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Professor Klosko, department chairperson of Physical Sciences and professor of Geoscience, addressed our new students at Convocation on September 5.

See Photos from the event

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Her eight tips for college success are:

1. Knowledge is Power

You can use your education to better your life. The late and former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” No matter what the subject, by learning things you will be better for it. Pick your course and learn. You’ll be better for it. You’ll be more empowered to succeed in life.

2. You Don’t Have to Be a Genius

Often people think you have to be exceptionally intelligent to succeed in college – and I am going to tell you that this is entirely wrong. Organization and attitude are the two things that I think that matter most. Today you get a fresh start. You get to become who you want to be as an adult student; not what people have told you that you are. Don’t worry about solving all of the world’s problems in one day. Worry about addressing the work in front of you today, one day at a time.

3. Perseverance and Grit are Required

Half of the battle is showing up. In college attendance is largely up to you. Show grit by showing up every day, not just physically but mentally. Keep in mind – this is your education – Nobody is going to do the learning for you. You need to own your learning. Show up prepared. Ask questions. Give this experience your time and energy and you will be amazed at the outcomes.

4. Don’t Give Up

At some point in your time here, you’ll be confronted with challenges. Push ahead and don’t give up. That is what learning really is. When you’re faced with that problem that seems out of your reach, pause, reflect, and keep at it!

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Go Outside of Your Comfort Zone.

As a person that teaches in the sciences, too often I hear that students feel they are not ‘good’ at science; that they are not ‘good’ at math… Don’t be afraid to try something new. You have very little to lose and so much to gain. Try something different. Be courageous and take a class in something you’ve always wanted to learn.

6. Somewhere, Something Incredible is Waiting to be Known.

Education is a chance to think about the world around you – new things, crazy things. The meaning of a poem, the motivation of an artist, evidence used to come up with a scientific theory. As you learn new things, you will also change. Once you open yourself up to learning and thinking about new things – you will never look at the world again the same way.

7. Find Something That You Can Be Passionate About.

Explore your interests through studies and awaken a passion that can lead to joy. It has been said, “Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.” Try to find something that will excite you to wake up in the morning every day!

8. Attitude is Everything

“[Attitude] is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react.” – Charles R. Swindoll

Professor Klosko closed with some words about herself and encouragement to our new class:

“I was not a serious student in high school. I just didn’t give school the attention it deserved. I went off to college, initially as a French major. From there, as my education progressed I took things more seriously and I kept at it. I found a true passion for science, in particular geology. Yes, rocks… I really liked learning about rocks. I was lucky enough to earn a B.S., then a master’s degree and eventually a PhD from Northwestern University. When I showed up on my first day of college, if you had told me that I’d end up with a PhD from Northwestern I would have laughed in your face. But somehow here I am. And I’m grateful for it because taking my education seriously rewarded me in ways I can’t begin to describe.

So this morning I congratulate you on starting this auspicious, and amazing, first step as a college student. You’ve got this. Good luck and have fun!”

Valhalla, NY—Westchester Community College, which hosts and leads the national Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education (CCCIE), is featured in a new book highlighting innovative models that advance immigrant integration and student success. In a chapter on the role of leadership, WCC President Belinda S. Miles notes that the college’s Gateway Center, which opened in 2010, serves as a “central starting point for new Americans. Providing intentional support to this population transitioned the college from being a gatekeeper of educational and workforce opportunities to becoming a bridge builder.”

CCCIE (www.cccie.org), founded in 2008, comprises community colleges and other professional organizations committed to strengthening colleges’ capacity to advance immigrant and refugee integration through education and workforce development initiatives. Community colleges serve as a critical gateway for many immigrants and refugees looking to gain an economic foothold in the labor market and integrate into the social fabric of their communities. “CCCIE is an important vehicle through which our sector has stepped out as a leader in the national arena on the topic of immigrant education,” according to Miles. “Our commitment to the local immigrant community is reflected nationally through our college’s role as the host institution for the CCCIE,” she notes.

