Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: November 4, 2022
November 4, 2022
Colleagues,
Our college seal reveals a lot about SUNY Westchester Community College’s commitment to excellence and college success. The book signifies our commitment to scholarship, and the torch represents enlightenment. The laurel leaves are symbolic of graduation and accomplishment. And the words, Sapere Aude, mean “dare to know,” exemplifying our pursuit of knowledge along uncharted paths.
This symbolism and all it represents applies not only to our students, but also inspires us to discover new ways to improve student success. As part of our student-centered and evidence-based culture, with teaching, learning, and student achievement among our highest priorities, we take these words, “dare to know,” to heart while we convert our learnings into informed actions.
A case in point is Viking ROADS. We saw the success of the CUNY ASAP program and developed a plan for how that transformative program could be implemented here. Yesterday, we convened national higher education reporters to share the results of a rigorous study that demonstrated the effectiveness of our Viking ROADS program in improving student retention and credit completion. Joining me and members of our Viking ROADS team were collaborators from our partner, CUNY ASAP, and external evaluator, MDRC. Here is a link to remarks from WCC and Viking ROADS alumna Juliette Pacheco, who spoke about the program’s impact on her life: https://youtu.be/WMsPguUgWPU.
Juliette’s inspirational remarks illustrate the power of converting what we learn into action that changes lives as a result. Here are links to media coverage:
- Community College Student Support Program Yields Results (insidehighered.com)
- https://www.highereddive.com/news/viking-roads-westchester-community-cuny-asap/635748/
- SUNY News Clips Critical Mention
There are many people to recognize for their dedication to making Viking ROADS a success, even alongside major and unanticipated disruptions during the pandemic. Leonore Rodrigues and her team kept focus on making sure that the proven ASAP model was followed to deliver specialized advising. As SUNY Westchester students, our Viking ROADS participants encountered many touchpoints in Strategic Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and in their schools and programs, so the list of thank yous includes everyone whose work and commitment to student success has added value to the learning experience.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President