DCC’s Fifth President Inaugurated
Dr. Pamela Edington Focuses on Our Community, Our College, Our Future
May 8, 2015 – Pamela Edington, Ed.D., who assumed the presidency of Dutchess Community College in August 2014, was inaugurated at a formal ceremony on campus this afternoon. Representing the State University of New York (SUNY) were H. Carl McCall, chair of the SUNY Board of Trustees, Johanna Duncan-Poitier, senior vice chancellor for community colleges and the education pipeline. Also in attendance were officials from other colleges, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, members of the DCC Board of Trustees and DCC Foundation Board of Directors, community members and DCC faculty, staff and students.
The program featured speakers representing various campus and community constituents, music by the DCC Jazz Ensemble and the investiture, or formal bestowing of presidential powers, by SUNY.
Dr. Edington’s remarks centered on the theme, “Our Community. Our College. Our Future.” She paid tribute to her four predecessors and their legacy of excellence, as well as to the College’s employees for their commitment to students. She gave several examples of outstanding student achievements and noted that, “It is the faculty and staff who are key to sustaining academic excellence and student success.”
The president also focused on the College’s role in the community, asking guests to imagine how life in Dutchess County would be different had there not been forward-thinking leaders who advocated for the development of a community college almost 60 years ago.
“Community colleges are an exceptional investment, worthy of tax dollars, private philanthropy, and all manner of individual and community support,” she said. Noting that 38% of college-bound Dutchess County high school students attend DCC, more than any other single institution in the country, Dr. Edington noted, “The public financial investment in DCC is repaid in multiples by the engaged citizenship and economic productivity of our students, alumni and workforce. We transform the lives of individuals and this community.”
Dr. Edington also provided an overview of the College’s core values, established by the campus community recently during a refresh of the institution’s Vision, Mission and Goals. They are: Excellence, Access, Diversity, Collaboration and Accountability.
Throughout her comments, Dr. Edington spoke of the College’s commitment to expanding community partnerships and engaging students in service learning. “Ultimately, every DCC student will have multiple opportunities to apply what they are learning in our classrooms to the broader community,” she said. “Through service and applied learning, we will cultivate lifelong habits of civic engagement and volunteerism in our graduates.” Collaborating with community partners has long been a priority for Dr. Edington. In 2011, the Community College National Center for Community Engagement honored her as a “Beacon of Vision, Hope and Action” for her commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.
Dr. Edington came to DCC with nearly 30 years of experience in higher education. Prior to assuming the presidency, she served for nine years at Norwalk Community College (Norwalk, CT), first as Dean of Academic Affairs and then also as provost, serving as second in command to the president. Previously, she worked for 19 years at Middlesex Community College (Bedford/Lowell, MA), first as an Assistant Professor of Sociology, and then as Division Chair – and ultimately Dean – of Social Science and Human Services.
Edington holds an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Research and Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and a B.A. in Sociology from the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN.
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Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College is a community college that has earned a reputation for providing an outstanding education at the lowest tuition in New York state. Its main campus is in Poughkeepsie, with a satellite campus in Wappingers Falls. For more information visit www.sunydutchess.edu.
Pamela R. Edington, Ed.D.
An experienced educator and administrator with 30 years of service at community colleges in Connecticut and Massachusetts, Dr. Edington assumed the presidency of Dutchess Community College in August 2014. The presidential search committee, board of trustees and campus community chose her after a national search, calling her a visionary with demonstrated accomplishments in key areas that include enhancing student success; developing community-wide partnerships; strengthening educational pathways in science, technology, engineering and math; and fostering campus collaboration.
Prior to leading DCC, Dr. Edington served for nine years as Dean of Academic Affairs, and then Provost, of Norwalk Community College. Previously, she worked for 19 years at Middlesex Community College, first as an Assistant Professor of Sociology, then Division Chair and ultimately Dean of Social Science and Human Services. In 2001, the Community College National Center for Community Engagement honored her as a “Beacon of Vision, Hope and Action” for her commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Research and Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and a B.A. in Sociology from the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN.
Work already has begun on key educational initiatives that Dr. Edington is committed to advancing as president. In outlining her priorities, she said, “I believe we must work to increase the number of Dutchess students who complete their degree, develop additional programs of study to meet emerging workforce needs in the mid-Hudson Valley, implement a service-learning program that offers opportunities for students to deepen their academic learning while helping to meet community-defined needs, and create strategic relationships with community partners to enhance the educational pathway in Dutchess County from pre-K through college.”
