Mayor Michael A. Nutter on Feb. 18 called upon the city’s top business leaders to join with him in seeking full and fair funding for public education, and he called quality education "the Civil Rights issue of the 21st century."

"Whether you walk, drive or take the train, come to Harrisburg with me and urge the Commonwealth to make public education a top priority," Nutter said at the annual Mayoral Luncheon sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Nutter told the audience, filled with leading business and political leaders, that an investment in education is an investment in the future. "It’s an investment in making our region more competitive. It’s an investment in our city, the Commonwealth and our nation. I am asking you to join me in the fight for the future, the fight for our children, the fight for a smarter, ready-for-business Philadelphia."

In a speech in which the mayor touted many of the region’s and corporate community’s top accomplishments, Nutter devoted part of his address to the financial challenges facing the School District of Philadelphia, linking the education of local students to the region’s shared prosperity. Community College of Philadelphia is the top college destination for graduates of the School District of Philadelphia.

"In my view, access to a high-quality education is the Civil Rights issue of the 21st century. You are less likely to become a first-class scholar with second-class education funding. We’re less likely to become the world-class city we want to be with a workforce in which many struggle with low literacy skills and poor educational attainment,” Nutter told a packed auditorium at the Marriott Hotel.

Nutter, who is also a member of the Community College of Philadelphia Board of Trustees, said solving the city’s “education problem” must become a business and economic imperative. "If we don’t address this problem now, in 10 years, we won’t have a competitive workforce, meaning you won’t have a qualified pool of workers to fill available positions." Nutter recommended a number of ways to move public education forward, including:

• A bold new approach that would make schools innovative campuses of educational excellence.
• Fair and full funding for the School District of Philadelphia and every other school district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• A predictable and sustainable funding system for public education in Pennsylvania.

In listing the top achievements of 2013, Mayor Nutter also mentioned the College's Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses-Greater Philadelphia program, which supports the region’s established entrepreneurs. The program offers 14 weeks of entrepreneurial instruction, one-on-one coaching and access to capital to eligible business owners from the region. Since its launch last year, 50 business owners from across the region have completed the program in Philadelphia. Applications for 10,000 Small Businesses are accepted on a rolling basis at Community College of Philadelphia. Visit www.ccp.edu/10KSB for more information.

Community College of Philadelphia is the sole sponsor of the Black History Month news vignettes, Philadelphia Gamechangers, airing in February 2014 on CBS 3/CW Philly and KYW Newsradio 1060.

They feature the stories of 10 individuals or groups from across the region that have positively impacted the African-American community in Greater Philadelphia.

All three broadcast stations will feature a series of reports on the Gamechangers, and the vignettes will be hosted by CBS 3 television anchor Ukee Washington and KYW Newsradio community affairs reporter Cherri Gregg throughout the month.

The featured Gamechangers are Loretta Winters, president of the NAACP of South Jersey; Jerome Shabazz, executive director of the Overbrook Arts and Environmental Education Center;  J. Donald Dumpson, a composer, musician and producer; Alexa Grabelle, a 7th grader who founded Bag of Books, which gives used books to children in need; Maria Pajil Battle, president of AmeriHealth Caritas Partnership; Nikki Johnson-Huston, a lawyer who is working to end poverty; Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Philadelphia program director for the Knight Foundation; Linda Cliatt-Wayman, principal of Strawberry Mansion High School; and Archie Leacock, founder and executive director of the Institute for the Development of African-American Youth, and the Wolves Athletic Association, which uses sports to mentor young inner- city boys and girls.

The College has sponsored the Black History Month celebration of broadcast stations CBS 3, The CW Philly and KYW Newsradio for the last few years as part of the institution’s ongoing commitment to diversity and learning.

U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) recently helped to present two local charities with checks for $5,000 during a ceremony held on the Main Campus of Community College of Philadelphia.

(Shown above Pictured left to right: Dr. Judith Gay, interim president of Community College of Philadelphia; Timothy Whitaker, executive director of Mighty Writers; and Congressman Chaka Fattah.)

