From the Desk of Executive Director Dolores Swirin-Yao
February 2025
President’s Council Chair Joanne Landau convened an informative virtual briefing for members on February 26 featuring an update on the college by SUNY WCC President Dr. Belinda Miles and a moving personal testimonial by student Marilin Rivera Resendiz, a member of our Viking ROADS program. A recording of the session is available here.
Thanks to a very generous anonymous benefactor, a new Honors College Classroom was dedicated in the Harold L. Drimmer Library. We heard from the Provost, Dr. Vanessa Morest; the Dean of the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Robert Mangione; the program’s director, Dr. Mira Sakrajda; WCC Foundation President Susan Wollin; and current and former Honors students. The walls are decorated by artwork from preschoolers at the Virginia Marx Children’s Center.
Speaking of the Virginia Marx Children’s Center, the center held its annual bake sale to support programs for our littlest students on campus.
Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural, historical and political contributions of the African diaspora. This year’s celebration included a broad range of artistic and intellectual activities across campus.
In a lecture supported by the Joseph & Sophia Abeles Endowed Chair for Chemistry, chairholder Dr. Jody Reifenberg introduced Dr. George D. Yancopoulos, the co-founder, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, who addressed a standing-room-only audience of faculty, students and staff. His inspiration talk touched on his approach to scientific innovation and his experience of seeing the dramatic results of his research first-hand.
Our beautiful Hartford Hall on SUNY WCC’s Valhalla campus was used as a set for the TV show Elsbeth.
