Westchester Community College Foundation is pleased to announce that it has received a grant of $100,000 from the Westchester Community Foundation/Wallace Westchester Fund.   This major grant is helping to support the College’s major initiatives in college readiness and persistence for Westchester County public high school students.

Piloted with the help of a grant from Westchester Community Foundation and an anonymous donor, WCC’s high school transitions program, StepUp, was designed with the premise that aligning high school to college curriculum and providing academic, social, and emotional support to 12^th grade public high school students who are “on track to graduate but not college ready,” would decrease the need for remediation, encourage college enrollment, enhance persistence, and ultimately, provide an articulated pathway for students to successfully complete degrees and transfer in a timely manner.

This past academic year, WCC faculty worked with five public high schools to introduce special curricula in math and English language arts to selected 12^th grade students.  Students who participated are showing an increased readiness to start college, and WCC will be welcoming its first cohort of students this fall.  The WCC StepUp program will be introduced into at least three new high schools annually.

The current grant from Westchester Community Foundation will enhance the program.  StepUp on Campus will allow us to begin to track the success of the first cohort of incoming students and develop new components to the program that will engage high school guidance counselors, ease transition to college, and provide support systems that enable students to persist and transfer.

Of the initiative, Laura Rossi, Executive Director of the Westchester Community Foundation, said “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Westchester Community College to improve the college success rates of students throughout Westchester. We know that, given the right supports, all students can thrive and build a secure future for themselves and their families.” 

WCF is a division of the New York Community Trust, one of the largest community foundations in the country, with assets of approximately $2.6 billion. 

Westchester Community College provides accessible, high quality and affordable education to meet the needs of our diverse community.  We are committed to student success, academic excellence, workforce development, economic development and lifelong learning.

The new Westchester Community College Foundation Emergency Aid Program has been established to assist students who have unforeseen financial hardships that occur during the academic year and endanger their continued enrollment.

Emergency situations may include, but not limited to homelessness or sudden loss of housing, fire; eviction; overdue utility bills; theft of computer, books or clothing, temporary loss of job or income; victims of violence,  sudden loss of childcare; and other such situations.

Click here for more information about the program.

Dr. Belinda S. Miles, president of Westchester Community College, has been named to the newly created National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Presidential Advisory Council. She is one of two representatives of the Northeast District. The new Council members will evaluate issues relating to athletics and back the organization’s mission to foster a national program of athletic participation in an environment that supports equitable opportunities consistent with the educational objectives of the 500+ member colleges.

“I am proud to represent the college on this Council,” says Dr. Miles, noting that the formation of the group was part of legislation that was passed by the association’s Board of Directors during its recent annual meetings. The Council will be comprised of twelve presidents with two members from each of the six regional districts. The members will be eligible for reelection following a three-year term.

Since 1938, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has served as the governing of two-year college athletics, offering athletic and academic opportunities to college students. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic association in the United States with member schools in 43 states. Each year, nearly 60,000 student-athletes compete in one of the 28 different sports and the organization sponsors 48 national championship events and eight football bowl games. NJCAA Headquarters has been located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since 1985. For more information visit njcaa.org.

Westchester Community College and the New Skills at Work-Lower Hudson Valley Stakeholder Collaborative are pleased to announce the release of CONNECTING TO PROMISING CAREERS Middle-Skill Jobs in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Click here for more information.

COMMENCEMENT DAY INFORMATION

The Graduation Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm at the County Center, located at 198 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY. Graduates should plan to arrive at the County Center between 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm. Upon arrival, graduates should proceed to the lower level of the building. Graduation procession will begin promptly at 5:45 pm. Admission into the County Center for guests (non-graduates) will only be given to those with a Graduation Guest Ticket. Due to the limited parking and increased traffic in the area of the County Center, please include extra time in your travel plans in order to arrive safely and on time for the Ceremony. Parking is not free at the County Center and all graduates and their guests will have to pay a nominal fee. If you have any questions or concerns about the Graduation Ceremony, please contact the Department of Student Involvement or at (914) 606-6731 or visit us in the Student Center, Room 103.

LIVE STREAMING

For any friends or family members that are not able to join you at graduation, they can watch the whole ceremony online! The graduation ceremony will be live streaming starting at 5:45 pm on Thursday, May 19. Just click on the following link to watch. http://www.sunywcc.edu/gradlive

It is with deep sadness that Westchester Community College and the WCC Foundation mourn the passing of long-time Foundation Board member and friend Jerome Siegel.  Jerry passed away on March 25, 2016, just two months shy of his 99^th birthday, at his beloved home in the Dominican Republic.

Together with his late wife Ruth, Jerry believed deeply in the transformative power of education.  He joined the Foundation board in 1994, and for nearly twenty-five years was an active and involved member, serving on the Foundation’s Student Focus Committee.

In 2002 he established the Ruth & Jerome Siegel Scholarships which have awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships to help hundreds of WCC students achieve their dream of a college education.

He also contributed generously to the construction of the College’s Gateway Center, for which the Siegel Café is named in his honor.

Jerry also leant his support to several community organizations including White Plains Hospital Center, Columbian Presbyterian Medical Center, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of NYC, an organization with which he was helping the College develop a partnership.

We are honored by this incredible legacy that has allowed so many students to pursue their dreams of higher education.

Westchester Community College has received a $100,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to support the Center for Financial and Economic Education (“CFEE”) for the current 2015-2016 academic year. This grant will enable the CFEE to continue to offer a unique co-curricular program, the Money Smart Forum, which helps students build financial capability through financial coaching and education.

