2020 - 2021 President's Report

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear College community:

I want to take the time to thank everyone who made yet another unconventional academic year a success. Though we still needed to wear our masks, maintain social distancing, and offer courses both in person and online, our faculty, students, staff, supporters and community stakeholders rallied together to ensure the 2020-2021 academic year was filled with meaningful connection and enriching educational experiences.

We continued our conversations around social justice, hosting Enough Is Enough sessions for the community on environmental racism, myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine, and health care disparities affecting women of color. We welcomed our first cohort of Octavius Catto Scholars, expanding access to an affordable, high-quality education to Philadelphians of all ages and backgrounds. And we recognized the outstanding achievements of our faculty, staff and students, who excelled both inside and outside the classroom.

Through it all, we never lost our forward momentum. We pushed ahead, setting new goals and growing in ways that would make us better students, educators and citizens.

The 2020-2021 President’s Report celebrates the people and programs behind these accomplishments. It is my hope that by reviewing this report, you will be just as energized as I am about all that the City’s College has to offer.

Dr. Donald Guy Generals

Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia

Rising Above the Challenges of COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic, the College has simultaneously prioritized the health and safety of our community while continuing to serve students.

Keeping Students on Their Academic Paths

The College has safely held limited on-campus courses since March 2020. The majority of the College’s classes continued to be offered online this year, with virtual academic and support services assisting students in addressing challenges and continuing with their education.

Numerous efforts have enabled students to keep pursuing their studies:

  • Our Virtual Student Support Center offers a one-stop place for online services and assistance
  • Since the advent of the pandemic, approximately 9,400 students have received about $12.4 million in COVID relief funding. This summer, the College used institutional COVID relief funding to pay outstanding balances for approximately 3,500 students, enabling many to register for the next semester
  • The CCP Cares webpage enables students to quickly receive answers and assistance in emergency situations threatening their ability to remain enrolled at the College
  • Laptop loan programs are essential in enabling students to attend courses online
  • Asynchronous and synchronous online offerings provide flexibility and choice for students

Creating Access to COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing

Creating Access to COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing

In addition to regularly communicating testing and vaccination site information to the community, the College arranged off-site vaccination opportunities for faculty and staff, and on-campus vaccination clinics for faculty, staff and students.

Alumni and students from our Nursing program worked to educate, screen and test more than 5,000 residents for COVID-19 in the summer of 2020. Funding for these interns was secured by Laureen Tavolaro-Ryley, associate professor of Nursing and the Independence Foundation chair. Nursing students also assisted vulnerable populations in receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in 2021.

Informing Our Community

Informing Our Community

Providing comprehensive and consistent communications to faculty, staff and students during the pandemic was accomplished through a variety of channels, including regular emails, virtual town halls, e-newsletter entries, social media posts and a dedicated COVID-19 webpage.

In order to improve the safety of indoor environments, our Facilities department made numerous building upgrades in addition to the cleaning and sanitization of classrooms and offices. Duct work cleaning to improve air quality and efficiency, and touchless water faucets, acrylic dividers and water bottle stations were added throughout our campuses.

The Protect the Pride campaign reminded faculty, staff and students about our COVID-19 policies and practices, and encouraged all of our Lions to keep themselves and others safe. Posters, floor decals and outdoor signage throughout all of our campuses reiterated our mask and social distancing requirements.

Members of our community also encouraged others to get vaccinated.

Philly Voice covered some of the College’s updates around new offerings and COVID-19 policies



Celebrating Academic Success

Continuing many courses online, developing technological solutions to a multitude of challenges, and working with students to guide their educational journeys—these are just some of the feats that faculty and staff accomplished during the pandemic. Despite difficult circumstances and constant change, they pushed forward to continue serving our students and achieve their professional goals.

Setting the Bar High: Honoring Faculty and Staff Accomplishments

Below are some of the achievements and accolades we have celebrated this academic year:


Donald Guy Generals, Ed.D.

Donald Guy Generals, Ed.D., president, was honored first with the 2020 District 1 Pacesetter of the Year Award, and was then named the 2021 National Pacesetter of the Year by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR). He was also named Philadelphia Magazine’s 2021 #BestofPhilly College President!

Read more about why Dr. Generals was named the Pacesetter of the Year.

Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela

Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela, assistant professor of English, was awarded a 2020 Pew Fellowship.


Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D.

Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D., associate professor of English, won the Association of Community College Trustees’ 2021 Northeast Region Faculty Member Award.

David Thomas, Ed.D.

David Thomas, Ed.D., vice president of Strategic Initiatives, was appointed a member of the first Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s Presidential Fellowship Alumni Advisory Council.


Celebrating Student Success
Celebrating Student Success

Prioritizing STEM

In May, Dr. Linda Powell, professor and department head, Biology, and the College partnered with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to host a virtual town hall highlighting the work the College is doing to advance diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields. The College is not only working with our partners to boost STEM education, but also providing students with the skills and preparation needed to enter the workforce.

Students continued to learn in state-of-the-art STEM facilities and labs, including the Molecular Biology/Biotechnology lab suite complete with fluorescence microscopy and advanced imaging systems; a Biochemistry lab suite with a lecture room, lab, and prep area; and other instructional labs with flexible designs. Grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Defense also funded cutting edge equipment.

Celebrating Student Success

The Education: Birth to 4th Grade program was awarded accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

CCPTV, along with faculty, staff and students, received several awards:

  • The Emmy® award-winning “Strange College” won a Davy Award for Episode 4 for Best Use of Music and a Hometown Media Award for Original Drama/Comedy.
  • The Emmy®-nominated series “Drop the Mic” was honored with a Hometown Media Award for Episode 5 of Season 6.
  • The student acting class production of "True Tales of Social Justice" was honored with a Communicator Award of Distinction in the Film/Video-Social Issues/Responsibility category.
  • Aunt Sally – The People Who Can Fly,” featuring Ardencie Hall-Karambe, Ph.D., associate professor of English, won two Bronze Telly Awards in the Television General History and Cultural categories, a Communicator Award of Excellence in the History category, and a Communicator Award of Distinction in the Film/Video-Social Issues/Responsibility category.
  • Paradigm,” a poem written by Rosetta Robinson, an administrative support specialist in the Division of Liberal Studies, received a Bronze Telly Award in the Social Responsibility category, a Communicator Award of Distinction in the Film/Video-Social Issues/Responsibility category and a Gold Win in the PSA for Social Change category from the AVA Digital Awards. Robinson also performs the poem with members of the Northwest Victims Coalition.

Catch all of CCPTV’s programming at their YouTube channel, CCPTV53.

The Division of Marketing and Communications, in combination with Student Development, received 16 Medallion Awards for District 1 from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) awards in 2020. They later received seven national Paragon Awards. Watch the awards ceremony online.

The Nursing program was named a 2021 National League for Nursing (NLN) Center of Excellence™ and placed first in the Greater Philadelphia Social Innovations Awards for Social Mobility: Workforce Development.

Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D.
Laura Davidson

The College’s 2020 and 2019 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching winners Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D., associate professor of English and Laura Davidson, associate professor, Nutrition and Allied Health, delivered their annual Lindback Lectures in virtual events.

Watch Dr. Oates-Primus’ lecture,
Normalizing Unapologetic Authenticity in Our Classrooms
.

Watch Laura Davidson’s lecture,
Food for Thought: Nutrition as a Student Success Strategy
.


Earning Concurrent High School and College Degrees

Earning Concurrent High School and College Degrees

Eighty-nine students from Parkway Center City Middle College represented the first cohort of students to graduate high school with an associate degree as a result of the 2017 dual admissions partnership between the College and the School District of Philadelphia. When the program was first established, it was the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. Ten students from MaST Community Charter School also graduated this year.

Read more about these hardworking students from Parkway and MaST.

“The college degree is no longer optional. By 2025, 60 to 70 percent of all jobs will require some level of postsecondary credentials.”
– Dr. Donald Guy Generals, Community College of Philadelphia president

Parkway Center City Middle College students received more than $10 million in scholarship awards!

PCCMC students were accepted into over 120 schools, including:
Drexel University
Hampton University
Haverford College
Penn State University
Temple University
Thomas Jefferson University
University of Pittsburgh
University of the Sciences
US Armed Forces - Navy
Villanova University

Celebrating the 55th Commencement and Grad Walk

Celebrating the 55th Commencement and Grad Walk

The College hosted its 55th commencement on May 8, 2021, with a virtual ceremony that honored both 2020 and 2021 graduates, featuring commencement speaker state Rep. Joanna McClinton, the Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader. The Grad Walk saw the College welcome graduates and their families safely to campus to have their picture taken with family members and celebrate their accomplishments.