The proceeds were from the 16^th Annual Community College of Philadelphia Foundation Golf Classic held in July. Congressman Fattah hosted and served as honorary chair for the 2013 Golf Classic, which supports scholarships and programs at the College, and provided assistance for these two well-known charities.

During the December 17 ceremony, Marciene Mattleman, Ed.D., president of After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP), accepted a $5,000 check on behalf of ASAP, a nonprofit organization that provides hundreds of safe and educationally stimulating afterschool activities for Philadelphia students.

Tim Whitaker, executive director of Mighty Writers, accepted a $5,000 check on behalf of Mighty Writers, a nonprofit that provides free after-school and weekend writing workshops for city children ages seven through 17 and helps youth to find their voice.

Rhonda R. Cohen and businessman Charles P. Pizzi served as co-chairs for the 2013 golf outing. AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania and Independence Blue Cross were corporate sponsors.

In a majestic room filled with fresh flowers and gold satin table linens, employees enjoyed a festive meal during the annual Celebration of the Stars and Holiday Brunch held December 18 in the Great Hall.

Eighty-nine employees in all were honored for their decades of service, which featured buffet-style breakfast and lunch entrees as well as live music by the College’s Jazz Ensemble under the direction of music instructor Anthony Ferrara.

Dr. Judith Gay, interim president, welcomed everyone and thanked employees for their dedication. She introduced Stacy E. Holland who shared an appreciation from the Board of Trustees.

“Your countless contributions assisting and encouraging students and coworkers, getting involved to improve the College community, and sharing your knowledge with colleagues have helped us as a College to grow and prosper,” she said. “Your loyalty and decades of service to the College is an inspiration to us all, and the entire College community appreciates your expertise.”

A projector flashed the name of each honoree onto two walls as colleagues mingled and enjoyed the relaxing live music.

The following is a list of the 2013 Stars:

Gold Star with a Ruby Stone: 40-Year Employees

Shown in photo Above Left to right: Roland Fountain, Allen Farrington, Nicholas Salvatore, Ed.D., Jerold Price, Ph.D. 

Gold Star: 30-Year Employees

Silver Star: 20-Year Employees

John Sweeney, 82, shows up at the Northeast Regional Center of Community College of Philadelphia two hours before his class starts so he can review his studies and relax his lungs.

He has emphysema and every breath now is a struggle. With the help of his portable oxygen tank, Sweeney soldiers through his classes, relishing each lesson. He takes one class a semester and plans to continue until he’s earned enough credits for an associate’s degree. “Either that, or until the Man Upstairs calls me,” Sweeney said with a grin.

A leader who sets an example, Sweeney was stunned recently to learn that his tenacity and determination had made him a hero in the eyes of many fellow students and staff.

They surprised him with a brief ceremony and a certificate of recognition before algebra class on December 5. Classmates signed a card congratulating him and joined faculty and staff who gathered around him for a photo.

“John Sweeney provides unwavering inspiration to the Northeast Regional Center faculty, students and staff, said Kathleen M. Mulray, director of the Center, who created a special certificate to recognize his rich contributions to morale and a vibrant learning culture.

Math instructor, Bob Cunningham said Sweeney stands out, for so many reasons.

“While I often have a student come early to class, few if any come as early as John Sweeney. John usually comes in around 7:30 a.m. for my 9 a.m. Math 118 Intermediate Algebra class. It is true that John is an excellent student, but more importantly he is a role model for his fellow students.”

Sweeney was thunderstruck. “If I had known (about the award ceremony), I would have called out sick,” he said chuckling. “It was a great honor.”

Sweeney, who earned his GED in the 1950s, retired in 1995 from the job of assistant manager at a supermarket. He’s taken classes off-and-on for more than a decade. He took advantage of the College’s admissions program that enables senior citizens to take a course for credit each semester after paying a $153 registration fee and meeting other requirements.

When asked why he continues to go to school, Sweeney replied, “To keep my mind open, so I don’t end up losing it. It’s very important that everyone should learn. They should never stop learning.”

