EDBLog – Westchester Community College Foundation

From the Desk of the Executive Director, Dolores Swirin-Yao

October 2025

We celebrated the opening of the new Health Sciences Simulation Center for Interprofessional Education, the “Sim Lab” for short, which was largely funded by contributions from generous donors to the WCC Foundation. The Sim Lab will allow students in a range of healthcare professions including nursing and paramedic studies to practice clinical skills on specially programmed, lifelike mannikins, making it possible for SUNY WCC to train more students for these high-demand fields. Participants in the ribbon-cutting included County Executive Ken Jenkins, SUNY WCC Board of Trustees Chair Dr. LeRoy Mitchell, SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda Miles, WCC Foundation President Susan Elion Wollin, Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Wellness Dr. George Contreras, Health, Human Performance and Physical Education Department Chair Dr. Richard Gennaro, and nursing student speaker Marie-Anne Odink. (This event is just before I run out for the plane. Carrie, Chrissy or Ilene will send you pictures)

In advance of the official opening of the Sim Lab, there was a Sneak Preview for faculty and staff. Participants included Provost Dr. Vanessa Morest, Dean Contreras, Professor Gennaro…. (and me on behalf of the Foundation). On our tour, we even saw one of the manikins give birth to a realistic-looking baby!

Our Hartford Hall Society Tea, chaired by Joanne Landau, provided a timely update on the College by Dr. Miles and the inspiring personal story of Honors College student (and recent Cambridge Study Abroad participant) Bella DelDuco. Members are those who have made a bequest or other legacy gift or established an endowment to ensure that SUNY WCC’s mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to our students will continue in perpetuity. There are many easy ways to join; please contact me at ds38@sunywcc.edu if you or anyone you know would like more information or if you would like to see a video of the program.

We had two activities with our wonderful friends at Latino U College Access (LUCA), where WCC Foundation board member Shirley Acevedo Buentempo is the Executive Director. We collaborated on a FAFSA training for students and alumni, and WCC Foundation board member Rob Cordero represented his firm PKF O’Connor Davies when the firm was honored at LUCA’s Visiones 2025 Gala. (The LUCA gala was the same day as our Hartford Hall Society Tea, in case you notice I am wearing the same jacket! LOL!)

The WCC Art Gallery hosted an artist talk for our students by Damien Davis, whose exhibition, “CUT : COLOR : CODE” is on view in the gallery through November 15.

Volunteers from Regeneron spent their Day of Doing Good—an effort coordinated by Volunteer New York—restoring the meadow in our Native Plant Center for biodiversity.

Our fall Golden Alumni Luncheon celebrated our alumni who graduated in 1975 or earlier.

WCC Foundation Board Member Dr. Ray Sanchez, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Tarrytown, was honored by the Family YMCA of Tarrytown with the Leonard Andrew Spirit of Service Award.