DONATE

April 29, 2026

Westchester Community College Foundation’s 2026 Transforming Futures Together Gala, a sold-out event, brought together more than 320 supporters at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown on April 29, raising more than $550,000 and celebrating leadership that makes a difference in students’ lives.  We honored Corporate Citizenship Awardee DeCicco & Sons, Community Leadership Awardee American Women of African Heritage, Inc., and Public Service Awardee the late Congresswoman Nita Lowey.  Below you will find photographs from the event, videos of our featured students and honorees, a link to our digital journal, and a bonus TikTok of our culinary students preparing the special treats prepared for our Gala guests.

To support our students with contributions, click here.

2026 Honorees

DeCicco & Sons Accepts Corporate Citizenship Award
SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda S. Miles, John DeCicco Sr., WCC student Paola Guinansaca, Marie DeCicco, Emcee Chris Williams
American Women of African Heritage, Inc., Accepts Community Leadership Award
SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda S. Miles, AWAH VP Francine Taplin Shorts, AWAH President Emerita Toni Cox-Burns, AWAH President Gloria Welcome, Emcee Chris Williams
The Late Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey Recognized with Posthumous Public Service Award
SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda S. Miles, Jackie Lowey, Stephen Lowey, SUNY WCC student Sarah Makoni Soumahoro, Dana Lowey Luttway, Emcee Chris Williams
Lisa Denig, WCC Foundation Board Chair Cornelia Spring, Special Events Chair Melissa Maurer, Special Events Co-Chair Susan Benenson Yubas
Pat Lunka, Joy Handelman, Sara Cass 
Honorees John and Marie DeCicco display proclamation in their honor
Chris Williams, Dr. Belinda Miles, and Stephen Lowey display proclamations in honor of the late Congresswoman Nita Lowey
Chris Williams, WCC Foundation Board President Susan Wollin and Board Chair Cornelia Spring, Dr. Belinda Miles
American Women of African Heritage Inc. Honorees Francine Taplin Shorts, Gloria Welcome, and Toni Cox-Burns display proclamations in their honor
Jean Nonna, John Nonna, Hon. Lyndon Williams, John DeCicco, June Williams, Dr. Janice Francis, Dr. LeRoy Mitchell
Anne Janiak, Dr. Belinda Miles, Richard Janiak
Honorees John and Marie DeCicco, WCC Foundation President Susan Wollin, Cathy and Phil McGrath
Dr. Elisa Burns, Meryl Allison, Dr. Sharon Kriger
Betsy Stern, Dr. LeRoy Mitchell, Aleida Frederico
Susan Wollin, Rick and Ruth Shearer
Honorees John, Marie, Diane and Joseph DeCicco
Rabbi Fred Schwalb, Joanne Landau, Dolores Swirin-Yao, Alison Chen, David Baines
Dr. Belinda Miles, Laura Treisman, Joel Treisman, Betsy Stern, Sarah Stern
Luciana and Sergio Serrato, Clare Ahern, Zoe Prince
Top:  Budd Wiesenberg, Alice Tenney, Michelle Marshall, Sara May Stern, Marc Rosenblatt
Bottom: David and April Depietto, Betsy Stern, Laura and Joel Treisman
Susan Elion Wollin, Gordon Miles, Cornelia Spring
WCC Foundation Board Chair Cornelia Spring and Board President Susan Wollin
Andre Early, Dr. Belinda Miles
Kathy Halas, Kim DeMilia
Matt McCrosson and Lenore Sanchez
Karen Neuberger and Rachel Rader
Professor Susan Arietta, Alumni Voyager Award Recipient Professor Christolyn Williams, Dr. Marcia Keizs
Gordon Miles, Matt McCrosson, Lenore Sanchez
Dr. Belinda Miles, Flo Sinsheimer, Linda Moser
Creighton Michael, Leslie Cecil, Dr. Belinda Miles
Members of American Women of African Heritage, Inc.
Seated, left to right: Thelma Gordon, Toni Cox-Burns, Pattie Wade Dozier, Dr. Mary Lane Cobb, and Gloria Welcome.