The Celebrating our Graduates website featured messages of support to students, success stories, a virtual yearbook detailing students’ next steps, and social media resources for students to be able to commemorate their accomplishments.

Applauding our Nursing Students from Afar
Applauding our Nursing Students from Afar

Applauding our Nursing Students from Afar

The College honored 112 Nursing graduates in a virtual pinning ceremony and drive-through celebration in May. Graduates had an opportunity to safely celebrate with the Nursing faculty and pick up their Nursing pins and other College memorabilia.


Class 0f 2020
Class of 2021
1,849
Graduates
1,955
Graduates
1,756
Degrees Awarded
62
Certificates Awarded
183
proficiency certificates awarded
1,955
Degrees Awarded
23
Certificates Awarded
177
proficiency certificates awarded

Dual Enrollment
11
Graduates
11
Students from
MaST Community
Charter School
Dual Enrollment
100
Graduates
10
Students from
MaST Community
Charter School
90
Students from
Parkway Center
City Middle College

Catching Up with Alumni

Our incredible graduates impact the community and their fields in countless ways. Here are a few of this year’s alumni stories:

  • Jovie Last, ’19, Automotive Service proficiency certificate, came back to the College to grow her skills and continue teaching car care basics to women.
  • Chris Robin, ’21, Nursing, sought to change careers and quickly prepare for an in-demand profession.
  • Tia Watson, ’08, Communications, credits the College with helping to get her life on track and now serves as Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Director for United States Sen. Bob Casey.

New Partnerships Allow Students a Seamless Transition to Four-year Institutions

The College has added additional opportunities for students to continue on their path to a bachelor’s degree through various new transfer agreements and partnerships. The institutions added to the College’s list of transfer opportunities in 2020-2021 include Shippensburg University, Lincoln University, Wilmington University, Alvernia University, and University of Maryland Global Campus. Upon completing their journey at the College, students are able to transition to any of the transfer institutions, many times with scholarships, based upon eligibility and requirements of each agreement.

New Partnership Allows Students Seamless Transition to Shippensburg University

Researching History with the Presbyterian Historical Society

For the past four years, more than 240 College students and 10 professors have engaged in an archives-based research and collaborative learning project with the Presbyterian Historical Society. The exhibit, Building Knowledge and Breaking Barriers (BKBB), went on display in 2021. Partnerships like this serve to enhance critical thinking and teamwork skills, as well as connect students with local sources of knowledge.

Learn more about the BKBB project, read more about student contributors, and see an exhibit by former student Celia Shao titled, “Christian Missions in Japan.”


Getting Involved in Student Life

Though many clubs and organizations met remotely during the past year, they still provided meaningful events and opportunities relevant to students’ goals and interests. Here is a sample of some of the engaging programming that was offered to keep students connected in uncertain times.

“Traveling” Abroad with the Virtual Global Studies Summit

Since study abroad programming was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College introduced the Virtual Global Studies Summit, designed to provide students and faculty the experience to learn more about other cultures through the lens of social justice. Held in June, the month-long summit included speakers and events that explored Cambodia, South Africa and Costa Rica, in particular. The summit wrapped up with the Diaspora Connect Series during the last few days of the month, highlighting the work of local-global changemakers in Philadelphia that foster community building across the African Diaspora.

Events included a conversation with College counselor Daravann Yi, who survived the Cambodian genocide and published his experience in a memoir titled “Salt Seeker;” a panel with museum guides of !Khwa ttu Heritage Center in South Africa for a telling of the story of the San, the first people to inhabit southern Africa; and a tour of a coffee company in Costa Rica.

Virtual Global Studies Summit

Celebrating Cultural Heritage Months

Celebrating Cultural Heritage Months

Each year, the College creates programming that honors the variety of cultural heritages present within the College community. This year’s events were hosted on Zoom, and were planned around Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Latinx Heritage Month and more. Members of the College community, including faculty, staff, and students, were invited and encouraged to participate in thoughtful and engaging conversations and events. Dr. Generals also hosted Firesides Chats open to faculty, staff and students for each month, recognizing different works of art, pieces of literature and other resources from various cultures.


Admiring Student Art

This year’s April is Art exhibit, an annual showcase of student art, was held virtually and displayed artwork from spring 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021. To kick off the event, the College held an opening reception via Zoom, where attendees had the opportunity to preview the gallery, hear from Art department faculty and speak with students directly in smaller breakout rooms. Students also created posters to promote the event.

