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Dr. William J. Murabito as the seventh President of NCCC

Murabito Praised as Permanent NCCC President

By News Archive

November 27, 2019

Dr. William J. Murabito is set to become the seventh president of Niagara County Community College (NCCC) and one of the final steps was the approval of his contract by the NCCC Board of Trustees at the meeting held last night.  The State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr.  Murabito as president on November 20 at their SUNY Trustee meeting in Albany, effective December 1, 2019.

For the past two years, Dr. Murabito has served as interim president of Niagara County Community College.

Dr. Murabito, whose educational career spans more than 50 years, was selected following a national search that began in September.

“Throughout the search process, there was a focus on collaboration and finding a candidate who could move the college forward,” said Trustee Gina Virtuoso, NCCC Finance Chair and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “With Dr. Murabito’s background and experience, he has already accomplished so much.  I am excited to see what the future will bring for NCCC.”

Other community leaders commented on Dr. Murabito’s appointment:

Assemblyman Angelo J. Morinello (R, C, I, Ref-Niagara Falls) praised Dr. Murabito’ s appointment as President of NCCC, “Dr. Murabito’ s dedication and experience cultivating community partnerships will prove invaluable at addressing the workforce challenges facing our region.”

Wm. Keith McNall, Chairman of the Niagara County Legislature, commented, “I believe Dr. Murabito will provide a dedicated commitment in bringing state of the art educational opportunities to NCCC and as such will broaden curriculum and increase enrollment.”  “The implementation of the STEM Center project that Dr. Murabito brought to the Niagara County Legislature for review and consideration would be a great move forward for NCCC, for future students, and for the residents of Niagara County.”

“Dr. Murabito is recognized as a collaborative and inspiring leader and these skills are precisely what we need in the next president of NCCC,” said Paul A. Dyster, Mayor of Niagara Falls, NY.  “He brings a depth and breadth of experience in higher education to lead NCCC into the future.”

Town of Cambria Supervisor Wright H. Ellis said Dr. Murabito plays a vital role in facilitating support for the STEM Center Project at NCCC in Niagara County and in Albany.  “Additionally, his tenure as Interim President has enriched the citizens of Niagara County and the Town of Cambria, as well as the NCCC family.” “I look forward to him continuing his exemplary contribution to our community life,” Ellis said.”

Female volleyball team exercising indoors on volleyball court

Niagara County Community College Receives $400,000 grant from Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to support Youth Volleyball Program

By News Archive

November 21, 2019

The NCCC Foundation announces that they are the recipient of a $400,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.  This three-year grant supports a youth sport/leadership program between Niagara County Community College (NCCC) and the Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda School Districts. The Wilson Foundation is currently driving the “Project Play: Western New York” initiative aimed at getting and keeping more youth in sports. The initiative is rooted in the knowledge that sports can not only seed lifelong healthy habits in kids but also build character, social skills and improve educational outcomes.

Girls from each of the eight Niagara Falls elementary schools along with girls from the North Tonawanda intermediate school will participate in a series of youth volleyball training programs that will include leadership instruction that support the principles outlined in the “State of Play: Western New York” report.  Participants will culminate their training programs with a “friendship tournament” that will be held at the NCCC Sanborn campus. By adhering to the principles outlined in the report, this project will introduce the sport of volleyball to youth participants, striving to instill an appreciation for free play. In addition, the collaboration planned with local agencies that include the local Recreation Departments, Boys and Girls Club, Athletic Departments, and local volleyball clubs, will allow the opportunity for continued participation throughout their developmental years.

Students from the NCCC Physical Education Teacher Preparation, Childhood Education, Recreation Studies, and Sports Management program will receive training to serve as the on-site coaches for this program.   This will provide the NCCC students with applied learning that supports and enhances their college educational experience.  The Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda varsity players will also serve as coaches to facilitate a seamless transition for the youth participants to eventually transition into mentor coaches.

“This youth volleyball program is a great example of creative collaboration in a community that will not only introduce more girls to a new sports experience but will also help to grow the next generation of female coaches in the region,” said Jim Boyle, vice president of programs & communications, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “We hope this type of model can be replicated with other sports and programs across our communities.”

Information on registering for the program can be found on the Girl Power website: http://niagaracc.suny.edu/girl-power/
A press conference will be held at the friendship tournament on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. in the Main Gym at Niagara County Community College, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY.

 

About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org

About Niagara County Community College:

Niagara County Community Collegeis one of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York, the largest public university system in the country. The College provides more than 50 academic programs to over 5,000 students and is funded by the Niagara County Legislature, the State University of New York, and student tuition. For more information visit niagaracc.suny.edu

Dr. William J. Murabito as the seventh President of NCCC

Niagara County Community College Names New President

By News Archive

November 20, 2019

The State University of New York Board of Trustees in conjunction with the Board of Trustees of Niagara County Community College (NCCC) today announced the appointment of Dr. William J. Murabito as the seventh President of the institution.