Standing, left to right: Bridgett Crichlow, Rita Jones, Gwen Cort, Maiysha Riley, Francine Shorts, and Claudett Stothart.
The DeCicco Family
Gareth Wells, Barbara Abeles, Anne Wakelee, Cathy Flynn, Dr. John Flynn
Aleida Frederico, Lila Stillman, Joyce Hirsch, Anne Janiak
Dr. Belinda Miles, NYS Representative MaryJane Shimsky, Gordon Miles
SUNY WCC Dean Carmen Martínez-López and Iván López
Cathy Borelli, Stuart and Betty Cotton, Ellen Hendrickx  
Jonathan Pollack, Yvonne Pollack, Dr. Belinda Miles, Gordon Miles
Andy and Carola Bracco

To see more photos, click here

To view the digital journal, click here

Honoree Videos

Student Presenter Paola Guinansaca and Honoree DeCicco & Sons
Student Presenter Chanelle Thomas and Honoree American Women of African Heritage, Inc.
Student Presenter Sarah Makoni Soumahoro and Posthumous Honoree Congresswoman Nita Lowey
Bonus TikTok: SUNY WCC Culinary Students prepare special treat for Gala attendees
Featured Student Annie Pingry Appel

Chris Williams
Emcee

Click here for bio

HONORING

The Late U.S. Representative Nita M. Lowey
Public Service Award

Click here for bio

DeCicco & Sons
Corporate Citizenship Award

Click here for bio

2026 GALA COMMITTEE

Chair: Melissa Maurer
Co-Chair: Susan Yubas

Barbara A. Abeles
Patricia Keegan Abels
Meryl A. Allison & Elisa E. Burns, MD
Saverio A. Battaglia
David J. Berry
Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson
Joseph P. Carlucci, Esq.
Robin Cooke
Betty Cotton
Toni Cox-Burns
Toby Crystal
Constance Curran
Marie & John A. DeCicco, Sr.
Lisa M. Denig, Esq.
André G. Early
Aleida M. Frederico
Dr. Marsha Gordon
Jennifer & Bud Gruenberg
Kathleen Halas
Dr. Kamil Hamaoui
Janice Haughton
Lorna Hawthorne
Joyce A. Hirsch
Anne Janiak
Honorable Kenneth W. Jenkins
Dr. Marcia V. Keizs
Marcia Klein
Joanne Landau & Rabbi Fred Schwalb
George Lindsay
Jackie Lowey

Patricia Lunka
Carmen L. Martínez-López, Ph.D. & Iván R. López
Matthew G. McCrosson
Philip J. McGrath
Robert K. & Irene Z. McNamara
Dr. LeRoy W. Mitchell
Linda Moser
Ben Naylor
Jonathan K. Pollack
Rachel and Kenneth Rader
Deborah Raizes
Michael N. Romita
Richard Shearer
Francine Shorts
Flo Sinsheimer
Cornelia Spring
Betsy May Stern
Sarah May Stern & Mark Rosenblatt
Lila & Abbott Stillman
Jeremy Sunshine
Ruth & Andrew Suzman
Dolores Swirin-Yao
Dorothea H. Swope
Alice Tenney
Elinor F. Urstadt
Gloria Welcome
Lucille S. Werlinich
Teresita Wisell
Honorable Richard G. & Marilyn Wishnie
Susan & Marc Wollin

SUPPORT THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION

The Westchester Community College Foundation was established in 1969 as a separate
501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization to meet College and student needs that are not met by public funds. Thanks to community support, the Foundation annually provides $2 million to $3 million in programmatic support and more than $4 million in scholarships and emergency aid for students seeking academic degrees and workforce professional credentials.

Your contribution helps the Foundation fulfill its mission to support the College and its students.

Support the WCC Foundation

ABOUT SUNY WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SUNY Westchester Community College provides over 20,000 full-time and part-time students with an education taught by award-winning faculty at one of the lowest tuition rates in New York State. The college offers over more than 65 associate degree and certificate programs, including innovative programs in such high-demand fields as Cybersecurity, Health Information Technology, Respiratory Therapy, and Digital Filmmaking. The college reflects the rich diversity of its region and was the first SUNY campus to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution.   

If you prefer to contribute by check, please make your check payable to “Westchester Community College Foundation,” and mail to Westchester Community College Foundation, Hartford Hall, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595.  Tax ID 23-7050397.  Thank you.

For more information, contact us at 914-606-6670 or 
wccfoundation@sunywcc.edu

WCCF Logo