Dr. Edington was born and raised in Minnesota but has lived on the East Coast for most of her life. She and her husband, Bill, a research administrator, have two adult daughters.
Inauguration Remarks – Pamela R. Edington, Ed.D.
I have a pretty vivid imagination but I could never have imagined anything more meaningful, beautiful and fulfilling than this moment.
I’d like to begin by extending my thanks to the platform party – SUNY Board Chair McCall, Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier, DCC Board Chair LeGrand and the board of trustees, and those representing faculty, staff, students, our Foundation, county, community, friends and family.
And special thanks to our student musicians, for sharing their talents with us.
To the inauguration committee, chaired by Barbara Hugo and Carol Gordon – your careful attention to detail, creativity and kindness warm my heart. And of course I’m grateful to each one of you for being here today.
Until this moment in time, I thought there was only one circumstance in which your life might pass before you. Apparently there are two – near death and at inauguration!
I’m seeing my early life in the form of all six of my brothers and sisters – Gary, Carlotta, Linda, who proceeded me in our family and Jeff, Mary and Peter, who succeeded me. I am most definitely a middle child! My siblings have come from Wyoming, Minnesota, Maryland, and Florida. Truthfully, it’s my siblings who know best how far I have come in order to stand here today. I trust they won’t feel compelled to explain that statement by sharing family secrets while they are visiting!
I can only imagine how proud our parents, Peter and Rose Edington, who have both passed away, would be to know that I made something of myself!
Our father had only an eighth grade formal education, but he would say that he earned advanced degrees from the university of hard work. We learned our work ethic as children from dad.
Our mother, who had a high school diploma when she married our dad, eventually entered college as an adult and ultimately earned a master’s degree. We learned from her never to let go of our dreams.
Both mom and dad would be thrilled that all seven of their children have had success on their own terms and that we are able to share the joy of this occasion with each other.
And then there is the family of my own making, my husband, Bill, who has been the single most influential person in my life for 34 years, and our daughters, Claire and Billie. Both are accomplished and kind young women who are on a trajectory to undoubtedly, and rightfully, surpass their parents’ accomplishments. The three of them are simply the loves of my life.
I am also looking at dear friends and colleagues from my previous college experiences in Massachusetts and Connecticut. I’m grateful to every one of you for making the trip to mark this important occasion with me. I owe all of you, and so many more past colleagues, a debt of gratitude for helping me to become a better educator, a better leader, and a better person. Your collaboration, inspiration, patience, exceptionally good work, and unfailing support helped put me in this position today.
And then there are my newest and present colleagues, faculty, staff, students, trustees, peers, and community members, who have embraced my family and me, pets and all, to Dutchess County with generosity and tremendous kindness.
I also want to recognize the other college presidents who have welcomed me into their circle; I’m delighted to be in your company.
Since coming to Poughkeepsie I was quoted in a local paper as saying that no one does it alone. Now you’ve heard, and can see, what I mean. Thank you all so very much for what you have done, and are doing, to support me.
Part Two
The inauguration of a college president is a singular opportunity to reflect on both the history and future of an institution. I recognize the privilege I have been accorded with the opportunity to be the fifth, and wait for it, the first female, president to lead Dutchess Community College. I am following in the footsteps of four accomplished presidents – James Hall, John Connolly, Jerry Lee and D. David Conklin. Each of them has left a lasting legacy in the form of programs established, buildings erected, partnerships advanced, and resources developed. I think more importantly, it is the people who are hired during an administration that best represent a president’s legacy. I have met scores of the faculty and staff, retired and current, who were hired by my predecessors and who have unselfishly dedicated the majority of their lives to this institution. I have a solid foundation upon which to build, and a high bar to reach.
It’s hard not to slip into hyperbole in describing the impact Dutchess Community College has had on individual lives and this community as a whole. To date, more than 43,000 degrees have been granted and more than 172,000 individuals have earned credits here. When you consider the additional hundreds of thousands who have participated in community service offerings, events and activities, it is the rare household in this area that has not had direct interaction with our college.
Graduates of Dutchess have gone on to become artists, social activists, architects, educators, lawyers, judges, nurses, engineers, entrepreneurs, CEOs, teachers, community volunteers, civil servants and county executives, even a fighter pilot, I found out recently, who got his start in our aviation program. They’re also our police officers and firefighters. At this time I’d like us to take a moment to remember Timothy Gunther, a heroic firefighter and former DCC student and SUNY New Paltz graduate, who died Monday while battling a fatal fire in the City of Poughkeepsie.
On our Distinguished Alumni wall of fame downstairs are outstanding examples of the talent that has been identified and cultivated at Dutchess Community College over the years. You know them because of their extensive community involvement; many are with us here today. Would all DCC alumni please stand to be recognized.
More than half of our graduates choose to remain in the mid-Hudson Valley to live, work, play and worship. They establish families, raise children, pay taxes, and invest in the community.
Imagine how life in Dutchess County would be different had there not been forward-thinking leaders who advocated for the development of a local community college. Significantly fewer people would have been able to pursue a higher education; those who did go on to college would have paid more and had more debt. There would be fewer businesses, less civic participation, less social mobility, less hope, and fewer dreams fulfilled.
Community colleges are invaluable assets that transform the lives of individuals and of entire communities.
The public financial investment in Dutchess Community College is repaid in multiples by the engaged citizenship and economic productivity of our students, alumni, and workforce. Community colleges are an exceptional investment, worthy of tax dollars, private philanthropy, and all manner of individual and community support. We are public institutions, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
I am also incredibly proud to lead an institution that is part of the State University of New York — the largest comprehensive public higher education system in the country. Under the leadership of Chancellor Zimpher and the SUNY board, the power of our 64-campus system is being leveraged to drive economic growth in New York state. Individually and collectively our SUNY institutions have a profound and positive impact on the communities we serve.
Part Three:
Since coming to Dutchess County and getting to know more about its rich history, I’ve taken to quoting Hudson Valley notables. Given that the Roosevelts were a family of local importance with lasting impact on the nation and the world, I often hearken back to their ideas and words to guide me. As Kathleen Durham from Val-kill knows, I mostly look to Eleanor Roosevelt for inspiration. But today, I have a quote from the “other” Roosevelt. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “I do not look upon these United States as a finished product. We are still in the making.” His words seem just as applicable to Dutchess Community college. So now I would like to suggest what’s “in the making” here.
In refreshing the college’s vision, mission, values and goals, our campus community recently identified five essential core values that will guide our decision-making going forward: Excellence, Access, Diversity, Collaboration and Accountability.
We value excellence because whether a student attends Dutchess Community College as a foundation for additional education, seeks it out as a pathway for career preparation, or looks to it as a source of ongoing enrichment — ensuring that all students receive an education that contributes to their personal and professional growth remains the litmus test of our success.
While the role of president is an important one, I am reminded on a daily basis by our students, that it is the faculty and staff who are key to sustaining academic excellence and student success.
For example, tomorrow one of our faculty will travel to a neighboring state at the invitation of a former student who is graduating with his MBA. That they’ve stayed in touch for 10 years – and that he’s getting his masters — are impressive – but what’s truly remarkable is that this student walked here every day from his home in the City of Poughkeepsie, did his homework on the bus on the way to track meets, and managed to excel with very few resources. This motivated young man found at DCC a caring, committed “family” that provided an outstanding academic foundation, encouragement – and sometimes even food. He exemplifies the struggles that many of our students face – and the successes that can – and do — happen in our transformative environment thanks to our caring and dedicated faculty and staff.
Our students are accomplishing things they never thought possible. You may have seen last Sunday’s Poughkeepsie Journal, in which we featured students who recently won national recognition in the areas of art, theater, leadership and biology. They’re high achievers, for sure – but we know that our faculty was instrumental in their success. Would all of our faculty and staff please stand.
This is why we recruit educators who have a passion for the community college mission, and why we need to ensure they are compensated for their education, experience, and good work — and that we also support their continuous professional growth and renewal.
Providing access to post-secondary education has always been fundamental to the community college mission. By providing an open door to higher education, we enable and encourage anyone, of any age or background, to pursue an education beyond high school. Dutchess Community College enrolls an impressive 38% of the county’s college-bound high school graduates. It may seem like our students and alumni are everywhere … because they are! More of our county’s students attend Dutchess Community College than any other single educational institution anywhere.
We are committed to keeping the college affordable through modest tuition and fee increases, comprehensive financial aid and financial literacy programs, along with privately funded scholarships and grants.
Earlier this week, one of the college’s major benefactors, Charlie Conklin, presented the DCC Foundation with a gift of $800,000 in memory of his late wife Betty. The Conklins established a scholarship 11 years ago that enables students who graduate in the top 10% of their Dutchess County high school to attend this College free of tuition and fees. More than 375 students have benefited from the scholarship and the Conklins’ now $2 million investment will ensure that there are resources to support motivated and gifted students at DCC for years to come. Charlie is with us today and I would love for you to join me in recognizing his generosity.
Diversity is also one of our core values because we believe that higher education has a moral imperative to foster an understanding of multiple cultures and an appreciation of the full range of individual differences within our society. It’s more important than ever that our graduates are able to embrace the benefits of living and working in a diverse world. As educators we are in a unique position to incorporate understanding throughout the curriculum, to model civil discourse in classrooms, offices and hallways, to explore and celebrate differences, and to demonstrate effective conflict resolution.
Therefore we will continue to diversify our faculty and staff, invite international students to study with us, support travel-abroad programs for our students, and build on the success of the lectures supported by the Handel Family Foundation. We will bring more speakers, programs and resources to campus that enlighten and challenge us to “think differently,” as our County Executive, Marc Molinaro would say, so that we all feel more connected to — and compassionate toward — others.
Another one of our core values is Collaboration. Returning to an earlier theme in my remarks, no one does it alone. Collaboration is an essential element of successful organizations.
I have been working to ensure that everyone has a voice and a stake in the success of Dutchess Community College. We will create and utilize decision-making processes that are transparent and genuinely inclusive, and in doing so, enhance organizational effectiveness and job satisfaction, while we cultivate a positive campus climate.
We also are establishing and maintaining strategic community partnerships through which intellectual, social, and financial resources can be leveraged to meet the needs of Dutchess County.
For example, we are partnering with the City of Poughkeepsie school district, along with Central Hudson Gas and Electric, the Chazen Companies, and SUNY New Paltz on a local P-Tech program.
Students will earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree within six years without any cost to their families — and will benefit from workplace mentors, internships and job opportunities. We especially value our SUNY New Paltz connection as it is the single most popular transfer school for our graduates.
We are also looking to expand partnerships with other four-year institutions. We want to create more programs like Bridges to Excellence, which is designed to facilitate previously underprepared students’ transfer to – and success at – Marist College, the most popular private baccalaureate institution for DCC graduates.
We also collaborate with Vassar College. Just last month a joint delegation of DCC and Vassar students joined thousands of others at the 2015 National Model United Nations. Our group represented Australia, and won the Outstanding Delegation award – as well as 7 Outstanding Position Paper awards.
We believe there also is unlimited potential for mutually beneficial partnerships with community-based organizations. By working with local agencies, we can offer the talents of our faculty, staff, and students to meet community-identified needs and foster student engagement in applied learning settings.
We plan to develop a Center for Civic and Community Engagement that will facilitate effective and sustainable relationships with a full range of community organizations.
As a first step, we recently joined New York Campus Compact, an organization of college and university presidents committed to integrating student public service into the curriculum. The Compact will assist us this summer to link the needs of community organizations with our curriculum and student learning outcomes. I know there are friends from several local nonprofits here today; I’d like you to please stand.
Ultimately, every DCC student will have multiple opportunities to apply what they are learning in our classrooms to the broader community. Through service and applied learning, we will cultivate life-long habits of civic engagement and volunteerism in our graduates.
And finally, we chose accountability as one of our five institutional values to underscore our recognition that as a public institution we have an obligation to be good stewards of scarce public resources. We must be tireless in our commitment to consistently improve outcomes for students, and to do so with creativity and innovation.
So you see, our institution will always be a college “in the making” — continuously striving to be a better community resource and asset. And guiding our decision-making and my leadership as president of the College will be our five core values.
In closing, I’d like to share one of my most enduring first impressions of Dutchess Community College: That it sits majestically at the top of a hill. You know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever climbed our stairs!
It reminds me of the reflections of John Winthrop, a New England immigrant. Upon approaching the port city of Boston where he and fellow passengers intended to launch a new social compact and become a model for future settlements in the New World, Winthrop addressed his shipmates and said, ‘we shall be as a city upon a hill—the eyes of all people are upon us.”
We welcome your eyes upon Dutchess Community College —- and we hope you share our excitement about what’s “in the making” here.
After all, this is …
OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR COLLEGE.
OUR FUTURE.
Thank you for sharing this day with us.
