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March 2017 – Issue 7

Dear Colleagues,

As the 2016 – 2017

academic year comes to

an end, I want to

acknowledge and

recognize Westchester

Community College’s

staff that works hard to

assist the Division of

Academic Affairs

advance the success of

students. Support staff at

WCC work tirelessly to provide service to the

College community. This will be the last issue of

the Academic Communicator. We celebrate and

reflect upon the unsung heroes.

The support staff in the Division of Academic

Affairs is the initial contact for students and faculty.

The staff addresses student concerns, schedule

changes, no-pay deletes, and words of

encouragement. The staff performs these duties

with smiling and greeting faces. I as Provost and

Vice President of Academic Affairs (Interim) along

with the entire Division salute and celebrate the

support staff for their outstanding service and

dedication to WCC. The College could not end the

Academic year without acknowledging WCC

support staff members. The March edition of The

Communicator celebrated faculty, April’s edition

focused on student success, and this issue

recognizes Academic Affairs staff.

I leave you with two quotes which are my fondest:

service to others is the greatest job anyone can do.

The second is the activity of the mind.

As I close out my tenure at Westchester Community

College, I would like to reflect on a poem by an

unknown author entitled “A Reason, A Season, A

Lifetime”.

People come into your life for a reason, a season,

or a lifetime.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is

usually to meet a need you have expressed or just

felt. They have come to assist you through a hard

time, to provide you with guidance and support, to

aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. Then,

suddenly, the person disappears from your life.

Your need has been met; their work is done.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow, or give

back. They bring you an experience of peace or

make you laugh. They give you great joy. Believe it;

it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime

lessons—things you must build upon to have a solid

emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the

lesson, love the person and put what you have

learned to use in all your other relationships.

Think about the people in your life over the years.

Whether they were there for a reason, a season or a

lifetime, accept them and treasure them for however

long they were meant to be part of your life.

May 2017-Issue 9

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And when they are gone, be thankful for the gifts

you received from them when they were here—for a

reason, a season or a lifetime.

I am dedicating this edition of the communicator to

Diane Barna. Diane held a special place in heart of

many at Westchester Community College. She

worked at WCC for more than 17 years. During her

tenure at the College, she worked as an Office

Assistant to the Accounting, Computer Information

Systems, and Human Service departments.

Additionally, Ms. Barna was an active member of

both the WCC Staff Council and Achieving the

Dream Committee. Unfortunately, we loss Diane

Barna to an untimely death in October of 2016. We

continue to mourn the loss of Diane and WCC will

not be the same without her.

In the Provost’s office, I have two wonderful staff

members who supports Division of Academic

Affairs and me.

Ms. Karen Rao, Administrative Assistant, joined

Westchester Community College in May 2016. She

supports the Division of Academic Affairs and me

by scheduling meetings, answering the phone, and

other administrative assistant duties. Prior to

working at Westchester Community College, Karen

worked at Pace University as the Administrative

Assistant to the Associate Dean Arts and Sciences.

Jonelle Knox Ed. D., Project Administrator, works

on special administrative projects for the office and

the entire Division of Academic Affairs. Dr. Knox

has worked in post-secondary education for more

than ten years in various administrative and faculty

positions. He has worked at Bronx Community

College CUNY, ASA College, Moraine Valley

Community College, and Kennedy King College.

Prior to working full-time in higher education,

Jonelle worked in corporate America in which his

last position was Assistant Vice President of Risk

Management for LawCash, a legal finance

company.

Thank you Karen and Jonelle for the continued

support and dedication to both Westchester

Community College and the Division of Academic

Affairs.

On May 1, 2017, the Division of Academic Affairs

hosted a meet and greet to introduce new employees

to the College community. The event was well

attended and opened to the entire campus

community. Welcome to Westchester Community

College, it is truly a great place!

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SCHOOL OF ARTS,

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL

SCIENCES Dr. Karen Taylor, Interim Dean Location: Hankin Academic Arts Building, Rm. 509

Phone: (914) 606-6949

CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESSES

Fundamentally important to the success of the

School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences are

the staff who support the students, faculty, and

administrators. We have amazing staff who are on

the move! John Sheridan promoted to Division

Secretary in 2015 completed the CPR certification

course and volunteered for various activities at the

Native Plant Sale; he has also been elected Vice

President of the Staff Council for 2017-18 and was

awarded this year’s Chancellor’s Award for

Excellence in Classified Service.

Jan Phair, John Sheridan, and Pat Saponaro

Jan Phair has completed her CPR certification

course and has been working on increasing her skills

with fillable forms to revamp some of the paperwork

we deal with so often. She along with Pat Saponaro

and Francine Regan attended the Staff

Development Day. Finally, we give well wishes to

Francine Regan on her first grandchild expected in

just a few months!