Check out our students’ amazing work in the gallery. You can also revisit the opening reception if you missed it.

April is Art

Commemorating the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The College’s Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership hosted a virtual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Learning event on Monday, Jan. 18. Members of the College community and the general public attended “A Community That Cares: Living the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” a watch-and-learn event consisting of a moderated discussion and livestreamed viewing of the documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble. The event was an extension of the Enough Is Enough teach-in series and was made possible by a partnership with the Global Citizen’s Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.


Strengthening Our Communities

As the City’s College, Community College of Philadelphia is dedicated to making an impact in our students’ lives both in and out of the classroom. Here are a few ways we are empowering our students to transform their lives and their communities.

Making Education More Accessible Through the Octavius Catto Scholarship

Born in 1839, Octavius V. Catto was an African American civil rights activist and educator. Despite being regarded as a natural leader, Catto faced countless barriers simply because of his race. He was shot and killed on Election Day in Philadelphia in 1871. In partnership with Mayor James Kenney and the City of Philadelphia, the College welcomed more than 400 students into the first two cohorts of the Octavius Catto Scholarship this past year. This anti-poverty initiative seeks to increase access to higher education for our residents. Catto Scholars are first-time, full-time students who qualify to earn their degree debt-free. They receive last-dollar funding to cover the cost of tuition, fees and books, in addition to access to wraparound support services, and also regularly meet with success coaches to help them navigate and become accustomed to college life.

“Thank you, Octavius Catto, for your selflessness! You opened the way for many people to get an education and not have to worry about the debt that comes with it. I am so grateful to be able to continue my education and reach my dreams all because of the path you made for others! I will be forever grateful!”
—Andrea Owens, Octavius Catto Scholar



Read more about out Catto Scholars featured in AL DÍA and KWY Newsradio, as well as an op-ed written by Dr. Generals.

Hear directly from Catto Scholars Chelsea Hammond and Idris Washington through their blogs.

Enlightening the Community: Enough Is Enough

Enlightening the Community: Enough Is Enough

Following the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, the College reaffirmed its commitment to combat racism through the creation of our Enough Is Enough teach-in series.

In the 2020-2021 academic year, the series tackled issues such as environmental racism, transphobia, myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine and health care disparities impacting women of color. A particularly impactful session featured Dr. Ala Stanford, founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, where she answered questions and explained the science behind vaccines. Since June 2020, the College has hosted nine virtual teach-ins for approximately 4,000 guests. Through these continuing conversations and education, training and action, the College will work to eradicate ideologies that perpetuate racism.

Read more about Enough Is Enough in The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Tribune.

Watch the session with Dr. Ala Stanford from the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium online.


Welcoming Students Home with Philadelphia Housing Authority Partnership

Welcoming Students Home with Philadelphia Housing Authority Partnership

The College announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Authority in May 2021. Beginning in fall 2021, the College will offer low-cost, shared housing options close to Main Campus for students who are housing insecure, with a focus on students who have experience in the foster care system. Eligible students will also be paired with a College Program Coordinator to aid their transition out of shared housing and into a stable, permanent residence, and will receive access to services like health insurance and food resources.

Learn more about the initiative in The Philadelphia Inquirer.


Introducing STEM to Younger Students

Introducing STEM to Younger Students

Our Division of Access and Community Engagement (DACE) continues to introduce Philadelphia middle and high school students to careers in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, where African American, Hispanic and Latinx individuals are particularly underrepresented. Through its STEM College Experience, DACE hosted innovative programming to not only introduce students to the diversity of occupations within the STEM field, but to also connect them directly with professionals who look like them. Examples of these programs include the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and the Jr. STEM Academy. The College’s STEM College Experience programs have supported more than 600 students across 50 schools.

“You can aspire to become a mathematician to work on formulas to help with spaceflight. You can aspire to become an engineer to work on the next space mission. There are so many possibilities that are available to you. As long as you’re exposed to it, and you learn about it, you can see yourself doing it.”
—Stephanie Austin-Johnson, STEM College Experience program specialist

Read more about the College’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day!

Reframing the Narrative Around Gun Violence

The College and the Stoneleigh Foundation named Dr. Jessica H. Beard, a trauma surgeon and public health researcher at Temple University Hospital, the director of research for the new Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Through her three-year fellowship, she will work with the Center to further explore the media narrative around gun violence, with the goal of increasing support for policies and programs to curb the epidemic and save lives. Hosted at the College, the Center also collaborates with journalists, researchers, and local organizations to uplift voices from the City’s neighborhoods, and recently announced a partnership with The Vanguard, the College’s student-run newspaper.

