene Program students. Patient visitsare under the supervision of licensed dental hygienist and dentists.

• Oral health care instruciton • Scaling and polishing• Dental x-ray films • Dental exams• Fluoride treatments and sealants • Oral cancer screening

Appointments and Information: 851-1336 • www.ecc.edu

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Erie Community College student Eric Lindbloom was recently honored as the Visionof Hope Foundation’s winner of the 2014HOYA Student to Leadership Contest at theOpticians Association of America’s State Leadership Conference in New Orleans,Louisiana. An Alden resident, Lindbloom took top

honors amid a field open to all second-year opticianry students of NFOS schools by creating a PowerPoint presentation on thetopic of “How We Can All Become Leaders in the Optical Field.” Lindbloom’s award-winning presentation was not only deemed impressive among his fellow conference attendees, but also a sign of things to come by the opticianry field’s current leadership. “Eric is an exceptional young man whose

future is as bright as they come,” said ChrisAllen, OAA’s executive director. “The futureof the profession of opticianry will be guidedby individuals like Eric, and after meeting thisleader I can confidently say that our professionis in very capable hands.” OAA’s State Leadership Conference is the

premier networking opportunity for the Opticianry Industry. The event provides leaders from all over North America time fordirect, personal contact with industry leaders,giving those leaders the opportunity to askmeaningful questions, view and discuss the issues facing the industry, and strengthen theirprofessional relationships. Established in 1926, the Opticians Association

of America (OAA) serves as the only nationalorganization representing opticianry's business,professional, educational, legislative and regulatory interests. For more informationabout the Vision of Hope Foundation and itsmission to provide vision for the needy; onepair of glasses at a time through education,leadership and mission work, please contactthe OAA office at 3740 Canada Road, Lakeland, TN 38002, 901.388.2423,chris_allen14@att.net, or www.oaa.org.

Alumni Spotlight Jerry Sheldon ‘75 • Jennifer Shalik ‘05

A lumni and 2015 Celebrate ECCco-chairs Jerry Sheldon and Jennifer Shalik are perfect

examples of Western New York leaderswhose path to success started inside community college classrooms.Sheldon followed his Associate in

Applied Science Degree in Civil Technology from Erie Community College (’75) with a Bachelor of Sciencein Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University and a Master ofScience in Civil Engineering from PurdueUniversity. Jerry is now the owner of steelfabricator Lancaster Tanks & Steel Products, but is also extremely active inthe community not only as volunteer butas a leader who ensures the success ofevery endeavor he encounters. Such dedication and determination not onlyearned Sheldon a Distinguished AlumniAward at 2012’s Celebrate ECC event,but also makes Sheldon a shining example of the college’s best. Shalik transitioned from an Associate

Degree in Liberal Arts (’05) to dual Bachelor of Arts degrees from SUNY atBuffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Her career experience has been primarilyin the healthcare industry, from managedcare with Independent Health, to workingas a special projects coordinator withHorizon Health Service. Currently, she isworking on the Buffalo Niagara MedicalCampus for Onco360, providing OncologyPharmacy Solutions to nationally recognized cancer centers across theUnited States. Shalik’s drive and compassion are now actively involvedwith ECC alumni events like Celebrate atECC, and also provide another inspiringexample of how students can truly starthere—and go anywhere.

Distinguished Alumni nominations soughtfor 2015 Celebrate ECCThe ECC Foundation is accepting nominations for this year’s Distinguished AlumniAwards, to be presented at Celebrate ECC on Thursday, March 12, 2015 at the City CampusAtrium. The Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented annually to ECC graduateswho have achieved success in their chosen careers and have made significant contributionsto the community. For more information or to submit a nomination, please contact theAlumni Office at 716-851-1999 or alumni@ecc.edu or visit www.ecc-foundation.com.Deadline for nominations is October 10, 2014.

ECC student earnsnational opticianryaward

Savings earned after one year at ECCVersus a public four-year college: $4,034Versus a private four-year college: $25,235 *Information from College Board’s Trends in Pricing, 2013-14

On behalf of the students, facultyand staff of Erie

Community College, Iwould like to thank you forreading about some of ourrecent achievements. Sincearriving at this venerable institution in 2008, I’ve beenconsistently amazed at notonly the good news we’vebeen able to share, but alsoat the focused educational

and professional opportunities we’re able to provide forincoming students, year after year. We offer more than 100 degree and certificate programs

in the areas of Business and Public Service, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Engineering and Technologies,designed by an award-winning faculty with the purpose ofadvancing students forward. Our three-campus collegeprovides an accommodating environment, and is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top associate degree producers—as well as the number one choice ofWestern New York high school students and veterans.According to the U.S. Department of Education’s

College Affordability and Transparency Center, our college’s average net price is the lowest in New York.Students can enter ECC, endure through their first college classes, then continue toward a one-year certificate, two-year degree, or utilize our comprehensivetransfer agreements with a litany of colleges or universities—all while saving on tuition costs. Howmuch can a student save by attending ECC? Check the average public and private tuition costs listed to the right.Compare these totals with the cost of a year at our college—taking the same classes offered at a traditionalfour-year—and you’ll see why an ECC education makessense. Do these savings come at the expense of opportunity?

Absolutely not. Aside from our associate degree-relatedsuccesses, the college boasts 26 one-year certificate programs, all crafted to train students for sustainableprofessions in the region. And, when it comes to connections, the college currently boasts more than 300partnerships with area businesses like Delaware North,Moog and M&T Bank, all knowledgeable of ECC’s career-focused curriculum.I, along with every member of our college community,

am dedicated to continuing this momentum of goodnews. Until next semester, stay tuned for more excitingdetails for students interested in starting, restarting orredirecting their academic journey at Erie Community College.

Sincerely,

Jack Quinn,President of Erie Community College

(716) 851-1ECC www.ecc.edu

City Campus121 Ellicott Street Buffalo, NY 14203

North Campus6205 Main Street Williamsville, NY 14221

South Campus4041 Southwestern blvd.Orchard Park, NY 14127

ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Sense fortoday.

Cents fortomorrow.

Average tuition and fees (per year)Private four-year college: $30,094Public four-year college: $8,893Erie Community College: $4,859

Erie Community College offers thousands of transferablecourses to advance studentsforward—affordably.

Finally, a college plan thatmakes sense—and saves students plenty of cents.

ECC Today is produced by the ECC Public Relations Department. Please contact the Public Relations Department

at 851-1866 with questions, comments or submissions.