Genesee Community College has proudly named Deborah Penoyer, MS, RN as the new Nursing Program Director at its Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing. Penoyer, of Rochester, took on the position after her predecessor Laurel Sanger retired in late 2020.
Having graduated its 50th class of nurses in 2020, the Nursing Program at GCC has been a flagship program for the College since its inception. With constantly evolving demands in the healthcare field, this high-tech and high-demand program accepts an exclusive group of just 96 students every year and boasts a 95% job placement rate upon graduation.
“I truly appreciate the quality of pedagogies I saw at GCC and am excited to be part of them,” said Penoyer. “It’s always been my priority to promote respect for differences and to embrace cultural competence for the value they bring to the learning experience. In the face of uncertainty, it is ever more important to be agile, provide flexible learning opportunities and to remain steadfast in ensuring student success. I have already seen those practices succeeding at GCC and look forward to building upon them.”
The Nursing Program at GCC is designed to benefit students of all ages and all stages of life. With programs to bridge Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) into Registered Nurses (RNs) and a traditional RN track, students can learn, apply skills, and grow into their careers. These elite programs require students to participate in an Information Session before beginning. Such sessions are held online and those interested in a rewarding career in nursing or healthcare are encouraged to sign up now at https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/Health/Nursing/.
“It is the care and attention to details that the department faculty and staff have put into the curriculum and these Information Sessions that make our program and therefore our students so successful,” added Penoyer.
Penoyer dedicated 17 years to child and adolescent care at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital. Following her passion for educating and uniting others, she took on the additional role of Nurse Educator and Training Center Coordinator where she got to develop nursing practice policies, procedures and protocols as well as onboard new nurses and technicians at Strong.
In 2010, Penoyer’s desire to lead and to contribute to the future of the nursing industry led her to SUNY Geneseo where she served as Nurse Manager in College Health for ten years before returning to a large health system, Rochester Regional Health’s Primary Care and Ambulatory Specialty Institute where she was responsible for Operational Excellence and Compliance for Adult and Geriatric Services.
Penoyer earned a Master of Science, Leadership in Health Care Systems, Health Promotion, Education and Technology from the University of Rochester’s School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Roberts Wesleyan College and an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Monroe Community College.
