WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVES SILVER SEAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT VOTER ENGAGEMENT

At the 2019 ALL IN Challenge Awards Ceremony held to recognize colleges and universities committed to increasing college student voting rates, Westchester Community College received a silver seal for achieving a student rate between 30% and 39%. A full list of seal awardees can be viewed here.

Student participation in elections has increased from the 2014 midterm election to the recent 2018 midterm election. According to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, an initiative of Tufts University’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, voter turnout at the more than 1,000 institutions participating in the study increased by 21 points from 19% to 40%.

“We are excited to honor Westchester Community College with an ALL IN Challenge silver seal in recognition of their intentional efforts to increase democratic engagement and voter participation,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “More institutions like Westchester Community College are changing culture on campus by institutionalizing nonpartisan democratic engagement efforts that are resulting in the incredible student voter turnout rates that we’ve seen across the country.”

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a nonpartisan, national initiative recognizing and supporting campuses as they work to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and full student voter participation. The Challenge encourages higher education institutions to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship, and make democratic participation a core value on their campus.

More than 560 campuses, enrolling more than 6.2 million students, have joined the Challenge since its launch in summer 2016.

FORMER HOMELESS STUDENT NOW AT YALE LAW SCHOOL TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT ON NOVEMBER 13

The Westchester Community College Foundation will celebrate its 50th anniversary at a gala dinner on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. The keynote address will be presented by Wellington Mackey, a former homeless student who has gone on to Yale Law School. In addition, on the same night, the Foundation will announce the launching of the largest fundraising campaign in its history. This historic, star-studded event will include a guest list of local dignitaries who will celebrate the contributions of the Foundation, which began in 1969.

Now in his first year at Yale Law School, Mackey’s compelling story personifies the drive behind the mission of the college’s Foundation. The first in his family to attend college, he thrived here, becoming a 2014-15 Kathryn W. Davis Global Scholar, participating in the Cambridge Study Abroad program, and ultimately accepting the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship which enabled him to attend Yale University where he earned his B.A. last year. He also recently received the Osher Foundation Award for excellence in scholarship and was awarded a Yale Law School summer fellowship.

His story is an example of the way that the Foundation has supported students, and the entire institution, over five decades. In addition to providing millions of dollars in scholarships (nearly 20,000 students have received more than $24 million in scholarships), the Foundation has been responsible for raising funds for faculty support and infrastructure. Thanks in large part to donations from private citizens and corporate entities which came through the Foundation, the college was able to double the size of its library, open the $40 million Gateway Center, and construct the Virginia Marx Children’s Center.

Also, the Foundation manages the 600-member Volunteer Corps, the Native Plant Center, and the Alumni Association.

The Pathways Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the college’s history, will raise funds for additional resources geared toward student success.

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S GROW YOUR BUSINESS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN NOVEMBER TO CELEBRATE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK

November 1, 2019 (Valhalla, NY): Westchester Community College’s Gateway to Entrepreneurship (G2E) Center will host its annual GROW Conference in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week on Friday, November 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the college’s Gateway Center located at 75 Grasslands Road in Valhalla, NY. This year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week will be held from November 18-24, 2019, and will celebrate innovators and job creators worldwide with activities and resources that will guide them to take the next steps on their entrepreneurial journey. The GROW Conference empowers small business owners throughout Westchester County and will feature a variety of workshops as well as a keynote address by Jason Robinson, Director of Marketing at UPS.

The GROW Conference, organized by G2E and the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, is the region’s largest gathering of business owners and professionals for the purpose of training for small businesses. Last year’s event attracted hundreds of participants and this year’s conference is expected to attract a similar number of attendees. GROW brings together local professionals through networking, mentoring, business development and marketing sessions for the purpose of building relationships to further their company’s growth. The full-day forum offers the details of growing your business and maximizing success, with a focus on networking, mentoring, business development and driving revenue. Attendees are able to tap into a network of like-minded business leaders, potential partners and resources, and hear from marquee-name professionals and innovators from Westchester and beyond.

Jason Robinson, Director of Marketing at UPS, will deliver the keynote at this year’s GROW Conference. In his position, he develops competitive strategies to support organizational business growth objectives in New York City and surrounding markets.  Robinson advances the company’s awareness in competitive positioning for small to large businesses through market intelligence and portfolio assessments. During his keynote, Robinson will share how to foster strategic partnerships and networking across the business supply chain to maximize opportunity and disrupt the future.

“There are more than 35,000 small businesses in Westchester, and the college is committed to supporting these entrepreneurs,” says Westchester Community College President Belinda S. Miles. “Our economy needs these innovators and we are always interested in creating programs and events to help them thrive. The GROW Conference is an example of our dedication to helping to maintain healthy economic growth in the region,” she adds.

