Weekly Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles – October 7, 2016
The planning team for next week’s Student Success and Academic Excellence Summit is asking our students one question: What do you wish the college knew about you as a student? The wide range of anticipated responses may lead to more productive discussion about where to put our focus among the myriad ideas already generated at the college. Members of the planning team have developed structured ways to collect responses, and everyone may participate by asking this question and sharing what they learn at the upcoming summit scheduled for next Friday, October 14. Please RSVP by responding to the email invitation from Yolanda Howell. If you didn’t get an invitation, please email Ms. Howell.
The annual scholarship reception brought together 525 students who have received a total of $1,303,535 in scholarships. It was a wonderful celebration of students working to achieve their dreams and the people who make it possible. We also share good news that the Westchester Community College Foundation has received the 2016 CASE Educational Fundraising Award for Overall Performance. This national recognition is a testament to the longstanding commitment and dedication of our Foundation Board members and donors.
We were delighted to host a poetry reading and conversation with award-winning, first-generation Chicano poet José Olivarez through our Humanities Institute. Mr. Olivarez spoke about his early years as a student in college struggling to find ways to connect with the environment around him. He spoke about the idea of “home” as a place and time centered in past and present experiences and urged our students to make meaningful connections throughout their college experience. He challenged students to tell their stories because “we are made richer when there are more narratives.”
As students share with us what they wish we knew about them – beyond the numbers, metrics, and data points – let’s use this information to further build on the idea of connection, community, and excellence.
Thanks for making it a great week.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President