NCCC Announces Distinguished Alumni Awardees
SANBORN, N.Y. (Sept. 24, 2008) — William Patterson and Ronald Zito have been named Niagara County Community College’s Distinguished Alumni for 2008. Both men will be inducted into the college’s Distinguished Alumni Gallery on October 25 at the NCCC Foundation’s Annual Scholarship Gala to be held on the college’s main campus.
A lifelong resident of Niagara Falls, Patterson was a member of the college’s inaugural graduating class, earning an associate’s of arts degree in 1965. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Buffalo and a master’s degree in from Niagara University.
Patterson was an employee of the City of Tonawanda school district for 32 years, teaching English, government and history.
His teaching career covered instruction at every grade in the secondary level from middle through high school, and he was nominated numerous times for the district’s Teacher of the Year award. He continued his teaching career at Niagara University as a writing instructor following his retirement from the school district in 2000.
In addition to teaching, Patterson also worked part-time for the community relations division of the New York State Power Authority for 33 years, retiring in 2006.
A Navy veteran and member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 77 and American Legion Post 1142, Patterson currently serves on the boards of directors for the Niagara County Law Enforcement Foundation and Literacy Volunteers of Niagara County. He is a member of the Niagara County Historical Society and the Historical Society of the Tonawanda’s and is a volunteer for the St. John de Lasalle Parish Community Care Food Pantry.
Patterson served as the commissioner of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority for 20 consecutive years and has been inducted into the Authority’s Wall of Fame.
A lifelong Niagara County resident, Zito earned his associate in applied science degree in Nursing from NCCC in 1978 and has worked locally in the healthcare industry for over 20 years.
Currently the executive director of Our Lady of Peace Nursing Care Residence of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Health Center, Zito holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation/adult health from SUNY at Buffalo. He is a licensed nursing home administrator, a certified assisted living administrator and a member of the American College of Healthcare Administrators.
Zito has demonstrated outstanding dedication to NCCC through the training programs he organized at Our Lady of Peace which currently provide extensive real-life training, professional guidance and job prospects for 30 NCCC nursing students.
He has also served the Niagara County community as a past member of the Niagara Wheatfield Board of Education and past treasurer of the Mental Health Association of Niagara County where he was named Board Member of the Year in 1987.