The School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

would like to welcome the new Dean, Karen Taylor

to the College. Dr. Taylor comes to Westchester

Community College most recently from Finger

Lakes Community College where she served as the

Associate Vice President of Instruction. She brings

with her a variety of administrative and academic

experiences designed to enhance curriculum and

academic program development. The college will

benefit from Dr. Taylor’s expertise and management

abilities as she guides the School of Arts,

Humanities, and Social Sciences forward to enhance

student success at Westchester Community College.

Dr. Karen Taylor, Dean Arts, Humanities, and

Social Sciences

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND

PROFESSIONAL CAREERS Dr. Carmen Martínez-López, Dean

Location: Classroom Building, Room 201

Phone: (914) 606-6435

SBPC SUPPORT TEAM

Our school is very proud and grateful for the

assistance that our support team gives to ensure our

School’s success. Teresa Michaud, Fran Regan,

Lissette Iglesias Pérez, and Linda Portsmouth are

always available to serve not only our students and

faculty, but also students’ family members and

outside stakeholders when they have concerns.

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They have been instrumental in managing the

logistics for several activities, such as scheduling

the visit of the members of external review teams

(ERT), putting together materials to send to the

ERTs, and organizing the academic welcome for

our students, among other activities.

The support team of the School of Business and

Professional Careers engages in a wide variety of

tasks. Teresa, Fran, Lissette, and Linda contribute

to the School's success on a daily basis; they orient

the students when they need clarification related to

the new Schools’ structure, and they guide the

students to the appropriate areas in the college when

they have questions or concerns to ensure that their

concerns are addressed appropriately.

Teresa, Fran, Lissette and Linda are always

assisting our faculty when they have concerns

related to logistical issues that are important for

faculty success.

Francine Regan assisted with the Great Cohan

Award ceremony this past April. The support team

has also been working very hard with faculty on

Program Reviews, Search & Screen interviews,

adjunct interviews, and other projects that will help

the college community as a whole.

Our school continues to bring examples of

partnerships between our college and external

stakeholders. Our Management 101 class

participated in a visit to PepsiCo’s corporate

headquarters in Purchase, New York. Our students

from the Consumer Behavior class competed in the

Pace University App Bowl, sponsored by

Westchester County and Google.

TERESA MICHAUD

SCHOOL SECRETARY CLA 201

FRANCINE REGAN

OFFICE ASST.

PROFESSIONAL CAREERS

DEPT. CLA38

Lissett Igllesia Perez OFFICE ASST.

PROF. CAREERS DEPT.

BUSINESS DEPT. CLA44 & GTW 352

LINDA PORTSMOUTH OFFICE ASSISTANT

ACCOUNTING DEPT CIT DEPT

EDUCATION DEPT

CLA 42

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ALPHA BETA GAMMA BUSINESS HONOR

SOCIETY

On Thursday April 2017, Professor Ruth Levy

officiated at the Delta Chapter of Alpha Beta

Gamma International (ABG), the business honor

society of Westchester Community College, as part

of their 47th annual Initiation Banquet held at the

Elmwood Country Club in White Plains. This

initiation banquet was the 43rd consecutive ABG

initiation ceremony for which Professor Levy has

acted as faculty adviser.

There were 89 students initiated; the students

represented curricula including accounting, business

administration, marketing, fashion merchandising,

culinary and foods management, computer

information systems, cybersecurity, office

technologies, and web development.

The evening was a culmination of the year-long

efforts by ABG President Tahamina Akhtar and her

fellow officers: Aparna Bist, Marie Altagracia Jean,

Johnnie Angeline Anne Asibuo, James M.P.

Laughlin, Haile Laurency, and Jasper Syrig.

The ceremony included congratulations and

encouraging words by one of the evening’s

honorees, Dean Carmen Martinez Lopez, who

spoke passionately about student success.

Additionally, Cyber Security curriculum Chair,

Professor John Watkins, was honored for his

dedication to students.

In his keynote address, Dean Ed Weis of Mercy

College advised the students to get a mentor, get

involved outside of classes by joining clubs and

organizations, such as ABG. He also encouraged

students to participate in internship opportunities.

Congratulations to our faculty advisors, Professor

Ruth Levy, Professor Carolyn Christesen, and

Edward Hengel, for supporting the Delta Chapter of

Alpha Beta Gamma International (ABG), the

business honor society of Westchester Community

College.

