MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

My relationship with this school is a gift from my Dad that I treasure. I am so proud to carry on his extraordinary commitment to this school, which is such a significant part of his legacy.

MESSAGE FROM The Chair

Dear Friends,

My father founded the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership almost a decade ago because of his deep faith in our students and their capacity to make our nation stronger. When he spoke to students — many of them new arrivals to this country or the children of immigrants, often poor, frequently members of historically marginalized communities — he always told them that they reminded him of who he was some sixty years earlier, a kid from the Bronx for whom it was “CCNY or nowhere.” He loved listening to their stories: they came to CCNY, just like he did, because it is a place where only your talent, your vision, and your drive matter.

I have served on the Colin Powell Board of Visitors since the school’s founding. My relationship with this school is a gift from my Dad that I treasure. In November, I had the humbling and moving experience of stepping into his shoes, when I succeeded him as the chair of our Board of Visitors. I am so proud to carry on his extraordinary commitment to this school, which is such a significant part of his legacy.

In the pages that follow, we celebrate the accomplishments of the Colin Powell School students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and we acknowledge the extraordinary support of so many who have invested in the school. I am particularly moved by how many people responded to our family’s request to honor my father’s memory by making gifts to the school that bears his name. It’s a testament both to his legacy and to the work that’s being done here.

I invite you to enjoy the stories that follow. They leave me hopeful for the future.

Sincerely,

Linda Powell Chair, Colin Powell School Board of Visitors