Westchester Community College Awarded Largest Grant in Its History

Yonkers, NY-based undergraduate student Michael “Mike” Paulercio enrolled in State University of New York‘s Westchester Community College in 2016 to pursue a degree in physical education. During his time at WCC, Mike Paulercio has been an active and successful student who served as a peer mentor to first-year students and made the Dean’s List in 2017.

In October 2018, WCC received a multimillion dollar federal grant, the largest in the school’s history. The U.S. Department of Education's Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) program bestowed a five-year grant totaling $2.7 million to support the operation and expansion of Westchester’s Caminos al Exito (Pathways to Success) program, which is geared toward supporting at-risk Hispanic students. Between 2010 and 2015, Westchester’s Hispanic student population grew by more than 30 percent, which qualifies the school as a Hispanic-Serving Institution..

A portion of the grant will fund the creation of the Office of First Year Students, which will aim to reduce attrition rates and help students define an attainable career path earlier in their college experience. Funding will also be used to modernize school-wide technology systems and improve student access to advising and mentoring.

United Nations' World Autism Awareness Day

Michael (Mike) Paulercio of Yonkers, NY, is on track to receive an associate's degree in physical education at the end of 2018. Before enrolling in a New York State community college, Mike Paulercio gained hands-on experience doing volunteer work with young people with autism.

Since 2008, the United Nations has recognized April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. Proposed by a Qatari representative, the special day promotes the discussion of autism research and the support and well-being of autistic people throughout the member countries. 

Each year, the UN focuses on a theme or area that impacts individuals with autism. In the past, Awareness Days have focused on employment, education, self-empowerment, and gender-specific challenges faced by girls and women diagnosed with autism. At UN headquarters on World Autism Awareness Day, the secretary general customarily speaks before the UN body and outlines how UN policy will consider and empower people with developmental disabilities.

Defining the “Wow” Factor at Stew Leonard’s Grocery Stores

Michael “Mike” Paulercio is a Westchester Community College student who is pursuing a major in physical education. A grocery clerk with Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers, NY, Mike Paulercio provides customer-focused services that earned him a college scholarship from the regional New York retailer. 

Interviewed recently, the son of the company’s founder Stew Leonard, Jr. spoke about his strategies for expanding and improving the customer experience at what has been dubbed The Best Grocery Store in America. One of his strategic emphases centers on “the wow,” which involves a new customer walking in and finding a unique experience that they were not expecting.

This “wow” factor reflects many moving parts, including an in-house bakery that produces everything from bagels to fresh bread. The retailer maintains partnerships with approximately 150 local farms, which ensures the freshness of products. In addition, there are many free samples to choose from as customers walk different sections. 

The single largest differentiator that Leonard draws attention to is its friendly, motivated staff and the company maintains an extremely low turnover, in the single digits. All employees are taught to go the extra mile, from giving friendly smiles at the cash register to opening doors for customers loaded down with groceries.