EDBLog – Westchester Community College Foundation

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

September 2026

Students were welcomed back to campus for the Fall Semester at SUNY WCC, and it was a busy time with activities on and off campus!

Academic Convocation was the official kickoff of the academic year. WCC Foundation Board President Susan Wollin presented Faculty Excellence Awards and announced the appointment of Faculty Endowed Chairs made possible by the Abeles family. Years of Service Awards were presented by Faculty Senate President Kamil Hamaoui and Chancellor’s Awards were presented by SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda Miles.

The Honors College Welcome Celebration introduced its tenth class of extraordinary students. Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, this group of talented students attends SUNY WCC tuition-free and participates in unique educational opportunities like the Cambridge University Study Abroad Programme. The first nine classes participated in the celebration with written, virtual, and in-person testimonials and words of encouragement for the newest class. I was delighted to present program directors Professors Brian Centrone and Matthew Sokol their official certificates as The Sophia & Joseph Abeles Faculty Co-Chairs for the Honors Program, thanks to the generous Abeles family’s support through the Foundation.

A community green space was dedicated to the late U.S. Representative Nita Lowey at Kensico Dam Plaza. SUNY WCC student Suriya-Ali Crowe sang the National Anthem. The ceremony was emceed by Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins and speakers included President Bill Clinton, US Congressman George Latimer, NY State Senator Shelley Mayer, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chair Vedat Gashi, WCC Foundation Board Member Stephen Lowey, and WCC Foundation PR Committee Member Patricia Keegan. Congresswoman Lowey was posthumously awarded the Public Service Award at our Transforming Futures Together Gala in April 2026.

On the 25^th Anniversary of 9/11, SUNY WCC recognized heroes, including SUNY WCC alumnus and FDNY Firefighter Tom Foley, who lost his life that day.

Rosedale Nurseries once again held its annual native plant sale to benefit our Native Plant Center, providing an opportunity for more of our neighbors to learn about the benefits and beauty of native plants.

M&T Bank continued its generous support of the WCC Foundation at a check presentation to SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda S. Miles.

St. Faith’s House Foundation, which supports childcare at the Virginia Marx Children’s Center on campus for children of our student-parents, provided a welcome donation of diapers and wipes in addition to its tuition support. The Children’s Center provides care for children from six weeks old through pre-kindergarten.

The show Kate Rusek, Beyond What Once Was opened at the SUNY WCC Art Gallery, in the Hankin Academic Arts Building on our Valhalla Campus. The show will be open through November 21. Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 AM to 3 PM, with extended hours on Thursday from 4 to 6 PM

Kalsi Johnson, Director of the Virginia Marx Children’s Center, was recognized by the Child Care Council of Westchester as a 2026 Early Education Hall of Heroes Honoree.

Our longtime scholarship supporter PepsiCo Foundation was recognized for its partnership with SUNY WCC at the New York Community College Trustees conference.