The Money Smart Forum was introduced as a pilot program last year and includes one-on-one financial coaching, financial education, and career readiness training. Students in the program work with a financial coach to improve their financial lives by incorporating practices such as budgeting, tracking expenses, saving money, building credit, and managing debt. The ultimate goal is to help students build healthy habits and make sound financial decisions so that they can complete a college degree and pursue career goals.

Last year, more than three hundred students took advantage of resources offered by the program including individual coaching, workshops and career training sessions. Renewed funding for the 2015-16 academic year will allow the program to involve more students and to help them continue to gain critical money skills.

“JPMorgan Chase has been a very significant partner in terms of supporting financial capability initiatives at Westchester Community College,” says Tere Wisell, the college’s Vice President and Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development. “We are grateful for their continued generosity and for the important program that this grant funding makes possible. Financial coaching provides our students with the tools they need to make sound financial decisions that support their academic and personal success and have the power to transform their lives.”

“Across the country, too many people lack the tools and resources the need to manage their daily financial lives,” says Michael Haberman, Managing Director and head of the Northeast Region for Global Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase. “The Money Smart Forum provide these resources to the students of Westchester Community College, promoting financial stability and economic opportunity.”

Suzanne Matthews, Director of the CFEE, notes that “Westchester Community College is one of the few institutions in the country to offer customized financial coaching to students, and this type of service is increasingly considered an important leading edge practice in the financial education community. Feedback from last year overwhelmingly demonstrated that the program succeeded in helping participants to get control of their expenses, save on a regular basis, reduce debt, and build a framework for future financial security.”

Based in Valhalla, New York, Westchester Community College is the largest educational institution in Westchester and the fourth largest community college in the SUNY system, with 24,000 students enrolled in full-time and part-time credit courses, as well as Continuing Education programs. The college is the most accessible institution of higher education in Westchester County. The school serves as a pathway to economic advancement for students who seek a college degree as well as those who intend to go directly into the workforce after graduation.

The mission of Westchester Community College is to provide accessible, high quality and affordable education to meet the needs of our diverse community.  We are committed to student success, academic excellence, workforce development, economic development and lifelong learning

See the full inauguration of President Miles that was held on Friday, October 2 by clicking on the following link. www.sunywcc.edu/inaugurationlive

Watch highlights of the event.

A new grant from JPMorgan Chase will result in an analysis of critical job skills gaps in the area. Westchester Community College was awarded the $150,000 grant to develop a Middle Skills Gap Report for the Lower Hudson Valley region. Middle skills jobs are those requiring education beyond high school but less than a four-year degree. The National Skills Coalition reports that key industries in the United States are unable to find enough sufficiently trained workers to fill these positions. In New York State, 46% of anticipated job openings through 2022 will be in this category, including many Westchester positions in healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The goal of this grant-funded project is to identify the middle skills jobs that regional employers will need to fill in order to remain competitive and to determine the education, training, and credentials required for these positions. The resulting report will enable stakeholders to understand the skills and competencies required for various job titles so that community colleges and four-year institutions of higher learning, high schools offering career and technical education programs, and other training providers can align curricula and credentials with actual industry needs. The result will be a collective strategy for addressing middle-skills workforce needs in the Lower Hudson Valley and the development of clear educational and career pathways that secure entry and advancement into middle-skill jobs. The ultimate goal is to insure a pipeline of appropriately trained individuals for regional employers.

“New York employers are looking to hire individuals with advanced skills, but area job seekers often struggle to figure out which skills they need and where they can learn them,” says Chauncy Lennon, Head of Workforce Initiatives at JPMorgan Chase. “Through research projects like this one, we’ll identify the data to help drive the right solutions to address the gaps between New York employers and job seekers.”

“Linking our educational offerings to actual jobs in the local workforce is a critical part of our mission,” says Dr. Belinda S. Miles, Westchester Community College President. “This key research project will allow our institution, and many others responsible for training and educating tomorrow’s workforce, to ensure we will be able to match academic programs with existing and future job openings and career opportunities.”

The grant was secured by the Westchester Community College Foundation. Westchester Community College’s Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development will coordinate this project and work in collaboration with regional education, business, workforce, and economic development agencies, including but not limited to the Business Council of Westchester, the Westchester County Association, the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, the Westchester/Putnam Workforce Investment Board, the Workforce Investment Board of Rockland County, Westchester and Rockland Directors of Economic Development, the President of Putnam County’s Economic Development Corporation, regional educational providers, and other applicable stakeholders in the Lower Hudson Valley in addition to Rockland County Community College and Dutchess Community College. It is anticipated that the Middle Skills Gap Report will be released by early 2016.

“Employers consistently tell us that there is a mismatch between skills required and jobs available,” says Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester. “Resolving this gap will be the key to a strong bridge to job development and a vibrant economy.   Westchester Community College’s great expertise, along with JPMorgan Chase’s generous support, will guide future business growth in Westchester and the region. We look forward to partnering with the college to gather the best information from the business community.”

Marissa Brett, President of the Westchester County Association, also hails this effort. “We congratulate Westchester Community College, a member of WCA’s Higher Education Committee, on the award of this generous grant that will help close the middle skills gap,” she says. “At present, the County has an exploding biotech and health tech industry that requires a skilled workforce. The grant will better position workers to fill current vacant positions and enable employers to be even more innovative and competitive,” she adds.

Workforce readiness is one of the funding priorities for JPMorgan Chase Global Philanthropy, specifically “JPMorgan Chase believes that addressing the skills gap can be one of the most powerful tools for reducing unemployment and expanding economic opportunity.” As a part of the Chase New Skills at Work initiative, skill gap reports have been funded in several metropolitan areas throughout the United States with the intent to accelerate and support demand-driven skills training.