LAMBDA ALPHA BETA GAMMA

On Wednesday April 19th, 2017, Professor Ruth

Levy was one of the guest speakers at the annual

high school business honor society induction of

Lambda Alpha Beta Gamma at Eastchester High

School. This organization has been at Eastchester

High School since June 2001; Professor Ruth Levy

has participated in all but one of the annual

initiation ceremonies during the past 17 years.

BUSINESS STUDENTS VISIT PEPSICO

HEADQUARTERS FOR EXECUTIVE TOUR

On April 23, 2017, students from Judith Chang’s

Global Business class and Suzanne Matthews’

Management 101 class participated in a visit to

PepsiCo’s corporate headquarters in Purchase, New

York. The group had an opportunity to meet with

leaders from the strategic planning, finance, and

marketing areas within Pepsi. PepsiCo is the

second largest food and beverage company in the

world with over 200,000 employees worldwide.

Students were able to get a sense of how PepsiCo

operates globally and how they coordinate the

marketing, finance and strategic planning functions.

They were especially interested to hear a detailed

overview of how PepsiCo manages its marketing

activities.

The visit included a tour of PepsiCo’s newly

renovated headquarters building, and students were

able to see how the office environment is designed

to promote collaboration, creativity, and

communication between employees. Students also

enjoyed sampling some of PepsiCo’s new product

innovations.

WESTCHESTER FASHION IN ACTION

The spring 2017 Fashion Show was a successful

event. Students and their families enjoyed the event

organized by the Fashion Club with the assistance

of Professor Stacy Scibelli and Professor Karen

Schlusberg.

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For the non-textile garments exhibition, the winners

are:

Best in Show: Two piece outfit created from safety

pins & zippers by Cassandra Burnley

Best Material Used: Two piece outfit made out of

duct tape by Carole Morris

Most Creative: Outfit of leaves and flower petals

by Mona Aljjayyosi

MARKETING MANAGEMENT IN ACTION

In the Consumer Behavior course, six teams of

students competed in the Pace University App Bowl

sponsored by Westchester County and Google.

Each team had an app in development, designed to

enrich the lives of senior citizens and their

caretakers in the community.

The final judging was held on April 28th, 2017. The

experience gave students real world “Shark Tank”

like experience in coding training, and the

opportunity to use the focus rooms on campus and

Qualtrics technology for market research. The

teams were diverse in their app-making approach.

For example, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner is an

app for seniors who like to gamble; Ahead of Time

is an app for seniors who could use voice activated

scheduling to keep track of their medicine and

appointments; The Bucket List is an app that gives

seniors who are filled with enthusiasm a chance to

use virtual reality to explore their dreams in their

homes, like skydiving and Paris travel; and Sunday

Dinner is an app that curates menus aligned with

medical conditions like diabetes and high blood

pressure.

The Marketing Management class hosted an

exciting Pop up fragrance exhibit, showcasing

“Sensational Women in History.”

This branded fragrance exhibition imagined by

Professor Fein’s Marketing Management class used

women in history to inspire 3D modeled perfume

bottles, unique brands, and unusual scents. The

project was curated by guest "nose" Sue Phillips, a

fragrance expert globally-recognized in the

fragrance and perfume, cosmetics, and personal care

fields. Sue presented to visitors of the exhibition a

short overview about the magic and mystery of our

most powerful sense--our sense of smell. She has

developed fragrances for Lancôme Paris, Elizabeth

Arden, and more.

WCC Students were inspired by a visit to The

Scentarium. Students discovered their olfactory

personality and learned about the different fragrance

families and created their own fragrance for the brands

that they were conceiving to celebrate Women's History

Month. The class also learned about the product

development process from guest speakers in branding,

consumer trademarking, event planning, and Tinkercad.

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SCHOOL OF HEALTH CAREERS,

TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED

LEARNING Dr. Ronald L. Bloom, Dean

Location: Science Building, Room 252

Phone: (914) 606-6912

STAFF

DELZORA MABRA My career at Westchester

Community College first began

in September of 1995 when I

worked as an Office Assistant

in Multicultural Programs and

Services. I worked in this area

until December 1999. In April

of 2012, I returned to

Westchester Community

College as the Division Secretary of the Arts and

Humanities Division where I offered support to the

Reading, English, Communications and Media Arts,

Arts, Film and Performing Arts Departments. In

September of 2015, I transferred to the Division of

Natural and Health Sciences, now known as the

School of Health Careers, Technologies and Applied

Learning. I am the Assistant to Dean Ronald Bloom.

With the help of two office assistants, we offer

support to the following programs: EMS/Paramedic,

Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Nutrition and

Dietetics, Medical Billing, Medical Coding, Nursing,

Physical Education, Personal Training, Health and

Human Performance, Health Studies, Radiology

Technology, Respiratory Care and Veterinary Care.

