Testimonials
Your success speaks for itself! Over 80% of students receiving services from SSS persist, graduate and successfully transfer.
WCC Emergency Aid FoundationDear Donor,
I would like to express my gratitude to the Westchester Community College Foundation for considering my application for assistance.
Currently, I am majoring in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. I am about to embark on my last semester and my goal is to complete my associate degree here at Westchester Community College. For the past few months I was faced with several financial challenges. I was informed about the Access Benefit Center upon talking to Debra Santora that comforted me with support and advice. I was astonished by the resources that were accessible to us college students like myself, who may have come across stumbling blocks on our journey to success. In particular, the food pantry which was extremely helpful.
Receiving this financial grant motivates me to maintain my GPA and Honor Role status while completing my degree. I was fortunate to receive a position as an Orientation Leader and Peer Adviser. I will use this platform to educate incoming freshmen and sophomore about the opportunity offered to assist us. I am looking forward to being able to give back to the school community and make a difference in people’s lives the same way receiving this grant have made a difference in mine.
Thank you for your willingness and confidence, through your generous support it is possible for me to continue the pursuit of achieving my educational goals while having a roof over my bed.
Kind regards
Nasha-Dane Allen
Debora Santora and the benefits access have contributed to my success in my educational process thus far. There are a number of hardships that I have faced which could have been a major distraction from my educational process, such as compromised employment when I was about to lose my job, when my father and wife became seriously ill. I had a breakdown and needed support because I had a lot of weight on my shoulders being the main provider for my family.
As I was going through these storms and trying to maintain good grades in school the benefits access center provided emotional and mental support as well as the food pantry to help my struggling family of a wife and two children. I had a place to go when I needed to cry, when I needed to express my fears and when I needed encouragement. Debora Santora helped to connect me with the Black and Hispanic male initiative program in WCC. Because of the support that I have received I am able to continue my educational process and maintain a good level of success in my grades. The benefits access center is very important to students because of the many levels of support that it provides to students.
Debora Santora is very supportive and has the ability to relate to people of all races and all walks of life because she has a passion for the needs of people. She is a people first person.
Sincerely Richard Adamson II
I was a consistent excelling student at Westchester Community College ever since I started back in the Fall of 2015 but during the 2017 Fall and 2018 Spring semesters, life took a toll on me and I became weary.
The Spring 2018 semester was the worst for me emotionally, mentally, physically and financially but thanks to Debra Santora of the WCC Benefits Access Center; her encouragement, and willingness to assist me in the most important areas at the time(housing transportation, school and life), I sailed through.
One of my biggest fears was that the things I was going through in life would get in the way of my academic success. Fortunately, that fear turned into joy when I found out that through it all, my final GPA reduced from only a 3.81 to a 3.8. I could not have achieved this without the vast support from WCC. And for this I am truly grateful.
Johnnie Angeline Anne Asibuo