For the past two years, Dr. Murabito has served as interim president for Niagara County Community College. In his capacity as interim, Dr. Murabito developed and executed an action plan for the campus including successful regional accreditation from Middle States and program accreditation for nursing and surgical technology.

NCCC Board of Trustees Chairman William L. Ross said the NCCC Board of Trustees looks forward to continuing working with Dr. Murabito.  “Since the beginning of his interim role as president in fall 2017, Dr. Murabito brought stability to the NCCC campus by negotiating a contract for faculty, redesigning the role of the College Association, and the laying the foundation for the STEM Center funding,”  Ross said.  “Dr. Murabito has proven to be a collaborative, strategic leader and we are confident that he will continue to provide strong leadership to NCCC going forward.”

Dr. Murabito’s appointment is effective December 1, 2019.

About Dr. William J. Murabito

Dr. Murabito served several SUNY institutions as interim president including SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Sullivan, SUNY Cobleskill, as well as leading as chief executive office and officer in charge for Rockland Community College. He also held positions as vice president for student affairs and enrollment management and director of admissions at SUNYIT (now SUNY Polytechnic Institute); director of counseling services at Alfred State College; director of development at Parkland College in Illinois, and director of financial aid at Mohawk Valley Community College.

Dr. Murabito earned his doctorate in Philosophy in Higher Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL; a Master of Science in Student Personnel and Guidance from the University at Albany; and a earned his bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College.

Students from NCCC’s Future Leaders

NCCC Future Leaders engage in community service

By News Archive

November 19, 2019

As part of the Liberty Partnerships Future Leaders program at Niagara County Community College, students from Lockport High School and North Park Junior High School will be focusing their community service efforts on environmental improvements this year.  The high school students kicked off the yearlong project on October 21 with a community clean up.  Liberty Partnerships Students identified the overall need as well as a few key areas that would benefit from their efforts.  In addition to picking up litter, the project has prompted them to spread awareness about recycling and empower others to put garbage in its place.

As part of this project, students researched some alarming statistics:

  • Paper products make up 22% of the liter that is currently in the world
  • More than 250 million tons of trash is produced each year
  • An estimated 1.4 billion pounds of litter winds up in the oceans each year
  • Over 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entanglement and ingestion
  • New York produces about 14 million tons of trash a week
  • On average a New Yorker throws away about 25 pounds of trash a week

North Park Jr. High School students teamed up with Niagara Region Park Interpretive Program.  The Niagara Park Program identified the need for more bat boxes throughout the region.  A guest speaker attended the Liberty after school program on November 7 to introduce the students to the benefits of bats, facts surrounding the declining bat population, and what students can do to help.  Many residents do not realize that increasing the bat population will reduce the mosquito population and promote plant pollination.  Students will assemble bat boxes of their own to be installed at specific locations in Niagara County.

Future Leaders Liberty Partnerships Program at Niagara County Community College is sponsored by a New York State Department of Education Grant and currently serves over 300 students throughout Western New York.  The program supports youth throughout Niagara County with college and career pathway planning.  Liberty Partnerships assists students with life and social skills, mentoring, leadership, service learning, community service, wellness, and social/emotional development.

For more information on how your child can be a participant in the Niagara County Community College Future Leaders Liberty Partnerships Program, contact Jamie Reid jreid@niagaracc.suny.edu or 716-614-6891

Gingerbread Wonderland

NFCI presents sweet holiday tradition of Gingerbread Wonderland for 8th year

By News Archive

November 12, 2019

The talented students and chefs of the baking and pastry arts program at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI) have been working for months now planning and now building the life-size gingerbread village that is a part of Gingerbread Wonderland.  This colorful, edible masterpiece takes approximately 3,000 man-hours to complete and is comprised of 1,200 pounds of gingerbread, 2,400 pounds of royal icing, 400 pounds of edible decorations and tiles, and 100 pounds of fondant.  Last year’s creation was featured in Food and Wine’s list of “7 Magical Gingerbread Houses to See This Season” and this year promises to impress with a new design for guests to enjoy.

As if a giant gingerbread house wasn’t sweet enough, NFCI also offers a variety of holiday-themed activities for the whole family to enjoy.  Starting Saturday, November 30th through Sunday, December 22, visitors can experience live entertainment, face painting, cookie decorating, crafts, and even visits with Santa Claus himself!  The hours are Fridays, from 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sundays, from Noon to 4 p.m.

For those who wish to view a variety of smaller gingerbread houses, entries in the annual competition sponsored by Delaware North can be viewed from Thursday, December 5th through Tuesday, December 10.  Those interested in other activities might enjoy an ice carving demonstration on Old Falls Street on Saturday, December 7 at 12:00 p.m. or the train show featured on Saturday, December 14-Sunday, December 15.  One of the final special events of the season at NFCI will be a magic show on Saturday, December 21 at 2:00 p.m.

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute is located at 28 Old Falls Street, Niagara Falls, NY.  For more information on the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute’s Gingerbread Wonderland, visit www.nfculinary.org/gingerbread.