I am a proud alumna of Westchester Community

College. I graduated in May 2002 with an AAS

degree in Business Administration and inducted into

Alpha Beta Gamma Honor Society. In June 2012, I

received a Bachelor’s of Science in Community

Human Services from SUNY Empire State

University. As School Secretary, I strive to make

sure that the needs of students and faculty are met. I

make an extra effort to seek out the answers to

questions I do not know. My focus is to help as much

as I can to ensure that students are successful in their

college careers.

ELIZABETH SLOAT I am the new Lead Technical

Assistant in the Department of

Culinary Arts, Hospitality

Management, Nutrition &

Dietetics. I started my career at

SUNY Westchester Community

College in January after the

retirement of Emmy Cresky.

After high school, I obtained an Associate Degree in

Occupational Science from SUNY Cobleskill. I

worked in the hospitality industry for many years

before returning to SUNY Westchester Community

College. At the College, I completed both the

programs in Food and Nutrition and Dietetics. I then

attended CUNY Lehman College where I graduated

with a BS in Nutrition. I am excited about my

position in the department and the opportunity to

work with faculty and assist students as they begin

their careers in culinary arts, hospitality, and the

nutrition industry.

WALTER HAUCK My interaction and

assistance to students and

faculty is multifaceted. In

addition to my duties in

the Physical Education

Department, I have

responsibilities in the

Athletic Department that

include coaching three teams. I assist faculty with

computers and completing online research, forms,

and reports. I assist faculty in setting up equipment,

ordering equipment and supplies, and tracking items

when they are received. I monitor maintenance of the

building for both Physical Education and Athletics

by spotting needed repairs and ordering custodial

services for special events. Both departments put me

in contact with students. For Physical Education, I

help them navigate the ins and outs of functioning in

our building and Department. Through Athletics, I

help students to function as a team, and to develop in

their sport. My role includes helping students

understand college life and how to potentially

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continue in their studies and participate in sports after

they graduate from Westchester.

ERIC HVISC I have been employed at the

College for 35 years, the

first 16 at the Media Center.

Over the course of my

career, I have seen many

changes, but my commitment to students remains the

same. I believe my job is to pay it forward. I feel a

sense of pride every time I walk into a hospital in the

area and our graduates recognize me. I hope to

continue to work in the Health Science Building for

as long as I can. The mission of Westchester

Community College motivates me and I am hopeful

that I can continue to support our faculty and students

to become excellent health professionals.

CELESTE CABRAL I joined Westchester

Community College in

January 2017 working for

Dean Bloom in the School of

Health Careers, Technology,

and Applied Learning. I

provide administrative support to the Nursing,

Radiology Technology, Respiratory Care, and

Veterinary Technology programs. Prior School

experience includes working for BOCES, Irvington,

and Greenburgh. I also worked many years as an

IBM employee, on-site trainer, payroll instructor,

payroll administrator, payroll accounting

professional, and Corporate Banking Administrator.

VICTORIA OWENS I joined Westchester

Community College in

February 2017. I am an office

assistant in the Dean’s Office

in the School of Health

Careers, Technology and

Applied Learning. I provide administrative support

to the EMS and Paramedic Program, Physical

Education and the Culinary Arts, Hospitality

Management and Nutrition and Dietetics

Departments. I come from a business background

working with VPs in corporate America; academia is

quite new to me. Right now, I am working closely

with the Dean to bring the Health Equity Symposium

to the College on June 6, 2017

BRIANA O’MALLEY I am the lab assistant for the

Veterinary Technology

Department. I am a licensed

veterinary technician and

part of the first graduating

class from WCC’s

veterinary technology program. I help set up lab

experiences for the students, which includes the vet

tech lab, or off campus at our participating animal

shelter or teaching hospital. My daily activities vary

from setting up dog mannequins for pet CPR to

collecting blood samples so students can practice

microscope techniques. Because I support faculty’s

daily instruction, I play an integral role in the

educational and clinical program. Having gone

through the program, I also serve as a mentor to

students.

NEWS FROM EMERGENCY MEDICAL

SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Paramedic student Patrick Swift and 2016 paramedic

program graduate Walter McCabe delivered a baby

during his ambulance internship. Mr. Swift

responded to a call for a “woman in labor” with his

field-training preceptor, Walter McCabe. They

found the woman to be in the final stages of labor and

decided it was best to proceed with the delivery in

her home. After the birth, they stabilized both the

mother and baby before transporting them to the

hospital. They are both healthy and thankful for the

quick thinking and professionalism of the team.

The Westchester County Regional EMS Council has

chosen to recognize two members of our EMS

program this year at their annual awards dinner.

