Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles – October 16, 2015
Dear Colleagues,
Every day this week provided a reminder of our shared commitment to student service and success. Several hundred guests came together on Thursday afternoon to celebrate student scholarships. I valued the time to speak one-on-one with students and hear about their dreams and aspirations and how WCC is an integral part of their journeys. Congratulations to Eve Larner and her team for producing such a great event.
I was pleased to accept an invitation to speak with the Connections Mentoring Committee. The meeting room was packed, and I heard participants reflect on the many ways they help students stay focused on their goals and the personal reward that mentoring provides them. If you are interested in becoming a mentor to students, please contact Paula Dambroff.
Some faculty have emailed me directly about WCC’s completion rate and how we measure success. The federal methodology counts only first-time, full-time students who enter in the fall term and graduate in three years, which leaves out many WCC students who don’t follow such rigid enrollment patterns. That’s why you’ll hear me talking about our “success rate” – which for WCC is 46% and includes part-time and transfer students as well as those who are still taking classes after three years. I am responding to your emails as quickly as I can, but please keep them coming! I really appreciate the dialogue and new ideas.
This morning I toured the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services. What an impressive facility adjacent to our campus! I was proud that BOCES administrators spoke so highly of their partnerships with faculty and students at WCC – even as they seek to expand them. We’re looking ahead to further strengthen those relationships.
I appreciate the effort from everyone who participated in our “All Day Call Day” campaign to contact students who might register for one of our October start classes. This enrollment opportunity can be a great jumpstart for some students and a helpful supplement for many others. There’s still time to register, so please get the word out this weekend.
Thanks for making it a great week.
Warm regards,
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President