Westchester Community College Foundation

Scholarships and awards - see schedule oscholarships and awards:scholarship funding is a vital part of the Foundation's mission, leveling the playing field by making sure education is available to all who seek it. Despite the College's best efforts to contain costs, even with the lowest tuition in our region, tuition, fees, transportation, and even sustenance are obstacles for many students who have a profound and compelling need for assistance. Scholarships have a transformational impact, most often making the crucial difference between moving ahead and falling behind. In addition to important financial benefits, scholarships bestow on students a valuable sense of recognition and accomplishment. Scholarships are available for incoming, continuing and graduating students; emergency aid assists student with food insecurity, transportation, and unforeseen predicaments. This past year, gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations enabled the Foundation to distribute $2,602,630 million in scholarship awards, which includes $133,000 in emergency grant funding for students facing housing, food and transportation insecurity and $245,000 in support for the College's Virginia marx children's center, an award-winning early childhood education program.

College institutional enrichment - see schedule ocollege institutional enrichment:in december 2022, the Foundation officially completed its pathways campaign, a comprehensive campaign to improve student outcomes through programs and services designed to increase student readiness, success and overall support. Over the course of nine years, the wcc Foundation raised close to $60 million, much of which helped to initiate and is currently supporting the following major initiatives: the honors College the center for excellence in cybersecurity the veterans resource center viking roads a comprehensive health and wellness suiteinitiatives in fiscal year 2023 included:*jpmorgan chase Foundation provided $200,000 (second part of a $400,000/two-year grant) to develop short-term workforce programs at the College's yonkers and mount vernon extension centers*national council for workforce education provided $150,000 (second year of a three-year $450,000 grant to support financial wellness education campus wide. *center of excellence in cybersecurity completed the construction of new labs, classrooms, administrative spaces in preparation for an official opening in fall 2023*simulated hospital lab project received approval to begin design and construction. *the honors College graduated its fifth cohort, with one student getting accepted to yale on a full scholarship *viking roads continues to increase the percentage of students who are enrolled in this program, which removes impediments to graduation by providing tuition support, transportation funding, book stipend, and mandatory counseling.the native plant center teaches sustainable gardening to suny wcc students as well as community-wide learners, which include home gardeners, landscape professionals, municipal planners, land managers, environmental/gardening groups, and individuals throughout the tri-state area. Founded in 1998 as the first affiliate of the lady bird johnson wildflower center in austin, Texas, the native plant center provides resources for environmental study; presents classes on sustainable gardening native plant identification, and ecological processes; hosts landscape conferences on timely environmental topics (i.e. Climate change, wildlife habitats, sustainable maintenance) that target professional audiences; presents to local, regional, and statewide Community groups; gives tours of the native plant center teaching gardens; holds an annual sale of thousands of native plants; engages Community involvement in the gardens through volunteer work days; and partners with other organizations and government agencies to promote and teach about the use of native plants.