D i s c o v e r C o n n e c t C h a n g e DUTCHESS COMMUNITY COLLEGE NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE FOUNDATION PAID DUTCHESS 53 Pendell Road NEWBURGH, NY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Poughkeepsie, New York 12601-1595 PERMIT NO. 44 FOUNDATION D U T C H E S S C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt 2012 D i s c o v e r C o n n e c t C h a n g e ANNUAL REPORT “Together, we have the power to change lives.” Dear Friends and Alumni am always struck by the number of people in the community who approach me at events, functions and even the grocery store, to comment on the impact Dutchess Community College has had on their lives or those of their loved ones. Part of our I region’s educational, cultural and social fabric for almost 55 years, the College has touched the hearts and minds of tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors. Few institutions have had the privilege of serving our community so positively and profoundly for decades. I hope you share my pride in our faculty and staff, who each and every day, help students reach their potential and equip them for success at a four-year college, in the workplace and in life. A recent letter sent to me by an alumna of the class of 2000, regarding her wonderful experience at DCC – particularly as a student of newly retired History Professor George Stevens – clearly illustrates the role the College plays in shaping lives. Now a professional who holds a Master’s degree, she wrote: “I didn’t expect enlightenment of such duration when I signed up to take this [Professor Stevens’] class. I never knew I would relish being a student, as I was a 30-year-old nontraditional student. I came to DCC a broken person; I graduated an empowered woman with a degree and so many goals to reach!” Personal stories such as this often come my way, and they always are welcome confirmation of why we are here. The important work continues. I am happy to report that nearly 10,500 students enrolled at Dutchess Community College in fall 2012, continuing a three-year trend of record enrollment. Ours remains the college of choice for college-bound Dutchess County high school graduates, with 37% choosing to enroll at DCC directly after graduation. Our new residence hall (opened in fall 2012) provides additional opportunities for students who wish to combine the benefits of a community college education with the experience of living on a college campus. At the College’s 53rd commencement in May, associate degrees and career certificates were conferred on almost 1,200 graduates. It is interesting to note that more DCC graduates than ever are transferring to four-year colleges, which indicates that our students are motivated, well-prepared and successful. The College has earned a reputation for providing an outstanding education while, for the 13th consecutive year, charging the lowest tuition in New York state. While this makes DCC more accessible than most other colleges, many of our students are facing difficulty in these challenging economic times. You can make a very real and lasting difference in the lives of deserving students by making a donation in support of Foundation scholarships. More than 150 DCC students received scholarships totaling $110,000 at our 2012 Convocation. Through the generosity of our alumni, faculty, staff, community and others who are committed to educating the next generation of DCC graduates, we hope to continue expanding our scholarship program. Together, we have the power to change lives. Thank you for your support of our students, DCC and the Foundation. Dr. D. David Conklin College President DUTCHESS1 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 1 “With more than 60 programs offered, we are the only solution for so many!” Dear Friends of DCC e truly are blessed here at DCC! We have fabulous and dedicated instructors, hard-working staff to support them, more than 10,000 students, and an administration and President who always work to enhance educational opportunities and keep them affordable for area Wresidents. Our Foundation’s partnership with the College brings together your donations with the College’s efforts to provide a high level of teaching and outstanding educational opportunities. Many of our students are struggling to pay for their education and continue moving toward their degree. We at the Foundation depend on gifts like yours to help them succeed. A majority of our students stay in the Hudson Valley after graduation, or return to our area after completing a four-year degree elsewhere. DCC helps workers in our area continue to be cutting-edge in their fields; whether it is in nursing, the arts, marketing, technology or countless other fields. With more than 60 programs offered, we are the only solution for so many! The Foundation is so fortunate that alumni, business owners and other loyal supporters continue to help our students every year! We thank you for your generous gifts, be they large or small, current or a bequest, a restricted scholarship or an unrestricted donation that is used where the funds are most needed. Thanking you, in advance, for your future gifts and for your past support. Susan Doyle Chair DCC Foundation Board DUTCHESS3 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 3 “We continue to move forward with confidence, because of the loyalty and dedication of our extraordinary community.” Dear Friends of DCC I am pleased to present the Annual Report for 2011-2012. e are so thankful for our Alumni giving, which increased by 20% over the year before and, in the last 10 years, has increased a whopping 185%. This is incredibly important as the Foundation continues to fund more than 200 scholarships each year valued at $380,000 Wcollectively. We are proud of our support for the students of the Hudson Valley, and you too should be proud! Friends and faculty/staff of the College are another group of terrific donors. In the last 10 years they have contributed more than $2,600,000 and our emeriti faculty donated nearly $1,000,000. We are overwhelmed by this generosity. Thanks to the support of so many like you, who reached into your pockets and found room in your hearts, even in these uncertain financial times, to give even more than in the past, we have accomplished a lot. Watch for new alumni events in the coming year! We want to welcome you back to campus and get to know your families. After all, you are the face of DCC every day in the community. Your support is crucial. We continue to move forward with confidence, because of the loyalty and dedication of our extraordinary community. You are the tangible evidence of the contribution DCC makes to the Hudson Valley! The future could not be brighter, and I am grateful for all that you do to make it so. Patricia L. Prunty Executive Director DCC Foundation DUTCHESS5 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 5 Dear DCC Alumni and Friends llow me to introduce myself; my name is Luke Cierniak. It has been an honor to serve as this year’s Student Government Association (SGA) President and as the Student Trustee on the Dutchess Community College board. I am pursuing a A double major in Criminal Justice and Business, and will receive my associate degree in Criminal Justice this May. I came to Dutchess Community College in the Fall of 2010 after taking a year off from high school. Performing poorly in high school had soured me toward continuing my education, but thanks to a few of my friends, I was encouraged to attend. My first semester I had little to no interest in attending my classes nor did I have a drive to really excel academically. I never talked to any of my fellow students in class and when my class was over I would just go home. I finished my first semester with a 2.7 GPA, and as a student who never did really well, I thought that was pretty good. My second semester was almost an exact repeat of the first, with the exception of talking to my peers and some professors. By the end of that spring semester I had become more comfortable with who I was and where I was going, and I owe a great deal of thanks to one professor, Barbara McArdle. She approached me about joining the Criminal Justice Club (CRJ Club) and becoming its president. This was something I knew nothing about. I was terrified of fellow students looking at me to dictate the club’s future. Ever since that day, my life has turned around. I went from doing nothing with my time and not wanting to excel to not having enough time and wanting nothing more than to get straight A’s. I came to realize the importance of getting involved and stepping out of your comfort zone. If it wasn’t for that one moment I don’t know where I would be today. Through the CRJ Club I found SGA and learned what exactly it meant for the students and the campus. I saw the power that the SGA had to make a positive difference, not only on campus but in the community as well. I became very active in the events that were held on campus and became friends with many of my fellow students.