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Adjunct Professor, Martin Greenberg was selected as

the Educator of the Year. Paramedic student James

Gallagher was selected as Basic Life Support

Provider of the Year.

SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS,

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Dr. Kwesi Amoa, Dean

Location: Technology Building, Room 106

Phone: (914) 606-6787

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

SERENA CHAMBLEE

joined the Westchester

Community College family in

August 2016 as the School

Secretary for the School of

Mathematics, Science and

Engineering. Although she

has only been with us for a

short time, she has had a tremendous impact on our

school environment. Serena works diligently to

ensure that students’ needs are addressed; and she is

committed to helping the College and faculty to the

best of her ability. In addition, she volunteers with

the Staff Council Helping Hands Committee. We are

happy she is a part of our school.

The School of Mathematics, Science, and

Engineering is also supported by other great support

staff members. Many of the support members have

long-term dedicated service. The staff includes:

Ellen DiFrancesco, 21 years of service, Catherine

Frater, 5 years of service, Barbara Murry, 16 years of

service, and Linda Walle, 44 years of service. I and

Westchester Community College would like to thank

them for their service.

CENTER FOR LEARNING

RESOURCES, LIBRARY, MEDIA

AND INSTRUCTIONAL

TECHNOLOGY Pamela Pollard, Dean

Location: Harold L. Drimmer Library, Room 148

Phone: 914-606-8581

The Library is pleased to report that it offered

extended hours during finals assessment week -

Monday May 8th through Thursday May 11th. The

library was open for regular use until 9:30 pm

during those nights. After 9:30 pm, the first floor of

the library was open till 11:00 pm, offering students

study space, computers, and reserve textbook

availability. A reference librarian, media-computer

technician and library technician were present to

assist students during this time. Virtual reference

(chat, email, and text messaging) was also available

to students off campus. During the first night of

extended coverage, over 80 students utilized the

space at 6:30 pm and over 50 students utilized the

space during the extended coverage. The library

will continue to support these students and the

hundreds of students who use the library during

regular hours of assessment week.

The Testing and Assessment Center tested 127

students on Acceptance Students Day April 28th

between 9am- 12pm and all scores were uploaded

into to students’ PeopleSoft accounts. Scores were

uploaded on the same day to enable students to

meet with an Academic Advisor and complete the

registration process for the upcoming semester.

Our new Testing and Assessment Coordinator

Malcolm Gareth visited and helped administer the

Accuplacer math subtest and/or an essay to students

who are in Grades 10 through 11 as part of the ECE

program. This resulted in 366 students from 5 high

schools in Westchester County testing with an

additional 12 test sessions scheduled through June.

In addition, The Testing and Assessment Center

also identified candidates for the Honors College.

We also tested 71 EAP students who were part of

the non-credit ESL classes to ease their transition

into higher-level ESL courses.

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OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT

DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Danielle DiGrazia, Assistant Dean of Academic

Affairs, Location: Hartford Hall, Room 16

Phone: (914) 606-6719

CELLBRATING SUPPORT STAFF

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

OFFICE ASSISTANT,

MONIQUE “NIKKI”

RUTLEDGE

You might have received an

email from Monique

Rutledge, but she goes by

Nikki. Nikki is a childhood

nickname that stuck when

her uncle called her Mo-

Nikki! Nikki has been with

the College since September

of 2016 and has quickly

learned her way around,

including volunteering for the Staff Council

Helping Hands Committee. She has also found her

way to the Culinary Dining Room and is a big fan

of the program! Visit her in Hartford Hall, Room 15

whenever you are in the building!

THE FORTY-THIRD ACADEMIC

RECOGNITION CEREMONY AT

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

As Provost, it was a pleasure to select her as

Valedictorian and to invite her back to address her

alma mater. The Keynote Address for this year’s

Academic Recognition on Thursday, May 11th is

Isabela do Couto who was named the 2016 class

Valedictorian at Westchester Community College.

While attending WCC, she was a Phi Theta Kappa

Honor Society and Alpha Beta Gamma Business

Honor Society student leader. Additionally, while

attending the College, Ms. Couto participated in the

Honors Program. Isabela was selected to be on the

New York Academic Team and was a recipient of the

SUNY Chancellor’s Award. After graduating from

WCC, she was offered the McGhee Transfer

Scholarship and enrolled at New York University’s

(NYU) School of Professional Studies where she is

currently majoring in Economics. At NYU, Isabela

is a member of the student Economics Club and the

McGhee Student Association. Upon completing her

Bachelor’s Degree at NYU, Isabela plans to enroll in

law school. In addition to attending college full-time,

Isabela works full-time at a Manhattan real-estate

company.

