Week of November 10, 2014

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• John Coleman (Instructor, Business and Information Technol-ogy) Sergeant - U.S. Air Force, 5 years of service

• Karin Capuana’s son, Gary Julian, Sergeant - U.S. Air Force• Thomas Gleason, Store Keeper Master Chief, Submarine

Corps, U.S. Navy, 20 years of service• Bill Hunt (Instructor, STEM) Sergeant - U.S. Army, 4 years

active service; 2 years U.S. Army Reserves• Thomas Jeff (Programmer Analyst) Spec 4 – U.S. Army, 2

years of service• Bruce Kurtz (Associate Professor, Engineering Technologies

trades) Captain - U.S. Army (1971-78), Pennsylvania Army National Guard (1978- 81), U.S. Air Force (1982-96), 21.5 years of service

• Leland McCormac (Adjunct) Lance Corporal - USMC Re-serve, 5 years of service

• Eugene Militello (21 years at MVCC, retired in 2005) Radio-man First Class - U.S. Navy, 20 years of service

• Morris Pearson (Director of Civic Responsibilities) E-5 Ser-

geant – U.S. Army Reserves, 8 years of service• Steven Senior (Associate Professor, Physical Education)

Lance Corporal – USMC Reserves, 6 years of service• Jim Smrtic (Professor, Psychology and Human Services)

Major - U.S. Army/Army Reserve, 25 years of service• Renae Sirles (Senior Administrative Specialist I) Staff Ser-

geant/E6 - New York Army National Guard, 20 years of service

• Geri Sultenfuss (Senior Office Specialist I, Library) Marine Science Technician 3rd Class - U.S. Coast Guard, 4 years of service

• Jack Susenburger (Assistant Professor, Business and Infor-mation Technology) Seaman, U.S. Navy, 3 years of service

• John Swistak (Instructor, Mathematics) Staff Sergeant – U.S. Air Force, 4 years of service

• Jason Yager (Instructor, Business and Information Technol-ogy) Senior Airmen – U.S. Air Force, 4 years of service

MVCC employees who have served

With the sound of trumpets playing TAPS in the distance, MVCC held its an-nual Veterans Day ceremony on the Utica Campus quad as the American Flag was flown at half-staff on what could only be described as a perfect Fall day to honor the men and women who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces in defense of the nation.

Proctor High School’s Junior ROTC took part in the ceremony by performing a flag passing ceremony before raising the main American flag from the half-staff position to the full height of the flagpole.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picenti, who is an MVCC alum, was on hand to thank all the veterans. MVCC President Randall VanWagoner also addressed the audience.

Team MVCC has been conducting a food drive for veterans over the past two weeks. All donated food will go to help feed local veterans through the Feed Our Vets organization with items being accepted right up to the start of the ceremony.

MVCC is steeped in tradition of honoring Veterans and employs many men and women who have served. In honor of these individuals, we have asked them to help us recognize them by allowing us to list them below.

MVCC honorsour vets during Veterans Day ceremony

Respiratory care has come a very long way since Edwin R. Levine, MD, established a primitive inhalation therapy program at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago in 1943 to treat post-surgical patients. Today’s treatments are using cutting-edge technology, which is being passed onto students in MVCC’s Respi-ratory Care under the watchful eye of Professor Chuck Svoboda, MS, RRT.

Svoboda, who has dedicated 18 years to furthering students in the field of Respiratory Care, will be retiring from an illustrious career at MVCC. He joined the MVCC community in August 1996.

“I am looking forward to spending extra time playing with my three grandchildren, having time for my hobbies (fishing, hunt-ing, gardening, and wood working), just hanging out on my boat, and reading for personal enjoyment,” said Svoboda, who was the Clinical Coordinator Respiratory Care Program at the College.

His students have recognized Svoboda over the years as an instrumental figure in their young careers and an inspira-tional figure as they move through life. His dedication and service to the respira-tory community was recognized back in 2008 when he was the recipient of an award from the New York State Society for Respiratory Care.

Over his career at MVCC, Svoboda has taught Basic Science for Respiratory Care (RC 101), Cardiopulmonary Phar-macology (RC 103), Principles of Respi-ratory Care 1 (RC 111), Clinical Practi-cum 1 (RC 131), Clinical Practicum 2

(RC 232), Clinical Practicum 3 (RC 233), and Clinical Practicum 4 (RC 234).

“I really worked with wonderful col-leagues and I will miss working with our students,” said Svoboda. “I will miss the excitement and interaction with the stu-dents while teaching.”