This year’s GROW Conference’s theme is One Day, New Ideas: Innovation & Disruption. Attendees at this year’s conference will learn new ideas for growing their businesses, disrupting the status quo, and be informed of innovative solutions to apply to their entrepreneurial efforts. Some of the workshop topics at this year’s GROW Conference includes: Business Disruption: How to Weather The Storm; Disrupt Your Money Habits To Reignite Your Business;, Selling on Amazon: Lessons Learned; The Value of Design Thinking; The Changing Retail Environment In Our Downtown; How Can Small Business Benefit From The Sharing Economy, and more.

The sponsors for the 2019 GROW Conference include: Business Council of Westchester, Candela Systems Corporation, New York Business Development Corporation, Tompkins Excavating, UPS, Westchester County Office of Economic Development, and Westchester-Putnam One-Stop Career Center.  “We are grateful to have these wonderful organizations contribute to this special event,” says Eridania Camacho, G2E Director.

The GROW Conference is open to the public and tickets can be purchased online at growyourbusiness.eventcombo.com. for $110. The GROW Conference is free for all Westchester Community College students with a valid student ID. For more information about becoming an exhibitor or sponsor of the GROW Conference, please contact Eridania Camacho, G2E Director, at (914) 606-5616 or via email at eridania.camacho@sunywcc.edu. For general questions about the event, please contact Events To Remember at (914) 218-3968 or via email at EventsCJH@EventsRemember.com.

Click here for details on our weather delay and closing communications. We expect our students to be aware of how we get the word out during major storms.

LOWER HUDSON VALLEY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND ENERGY CAREERS BUS TOUR PAVES THE WAY FOR BRIGHT FUTURES FOR REGION’S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

More than fifty Westchester educators are literally “getting on the bus” to learn about career pathways in Advanced Manufacturing and Energy and Utility Employment in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley on Tuesday, October 29. They will hear first-hand from industry partners including Safe Flight Instrument Corporation (White Plains), Magnetic Analysis Corporation (Elmsford), and Con Edison (Rye) about the many opportunities in these fields. The educators will then share what they have learned with the region’s high school students and parents.

The project represents a partnership between the Workforce Development Institute (WDI), Westchester Community College, Council of Industry (CI), Southern Westchester BOCES, and Westchester County Youth Bureau. There are over 29,000 employees in the energy sector and 14,000 in manufacturing in Westchester and Putnam, but unless students have someone who actively connects them to these industries – they may never learn about these careers.

The Educators Bus Tour is aimed at changing that by ensuring high school educators gain first-hand knowledge – and education, apprenticeship, and industry contacts — that they can in turn share with students, parents, and educators back in their districts.

“The region’s manufacturers are looking for innovative, hard-working employees at all levels – Production Workers, Machinist/Mechanical Technicians, and Mechanical Engineers to fill anticipated vacancies as 25% of the region’s manufacturing employees are 55 and older,” notes Harold King, President of The Council of Industry, the region’s manufacturer’s association. Similarly, the energy and utility sector is projected to have 9% employment growth between 2019 and 2029, and looking for talented, technical, service-oriented workers for positions as General Utility Worker, Electrical Technician, and Management Associate.

“Employees in these industries share similar technical skill sets. These skills are critical to the economic vitality of the region and represent rewarding career paths that the rest of society depends on,” says Westchester Community College President Belinda S. Miles.

“The Lower Hudson Valley is particularly fortunate to have a range of ways that interested parties can “get on the bus” to great career in manufacturing or the energy/utility industries, “says Ed Murphy, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Institute, which was instrumental in bringing the group together.

Programs of note include:

• Westchester Community College offers workforce training, certificates and associate degrees in mechanical, electrical and civil technologies as well as related degrees with multiple entry/exit points to start a career, upskill, or work towards a bachelors degree in engineering
• The Council of Industry is the starting place for apprenticeships in manufacturing that pairs hands-on apprenticeship learning with earning a certificate, degree or other workforce credential, as well as a wide range of continuing education and leadership programs for the industry
• Southern Westchester BOCES offers education training programs geared toward workforce preparation, industry recognized certification and pathways to post-secondary education and training through the Center for Career Services and the Center for Adult and Community Services
• Workforce Development Institute is a key workforce partner for both manufacturing and energy sectors in the region and in New York State

Interesting Facts

• Putnam and Westchester are home to an estimated 680 manufacturing firms and serves the aerospace, biotech, electronics, and chemical/pharmaceutical sectors along with dozens of other specialties.
• Putnam and Westchester manufacturers generate over $50 billion in annual earnings.
• Energy careers have multiple entry points at all levels of education.
• Our region has a wide range of energy systems in place – electrical, gas, steam and solar – to generate and distribute energy.

Members of the media are invited to attend this event.

