AMBASSADOR - Finger Lakes Community College

Cesar Ortiz ’95, director of operations and
programs at the Lyons Community Center,
received the Lyons Chamber of Commerce
Citizen of the Year Award in April.
Rebecca Rouland ’07 Polmanteer was hired
by Seneca County to oversee social service
projects following her work last summer
overseeing programs funded through the
Flexible Funds for Family Services (FFFS)
block grant. In fall 2011, she was offered
an assistantship to attend the University
of Buffalo to earn a Ph.D. in social welfare,
which combines psychology, sociology,
social work and nursing.
Laura Rose ’05 Travis, who recently earned
a master’s degree from Walden University,
completed her third year as a mathematics
teacher in the Geneva Central School District.
She and her husband, Josiah Travis ’08,
will lead a youth team on a mission trip
to Costa Rica this summer.
Brett Utter ’97, a collector and dealer of fine
art and antiques, and his wife, Sarah ’81,
donated a 5-foot-tall oil painting of a floral
arrangement by artist Fletcher H. Carpenter
(1878–1954) to the College. Mr. Carpenter’s
son, the late Collins “Connie” Carpenter,
served on the FLCC Board of Trustees from
1966 to 1978, and as chairman from 1966 to
1969 and 1975 to 1976. The FLCC board
room was named after him.
“Fletcher Carpenter was an
accomplished artist and his
paintings are rare and highly
sought after today,” Brett
said. “Both my wife, Sarah,
and I are alumni of FLCC and
we are honored to be able to
give back to our alma mater
in this small way.”
nursing
Jeannie Snyder ’83 ’98, who has worked
in the emergency department at Strong
Memorial Hospital for 11 years, graduated
magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree
in nursing from the University of Rochester
School of Nursing in May.
Nursing graduate Alisha N. Wheeler ’12 was
one of four Rochester area nursing students
to receive the 2012 Lucretia H. Richter
Nursing Scholarship. The award is based
on academic excellence, commitment
to nursing, recommendation from faculty
and financial need.
Physical Education and
integrated healthcare
Vanessa Martell ’00 finished sixth out of
5,471 competitors in the women’s division
of the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge
3.5-mile run/walk at RIT on May 31.
Erika Schultz ’99 was named head coach
at Bloomfield High School following the
retirement of her own high school basketball
coaches. A three-season athlete at FLCC,
Erika joined the basketball team at SUNY IT
at Utica/Rome after graduating from FLCC and
has coached basketball and lacrosse at Harley
Allendale Columbia, Bloomfield and Geneva.
science and technology
Dr. Beth Van Winkle ’99, ’00 and
Heather Nihart ’06 Bock have returned
to FLCC as employees. Both have integral
roles in implementing Jim Hewlett’s national
project to incorporate research in community
college biology curricula. The program, funded
by a $3.35 million grant from the National
Science Foundation, is called the Community
College Undergraduate Research Initiative.
Joseph McNinch ’09 accepted a position at
SWBR Architects in Rochester.
Physical therapist Kathryn Friday ’03 Scibona
was interviewed for a March 2012 Finger
Lakes Times article that highlighted the
25th anniversary of Finger Lakes Physical
Therapy and Sports Care. Kathryn, who
joined the practice six years ago, has had
additional training and added a women’s
health program to the services offered.
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