State of the College / Foundation Annual Report

SPECIAL EVENTS The celebratory 25th Anniversary season of the Celebrity Salon series was among many events which raised money to support our students. Over 500 individuals attended fourteen salons hosted at the homes of gracious local donors. Salon presenters included: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling novelist Anna Quindlen; special counsel for investigations at the NFL, Lisa Friel; Music Director of Sesame Street Bill Sherman and Broadway and television actor, Chris Jackson; food editor for the New York Times, Sam Sifton and Kenneth Weinstein, president and CEO of the Hudson Institute. TD Bank and Cuddy & Feder supported the salons. The annual Great Chefs series helped raise scholarship funds for students and the college’s On-Campus Food Pantry, which assists students struggling with food inse- curities. Each event consisted of a wine tasting reception, cooking demonstration, and three-course dinner. The events were held in the college’s state of the art instruc- tional kitchens and Culinary Dining Room. The Great Chefs Planning Committee assembled an extraordinary slate of culinary stars: Chef Rafael Palomino of Sonora, Chef Michael Kaphan of Farmer & the Fish, Chef David DiBari of The Cookery and Eugene’s Diner & Bar, and Chef Peter X. Kelly of X2O. WCC’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality students assisted the chefs. DeCicco & Sons and Wine Enthusiast supported the Great Chefs series. Almost 200 friends, donors, community leaders, and government officials came together on November 13th at Tappan Hill Mansion to celebrate the Westchester Community College Foundation’s 50th Anniversary of helping students achieve the American Dream of a college education. The evening was full of stories honoring the past, celebrating the present, and inspiring the future and reflecting on the $100 million raised, $24 million in scholarships awarded, 250,000 volunteer hours dedicated, $3.25 million invested in faculty excellence, 72,000 square footage of instructional space added during the 50-year history. Wellington Mackey, Westchester Community College class of 2015, now a student at Yale Law School, was the keynote speaker, several proclamations were presented, and the public phase of the $50 million Pathways: The Campaign for Student Success was announced – $43 million has already been raised. Top: Student Government President, Ava Marie Tapia and Anna Quindlen Left: Susan Yubas, Chair, WCC Foundation Right: Culinary studen​t Tiffany Guerrero, Chef Phil McGrath, Sam Sifton ​and WCC culinary student Cheltze Hamilton​ BottomRight: Cindi Fisher and Rachel Wachs Top: Toni Senecal (Croton Tapsmith), Chef Phil McGrath, Tracy Shea (Croton Tapsmith) and Patrick Fondiller (Alewife Brewing Company) Left: Chris DeCicco & Molly McDevitt, (DeCicco & Sons) Right: Adam Strum, (Wine Enthusiast) Top Left: Wellington Mackey, Yale Law School student, WCC ‘15 Top Right: Sergio Serratto, Hon. Benjamin Boykin,​Dr. Belinda Miles, Hon. Nader Sayegh, Hon. Thomas Abinanti Center Left: Harry Phillips 3rd and Eve Larner Bottom Left: Peter Finkelstein and David Finkelstein, WCC Alum and class 2018 valedictorian www.sunywcc.edu 22 2020 State of the College & Foundation Annual Report 23