Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles – Beyond Classroom Walls – April 21, 2017
Over Spring Recess, five students from the Honors Program’s International Law class taught by Professor Anne D’Orazio, left for a weeklong hands-on experience at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Applying what they had learned in class to current debates and discussions in UN Specialized Agencies, the students participated in briefing sessions with UN officials and attended meetings of country delegates.
Jonathan Kimiadi, our student trustee, shared a summary of the students’ collective experience. He wrote, “Our trip to Geneva was, for many of us, the first trip outside of the United States… The trip in itself was incredibly insightful. Spending time in a foreign country gave us a realization of how diverse the world is outside the boundaries of our home. It was certainly interesting to observe the culture and norms of a different society. We are now able to bring a new perspective of life when sharing memories and findings with peers at WCC. We envisioned our futures across the globe – making contributions to society for the rest of the world. A daring group of five students at Westchester Community College [who] decided to take the plunge and participate in the UN study program.”
Jonathan describes the trip as daring, a first, a plunge — words that illustrate that our curricula both challenge and stretch our students within and beyond our classroom walls. Study abroad and applied learning, especially for many of our first generation college students, provide a means of access to worlds beyond home communities.
On Monday, we welcome Dr. Karen Taylor as the Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and you can learn a little more about her in the April 19 email announcement. This news comes as we anticipate making another announcement very soon on the college’s next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In preparation of welcoming a new provost, Faculty Senate has taken the charge to recommend ways we can work together on the next report due to Middle States in fall 2018. Soon I will reach out to Faculty Senate for input on a process for developing the next iteration of the college’s Academic Master Plan.
Finally, one last bit of exciting news. For the fifth straight year, we are holding the line on tuition while balancing the 2017-2018 budget. This is our commitment to the part of our mission to provide access to an affordable, high-quality education. Thanks to Vice President & CFO Pat D’Imperio for his leadership and to his team for working with the various units of the college to create a balanced budget that keeps tuition flat for the fifth year!
As you are out in the community, please be sure to share the news about our affordable tuition and the Excelsior Scholarship, and send referrals to the Admissions office.
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President