The WCC Foundation’s gala, held in November at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown, was emceed by longtime SUNY WCC supporter, Vanessa Williams, and chaired by Susan Yubas. Con Edison was the event’s Presenting Sponsor. Attended by 325 guests, the event raised important funds for the Foundation’s student scholarship, financial aid, and emergency aid programs. Videos featuring students were poignant and inspiring, conveying the varied challenges and successes each experienced during their academic journey at SUNY Westchester. The event honored five community leaders, all with close ties to the college and each introduced by a SUNY WCC student. As varied as the graduates’ stories were, so too were the evening’s honorees’ as they described their special connections to the school. “There are so many bright kids and we want to give them the same opportunity that we had.” Rose Tan Indira Nichols, ’24 Tan Kaung Endowed Scholarship Recipient First Generation College Graduate with Big Dreams Indira is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She considers it a huge step that she happily admits, “I will never stop bragging about.” Now, at Lehman College pursuing a four-year degree in biology, Indira hopes to attend medical school, specializing in pathology. Community college originally held a negative connotation for Indira, but one month into SUNY WCC, the stigma lifted. She credits biology Professor Kim Walsh as the sole reason she is “obsessed with the human body.” She also recognizes that without the scholarships she received, her studies would never have been possible. She recalls receiving a check to cover the cost of her books, racing to the bank to cash it, and purchasing three textbooks which she used that night to complete her homework. At WCC Foundation’s Transforming Futures Together gala, Indira had the honor of thanking math Professor Sinforosa “Rose” Tan and her husband William “Bill” Kaung publicly, for providing the scholarship that changed her life. Both Rose and Bill received financial support for their own graduate school studies, he from the GI Bill and she from a National Science Foundation fellowship. From left: Vanessa Williams, Dr. Belinda Miles, and Event Chair, Susan Yubas From left: Indira Nichols, Rose Tan and William Kaung The Sold-out Transforming Futures Together Gala Raised Nearly $500,000 County Executive George Latimer Public Service Award Sinforosa “Rose” Tan & William H.P. Kaung Community Leadership Award Dorry Swope Philanthropy Award David Berry “Viking Voyager” Alumni Award Corporate Sponsor WCC FOUNDATION NEWS 10
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM2NjgzMA==