News
President Miles Honored
WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT NAMED
ONE OF 35 WOMEN WHO HAVE CHANGED HIGHER EDUCATION
Westchester Community College President Belinda S. Miles has been named one of 35 women who have changed higher education. The March edition of Diverse Issues in Higher Education noted that these leaders in the field of education tackled “some of higher education’s toughest challenges, exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills and making a positive difference in their respective communities.”
“It is an honor to represent community colleges on this list of highly accomplished women from such a wide range of higher education institutions and associations. I count it a privilege to lead such a great institution dedicated to serving students and our community,” says President Miles.
Dr. Miles has served as president of this State University of New York (SUNY) institution, serving more than 26,000 students in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, since 2015. Deeply committed to student success and completion, Dr. Miles has worked with faculty and staff to achieve a 42% increase in the college’s three-year graduation rate and the largest graduating classes in its 72-year history.
Her leadership contributed to Westchester Community College being selected as a member of the Achieving the Dream network of community colleges committed to improved student outcomes and as one of two institutions selected nationally for a $1,000,000 award to support replication of the City University of New York’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) which doubled CUNY’s three-year graduation rate. Westchester Community College is SUNY’s first federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution.
Locally, Dr. Miles is a member of the Board of Directors for the Business Council of Westchester, the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board, and the Westchester Medical Center Healthcare Transformation Workforce Committee. Her national leadership includes board or advisory roles at the American Association of Community Colleges, COMBASE, Higher Education Resource Services (HERS), American Association of Colleges & Universities Presidents’ Trust, and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Among Dr. Miles’ numerous awards are 2017 914INC Magazine Women in Business; 2016 NAACP Education “Still Standing for Justice;” and 2016 United Way of Westchester/Putnam “Spirit of Caring.” Dr. Miles is a highly regarded regional and national presenter on a range of topics including community colleges as a disruptive innovation in academia that fosters an equitable and inclusive democracy.
Prior to joining Westchester Community College, Dr. Miles served as provost and executive vice president of Access, Learning, and Success at Cuyahoga Community College with oversight of four campuses and multiple extension sites serving 60,000 students in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area. Her other roles at Cuyahoga included president of the Eastern Campus, dean of Academic Affairs, and assistant dean of Liberal Arts. Other previous positions include faculty and administrator roles at LaGuardia Community College, Nassau Community College, and Columbia University.
Originally from Queens, New York, Dr. Miles attended public schools including York College City University of New York (CUNY), earning a B.A. in Political Science. She attained a M.A. in Educational Psychology and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Organization and Leadership Development from Columbia University Teachers College.
Innovation in Research Symposium
Launching Generational Growth – Biotech Research Symposium
Thank you to all the researchers, engineers and data scientists who shared their work. Learn about the peers across the many silos of biomedical research.
Celebrity Salons
Join the Conversation
as the Westchester Community College Foundation Celebrity Salon Series celebrates its 25th Anniversary season with leading professionals from the world of media, publishing, architecture, history, and politics.
View or Download the Invitation here
Registration
To register online, click here or complete the reply card and mail to the address below:
Celebrity Salon
Hartford Hall
75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone: 914-606–6558
Fax: 914-606-6515
List of Events
County Legislator Lyndon Williams at Mount Vernon Extension
Our Mount Vernon Extension Center hosted a recent event in honor of Black History Month featuring Westchester County Legislator Lyndon Williams. He spoke on the topic: “Migrations: A Journey in Business, Law and Public Service.” Legislator Williams addressed a full crowd of students and community members, sharing the personal experiences that shaped his educational experience and professional careers. He encouraged students to recognize and take advantage of new opportunities around them, work hard, and stay true to their values even when faced with challenging situations. At the conclusion of the event, Legislator Williams was presented with a certificate of appreciation by outstanding student and Kathryn Davis Scholarship recipient Kadiatou Camara. Legislator Williams was thanked for sharing his time and wisdom and for his continued support of Westchester Community College and our students.
County Executive hosts housing forum in Mount Vernon
The college’s Mount Vernon Extension Center was the site of a recent public forum on housing, sponsored by Westchester County Executive George Latimer in partnership with Mount Vernon United Tenants and Community Voices Heard. The event began with remarks by Latimer and Extension Center Director Francine Carl. Next, there was a brief presentation on housing followed by an open forum during which citizens voiced their opinions on housing barriers and housing needs in Westchester County.
GROW Conference for Entrepreneurs & Business Owners
On January 18, the Westchester Community College held its annual GROW Conference for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. The conference is G2E’s signature event and is a breakthrough business conference that inspires and empowers entrepreneurs and business owners across the Hudson Valley.
Dr. Miles interview
President Miles featured in Women in Higher Education article. See the entire story on page 13.
Peekskill Extension Center Student Show
Exhibition Dates:
December 12, 2018 through February 15, 2019
Student Show at The Westchester Gallery, Westchester Community College Peekskill Extension Center
The Westchester Gallery will be exhibiting a Student Show from December 12, 2018 to February 15, 2019 at the Westchester Community College Peekskill Extension Center. The exhibition features artwork from a variety of disciplines including drawing, graphic design, digital imaging, video, 3D animation, and digital storytelling.
Redeemer, pictured above, is a digital piece by student Adam Travis accompanied by a short essay detailing the artist’s transformational experience as it relates to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro. Redeemer received an award from the United Methodist Church and will be featured in the exhibition. Travis explores the meaning of redemption through his visual and written work, “I chose this style because I believe that the cubist style would allow me to convey the idea that redemption and forgiveness does not come all at once, but in small pieces over time just like the way in which this great statue was created piece by piece.”
A wide range of artistic and technical accomplishments will be showcased in the Student Show until February 15, 2019. Come experience what our students have to share. For gallery operating hours and more information about the Peekskill Extension Center, visit www.sunywcc.edu/peekskill.
Westchester Community College Peekskill Extension Center
27 N Division St.
Peekskill, NY 10566
Directions To Peekskill Center for the Digital Arts – 27 North Division Street
- Take Route 9A to Route 9 North
- Exit at Main St./Rte. 6.
- Turn left at end of ramp.
- Turn right at 2nd light onto Nelson Avenue.
- Go one block; turn left onto Central Avenue.
- Go one block and turn left onto N. Division Street
Peekskill Center is 1/2 block on right. To park, enter garage at Nelson and Central Avenue or, to reach S. James St. Garage, continue on Central Avenue (becomes Park St.) 1-1/2 blocks beyond Division Street and turn left onto ramp. Click for Personalized Directions to this location. To learn more about Peekskill using the Google Street View App, check out views of Peekskill – where you can study!