BEHIND – THE - SCENES:

AMY MOZINGO,

APPLICATION SUPPORT

SPECIALIST

In order to make applications

function properly behind the

scenes, Amy Mozingo is hard

at work ensuring accuracy of

data and scribing in Degree Works and CoursEval

programs. She is also pivotal in the faculty advisor

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assignment process running queries to ensure

accuracy in assignments. She is known for her

attention to detail, problem-solving nature, and is

applauded for her dedicated work ethic. Amy has her

Master of Science degree in Computer Information

Systems from Marist College, has been with

Westchester Community College since 2006, and she

has been in her current position since 2010. Say hello

the next time you are in Hartford Hall, room 14!

IT’S OFFICIAL – NEW PROGRAMS AT

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE!

New at Westchester Community College this fall

2017 are the following programs:

- Health and Human Performance, A.S.

- Health Studies, A.S.

- Medical Billing Certificate

- Medical Coding Certificate

Go to www.sunywcc.edu/catalog to ‘Programs of

Study’ to learn more about them!

CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (CUNY),

ACCELERATED STUDY IN ASSOCIATE

PROGRAMS (ASAP)

Left to right: Danielle DiGrazia, Assistant Dean of Academic

Affairs; Leonore Rodriguez, Office Assistant; (back) Madalena

Mansinho, Math Coordinator; Sara Thompson Tweedy, Vice

President of Student Access, Involvement, & Success; Dr. Laurie

Miller McNeil, Director of Institutional Advancement, Iskra

Hernandez, Acting Director, Center for Academic Counseling

and Student Success; (right, bottom) Anita Cook, Director of

Financial Aid; Assistant Professor Lori Murphy; Jeanette Kim,

Assistant of High School Partnerships.

April 26th through April 28th, a team of Westchester

Community College faculty, staff, and

administrators participated in an “immersion” type

training, along with colleagues from Skyline College

in California, to learn how to implement CUNY’s

ASAP Program. Westchester Community College

members visited colleagues on the LaGuardia

Community College and Medgar Evers College

campuses. Can you feel the excitement and positive

energy in this photo? The team looks forward to

sharing their excitement with everyone on campus as

we work together to implement ASAP for future

WCC students!

TOURO COLLEGE / NEW YORK MEDICAL

COLLEGE ALLIANCE

Twenty graduates from this year’s

Westchester Community College

Nursing, A.A.S. program have a seat

saved for them in the new RN-BS

program with Touro College, now in

the neighborhood beginning this fall 2017 on the

New York Medical College campus in Valhalla,

New York. An articulation agreement signing

ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Below are some photos from a recent visit to New

York Medical College.

New dental school facilities at New York Medical

College:

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A 3-D virtual table for students to practice surgery

and other procedures. (From left to right: Danielle DiGrazia, Assistant Dean of

Academic Affairs; Dr. Edward Halperin, President and CEO of

New York Medical College; Dr. Ronald Bloom, Dean of Health

Careers, Technology & Applied Learning; Dr. Peggy Bradford,

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (Interim).

By Danielle DiGrazia aka “Little Dags”

This semester, I

had the fortunate

opportunity to

attend the

national Alliance

conference, an

annual user-

driven conference

of Oracle

applications; in

WCC’s world,

that is

PeopleSoft! The

conference took

place in Las

Vegas and

featured keynote speaker, Erik Wahl, an

internationally recognized graffiti artist, author and

motivational speaker who has presented across many

circuits such as Microsoft, Disney, and NBC.

In the MGM Grand Arena, Wahl created artwork of

cultural icons during his creative presentation, which

simultaneously included music, inspiring videos, and

his action-packed painting on canvas. His message of

“coloring outside of the lines” was literal and

figurative, recommending that we use (and smell)

Crayola crayons at our next staff meetings! A

creative artist, promoting his new book, The Spark

and Grind, Ignite the Power of Disciplined

Creativity, Wahl also promoted himself on social

media periodically throughout the presentation; I

‘tweeted’ that night with only a few others in the

audience.

The following morning getting ready for the

conference, on Facebook I see Wahl painting in his

hotel room, looking out of his window at the Statue

of Liberty at the New York, New York Hotel! At the

end of the video, he proclaims there will be an

“artdrop” on his way out to the airport; it is a

scavenger hunt for the painting with a result of

“finder’s keepers” with clues along the way on social

media! With that, I jumped up and tweeted to Wahl,

“I guess I should get up and out of my pajamas.” He

tweets back, “PJs off – running shoes on, Good luck.