Some students and staff in the College’s Gateway to College program joined with 18 million learners around the world recently in the Hour of Code initiative, which seeks to introduce newcomers to the basic concepts of computer science.

On Dec. 12, students and staff used computers for a self-guided, one-hour online tutorial sponsored by Code.org and Computing in the Core, cosponsors of the Hour of Code initiative, which was held during Computer Science Education Week.

During the online session, coders learned to write simple computer programs to help Angry Birds video game characters move through a maze toward a goal.

Carol Smith, Ph.D., the director of Gateway to College, said the learning activity was just another way to enrich the classroom experience. “We always look for ways to enrich the lives of our students,” Dr. Smith said. “We just decided we are going to do this, even though it was during finals. We just got a new computer lab so we had the space. I made every staff member do the hour of code as well. Coding is a digital language that they (young people) speak. If we can’t speak their code, we can’t understand their world.”

Gateway to College is part of a national model that seeks to reengage high school students who have left without earning a diploma. It helps them to earn a high school diploma while also earning college credits. The College has 100 students enrolled currently in the Gateway to College program. Seven students participated in one of two sessions.  Another student couldn’t attend but he accessed the hour of code tutorial via phone. The tutorial can be found at http://csedweek.org.

“They (students and staff) loved it,” Dr. Smith said. At one point the group taking the coding tutorial became stuck at the same place. “We all had to work together to get the last problem solved,” she said. “Everything they touch is digital, phones, TVs, even cars. I want our students to know the technology behind it. I want them to be creators of the digital world, and not just consumers.”

During his distinguished career, Thomas R. Hawk, Ph.D., helped Community College of Philadelphia grow in prominence and influence, regionally and nationally.

He is widely respected by peers as a practitioner and an academic. In 2006, Dr. Hawk became the first business officer from a community college ever selected to receive the Distinguished Business Officer of the Year award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers. “In the end, you succeed because of the colleagues with whom you work on a daily basis,” Dr. Hawk said recently. “I have been blessed to work with a large number of truly smart and creative people.”

A long-time champion of open-access institutions, Dr. Hawk began his community college career on the faculty. “I first walked in the doors of the College in 1967, when I was 22. It was an ‘Introduction to Business’ class and the chance to teach it was an amazing experience for me. The students were bright and engaged. Many were older than I was and had life experiences that gave them far greater wisdoms than I had in many areas,” he said.

In January, following 46 years of service, Dr. Hawk, Vice President for Planning and Finance, will retire. Over the years, he assisted or led efforts to:

• Maintain financial planning and budget management strategies which have enabled the College to sustain stability and quality in programs and services, and deal responsibly with fluctuating patterns of public support.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of the College’s Facility Master Plans which have led to the development of three permanent Regional Centers and major expansion and renewal of the College’s Main Campus. He oversaw the development of seven new buildings at the Main Campus and Regional Centers, as well as extensive renovations and expansions.
• Provide leadership for the strategic planning and institutional research efforts, which have provided a basis for understanding and strengthening institutional effectiveness and helped to identify strategic directions.

Having earned a Masters of Business Administration from the Wharton School and a Doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Hawk could have worked for a Fortune 500 company, but instead he signed up for a rollercoaster ride at a community college. Why has he stayed so long?

“It’s the mission of the college,” Dr. Hawk explained, during recent remarks to colleagues. “How can you not get excited about helping to transform thousands of lives on an annual basis? It’s the great people I have worked with and for; the quality and commitment of my professional coworkers and institutional leadership at the senior and board levels...”

On December 5, the College threw a festive retirement party that drew more than 100 well-wishers from all walks and ages of life, along with family, present and former trustees, staff and Foundation board members. Dr. Hawk said his decision to put his advanced degrees to work for a community college was a strategic one. “Despite the occasional facility breakdowns and the periodic budget crises, it has been fun and very rewarding.

Dr. Hawk used the platform to reflect upon how much the College had changed over the decades, and offer newcomers — anyone here 30 years or less — a recap of some of the milestones.