At a time when the nation is facing bitter political divides over its immigration policies and gridlock at the federal level, CCCIE has released two companion volumes, co-published by Rowman & Littlefield and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), that tell a different story. The two volumes —Working toward an Equitable and Prosperous Future for All: How Community Colleges and Immigrants Are Changing America and Working Together: How Community Colleges and Their Partners Help Immigrants Succeed—showcase the exemplary initiatives of CCCIE member community colleges and their partners working together at local and state levels to integrate immigrants and refugees by helping them further their education, succeed in training programs, and launch new careers in high-demand fields. The two volumes also illustrate the various ways immigrant and refugee students enrich campus life, strengthen communities, and benefit the economy.

Innovative and Practical Models of Change

Community colleges have faced significant challenges in adopting, sustaining, and scaling programs that successfully align immigrant and refugee education and workforce development initiatives into the college system as a whole. The two volumes, co-edited by Jill Casner-Lotto, CCCIE director, with Teresita B. Wisell, CCCIE executive director and vice president for Workforce Development and Community Education at Westchester Community College, share innovative and practical models of change with an emphasis on what makes programs work, as well as the most critical challenges.

Westchester Community College/CCCIE–page 2

Twenty-three chapters are included, written by community college educators who serve on CCCIE’s Blue Ribbon Panel and other leading experts and practitioners in the fields of immigrant and refugee education, workforce development, and integration. “The books capture the expertise and dedication of colleagues across the country in community colleges, community agencies, and nonprofit organizations who have joined us in our work. It is through our collective efforts that our immigrant and refugee students have found their success,” notes Wisell.

The books also include a foreword by Walter Bumphus, president and CEO of AACC. “The books illustrate how initiatives to serve a growing, diverse immigrant student population not only reflect a college’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, but also contribute toward—and, in fact, are critical to increasing—overall student retention, college completion, and employment outcomes,” says Bumphus.

Executive-level and front-line perspectives

The books address immigrant and refugee student success from different points of view, examining top-level executive strategies and best practices in the classroom, workplace, and community. Perspectives of senior leaders, faculty, students, and front-line staff are shared, and partnerships with a diverse group of stakeholders are described. Recommendations for actions relate to principles described in CCCIE’s Presidents for New American Success Pledge.

“We believe these two books provide a valuable set of resources illustrating case-study examples that have strengthened educational and career opportunities for a diverse immigrant and refugee student population, including ESL adult learners who may lack high school diplomas, foreign-educated immigrants seeking professional opportunities, Dreamers, and other undocumented immigrant youth interested in transitioning to four-year institutions,” according to Casner-Lotto.

“It is a recognition of the potential of immigrants to contribute to our communities, our economy, and our nation that has motivated the CCCIE network to advance this work and galvanize the community college sector in support of all members of our communities,” said Wisell, who immigrated with her family to the US from Cuba in 1963. 

Overview of contents

Working toward an Equitable and Prosperous Future for All: How Community Colleges and Immigrants Are Changing America shares the perspectives of community college CEOs and examines the role of leadership in adopting institution-wide strategies and allocating resources that have advanced immigrant and refugee integration on campus and in the community. The book also examines how front-line practitioners make those strategies work through educational and career pathways that have enabled immigrants and refugees to pursue their academic and career goals and contribute to the economic prosperity and cultural vibrancy of their communities.

Working Together: How Community Colleges and Their Partners Help Immigrants Succeed focuses on two key components of successful immigrant and refugee integration: multisector partnerships that have been essential for increasing immigrant and refugee students’ college and career readiness and assuring their transition to further education, training, or jobs; and strategies related to replicating and scaling best practice models and the policy implications involved.

Westchester Community College has been officially designated as a JED Campus. We’re joining over 200 other colleges and universities by partnering with the JED foundation to support student mental health, emotional well-being, prevention of suicide, and prevention of substance misuse. JED was named after the late son of the founders of the organization.

The JED Foundation (JED) is the leading non-profit in higher education mental health and suicide prevention. JED Campuses embark on a four-year strategic partnership with JED that not only assesses and enhances the work that is already being done, but helps to create positive, systemic change in the campus community.

The expansion and development of the mental health services through the Personal Counseling Department, within the Student Life area, has been a notable achievement for Westchester Community College over the past few years. Becoming a JED Campus is a big step forward for the institution and a clear commitment to our values of empathy, respect, and diversity.

A Mental Health Task Force, chaired by Kristy Robinson and Pat Sheehan in the Personal Counseling Department, has been formed with the first meeting held on Friday, August 30, 2019. With leaders across campus committing to serve on this task force for a minimum of one academic year, the exciting journey of assessing and establishing a mental health strategic plan has begun.