The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting is committed to improving and widening the lens of media reporting on community gun violence in the city by collaborating with journalists, researchers, and local organizations to raise voices from neighborhoods and broaden the narrative to include a wider range of perspectives.

#CCPVotes Promoting the Importance of Local Elections

#CCPVotes Promoting the Importance of Local Elections

In order to help students make their voices heard and continue the College’s high student rate of voter participation, the College once again hosted its semester-long #CCPVotes initiative. #CCPVotes is a multiyear civic engagement initiative designed to engage students in the College community and the electoral process. Dr. Generals also declared Election Day a Day of Service, and encouraged the entire community to help voters get to the polls or volunteer in other ways.

Additional information on the most recent #CCPVotes events can be found online.


Learning Through Service and Volunteering

As the College’s home for volunteerism, service and experiential learning, the Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership hosts community outreach events and fosters partnerships that capitalize on the strengths of students, faculty, staff, and partners to make a positive difference on social justice issues.

The Institute for Community Engagement & Civic Leadership

145
Volunteers Recruited
1,100
Volunteer Hours served
70
Service opportunities offered

In summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021

Building Innovative Learning Spaces

A first-class education calls for world-class facilities. The College is excited to announce major updates on two of our most highly anticipated projects.
Career and Advanced Technology Center
Career and Advanced Technology Center

Hitting the Halfway Point on Construction of the Career and Advanced Technology Center

The College celebrated the groundbreaking of the Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) in West Philadelphia in November 2020. Dr. Generals was joined by Mayor Jim Kenney, Board of Trustees Chair Jeremiah White, and Community College of Philadelphia Foundation President Dr. Ellyn Jo Waller, among others. In July 2021, Dr. Generals was again joined by Mayor Kenney, state Sen. Vincent Hughes, College trustee Sheila Ireland and various College partners for the midpoint ceremony, which also featured a brief tour of the site.

Anticipated to officially open in 2022, the CATC is a state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility that will offer for-credit and noncredit courses to support Philadelphia’s transportation, manufacturing and health care fields. With a focus on career readiness, entrepreneurship and hands-on learning, the CATC will bring community building and career training to the forefront of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

“As the needs of students and employers change, the College’s Career and Advanced Technology Center will provide a pathway to those looking to start or change careers, or to pursue a credential that will enhance their current position.”
—College President Dr. Donald Guy Generals

Learn more about the CATC and see coverage from AL DÍA.

Modernizing the College Experience: The Library and Learning Commons

In fall 2021, the College is expected to unveil the newly renovated Library and Learning Commons on Main Campus. Construction began in spring 2019 with the mission of revolutionizing the way students learn. Students will be able to take advantage of enhancements such as active learning and computer labs; a café and art exhibit area; academic computing services with more than 200 available computers; tutoring in almost every subject; and the One Button Studio, which will serve as a digital video production studio.

Learn more and see what this reimagined space will look like.


Readying the Workforce and Boosting Businesses

Supporting all stages of career and workforce preparation and development, Corporate Solutions delivers the knowledge, resources and networking opportunities that get results.
Connecting Students to In-Demand Careers

Connecting Students to In-Demand Careers

Providing a range of services, Career Connections is an all-in-one destination for students and alumni looking for career path guidance, employment while at the College and after graduation, and employer networking.

Offering everything from helping students and alumni build cover letters, résumés and interviewing skills; hosting online job fairs, free access to online job postings; and matching students with positions and employers, Career Connections works to educate faculty and staff about their array of services.

Enhancing Careers Through Training and Professional Development

Providing residents with the skills for in-demand job opportunities and advancement means always keeping current with student and industry needs. Delivery methods also need to be flexible and fit into busy schedules, which is why Corporate Solutions also offers online and hybrid courses. This year, Corporate Solutions introduced several new career programs in health care, wellness, technology and advanced manufacturing, as well as continuing education and professional development courses and certifications, including:

  • Cisco CCNA
  • Massage Therapy
  • Medical Billing and Coding
  • Managing Change and Resolving Conflict
  • Web Applications Developer Plus

Revitalizing Business Corridors
Revitalizing Business Corridors

Revitalizing Business Corridors

Signature programs have made the College a destination for small business owners looking to improve and grow their enterprises, and for entrepreneurs seeking to solidify their vision. Businesses being able to expand and hire more employees benefits all Philadelphians. Initiatives continued online this year as participants moved forward to achieve their goals.

