2011 STATE OF THE COLLEGE & FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT Leading the Way Since 1971: Celebrating Dr. Hankin’s 40th Anniversary A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT For forty years, it has been my honor to serve the residents of Westchester, work with the members of the business community, and help our students realize their dreams. My team of faculty, staff and administrators has worked together with business leaders and legislators to build the largest college in the county. I am proud of our roles in this joint effort and we are looking forward to continuing to find new ways to educate students for the workforce and to prepare them for transitions to four-year institutions. Over the past four decades, the college has expanded its scope in many ways. We increased the number of academic options for The Mission of our students, adding hundreds of new courses and dozens of new Westchester Community College majors. Simultaneously, the institution reached beyond its physical borders to offer classes at new Extension Centers and more than Westchester Community College provides 100 satellite locations throughout the county. In addition, we expanded within the main campus in Valhalla, adding new buildings accessible, high-quality and affordable education and state-of-the-art facilities. to meet the needs of our diverse community. One such structure is our Gateway Center — the college’s most We are committed to student success, academic recent building. Due to generous contributions from donors, and excellence and lifelong learning. support from local legislators and government officials, we opened the doors to this building in 2010. This new landmark features cutting-edge classrooms for business students, expanded training facilities for corporate clients, and improved resources for English- language learners. Now that Gateway is thriving, we are looking toward future expansion. Opportunities for synergy between the business community and our students have always been plentiful, and Gateway has helped us do even more, but the college’s expansion will not stop there. This year’s annual report is not only a look back at the past year and the past four decades. It is also a preview of future achievements. As the decades have come and gone, we have steadily increased the impact of our institution as an engine that has helped drive the local economy of Westchester. The Westchester Community College Foundation has been with us every step of the way, raising funds and helping to plan for new programs and future innovations. Jointly, we have made tremendous strides since 1971, and we are looking forward to achieving even more in the years to come. Joseph N. Hankin During his tenure at the college, Dr. Hankin has been responsible for more than programmatic expansion. The Valhalla campus now has five freestanding complementary Extension Centers (Peekskill, Ossining, White Plains, Yonkers, and Mount Vernon) and also offers classes at dozens of locations across the county. Meanwhile, there have been significant additions and expansions within the confines of the 218-acre main campus. The overhaul of the Harold L. Drimmer Library and Learning Resource Center, which doubled in size, and the construction of the $40 million Gateway Center, are two of the most recent physical changes to the landscape in Valhalla. Other noteworthy innovations and improvements include the introduction of a vibrant online education effort which has grown to include distance learning classes attended by more than 7,000 students annually. Also, the college has embraced the concept of providing educational services from cradle to retirement and beyond. The construction of the Virginia Marx Children’s Center allows staff members to care for and educate the children of our students, while Mainstream, the Institute for Mature Adults offers classes for more seasoned LEADER, VISIONARY, AND EDUCATOR learners. So on many fronts, Dr. Hankin has influenced a large number of individuals who In a sense, since Dr. Hankin became president of nation. Due to his vision and the institution’s tremendous have been a part of the college community. This includes his impact on the student Westchester Community College in 1971, nothing has range of offerings and wide expanse of resources, the leader who sought the president’s counsel while wrestling with challenging Honors changed and everything has changed. While it is true college has thrived for four decades. During this time, it classes; the faculty member, unsure of her future in academia, who solicited that the institution has expanded, both physically has streamed thousands of individuals into careers and career advice and then decided to pursue doctoral studies; the administrator and programmatically, and innovative programs and into four-year colleges and universities. who oversaw a dramatic overhaul of his office after being inspired by one of projects have been introduced at a breathtaking rate the president’s witty, informative, and rousing speeches; and the manager at a over the past four decades, the college still has its roots Arriving here as one of the nation’s youngest community local corporation whose career was in the same core values. But today, those roots run college presidents, Dr. Hankin immediately began the task rejuvenated through training deeper and stronger than ever before. of increasing access to the institution. He worked with offered through the Professional faculty, administrators, and staff, along with legislators Development Center. Like many of the nation’s community colleges that and members of the business community, to address the came into being after World War II, the institution’s need to add academic programs and expand learning After four decades, first mission was to train ex-soldiers for the workplace. opportunities in order to train tomorrow’s workforce. He Dr. Hankin can look back Over the next quarter century, this role expanded as joined the boards of the Westchester County Association upon the thousands of community colleges began to extend their reach, offering and Westchester Business Council, cementing the people whose lives he has affected. With plans for the courses that handled not only vocational education college’s ties to local businesses. As he introduced more The college expanded both on the main campus and training, but also general studies and avocational and more associate degrees and certificates, additional further expansion of the (Gateway Center groundbreaking, top) and institution firmly in place, off-campus (Peekskill extension, middle) during interests. By the time Dr. Hankin arrived, colleges were students gradually populated local and regional positions the tenure of Dr. Hankin. He also was a proponent becoming not only the means of access to a better in a variety of new fields, and moved on to further their his influence on others will of the opening of the Virginia Marx Children’s continue well into the future. Center which still provides child care services future for their citizens, they were also becoming the education at advanced institutions. for children of students and members of the community (bottom). intellectual and cultural hubs of their communities. In addition, Dr. Hankin’s goal of formalizing the college’s But the primary mission of the institution, workforce training options for those already in the workplace development and transfer, has always been paramount. was realized with the introduction of the Professional Dr. Hankin’s leadership has been responsible for an Development Center in 1984. This resource has since Shown here breaking ground for construction of increased focus on these goals, and he has positioned the helped dozens of small businesses and corporations the Harold L. Drimmer Library in the early 1970’s are former Board of Trustees Chairperson Harold institution as one of the finest community colleges in the educate and train existing employees. Drimmer himself, former Westchester County Executive Alfred DelBello and Dr. Joseph Hankin. 2 2011 State of the College Foundation Annual Report 3 THE BUSINESS OF WESTCHESTER’S WORKFORCE Dr. Hankin has always been a proponent of a cooperative effort between A Global Vision the institution and the local business community. With more than 3,500 Among the nearly two dozen business-related students majoring in various business programs, it is important that the college majors offered at the college, the Global Business administration be aware of evolving employment trends and the ever changing Program is perhaps the most relevant to today’s workforce needs of local businesses. The institution has greatly expanded its economy. “Global business is in the news every various majors in business-related fields and also has added programs to train day,” says Curriculum Chair Rick Hyland. “Our tomorrow’s entrepreneurs through both credit and non-credit classes. students are attracted to this program because it is alive, engaging, and reflects the changing Current students are now enrolled in more than sixty credit programs in Business, nature of the world we live in. In fact, a number Engineering Science and Technologies, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Health and of students bring knowledge of their home Laboratory Sciences, and Human, Public, and Food Services. Our Business countries to the class discussions, adding an enriching dimension,” he says. graduates have gone on to excel in their chosen fields and have transferred to institutions such as Baruch, Clarkson, Columbia, Cornell, Fordham, Harvard, Iona, Students in the program (previously titled “International Business”) learn how to Lehman, Mercy, Mount Holyoke, New York University, Pace, Smith, SUNY Albany, think about business on a global scale. Years ago, when the program was first offered, SUNY Maritime, Wellesley, and Wharton. students were exposed to this concept when it was relatively new, long before the time when the interconnectedness of international markets was taken for granted. Among the business-related associates degrees Such futuristic predictions about a globally connected world have now come true and certificates offered by the college are: and are the norm in the business world.