We look forward to sharing more information with the campus about the initiatives and outcomes as a result of our partnership with the JED Foundation.  For more information on the partnership and the Westchester Community College Mental Health Task Force, please feel free to contact Kristy Robinson at kristy.robinson@sunywcc.edu

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It’s never too early to consider a college education. A group of 31 girls from the Wiener Academy for Young Women spent a special day at Westchester Community College in July. The students, aged 9 – 14, had a private meeting with Dr. Belinda Miles, Westchester Community College President, who encouraged them to be courageous and follow their dreams. Students got a pep talk from our Student Involvement team, Juan-Carlos Piñeiro and Jessica Gramajo, who demonstrated the importance of community building. They later toured the campus with Admissions Counselor Stephanie Annunziata, who gave them tips on how to prepare now for their future college experience.

The Wiener Academy for Young Women is a program of the Westchester Jewish Community Services located at the Mary J. Blige Center for Women in White Plains. Its mission is to inspire and prepare girls in grades 4-8 to reach their full potential through academic support and activities designed to build character, enhance social development, and promote health and wellness. Westchester Community College is pleased to partner with such important organizations in promoting higher education as the key to success. An educated Westchester is a strong Westchester. Both Westchester Community College and the Academy are supported by the Wiener Family Philanthropies.

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The college’s Peekskill Extension Center is pleased to a part of the Peekskill community at this exciting time and would like to help spread the news about the new economic development grant that the city has received. The Center serves Northern Westchester and Putnam County students at the Peekskill location and looks forward to supporting the development of future benefits for our students.

$10 Million Revitalization Grant A Game-Changer for Peekskill

In what is a bold and game-changing development for the City of Peekskill, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that Peekskill will receive $10 million in funding as the Mid-Hudson winner of the fourth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

The governor’s announcement was made before a standing-room-only audience at the Hudson Room restaurant in August 2019. Among those joining Gov. Cuomo for this historic announcement was Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, and Marsha Gordon, The Business Council of Westchester President and CEO, who is also a member of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council.

“With the downtown revitalization initiative, we challenged local governments to propose innovative ideas to create jobs and drive economic growth,” Governor Cuomo said. “Peekskill proposed a brilliant plan that builds on their natural resources including the beautiful waterfront – a magnet that draws people and businesses to the area. And they demonstrated they have the secret ingredient: the capacity to actually get it done. This investment will help Peekskill utilize these assets to maximize their full potential.”

“Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, our city has an opportunity to build on what we’ve accomplished and forge a great new future for our community. This investment will create lasting improvements that will attract more residents, prompt businesses to invest here and entice visitors to see what we have to offer,” said Peekskill Mayor Rainey.

Peekskill now joins the cities of Middletown, Kingston and New Rochelle, which were the Mid-Hudson winners in the first three DRI rounds, respectively. Peekskill will now begin the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize its downtown with up to $300,000 in planning funds from the $10 million DRI grant.

Access your Student Handbook at: www.sunywcc.edu/handbook

Make sure you’re informed:

• Policies and general college information
• Student’s rights and responsibilities
• Campus security and safety details

Note that the Academic Calendar is no longer part of the Student Handbook. The Academic Calendar continues to be available at: www.sunywcc.edu/academic-calendar

The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College has been recognized for its dedication of over 20 years to the native plants and natural landscapes of Westchester County, and their creation and promotion of the County’s executive order calling for native plants to be used exclusively in county parks and properties.

“This year’s honorees truly exemplify commitment to the parks and opens spaces that our county needs in order to thrive,” said Joanne Fernandez, board chairperson of the Westchester Parks Foundation. “Their unwavering passion helps us to achieve our mission of advocating and investing in the preservation, conservation and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. We’re grateful for these ‘parksters.”

“The Power of Parks” gala will be held on September 19, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 914-231-4600 or visit https://www.thewpf.org/event/gala2019/.

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The Children’s Center received a 5 out of 5 star rating from QUALITYstarsNY. The infant, toddler, and two preschool classrooms were observed and given high ratings. Thanks to the Director and Assistant Director, and staff for their hard work, the five star rating will apply for the next few years.

Learn More About the Virginia Marx Children Center here.