Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Purposefully Connected – February 24, 2023
February 24, 2023
Colleagues,
Last week I shared how our college community is purposefully engaged and connected, through classroom instruction, co- and extracurricular activities, and involvement in activities we find interesting or compelling. We strive to create a holistic learning and workplace experience where all can grow, thrive, and participate in the world around us. We welcome these diverse learning opportunities and activities that weave a college experience into a rich tapestry of ideas and perspectives and develops openness and empathy to others that mold and change lives.
Yesterday, I was invited by Olivia Toth, President of the college’s Bible Study Club, and Markian Nychka to join club and community members at a candlelight vigil to honor those affected by the war in Ukraine. A Beacon of Hope welcomed members of our Ukrainian community to the college for a program that included County Executive George Latimer, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, and others.
This is yet another example of how SUNY Westchester Community College provides opportunities for civic engagement, and I applaud all our students who stand up for what they believe in. I also appreciate opportunities to collectively remember and honor all those who are suffering – across the globe and in our own region through natural disasters or acts of war and conflict.
In his Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” So, we remember our most vulnerable as we do the work that can allow all to participate in a society where we are each valued.
As we close our Black History Month celebration, we recognize and lift up all who stand for democracy, equity, and inclusion along the stony path of freedom.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President