Outside of the classroom, Svoboda has served on various offices and com-mittees. These include President of the Central New York Chapter of the New York State Society for Respiratory Care (NYSSRC) from 2002 – 2004; Board of Directors member on the NYSSRC Board of Directors since (2000-2011), President of the NYSSRC (2006-2007), Executive

Director for the NYSSRC (2008-2010), and Immediate Past President of the NYSSRC through December of 2011.

“I have been very active in the continu-ing education of the respiratory care pro-fessionals as Co-Chair of the NYSSRC Annual Educational Symposium Planning Committees for many years,” he added.

These include Co-Chair Program Com-mittee for the NYSSRC NE Regional COPD Symposium at the Sagamore in Lake George (2008 & 2009), and Co-Chair Program Committee for the NYS-SRC State Symposium, at Turning Stone Casino (2011 & 2012).

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Svoboda leaves influential mark on his students

The Rome College Foundation presented MVCC sophomore Mandy Perry with two scholarship awards - the Mid-Career Incentive Award and the Credit Bureau of Utica/Rome College Foundation Award on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Perry was one of four recipients (the others from Hamilton College, Utica College, and SUNY-Polytechnic Institute) who were honored at the Rome College Foundation Award Lun-cheon held on the Hamilton College Campus.

Each year, the Rome College Foundation awards $1,000 scholarships to local college students who exemplify achieve-ment, citizenship, and financial need. Perry is currently com-pleting her Nursing Degree at Mohawk Valley Community College, and plans to graduate in May 2015.

MVCC student wins Rome scholarship

This holiday season Kiddie Campus has once again created our annual wish tree for our children. If you would like to make a wish come true for a child please stop by the Center and choose a wish star from our tree. Donations will be accepted through 12/8.

Any questions please feel free to contact the Center; 792-5594 or email rsaxe@mvcc.edu.

Holiday Helpers Program - Make a Wish Come True

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The Electrical Engineering Technology faculty and staff gath-ered recently to emulate a photograph from 1984, one of which several of them were also present for.

The College’s engineering programs have a wealth of knowl-edge with many of the faculty having decades of experience. In the 2014 photograph, everyone teaches in the Electrical Engineering Technology program with Paul Halko being the program’s technical assistant.

Glenn Ballard is an instructor in the Electrical Service Techni-cian program along with professor Bill Judycki and instructor Bill Hunt. Other present for the photograph were professor Bob Decker who is the Director of Engineering Technologies, and professor Jim Fiore.

“I suggested to everyone that we come back in 2044 for another 30-year picture,” said Fiore, who began his career at MVCC in 1980 as an adjunct and became fulltime the following year.

Halko and Decker joined the MVCC team in 1995-96 era with

Judycki shortly thereafter. Hunt and Ballard are the newcomers in the past several years.

From the 1984 photograph, Walt Davis passed away a few years after it was taken and an electrical scholarship was es-tablished in his name.

“Don Connelly passed away in 2011, but I believe everyone else is still with us although many have left the area,” added Fiore, who is seated at the far right of the photograph. “Both Bob (Decker) and I went through the EET program separately in the 1970s and had Don Connelly as an instructor. Don displayed complete mastery of the material and was a consum-mate teacher.”

A fellow classmate of Fiore’s summed it up by saying, “If you can’t learn from professor Connelly then you can’t learn.”

Connelly had a strong influence on many of the students who went through the program. His methods also had an influence on Fiore’s “own approach to teaching.”

30 YEARS LATER: The staff of the Electrical Engineering Technology gathered for a photograph of the current faculty and staff of the program. Seated are: Glenn Ballard, Instructor; Bob Decker, Professor and Director of Engineering Technologies. Standing are: Bill Judycki, Professor; Bill Hunt, Instructor; Paul Halko, Technical Assistant; and Jim Fiore, Professor.

1984 EET CREW – The Electrical Engineering Technology faculty and staff gath-ered for a yearbook photo back in 1984. Some of these personnel are still train-ing future generations here at MVCC.

MVCC deep in engineer history

The children from the Kiddie Campus made the long trek (they have short legs, so the walk must have felt long) to Dr. Barbara Scantlebury’s office to deliver toys for the Shoe Box Campaign.

The children’s parents purchased school supplies and plush animals that will be delivered to children overseas during the Christmas season. Joining Dr. Scantlebury was Deanna Ferro-Aurience, co-chair of Team MVCC, which is helping to promote this campaign.

Dr. Scantlebury will continue to collect the boxes, seen behind her, through this month. For anyone interested in taking part in the Shoe Box Campaign, contact Dr. Scantlebury or Ferro-Aurience.