“In its early years, the College had no developmental programs, few career programs and operated from one relatively small leased facility. Other major cities were creating complex multi-campus institutions. But things changed rapidly for the College in the 1970s and 80s.” Among the challenges and opportunities the college has faced:

• Returning Vietnam vets transformed the nature of the student body
• BEOG, which became Pell, created true financial access by allowing lower income students to enroll with little or no out-of-pocket costs. As a result enrollment growth greatly exceed intuitional planning projections
• The adoption of a truly open admissions policy resulted in the need for a massive commitment to developmental education and academic support services
• Development of a regional center model to ensure off-campus students had access to essential academic programs and support services
• New technology has transformed how teaching and learning occurs, how the College is managed and the nature of the College’s physical facilities

"In the variety of positions I have held during my career, I was lucky enough to be able to help play a role in assisting the College to respond to all these issues and many more," he said.

As retirement nears, Dr. Hawk is working on the big plan for the next chapter of life: he’ll spend more time traveling, grandfathering, walking the dog, riding rollercoasters, and gardening.

Turning Community Service into a Family Affair

As a young man, Gilberto Gonzalez worked with his father, Teofilo, as he helped their Spring Garden neighbors settle into new housing. Father and son would help move furniture and make small repairs in the homes.

Those experiences embedded deep values in the younger Gonzalez that motivate him to continue to give of himself. “Whether it’s getting assistance for neighbors, connecting them with city services or getting food for their families — I try to do what I can, and people appreciate that,” said Gil, 49, now a graphic designer at Community College of Philadelphia.

On Nov. 22, Gonzalez found himself in the local spotlight, yet again, after he was named one of the Delaware Valley’s Most Influential Latinos for 2013 by the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress, Impacto Latin Newspaper, and The Most Influential Latinos Foundation.

Gonzalez received the prestigious award during a black-tie gala with more than 500 guests at the National Museum of Jewish History on Independence Mall. WPVI-6ABC’s Walter Perez and news anchor Ilia Garcia of WUVP Univision served as co-hosts at the event, where Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., federal judge Nitza Quinones-Alejandro and Philadelphia managing director Richard Negrin were among the other honorees.

Though his list of community activities is too long to mention, many Philadelphians know Gil because he is an author of two books, a paint artist and, most recently, a documentarian whose film, “Cuentos,” a Spanish term for storytelling, documents the celebrated, yet often difficult, history of a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Philadelphia.

He also worked with world-champion handball player, Wally Amaro, to establish the Pennsylvania Handball Association and organize the first city-wide tournament.

When Gil was in his youth, his father worked as a locksmith for the College. Gil credits the creative faculty with shaping and guiding his artistic talents during his 19-year career. When he was ready for higher education, he began his path here. His son, Gilberto Kiati Gonzalez, later followed in his footsteps. His son is taking classes at the College while he pursues careers in physical therapy and nutrition.

“If the faculty had not cared about me as an artist, I would not have achieved a lot of what I have achieved,” said Gonzalez, who also hosts a weekly current affairs TV show, “Entre Nosotros” on CCPTV (Comcast53 – Fios21). “The College has played an integral role in my life.”

Philadelphia, PA. (Dec. 6, 2013)—On Saturday Community College of Philadelphia’s men’s basketball team will honor the life of a student and former player, Micah Fisher, who was killed November 9 by gunfire.

The College will retire Fisher’s number 11 Colonials team jersey and hold a moment of silence for him at the start of the 11 a.m. men’s basketball alumni game. The game will be played in the Athletic Center/Gymnasium on the west side of 17th Street between Spring Garden and Callowhill streets.

Fisher, 25, was taking classes at the College this semester, though he was no longer a member of the Colonials, the name of the men’s basketball team. He played on the team during the 2009-2010 and the 2010-2011 seasons. Philadelphia police said Fisher, an innocent bystander, was hit by gunfire during a dispute in the Hunting Park section of the city.