See photos from the event

The ceremony celebrated two new agreements with SUNY Delhi:

Westchester Community College/SUNY Delhi Transfer Agreement
Westchester Community College/SUNY Delhi Online Nursing (RN to BSN) Program Transfer Agreement

See Details

Westchester Community College has signed a new comprehensive transfer agreement with SUNY Delhi, guaranteeing students who complete one of 19 associate degrees at Westchester a seamless transfer into one of 13 corresponding bachelor programs at SUNY Delhi.

With this agreement, Westchester Community College students graduating from an associate program with a minimum of 2.0 grade point average will be directly admitted into a bachelor program at SUNY Delhi. SUNY Delhi’s nursing program requires a 2.8 GPA or higher and the Veterinary Technology program requires a 3.0 GPA or higher. A maximum of 64 credits will be applied toward the completion of the bachelor program at SUNY Delhi.

“This extensive agreement encompasses a very diverse set of academic programs, thereby allowing students from Westchester Community College the opportunity to transfer seamlessly into any one of our five academic schools at SUNY Delhi,” said SUNY Delhi Provost Kelli Ligeikis. “The combined efforts of Westchester Community College and SUNY Delhi will open doors and ensure long-term pathways for educational success for our students.”

“SUNY Delhi is pleased to offer Westchester Community College students an excellent, affordable transfer option to continue their education in one of our outstanding bachelor programs,” said Misty Fields, Associate Director of Admissions at SUNY Delhi. “The agreement is unique due to the multitude of programs it covers, especially in the areas of applied sciences and applied technologies. We are confident that Westchester Community College students will thrive in the student-centered learning environment at SUNY Delhi,” she says.

“Our main goal is to help students succeed. Expanding our transfer pathways with new agreements with four-year institutions helps our students move on toward promising opportunities in the classroom and the workplace,” says Westchester Community College Vice President of Academic Affairs Vanessa Morest. “This is another step toward our mission to simplify and redesign the student experience. The agreement will make it easier for our students to achieve their dreams,” she adds.

To encourage students to take advantage of the new partnership, SUNY Delhi will award two one-time $1,000 SUNY Delhi/Westchester Community College Pathways Transfer Scholarships to a student who resides on campus and a student enrolled in an online program. The scholarships require each student to maintain full-time student status with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

We are making it easier for students to benefit from scholarships.

Click here for details

We welcomed new Honors students to the college. These sixteen students are in specialized, high level classes.

Click here for more details

The Center for Applied Learning and Career Development held the 2019 program for Constitution Day. This year’s theme was focused on Immigration and the Constitution. Highlights of each session included a welcome from Dr. Miles, personal reflections by faculty, learning activities,  musical selections and designed to stimulate deliberation in the classroom, social action and civic engagement.

See photos from the event

Westchester Community College has signed a new transfer agreement with Pace University, allowing many students who complete their studies at Westchester Community College to matriculate into Pace with junior standing. The new agreement covers students in twelve Westchester Community College majors.

Westchester Community College students who graduate from those programs with an A.A. or A.S. degree and a minimum grade point average of 2.5 will be guaranteed acceptance to Pace. All students graduating from those  Westchester Community College’s A.A. or A.S. degree programs will have their lower level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to Pace.

For these students, all courses that receive a passing grade at Westchester Community College will count toward degree completion at Pace. For the transfer students, a maximum of 68 credits will be applied toward the completion of the relevant Pace Bachelor’s degree programs.

For Nursing students in particular, those graduating with an A.A. S. from Westchester Community College’s program are eligible to enroll in the Pace Registered Nurse Bachelor of Science Online Degree Program. Those with a grade point average of 2.75 or better will be guaranteed admission with junior standing. All Nursing students graduating from Westchester Community College will have their lower level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to Pace. Nursing students transferring to Pace will receive a discounted tuition rate.

In addition, Pace will offer scholarships to select transfer students.

“The college is deeply committed to helping our students succeed. This includes strengthening our transfer pathways and forging new agreements with four year institutions. Such agreements truly help our students move on toward real opportunities in the classroom and the workplace as they transition from graduation here to bachelor’s degrees at Pace and subsequent careers in their chosen fields,” says Dr. Belinda S. Miles, President, Westchester Community College. “As we seek to simplify and redesign the student experience, this agreement makes it easier for our students to move on in their journeys toward success,” she adds.

“I’m thrilled to deepen Pace University’s partnership with Westchester Community College through this innovative agreement. Westchester Community College is our County neighbor and our partner in the mission to open doors and provide opportunities for our students,” said Pace President Marvin Krislov. “This partnership helps our future graduates strengthen their skills to complete in an ever-changing global economy.”

“Providing students with opportunities to fulfill their potential is not only a core philosophy at Pace, it’s also part of our academic DNA,” said Pace Provost Vanya Quiñones. “This agreement with Westchester Community College will be a transformative experience for students and creates a clear pathway for success.”

See details here