College History and Uniqueness
Finger Lakes Community College was established in 1965 as a unit of the State University of New York, under the sponsorship of Ontario County. It was created as a two-year, co-educational institution of higher learning serving the citizens of the county, region, and state.
The College opened in September 1967 offering specialized, non-credit courses under the Division of Continuing Education. The first full-time freshman class entered in February 1968. At that time, enrollment totaled 85 full-time and 125 part-time students. There were seven full-time faculty members. Today, about 5,470 full- and part-time students are enrolled. The College now employs approximately 290 full-time and more than 300 part-time faculty and staff.
Finger Lakes Community College provides an opportunity for students and faculty to work together to accomplish educational goals. Each student is seen as an individual, with diverse needs and unique strengths.
The 250-acre park-like campus is adjacent to the scenic and recreationally rich Canandaigua community, 45 minutes southeast of Rochester, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. The multi-level campus includes updated “smart” classrooms, science and computer laboratories, music recording studios, a large music rehearsal hall, a greenhouse, and a gymnasium, turf athletic fields, and fitness center. In 2022, FLCC opened the Sands Family Center for Allied Health, a renovation and expansion of its Nursing education wing.
The Williams-Insalaco Gallery 34 is open to the public and offers outstanding rotating art exhibits by students, alumni, faculty, and special guests. The library houses a fine collection of books, periodicals, and electronic resources to support the College’s academic programs, as well as quiet study space and academic support services. The Student Center includes an auditorium, cafeteria and bookstore, space for student activities, and the College’s Student Life offices. In addition, all enrollment services – Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Records, Student Accounts, and Academic Advising, Career and Transfer Services – are organized into a One Stop Center, offering students a convenient, centralized location to address all of their enrollment needs.
Campus grounds include streams, ponds, nature trails and wooded areas. The grounds also include a number of scenic study spots, including a Serenity Garden, an arboretum, gazebo, and picnic pavilion. Additionally, the 48-acre Muller Field Station, located near the southern end of Honeoye Lake, and the College’s East Hill Campus in Naples, provide students with unique outdoor experiences. The FLCC Viticulture and Wine Center in Geneva is a teaching winery for the Viticulture and Wine Technology program.
A 353-room residence hall, The Suites at Laker Landing, is located next to campus and provides housing exclusively for Finger Lakes Community College students. Each suite is comprised of private bedrooms and common kitchen, living area, and bathroom(s). The Suites at Laker Landing is privately owned and operated by Association Housing, LLC.
Finger Lakes Community College operates campus centers in Geneva, Victor, and Newark, thereby serving the populations in the eastern and northern sections of its four-county service area.
The campus is also the site of the Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC).