Good afternoon York Campus Community,
I am pleased to share several important updates that reflect continued momentum in advancing York College’s academic mission, research capacity, and student success. York College has been awarded $2.12 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for Fiscal Year 2026. This includes $1.09 million to support K–12 STEM education, implemented in partnership with the Teacher Education Department and the Earth and Physical Sciences Department. This investment builds on the demonstrated success of Teacher Education’s Maker Space initiatives and the Earth and Physical Sciences Department’s longstanding collaborations with NASA and the JFKR Aviation and Aeronautics Academy, expanding early STEM exposure, experiential learning, and teacher preparation pipelines. In addition, $1.03 million has been awarded for interdisciplinary environmental research, including funding for student research stipends, supporting faculty‑student scholarship and workforce‑relevant research opportunities. I also invite you to attend the Spring Symposium on Monday, April 21, from 12:00–2:00 PM in Room 3D01. This event will feature presentations by Elizabeth Quaye (Accounting and Finance), Erin Jacques (Health and Human Performance), and Jennifer Hartmann (Social Work), highlighting the breadth of scholarship and applied work across York College. Finally, I am pleased to report that first‑year student retention for the Fall 2024 cohort is 68.2%, representing a 10.8‑percentage‑point increase over the previous cohort. This significant improvement reflects the collective efforts of faculty, staff, and administrators to strengthen advising, academic supports, and student engagement. Thank you for your continued commitment to York College. I look forward to building on this progress together. Derrick Brazill, PhD Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs AC-2H07
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