Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles – Westchester Welcome
January 19, 2018
Colleagues,
Thanks for welcoming students to the spring semester. We have oriented students to new classes, greeted them in many ways, and provided a range of options that actively engage them at the college. Earlier this week, Cabinet members teamed up with staff from the Office of Student Involvement to welcome students at various locations on the Valhalla campus. Along with schedules of Welcome Week activities, we distributed bookmarks commemorating the National Day of Racial Healing. In that spirit, we asked students to find someone of a different racial, ethnic, or religious background and share with each other something about their history and culture. Everyone is encouraged to do the same every day, not just on this occasion.
Please extend the same warm welcome to students starting classes tomorrow at our extension locations. In addition, check the website for events that you might attend with our students over the next several weeks.
We recently welcomed 42 students from Guizhou University School of Finance and Economics to the college. The group will spend a semester in our English Language Institute prior to enrolling in baccalaureate studies at Berkeley College. This great partnership with Berkeley extends our strength in English language instruction and provides an exciting international experience for our college and the participating students.
Last week we celebrated program completions for individuals headed to the workforce. Our nursing pinning ceremony added graduates to our exceptional record of preparing future nurses. Our graduates’ performance on the State NCLEX exam is consistently higher than 90%, far exceeding state and national averages for nursing programs including BSN programs! And our students represent the future workforce that healthcare is seeking. Nearly 4 out of 10 students are men—double the national average—and 7 out of 10 are from underrepresented groups. This compares to fewer than 2 out of 10 of the nursing workforce in this country from underrepresented groups. We also celebrated about 125 finishers of various workforce development programs for occupations in high need during a recent completion ceremony.
Our women’s basketball team hosted Nassau Community College last evening during their home opener. Although our fierce Vikings fell to the Lions, these student athletes will only get better as their season progresses. Our men’s team triumphed yesterday and they have outscored every opponent they faced this season! Consider attending a game or other event that showcases and celebrates our students. There truly is something for everyone here at Westchester Community College and your support and presence means so much to students. The website event calendar keeps us up to date on campus activities.
Lastly, please save the date! All members of the campus community are invited to my annual college address on Thursday, January 25 at 4 p.m. in the Davis Auditorium, which will focus on our momentum toward the college’s 75th anniversary.
Here’s to another great semester filled with Viking pride!
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President