Happy hunting.” With that I reply, “Game on!” and I

began running through one of the largest hotels in the

country to all possible locations I thought the

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painting might be. Time passed and Wahl eventually

posted a clue of the painting in an emergency

stairwell. The challenge was that there is more than

one tower and many stairwells! Luckily I was able to

zoom in on the photo enough to faintly see the floor

number 12. With that, I took the elevator up to the

floor and I was then in an octagon of hallways! I

went to the first emergency exit I saw and there she

was waiting for me, Lady Liberty!

Wahl was very happy that someone from a New

York institution won the painting; he also tweeted

that he thought my quadriceps would be in pain! I

politely corrected him because in fact I took the

elevator; he responded, “smart girlz use technology!”

OFFICE OF ADJUNCT

SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

& ONLINE EDUCATION

Hector Graciano, Associate Dean

Location: Science Building, Room 251

(Entrance through Room 252)

Phone: (914) 606-6977

ONLINE EDUCATION

As of April 2017, all staff members affiliated with

supporting Blackboard, the learning management

system utilized at WCC, will be working under one

umbrella: the Office of Adjunct Services,

Professional Development and Online Education -

Academic Affairs. This transition will help to

strengthen the training and support services we can

offer to faculty and will assist in the college’s goal to

increase online course offerings.

This semester, our Online Education staff has offered

Blackboard training to over 60 faculty members,

offering over 15 workshops and certifying 18 new

faculty to teach online. The Online Education unit

also introduced a new workshop, Introduction to

Goals and Alignments in Blackboard, showcasing a

progress-reporting tool that can help students track

their goal progress with graphics and visuals. In

addition, online training sessions are now being

offered with a tool called Zoom, a free web-

conferencing and screen-sharing software that allows

for virtual training sessions.

Our Online Education staff consists of:

Danielle Plass is the Program

Administrator/Instructional Designer of Online

Education. She has been with Westchester

Community College for over three years and has over

15 years of experience in higher education, including

experience in adult education, faculty development,

and online education at Pace University.

Juan Soria, our Application Specialist, started at

WCC in 2001 in the IT department as a Workstation

Engineer and then in 2003 became the Applications

Specialist in the Online Education office. He is also

an Adjunct professor for the Computer Information

Systems and Computer Science departments at the

college. Thanks to the support of Information

Technology division, we will continue to utilize IT’s

Helpdesk system. For Blackboard support or

technical issues, faculty may continue to reach out to

Juan by emailing helpdesk@sunywcc.edu.

Elaine Farrally Plourde is our Program Specialist

for Online Education. Elaine works part-time but is

an essential part of the team providing Blackboard

faculty training and support services. She has held a

diverse array of positions in Information

Technology, Graphic and Web Design. She has

worked in corporate offices implementing technical

training initiatives and supporting new software

installations; Elaine ran her own small graphic/web

design business for ten years.

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ADJUNCT SERVICES

Genevieve “Genny” Holland is our Office

Assistant in Adjunct Services, Professional

Development and Online Education. She plays a key

role in the adjunct hiring process including

coordinating with department chairs, Human

Resources, school secretaries and working with new

Adjunct professors in their onboarding processes at

the college.

Genny also uses her administrative skills in the

preparation and organization of faculty events. Last

month she coordinated all the logistics for the 2017

Teaching and Learning Symposium, which was

attended by over 40 faculty members. Genny has

been with WCC supporting our department since

October 2015 and has been an administrative

assistant for 16 years. She is an honors alumna of

WCC and Pace University, where she earned a BBA

in International Business.

OFFICE OF HIGH SCHOOL

PARTNERSHIPS Jeanette Kim, Assistant Dean

Location: Library 217

Phone: (914) 606-6010

The Office of High School Partnerships oversees

several pre-college programs such as the Early

College Experience (ECE), the college’s dual

enrollment program, StepUp: Transition to College

program, P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early

College High School) and SMART Scholars

Programs. Our primary goal is to strengthen

relationships between the college and area high

schools to help students prepare and succeed in

college.

This year, we celebrate Karen Proft’s service to

Westchester Community College, as she marks her

25th year as an employee on campus. Karen has

worked in the Library, as well as in the Division of

Arts and Humanities, supporting the Modern

Languages department as well as the Division Office.

She currently supports the Office of High School

Partnerships as well as the Office of Learning

Initiatives and Success.

OFFICE OF LEARNING

INITIATIVES AND SUCCESS Andrea Kelli Higgs, J.D., Interim Assistant Dean

Location: Library, Room 217

Phone: (914) 606-7238

SHARING INFORMATION

To provide to students with accurate and helpful

information, particularly when emergencies arise,

the Coaching Connection Program invited Dr. Ruben

Barato, WCC’s Director of Student Support

Services, and Sandra Ramsay, WCC’s Director of

Scholarships and Scholarship Assistant, Julieanne

McDermott, to share their subject matter expertise

with the team. Dr. Barato spoke of his role with the

Westchester Community College Foundation

Emergency Aid Program (EAP). The EAP was

established to assist students who have unforeseen

financial hardships that occur during the semester

and endanger their continued enrollment. These

hardships students face generally involve financial

situations that are immediate and severe in nature

that cannot be remedied by Financial Aid, the

Scholarship Office, or the Benefits Access Center.