Kiddie Campus Helpers

The Mohawk Valley Community College men’s cross country team raced out at the NJCAA Division III Champi-onships on Saturday to capture second place in a field of 28 colleges from across the country.

The Hawks tallied a total of 92 points while Harper Com-munity College won the championship with 28 points. Third place Howard College of Illinois accumulated 130 points.

The Hawks were led by freshman Barrett Celecki with a fourth place finish in a time of 28:11. Joining him in the top 10 was sophomore Todd Stevens in eighth place in 28:48.6. Celecki received First Team All-American honors while Stevens earned Sec-ond Team All-American honors. Stevens was an All-American for MVCC last year.

Also scoring for the Hawks was sophomore Stephen Paddock in 24th place in 30:05.1, and sophomore Andrew Spagnuolo in 29th in a time of 30:18.2. The fifth run-ner for the Hawks was Connor Butters in 31st in 30:21.0 who cross the finish line just before teammate Tyler Beattie in 32nd in 30:21.9.

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Three runners finishing in the top five resulted in Mohawk Valley (N.Y.) being crowned the 2014 NJCAA Division III women’s cross country national champions and catapulted them to their 11th title. The Hawks were able to ease by the day’s competi-tion as the team’s total score of 63 was above the next comparable team by over 20 points.

Sophomore Stephanie Boucher led the charge for the Hawks as she carried in a second-place overall finish when she completed the course in a time of 20 minutes, 26.6 seconds. Following soon after were freshmen Mary Manzari (20:47.6) and An-namarie Roberts (20:56.6) who placed fourth and fifth in the championship race.

Other members of Mohawk Valley’s championship team included freshmen Re-becca Laporte who placed 23rd overall with a time of 22:22.6 and sophomore Hannah West, who ran a 22:40.8 and finished 29th. Freshman Marissa Braun (23:31.2) and sophomore Katie Evans (23:42.2) also competed for the Hawks and finished 41st and 45th, respectfully.

Lady Hawks win national cross country crown

Hawks run to second place at nationals

Submit information for Communitasto rhaubert@mvcc.edu

Female Cross CountryYear: Name1983: Kathleen Kuhn #1987: Tammy Rule #1991: Peggy Larocque*; Donna Talerico1992: Cindy Saburro; Stacey Ferguson1993: Christine Sisting; Nancy Cook1994: Nicole Branck; Melissa Richter; Christy Collins1995: Christy Collins; Nicole Branck; Shan-non Mahan1996: Shannon Mahan; Jamie Webster1997: Jamie Webster; Colleen Peterson*; Billie Scheible1998: Colleen Peterson*; Billie Scheible; Jen Lister1999: Michelle Nizzi; Patty Phillips2000: Najda Okanovic; April Wilburn2001: Christina Raulli; Jillian LaMonte2002: Janelle LaMonte; Liz LeVan; Stacey Egbert2003: Stacey Egbert2004: Megan Dever2005: Megan Dever; Julie Burr; Maria Case; Kim Povec*2006: Julie Burr; Alyssa Jones2007: Sara Pick2008: Sara Pick; Hannah Hoffman; Heather Vroman*2009: Hannah Hoffman; Cassie White; Michelle Page2010: Savannah Boucher; Cassie White; Michelle Page; Nicole Hughes; Shelby Knapp2011: Savannah Boucher *; Stephanie Peck2012: Sara Rifendifer2013: Andrea Szewcyzk2014: Stephanie Boucher; Mary Manzari; Anna Roberts

Male Cross CountryYear: Name 1991: Andy Bach*; Noel Schlict1992: Rob Quaglia1993: Mark Kuss 1994: Mark Kuss; Jason Rende; Aaron Carey; Jason Cooney; Eric Foley1995: Jason Rende*; Aaron Carey1997: Lubert Lewis1998: Lubert Lewis*2001: Aaron Verminski2002: Max Bawarski2003: Mike Keating2004: Mike Keating; Lukas Aeschliman2005: Lukas Aeschlimann; Aaron Sirtoli; Travis Dragoon2006: Travis Dragoon2007: Kevin Mulcahy; Celestino Rivera2008: Kevin Mulcahy; Todd Butters2009: Todd Butters; Garrett Parker2010: Jeremy Hogel2011: Thomas Arcuri; Jordon Hoffman2012: Thomas Arcuri2013: Matthew Brooks; Todd Stevens2014: Barrett Celecki; Todd Stevens

* National Champion; # Division 1

MVCC’s NJCAAAll-Americans