Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Celebrating Excellence
September 30, 2022
Colleagues,
Local and national recognition for SUNY Westchester Community College comes in many forms. Grant funding, public-private partnerships, legislative support, and contributions from donors and others highlight our achievements and support our efforts.
Just last week, New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT) recognized several SUNY WCC achievements at its annual conference. Board Chair Dr. LeRoy Mitchell, a prolific community college trustee leader within NYCCT and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), joined me at the conference where we accepted the prestigious Community College Innovation Award which recognizes “a community college that has introduced a unique idea, project, process or procedure that has resulted in significant improvements in student success.”
The innovative work led by Provost Dr. Vanessa Morest, Dr. Michele Campagna, Professor Scott Putorti, Sr. Research Analyst Jonathan Reyes, and many other members of our college community in our Directed Self Placement Innovation (DSP) earned the college the Innovation Award. Fully implemented in 2020 to improve the efficiency and accuracy of remedial education placement, the DSP process addressed equity gaps and reduced the cost of placement by thousands of dollars while positively impacting student outcomes at SUNY Westchester. Developed and implemented through the work of agile teams across the college, the DSP process now serves as a model for other colleges to follow. Provost Morest and our team have been called upon repeatedly as thought leaders to share the DSP process, which is positively changing the academic success trajectory of cohorts of students.
The following individuals were also recognized at NYCCT.
Betsy May Stern, avid supporter of students, faculty, and staff, received the Alice Holloway Young Award for Distinguished Service by a Retired Trustee. Betsy’s impact on WCC runs deep and through many of our programs including the Honors College, the Native Plant Center, the WCC Foundation’s volunteer program, the building of the Gateway Center, and so much more.
Robert R. Wiener, a longstanding friend of the college, received the Benefactor Vision for Tomorrow Award which recognizes a commitment to community colleges. Mr. Weiner has provided scholarship support that has enabled hundreds of students to complete their studies at WCC and was instrumental, through a generous $1M donation, in creating the Robert R. Wiener Center for Excellence in Cybersecurity, including a state-of-the-art cybersecurity lab and technologically advanced classrooms at WCC.
The Friend of Community College Award went to one of our most ardent supporters. Harry Phillip III received this highest distinction NYCCT bestows on an individual who significantly advances the cause of community colleges. So many of us here at the college have benefited directly from the many contributions of Mr. Phillips. He served as Chair of our Board of Trustees, as a WCC Foundation Board member, as a valued advisor to WCC presidents, as Regent for the New York Board of Education, and as an advocate with county, state, and federal legislators.
We are grateful for the service and commitment of community members who recognize the value of community colleges and are committed to advancing the mission of these institutions. I am equally grateful for your commitment to innovation and excellence that make WCC one of the nation’s leading community colleges.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President