Enhancing DEI at the College

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Institute certificate consists of six workshops that help participants learn about unconscious bias, understand the benefits of diversity, promote teamwork and incorporate DEI principles in their workplace. This offering was launched at the Dimensions of Diversity event, featuring prominent panelists Greg DeShields, John Chin, Yvette A. Núñez, Dr. Rònké Òké, and Zachary Wilcha.

See all training and continuing education courses.


Power Up Your Business
Power Up Your Business

Power Up Your Business

Free neighborhood-based support serves to strengthen Philadelphia small businesses and bring economic growth to the communities in which they reside. The Store Owner Series offers workshops in critical topics, such as marketing, bookkeeping and commercial leasing, while the Peer-based Experience provides marketing, financial, human resources and legal experts to help owners develop improvement plans.

Check it out: Technical.ly Philly listed Power Up in its round-up of resources for small businesses.


HIGHLIGHTS
GLOBAL SERIES - SPANISH
STORE-OWNER SERIES SNAPSHOT
SEPT. 2017 TO JUNE 30, 2021
COMMUNITY STARTUP ACCELERATOR
31
Total Businesses

33
Total Participants

603
PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES

967
WORKSHOP ATTENDEES

53
TOTAL WORKSHOPS

47
ZIP CODES REPRESENTED

10
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS REPRESENTED

83
PARTICIPANTS

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Offering tools and professional support to small business owners, this initiative provides marketing, management and financial skills that can immediately be put to use and assist in the development of a customized growth plan.

10KSB grads occupy 25 spots on the 2021 Philadelphia100 list! Learn more.


HIGHLIGHTS
BUSINESSES SERVED
87
GRADUATES THIS YEAR

ALL PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES TO DATE
46%
WOMEN-OWNED
51%
BASED IN PHILADELPHIA
16
MEDIAN YEARS OF BUSINESS

In 2021, 12 past graduates have received awards or recognitions, including Cal Quinn of Bancroft Capital, who was awarded the top spot for the region’s fastest growing business as part of the Philly100 Awards!

Establishing an Automotive Program Partnership with Toyota T-Ten

Offering students advanced training and an exciting career path, the Toyota T-Ten program with the College is the only such program in the region, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York.

  • This two-year, full-time, select program starts in fall 2022
  • Students spend three days in class and two to three days at a Toyota dealership
  • Graduates can start at a Toyota diagnostics skills level in two years, instead of five
  • Competitive salary and skills that meet industry needs

Training the Workforce

Several programs offered by the College support the professional development of employees around the region. Through contract training, the College offers individualized training and assessment services, instructor resources and flexible scheduling to help businesses compete in a global marketplace. Contract training is offered in a variety of areas, including management and leadership; communications skills; workplace literacy; computers and more. Corporate College brings credit courses to companies with on-site instruction and support from faculty, flexible class times and lower tuition than a four-year institution. Employees can participate in the College’s programs on site at the workplace or by mainstreaming directly into the College’s existing courses.


The impact of the College’s day-to-day spending is significant
ADDS
$1.5B
in annual income to Philadelphia County
Supports
18,000+
jobs, which is
1 in 48
jobs in Philadelphia County

Supporting the College

A large network of friends and supporters helps to provide the meaningful educational experiences that lead to our students’ success. Here are a few ways the community has rallied around our students in the 2020-2021 academic year.
Black and Gold Gala

Virtually Gathering for the Black & Gold Gala

In June, the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation hosted its annual premiere fundraising event, the Black & Gold Gala. The event, hosted by 6ABC Action News anchor and reporter Rick Williams, recognized award honorees from both 2020 and 2021 that showed commitment to community growth in education, social services and other areas.

More information about the 2021 Black & Gold Gala and event honorees can be found online.

The 2021 Black & Gold Gala
raised a record-breaking

$401,00

in support of the
college's students
Since 2018 The Black & Gold
Gala has Raised

$1 Million

to support student scholarships

Quizzing for a Cause

Throughout the academic year, the Foundation hosted two themed virtual trivia nights with Dr. Generals and Mayor Jim Kenney. Participants were tested on their knowledge of women’s history and Philadelphia. A fun time was had by all, as the event raised nearly $12,000 in support of our students.

