News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Offices:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
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For Release: IMMEDIATELY, August 18, 2014
Contact: Emily Palumbos, (315) 781-2030
Area Community Colleges Will Provide The Tools New Yorkers Need To Succeed
Legislative column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I-Canandaigua)

Benjamin Franklin once said: "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." In order to prepare New York's young men and women to become active and productive members of our communities, we must ensure they have the tools they need to succeed, and a great education is vital to that success. Enterprising, energized and engaged, they build our roads, bridges and schools, support their communities and protect one another. It is imperative that we provide our youth, a valuable resource for all New Yorkers, with all they need to flourish.

There are excellent schools and programs in New York, and some of them are right here in the Finger Lakes Region. Finger Lakes Community College is bolstering its top-notch Viticulture and Wine Technology Program with a new Viticulture Center, which will be an excellent way to engage young New Yorkers in an exciting field. FLCC has an outstanding track record of pairing education with private enterprises, and the Viticulture Center is yet another step toward blending regional strengths with higher education.

I am proud to have partnered with Sen. Mike Nozzolio to advocate for grant funding for the Viticulture Center. Finger Lakes students will achieve innovations and do groundbreaking research there. Visit the school's website at http://flcc.edu/academics/viticulture/ to learn more about the program. As an FLCC graduate, I'm proud of this expansion and look forward to the jobs, business opportunities and products that will come as a result.

Classes at FLCC begin September 2, and students can take a variety of programs in addition to agriculture and viticulture. For information about registration, visit: https://www.flcc.edu/register/fall/.

SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS THROUGH EDUCATION

Providing our heroes the opportunity to succeed through education is one of the most important things we can do for them, especially considering how much they have given for our safety and protection. With that in mind, another excellent educational opportunity comes from Cayuga Community College, ranked this year by Military Advanced Education (MAE) as one of the 2014 top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities. According to MAE's website, they base their rankings on five criteria representing important areas of consideration to veterans, their spouses, service members, and dependents. They are: "Military Culture, Financial Assistance, Flexibility, Support Online and Support On-Campus."

CCC understands that we must take care of our veterans as they have taken care of us. More information can be found at:
http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/students/registrar/veterans.php,
http://www.kmimediagroup.com/mae, and http://www.kmimediagroup.com/maedir/.

Weekday and evening classes begin September 2. There are orientations scheduled for August 28 in Fulton and August 29 in Auburn. Visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/apply/ to apply.

AN AFFORDABLE EDUCATION IS KEY TO OPENING DOORS OF SUCCESS

In order to help all New Yorkers reach their education dreams, I have introduced the Affordable College Education Scholarship (ACES) pilot program (A. 7515) to allow as many as 1,000 eligible students each year, for four years, to earn a bachelor's degree in certain colleges within New York for a cost no higher than $10,000. The program would require students to be legal residents of the state, have graduated from a New York State high school program and meet certain income eligibility requirements. As the cost of college continues to rise, it is imperative we find ways to give all New Yorkers a chance to compete in the job market. This bill would help educate the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and all those who seek to make a better future for our great state and country.

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or email me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.