MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends, I am inspired every day by the students who arrive at SUNY WCC determined to pursue and achieve goals that once seemed unattainable. These goals—their dreams—are within reach thanks to the remarkable fortitude, resilience, courage, openness, and lived experiences of the students themselves. Their success is due in large part to the dedication and expertise of the extraordinary members of our faculty, staff and administration who provide students with all the supports they need to reach their full potential. Students leave the college with a sense of belonging, an expanded network, and a skill-set that leads to greater upward socioeconomic mobility. SUNY WCC students are hard workers with complex lives that often place daunting demands on them. They are serious students with a great deal riding on their decision to pursue higher education. They are aspirational and inspirational. We respect them deeply and take our commitment to them seriously. Their excellence makes us feel confident as we invite the Westchester community to partner with us on behalf of our students. Our most recent strategic plan was laser-focused on increasing student enrollment and graduation rates. I am happy to report that over the last decade our graduation rate doubled, and post-pandemic, enrollment has grown each semester against a backdrop of decreased enrollment nationally. We have entered a new strategic planning cycle building on this positive trajectory with anticipation for even more targeted programming. This focus includes career readiness for all of our students. Many local industries have looked to us to meet their workforce needs. Our planning will include expanding handson training and real-world applications that have become critical complements to the classroom experiences of a traditional college education. At SUNY WCC we continue to be recognized for our ground-breaking programs. One of only a handful of schools to be designated a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber-Defense Education by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and National Security Agency, our graduates have already launched spectacular careers in cybersecurity. A $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation will help us prioritize STEM-learning to address inequities in the representation of students of color in these high-growth and in-demand fields where career opportunities are varied and abundant. As we celebrate the culmination of WCC Foundation’s Pathways Campaign, we reflect on the remarkable number of truly transformational innovations and expansions it funded, and dramatic results it produced for our students as they prepare to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year institution. The Campaign’s influence can be seen throughout this report. Lastly, as an All In Campus Democracy Challenge school, we work to establish within each student the importance of civic engagement and recognition that their voice is important, necessary, and valued in our society. We encourage our students to engage in respectful civil discourse; to view it as their civic duty to exercise their right to vote; and to contribute to the greater good by volunteering. At a time when the world seems irreparably divided it is imperative that we endeavor to develop our students as engaged, contributing members of society with all the privileges and responsibilities that confers. We acknowledge with gratitude the many supporters of the WCC Foundation who provide scholarships and emergency aid to our students without which college attendance would remain for many, only a dream. We are excited about the numerous opportunities awaiting our students just outside our doors in the Westchester community and beyond and thank our loyal partners who share and help bring our vision for SUNY WCC to life. Regards, Dr. Belinda S. Miles SUNY Westchester President “Our door is open wide for all our students— English language learners; students headed for a four-year college and beyond; those seeking credentials to launch careers in new and growing fields or to take their skills to the next level; college students picking up extra credits over the summer; students who have taken a class or two and are now intent on completing a certificate or degree program, and retirees pursuing lifelong learning alongside their peers. SUNY WCC has a place for all learners.” 1
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