Cathy Bundschuh was born in the Philippines.  When she was 22 years old, she moved to the United States to marry her husband. They have been together for over 29 years.  

When she moved to the United States, she worked at Kodak on the production line and when she was laid off, she wanted to shift to an office setting. Bundschuh attended an adult vocational class in secretarial/word processing at Genesee Valley BOCES (GV BOCES).  She chose to attend GV BOCES because the schedule was convenient, the cost was affordable, and the class was completed in a short period of time after 450 class hours.  

“As an immigrant who came to this country with very limited work experience & limited educational attainment, GV BOCES provided me with hands-on training, and job-specific instruction that led to certification and gave me the foundation towards a good high-paying job and career,” explained Bundschuh. 

After completing the class, she had the foundation needed to work in an office environment.  She learned Microsoft Office 97, accounting, filling & bookkeeping, and office procedures, and was able to improve her typing skills.  As a student, she learned to work collaboratively with others as a productive team member.

On June 1, 1999, just three weeks after she completed her vocational class at GV BOCES, she was hired at Sabin Metal Corporation as an Office Assistant, and a few years later, she became an Administrative Assistant.  Bundschuh has worked for Sabin since 1999 and is currently the Human Resource Manager. 

“I enjoy working at Sabin because of its family-oriented environment. At Sabin, you are not just a worker, but you are part of the Sabin family.  Because of Sabin, I was able to achieve my associate, bachelor, and master’s degree without any student loans. I am working for a company that is operating ethically and responsibly. A company that adheres to the most stringent environmental regulations, and a company that truly cares about the people and the planet,” said Bundschuh. 

In 2008 she attended night classes at Genesee Community College while working full time and completed her Associate in Science Business Administration in 2013.

She then enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for the B.S Management program & spent three semesters, but because of the limited night classes available at RIT for adult students, she moved to Roberts Wesleyan University and enrolled in the 18-month adult accelerated Bachelor of Science Organizational Management program.

In 2016, just a few months before completing her bachelor’s degree, she was promoted to Human Resource Manager.  After completing her bachelor’s degree, she took almost three years off from academics to focus on her role in HR where she was a department of one.  

In January 2020, Bundschuh went back to Roberts Wesleyan University and enrolled in the adult accelerated Master of Science in Strategic Leadership program. During the COVID pandemic, her HR role became even more challenging, plus she was juggling graduate school.  Despite the pandemic and the challenges that came with it, she completed her Masters in November 2021 with flying colors.   Bundschuh, together with teammates (Carrie & Katie), earned the Mike Bargmann Strategic Excellence Award.

Bundschuh’s advice for current and future students is to always look for an opportunity to grow and better themselves.  She says to be resourceful because resources are available and will help you achieve your goals.  She also believes it’s important to be flexible and adaptable because, in today’s society, the only thing certain is change. 

“I am proud to be a GV BOCES graduate, and will be forever grateful for all the skills I learned during my time at BOCES that eventually helped me have a successful and fulfilling career,” said Bundschuh. 

In Bundschuh’s free time, she loves to cook, bake, travel, and go camping. She and her husband love camping so much that in 2021 they purchased 15 acres of land and developed it into their own small private campground located south of Corning. She says it's their oasis and a place to rest, unwind, destress, and connect with nature.   Bundschuh believes that no matter how busy life gets, we always take the time to destress, rest, relax, and recharge.