KCC Visits Homes to Welcome Students

Education the art + science of learning

BY DR. ANTHONY E. MUNROE PRESIDENT, ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE KCC Welcome Wagon Visits New Students at Home

Essex County College:

Creating a Student First Path Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic A s president of Essex County College, one of the largest in New Jersey, I have long known that the institution played a key role in the life of the communities we serve, especially in the city of Newark, the most populous in the state. Last year, nearly 20,000 credit and non-credit students took advantage of 70 programs, was the first college in New Jersey to be part of the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Program, and has made a large investment in a virtual dissection table for our biology, health science, and premed students. The results are evidenced by the fact that our students have won more Jack Kent Cooke scholarCUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Kingsborough Community College (KCC) President Dr. Claudia V. Schrader, and incoming Kingsborough freshmen brothers Ahsan Ali and Qasim Ali, two of three siblings, attending KCC in the fall (their sister, Aailia Naz, is not pictured) Kingsborough Community College President Dr. Claudia V. Schrader, right, was joined by NYC Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel of Brooklyn’s 41st District (left) for a recent Welcome Wagon event to congratulate and greet incoming freshman Daquan, who lives in the council member's district. Photos: Courtesy of Kingsborough CC degree and certificate programs as well as numerous offerings leading to professional, career, vocational, and ships than any other community college in the region. Even Ivy League universities (with their multi-billionCUNY Chancellor Joins College President to Meet Students personal improvement. In addition, the businesses of dollar endowments) are unsure of how to plan for an Essex County have come to rely on the College for customized training. All of this at a tuition rate far below that charged at most colleges and universities. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly all aspects of our society, the higher education sector must adapt to meet the changing needs of our communities. And, we need to do it with significantly reduced resources since we are expecting greatly diminished enrollment in the summer and fall as well as a sharp cut in state appropriations. No sector in higher education is better situated to do that than are the community colleges - our basic mission is to meet the education and training needs of our neighbors. Essex County College knows very well that its neighbors are among those hardest hit by the pandemic since it very much mirrors the communities it serves: It is a Predominantly Black Institution as well as a Hispanic Serving Institution (the only public college in New Jersey to have that dual designation) with 45% and 26% of its student body self-identifying as Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino, respectively. To provide all of the support possible, the College offers top STEM C UNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez joined Kingsborough Community College (KCC) President Dr. Claudia V. Schrader for a surprise visit of the KCC Welcome Wagon at the home of three incoming freshmen. The trio, all members of the same Brooklyn family, will enroll at Kingsborough in the fall. Since June, Dr. Schrader has surprised and welcomed 29 incoming freshmen and transfer students and their parents at their homes or jobs across the five boroughs and Long Island, bearing a bag of KCC swag. The visits take place outdoors and follow all social distancing protocols. “Part of the goal of these visits is to make the students feel welcome as they start a new educational chapter,” explained Dr. Schrader. “As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we don’t know what their first semester will look like… They may be taking classes remotely or the campus classrooms may be open. But, whatever the situation, I want them to feel welcomed and at ease.” “I applaud Dr. Schrader for this unique, caring, and innovative approach, especially during a time of so much uncertainty and concern during the coronavirus crisis,” said Chancellor Matos Rodríguez. uncertain future. Our community colleges, well known as efficient and adaptable institutions, are developing initiatives for the "new normal," while seeking to cut expenses to keep our offerings affordable for all. The county is being ravaged by unemployment, especially among women and people of color. Essex County College is working with the County Workforce Development Board to identify what will be the top in-demand jobs and is modifying existing programs and creating new ones to meet that demand. It will manage to present these even while recognizing its need to further the development of its community. It is inviting the essential workers in the county, our modern-day heroes, to attend without adding to their economic stress. For those with qualifying income levels, and after applying for available financial aid, the College will make up any shortfall that exists. All of the faculty, staff, and administration have joined together to meet the changing needs of the community and I am so proud that I get to be the face of a community college seen as a remarkable resource and pledged to be available to all. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo learned of and mentioned Dr. Schrader's new tradition in one of his recent coronavirus updates. More local elected officials are planning to join Dr. Schrader to welcome new KCC students from their districts. Since taking over as KCC president in August 2018, Dr. Schrader has made it her mission to personally meet and chat with KCC students on the first day of each semester and daily on campus. She greets students at the front gate as they arrive on campus for the first day of class; and pops into classrooms, special student events, and the cafeteria, surprising students with lunch for the day. During the KCC Welcome Wagon visits, she talks with students about their educational goals and answers questions they may have about college life. Dr. Schrader began the surprise visits on June 5 and will continue visiting new students through August 2020. Founded in 1963, Kingsborough Community College is Brooklyn’s only community college and is part of the City University of New York (CUNY).