Daniel DiPirro

New Experience to Savor at NFCI

By News Archive

November 8, 2019

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI) has always provided up-and-coming chefs with a hands-on learning environment to sharpen their skills in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts, and now these unique programs will provide even more opportunities for students to excel and stand out in their field.  New this fall, the retail outlets at NFCI have revised their approach by launching a completely academic model supported by Niagara County Community College.

This all-academic model means that chef instructors at NFCI will be incorporating rotations in the retail outlets as part of the curriculum for students.  The applied learning experience of preparing and serving food in an active restaurant right in the heart of a world-class tourist destination is a unique and valuable tool to ensure students are ready to be successful in a career right after graduation.  Those looking to accelerate the program may be interested in the new 16-month curriculum at NFCI, which allows students to graduate and get into their careers much sooner than a traditional 2-year program.

In addition to the student-run restaurant experience, the menu will be updated to a prix fixe format.  Guests will be able to enjoy a two-course lunch menu weekdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. including an appetizer and entrée.  A three-course dinner including an appetizer, entrée, and dessert will be served from Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.   Guests will be able to indulge in savory entrées and decadent desserts created by chef instructors and students, and can watch them refine their craft in an open view kitchen.

Like a good meal, cooking up these new developments at NFCI has taken time.  In an effort to prepare students for their new roles and provide the best dining experience for guests, the Savor schedule revolves around student class modules.  The restaurant will reopen for lunch and dinner service on Wednesday, November 13th.  While not required, it is recommended that guests make a reservation by calling 716-210-2580.  Rest assured that the quality of food and service will be the highest priority, and guests will be treated to an experience worth savoring.

For more information on the academic programs and retail outlets at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute, visit nfculinary.org

Veterans Day Ceremony

NCCC to hold Veterans Day Ceremony on November 8

By News Archive

November 7, 2019

Niagara County Community College (NCCC) will host a Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 8 at 11:30 AM on the Sanborn campus.  The ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Park, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14132.  The event is free and open to the public.

The annual ceremony will include keynote remarks by New York State Senator, Robert G. Ortt.  Ortt, who represents the 62nd District and sits on the Senate Committee for Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.  In addition to his political career, Ortt was enlisted in the New York Army National Guard and received the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge in recognition of his service.

Refreshments will be served immediately after the ceremony in the Notar Administration Building lobby on the Sanborn campus.

About NCCC Veteran Services

Military Advance Education & Transition Magazine has awarded Niagara County Community College (NCCC) the designation of a Top Colleges for veterans in the 2018 rankings. The annual rankings factor in the results of comprehensive school-by-school survey of veteran and military student offerings and rates of academic achievement. For more information on the NCCC Veteran Services office please visit our website: http://niagaracc.suny.edu/veterans/

Live your best campus life

Niagara County Community College To Host First Ever Day of Giving

By News Archive

November 6, 2019

Niagara County Community College (NCCC) will be participating in its first-ever “Day of Giving” on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.

Day of Giving will be a one-day online campaign to benefit the students, faculty, staff, and community of NCCC. During those 24-hours, we’re asking everyone to show what NCCC means to you by making a charitable donation.

On this day, NCCC will be taking gifts and pledges around the clock. Your investment will make NCCC even stronger, more accessible, and more impactful. All NCCC employees, students, alumni, and community members are asked to participate.

For more information on NCCC’s Day of Giving, please visit www.niagaracc.suny.edu/dayofgiving/ or contact the NCCC Foundation Office by phone at 716-614-5911 or by email at alumni@niagaracc.suny.edu.

Digital Media

Lights! Cameras! Sales! presented by the Niagara SBDC

By News Archive

November 6, 2019

Learn how to create video content that tells your business story with the Niagara Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  This workshop, run by instructors Chris Wronski and Omeri Monroe will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. in room C-161 at Niagara County Community College, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14132.  The interactive workshop is free to attend, but registration is required.

To register or to get additional details, call 716-210-2515 or email sbdc@niagaracc.suny.edu.  Visit the NCCC Small Business Development Center website at niagarasbdc.org for more information.

NCCC Massage Therapy student provides chair massage

One Hundred Percent of NCCC Massage Therapy Students Pass State Exam

By News Archive

October 29, 2019

Niagara County Community College (NCCC) has a great reputation for preparing its students in the Allied Health fields, and the Massage Therapy Program is just another example of that success.  A one-hundred-percent pass rate on the New York State Massage Therapy Examination was achieved by recent graduates of NCCC’s program this past August.

Due to the rising awareness of massage therapy benefits, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects an increase in the job outlook for massage therapists to increase by 22% between 2018-2028.  The average salary range in Niagara and Erie Counties is $43,473 – $56,146 per year.  Jobs are available in a wide variety of settings, including spas, clinics, physician’s offices, hotels, and fitness centers.  The NCCC Massage Therapy Program provides clinical experience through the massage clinic, as well as a variety of table and chair massage techniques that prepare students for placements after graduation.

For more information on Massage Therapy and other programs at NCCC, visit niagaracc.suny.edu