Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Viking Pride – May 15, 2020
May 15, 2020
Colleagues,
May is when we cheer our students on – giving them a final boost toward completion and to finish what they started. We encourage others to continue to persist, to keep moving forward this summer and fall. Two months ago it was difficult to imagine how we might experience the spring celebrations that are such a vital part of our academic culture and tradition. Yet, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing unprecedented challenges, our work continues including making time to celebrate the achievements of our college community and especially our students.
Student success was on full display at the Student Recognition Ceremony, hosted by the Student Government Association and Student Involvement. The Center for Teaching and Learning hosted a professional development symposium and celebrated the achievements of our faculty. Today, we celebrate two long-standing student achievement events: the Academic Recognition Ceremony and the Nurses Pinning Ceremony. And next week, we’ll honor our student athletes at the annual athletic awards ceremony. Congratulations to all who have been recognized for their accomplishments during this remarkable semester. For additional information about these and other events, visit https://www.sunywcc.edu/news/.
Although our Commencement ceremony is postponed to December, we celebrate and commend our Valedictorian and Salutatorian and all members of the Class of 2020. This class will take its place among the many Viking leaders who have come before them. Their strength, persistence, and will to succeed while facing insurmountable challenges will be a source of inspiration and Viking Pride to the classes that will follow in their path.
So many of you have responded to the call to honor our Class of 2020. The videos and notes are truly inspiring and I hope they show our students that we are #WCCHereforYou now and well into the future. If you haven’t checked out our “Dear 2020 WCC Grads” webpage, take a few moments to view the messages – and perhaps post your own. https://www.sunywcc.edu/dear2020wccgrads/.
The achievements we celebrate this month could not have been possible without the dedication and tenacity of our committed faculty, staff, and administrators. You poured yourselves into your work refusing to give up on teaching and learning. The camaraderie, the teamwork, and the effort all of you put forth this semester is outstanding and greatly appreciated. All of us have learned something this semester – about Westchester Community College, about our Viking Pride, about ourselves, and about our students. We learned that we have what it takes to overcome obstacles, to adapt and pivot to achieve our goals, and that we can inspire and help others achieve. Let’s keep this at the forefront as we encourage students to stay on track toward their goals this summer and in the next academic year. Remind them that we are #VikingStrong and we are #WCCHereforYou!
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President