Virtual Trivia Night
Virtual Trivia Night

Giving Thanks to Supporters

Students were able to virtually thank friends and supporters who helped make their education possible at the Virtual Scholarship Ceremony hosted by the Foundation in November. The heartwarming event connected donors with students from around of the College who shared stories about how these gifts make a real impact in their lives.

The ceremony can be viewed online.


Yael Johnson

Wayne McCoy

Tosef Miller

Julia Hood

Daniel Flomo

Nakita Guiteau


Eletc Nadezhda

“I’m so deeply grateful for all the encouragement and support I received during [my time in] the Diagnostic Medical Imaging program, which allowed me to stay focused on my academic goals and graduate. Thank you so much!”
— Eletc Nadezhda


Continuing to Empower: PROMISE Scholar Student Spotlight

Philadelphia native and Black Studies major Essence Gaines is on track to become an educator, thanks to the 50th Anniversary PROMISE Scholarship. She says that the scholarship offers her the opportunity to take advantage of all the College has to offer, including serving as a volunteer at Olney Elementary and the 28th annual African American Children’s Book Fair. She especially wants to teach Black children and build a school or space for youth in the future.

“Without stressing about how I’m going to pay for school, I can focus on other important things like attending helpful workshops. The best part is, I’ve have been able to connect with other people, and I can concentrate on school and just life in general.”
— Essence Gaines

Read more about Essence and the 50th Anniversary Promise Scholarship online.

Essence Gaines

Driving Student Success with New Scholarship Dollars
Hilco Helps Scholarship

Driving Student Success with New Scholarship Dollars

Community College of Philadelphia Foundation has continued to develop partnerships with charitable organizations in our region to expand the number of scholarship opportunities available to our students. A few of the newest partnerships include:

  • A renewed three-year, $144,000 grant from Parx Casino to continue to support seven of the College’s most vital programs, and enhance diversity and equity
  • A $300,000 donation from the Ann Hill Donor Advised Fund to establish the Ann Hill Pay It Forward Scholarship Endowment and the Ann Hill Makerspace in the Library and Learning Commons
  • A $250,000 donation from Hilco Redevelopment Partners to establish the Hilco Helps Scholarship program to support students over the next 10 years

Giving Student Parents a Helping Hand

The Child Care Access Means Parents in School, or CCAMPIS, program is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program, offered and managed by the College’s Women’s Outreach and Advocacy Center, supports the participation of low-income parents enrolled in post-secondary education through the provision of child care stipends paid directly to the child care provider. The grant, originally awarded in October 2018, is available through September 2022.

Honoring Our Retirees

The College recognizes the commitment of our hardworking faculty and staff, particularly those who retired this year. We thank them for their service to the College, our students and our community.

Kerri Armstrong
Timothy Barnes
Frank Bartell
Catherine Blaine
Donald Bowers
Anthony Brauner
Wanda Butler
Frank Calabrese
Arlene Caney
Nancy Carr
Mary Anne Celenza
Marvin Cohen
Gail Crawford
Arnold DiBlasi
Ramon Dias
Yvonne Ellis
Scarlette Floyd
Yvonne Foster
Annamaria Fulep
Pamela Gallimore
Judith Gay
Assefa Gebreselassie
Stan Gilbert
Lakshmi Gudipati
Alfred Harris

Barbara Hill
Darryl Holmes
Linda Howard
Jane Jacobs
Deborah Johnson
Stephen Jones
Veronica Kalczewski
Yvonne King
Dorothy Koteski
Elena Koublanova
Igor Kratskin
Melanie Long
Wayne Morris
Cheryl Nelson
Dianne Perkins
James Perry
John Pinto
Deborah Rossi
Maurice Sampson
Regina Strupczewski
Maureen Suarez
Michelle Sun
Charlen Truex
Sandra Watson


In Memoriam

The College honors those members of our community we lost during the 2020-2021 academic year. We are grateful for their invaluable contributions to the College and to our students. Any omissions here are inadvertent.

Larry Bernstein
Helen Brown
Dennis Caporiccio
Stephen Curtis
Emma Fn’Piere
Stanley Friedman
Helen Gilmore
Michael Hardy
Denyse Jones
William Kulik
Hi Lee
Eugene Luppino
William May
Suzanne Minnis
Robert Mogil
Jack Muraskin
Mirele Steinig
Ray Sveen
Jeanette Wilhelm