Emergency needs include, but are not limited to:

Homelessness or sudden loss of housing

Fire in living quarters

Threat of eviction

Overdue utility bills/turn-off notice

Theft of computer, books, clothing or other

essential belonging

For more information about the Emergency Aid

Program and to access the EAP application, visit:

http://www.sunywcc.edu/about/foundation/support-

us-now/emergency-aid-program

15 | P a g e

The Scholarship Office is critical to meeting many of

the financial gaps students have at the College.

Completion and Job Linkages Coaches encourage

students to apply for WCC’s scholarships. During

the months of March and April, Coaching

Connection reached out to over 60 students and made

them aware of Completion Scholarships. Designed

for students with at least a 2.0 GPA, with one or two

classes to complete to graduate, evidence of need,

and who have met with a Completion Coach at least

twice, Completion Scholarships bring some relief to

students who need a little incentive to complete their

academic journey.

Thanks to Ruben, Sandra, and Julieanne for sharing

information. As a result, Coaches are better equipped

to assist students with considering alternative plans

to cover the costs of their education and possibly

address unforeseen financial hardships.

CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to the Job

Linkages Coaches! The Job

Linkages Coaches recently

celebrated the one-year

anniversary of their

continuing and successful

contributions to the success

of the Coaching Connection Program. Calvin

Demetrius, Ometria Grier, Bradman John, and

Genevieve Thevenin assist students with career

exploration and preparation to gain skills and

training in their aligned degree plans. The Job

Linkages Coaches also provide students with

referrals to the Career Services Office and the Office

of Transfer Services, and demonstrate navigation of

WCC’s career and transfer tools:

CollegeCentral.com and CollegeFish.org. Stop by

the Coaching Connection Program Office (Library

Room 217), and give Genevieve, Calvin, Ometria

and Brad a thumbs up! Contact the office via email,

coachingconnection@sunywcc.edu, or phone,

914.606.6158, to reach a Job Linkages or

Completion Coach, connect with a program or

service, and help students complete their coursework

at WCC!

MULTIPLE MEASURES UPDATE

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017, Westchester

Community College hosted a site visit by a 3-

member team from the Center for the Analysis of

Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR), which is

affiliated with the Community College Research

Center at Teachers College, Columbia University,

New York, NY. WCC is a participant in CAPR’s

Multiple Measures Study, which focuses on

placement procedures for students who are enrolling

in college for the first time. The Study is designed to

learn about the effectiveness of alternative methods

of placing students into math and English courses

upon their college enrollment.

Elisabeth Barnett, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate

Teachers College, Columbia University thanked

WCC for “putting together a very useful day of

interviews with a varied group of people.” Faculty

and staff from the English Department, Math

Department, Academic Support Center, Testing and

Assessment Center, Registrar’s Office, the Center

for Academic Counseling and Student Success, IT,

and the Office of Planning Assessment, and

Institutional Effectiveness helped to make the visit a

success.

The final cohort of students for the Study’s data

collection will be placed during Fall 2017. The

initial results of the Study will be distributed during

Spring 2018, with the final outcomes anticipated

before year-end 2018.

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THANKS AND BEST WISHES FOR OUR ACE

FELLOW DR. NICOLA BLAKE!

As we close this academic year, the Office of

Academic Affairs, extends a big thank you to Dr.

Nicola Blake, ACE Fellow in the Office of the

President. Dr. Blake has participated in many of our

Academic Leadership meetings, helped the office

with various mission driven initiatives, and has

worked on our online and print materials for our

Academic Recognition Ceremonies, Newsletters,

and Reports. Many of you have seen her around

campus interacting with students, and attending

events as she co-chaired both the Diversity and

Student Success and Academic Excellence Summit.

Behind the scenes, Dr. Blake has been hard at work

with multiple grant efforts. It has been a great

pleasure watching her work collegially and

collaboratively with all members of the campus

community. Guttman Community College, her

home campus, is lucky to have her! We wish her all

the best in her endeavors to become a campus

President. Given her vast experience, talents, and

collaborative and strategic approach, she is well on

her way! Best wishes Dr. Blake!

CLOSING REMARKS AND QUOTE

I would like to close the May 2017 Communicator

with a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes.

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can

never go back to its old dimensions.