Westchester Community College, State University of New York

Through the study of culture, history, literature, and language, Humanities students will develop their analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills, as well as receive the opportunity to examine the ways human expression has shaped and connected individuals and cultures through time and around the Globe. The Humanities Curriculum provides an excellent foundation for transfer to a four-year institution and for many professional fields, including teaching, journalism, law, arts administration, government service, publishing, media, archives, advertising, interpretation/translation, public relations, sales, museum work, library service, and more.

Contact Information

Name/ Title: Heather Ostman, Professor of English
Office Location: Sci 302
Phone: 606-6837
Email Address: Heather.Ostman@sunywcc.edu

Degrees:
B.A., Literature, SUNY Purchase College
M.A., English, CUNY Lehman College
Ph.D., English, Fordham University

Courses taught:
Writing and Research
Writing and Literature
American Literature since 1865
Creative Writing
Life Writing
First-Year Seminar

Dr. Heather Ostman teaches writing and literature courses in Westchester Community College’s English Department; in addition to her work as the Humanities Curriculum Chair, she also serves as the director of the college’s Humanities Institute. She is the author or editor of nine books, including Teaching Writing through the Immigrant Experience (Utah State UP, 2021), American Women Activists and Autobiography (Routledge, 2021), and Kate Chopin and Catholicism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), in addition to multiple book chapters, scholarly articles, and fiction. She also serves as the president of the Kate Chopin International Society.

Financial Aid

Nearly 33% of Westchester Community College students receive some form of financial aid. Financial Aid is available to students who qualify. In addition, the Westchester Community College Foundation offers $1.6 million in scholarships annually.

Sports

The Westchester Community College Athletic Department sponsors thirteen different intercollegiate athletic teams in various sports. The roster of sports offered includes Men’s Baseball, Women's Softball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Bowling, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's and Women's Track and Field, Men’s Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball. Visit the Vikings Athletics website for schedules, reports, and more.

Locations

We’re accessible: Public transit-friendly main campus and extension locations. Online classes for wherever you are. Valhalla (main campus); extension sites in New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, Shrub Oak, Mahopac, Ossining, Port Chester and Peekskill (Center for the Digital Arts) and White Plains (Center for the Arts).