On December 7, basketball team alumni will gather for a moment of silence and the athletic director, Rogers Gipsy, will offer a remembrance. A replica of Fisher’s number 11 Colonials team jersey will be displayed and eventually encased and hung on a wall in the gymnasium, according to Anita Lewis, the administrative assistant who is helping to organize the event. Fisher’s family and friends have been invited, and his mother, Kasey of the Frankford section of the city, said she will attend.

Alumni games are held annually, but this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Colonials first state championship. Players from 20 years ago, including those who played in that first championship game, have been invited for an hour of basketball where they will play against former team mates and colleagues. The men’s basketball team has a 4-3 record for the current season.

The Lady Colonials (2-4) will also host an alumni game Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. Their game also will begin with a moment of silence honoring the memory of Nyesha “Woe” Whitney, 26, who was shot and killed in June 2009. Her number 13 Colonials jersey, which was retired the year she died, is displayed in the building.

During both the women’s and men’s alumni games, players will wear jerseys that reflect the team’s colors as they were 20 years ago. The women will wear headbands that bear Whitney’s “13”, and the men will wear headbands with Fisher’s “11”. The alumni games are expected to end shortly after noon. A regular basketball game will be held at 1 p.m. with the women playing against a team from Patrick Henry Community College in Virginia.

The College recently joined the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA.) Athletes competed in Region XIX this year as part of the Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC). The NJCAA is the national governing body for two-year college athletic programs nationwide. The men’s and women’s basketball, cross-country, tennis, and track and field teams have participated in structured conferences, regional tournaments, and national championships.

Larry Thi was a stand-out student at Community College of Philadelphia before transferring to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a scholarship worth up to $30,000 a year.

Now a UNC graduate and a high school teaching fellow with a nonprofit group called 12+, the scholar and alumnus last month came back to the place where his higher education career started, but this time he was looking for new tools to help inner city youth realize academic success.

Thi was among more than a dozen educators and advocates who attended a town-hall style information session for community leaders on November 19 in the Main Campus Pavilion. The workshop was part of an initiative that seeks to give Philadelphia’s influential teachers, mentors and community leaders, who we call Pathfinders, timely access to the latest information regarding changes to financial aid, admissions deadlines and scholarships.

In 2011, Thi was selected to receive the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, a national award given to outstanding community college students. The award helped fund his undergraduate degree in history at UNC Chapel Hill, which Thi received in May 2013.

Since August, Thi has taught high school students in Kensington through 12+, which seeks to serve students from the most impoverished sections of the city. His mission now is to empower students and provide a road map to college.

“My current duties as a 12+ Fellow include providing college access to students at Kensington Health Sciences Academy, cultivating a college-going culture and promoting academic achievement,” Thi said. “I facilitate workshops to equip students with necessary skills to succeed, advise students one-on-one, and operate multiple after school programs including Chess Club, ESL Club and Poetry Club.”

The Pathfinders workshop provided useful information, he said. “I attended a teacher-parent conference and the parent asked me about learning disability support services provided by universities and colleges for her son. Having attended the Pathfinders workshop, I informed the parent about the Center on Disability and certain accommodations and support that may be provided for her child,” Thi said.

At the November workshop, Samuel Hirsch, Ed.D., vice president for Student Affairs, discussed the broad range of support services available to new students at the College. The Pathfinders asked a lot of questions about Single Stop, a national initiative that is new to our College. It provides free and comprehensive social and financial services to students as part of an effort to foster economic security and support student retention.

Students around the nation have received an average of $2,000 in public benefits, services and tax credits through Single Stop USA. Community College of Philadelphia is the 16th College in the nation to launch Single Stop.

Jennifer Cardoso, of Philadelphia Academies, Inc., a nonprofit youth development organization that works with several district schools, said she came to learn more about the Single Stop initiative. “I knew about it but was interested in knowing more,” Cardoso said.

New market research has shown that the College’s enrollment is being driven in part by community influencers who convince prospective students to enroll. The Pathfinders initiative is designed to support them and create opportunities for them to gather and share new ideas.

For more information about Pathfinders, contact Diane Kae, manager, Student Outreach and Recruitment at dkae [at] ccp.edu (dkae[at]ccp[dot]edu).