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President's Message

President’s Blog

Dear Friends,

Thank you for visiting The College of Westchester’s (CW) website. Here, you will get to know our college, the standards of excellence we have established, and our unwavering commitment to our students.

As the President of CW and a proud graduate myself, I bring decades of experience to CW in various capacities. I share a passion with everyone at CW for helping students succeed and achieve a better life; it permeates the college culture, driving everything we do for our students and graduates every day.

About The College of Westchester

With a rich history spanning over 100 years, The College of Westchester stands for educational excellence and commitment. CW is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, ensuring our overall institutional quality. Our small size is our strength—offering a personal, caring environment with a diverse student body. We have long served high school graduates and adults of all ages, focusing on the career and employment success of our students. Our degree and certificate programs prepare graduates for occupations with strong growth prospects, and our courses offer fast completion and convenient and flexible scheduling options.

About CW Warriors

CW Students are known as the Warriors and are often described in our surrounding community as leaders, collaborative professionals with determination and integrity. These traits, among others, collectively define the character and ethos of a CW Warrior, reflecting the values and mission of The College of Westchester.

Student Support and Success

We provide comprehensive support services encompassing admissions, academics, financial aid and career advising, along with success coaches dedicated to student achievement, mental health services and a tutoring center. Our affordable tuition makes CW one of the lowest net-priced private colleges in Westchester, with almost 100% of full-time, first-time, first-year students receiving government grants or CW aid.

Student Satisfaction

Each year our students complete the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory and our results show higher satisfaction on all 45 of the benchmarked questions against both the National and Eastern comparative groups. Additionally, the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results show us that of all items surveyed, CW averages an 88% student satisfaction rate.

Why Choose CW?

Career-Relevant Programs: Our programs are designed to meet the demands of today’s challenging and ever-changing business and employment environments. We ensure our graduates are ahead of the competition with relevant, transferable professional skills.

Dedicated Faculty: Our faculty comprises top-notch professionals who are deeply invested in student success, challenging students to view education as a lifelong process that extends beyond the classroom walls.

Personal Attention: We pride ourselves on providing personalized attention to each student, supporting their unique educational and career aspirations. Our average class size is 12.

Safe, Comfortable & Diverse Campus: About 75% of our students are first-generation college attendees, and our campus is recognized as one of the safest in New York State. In the words of one of our students, “I love that everyone is treated the same to feel welcome and safe. It is a clean campus with small classes which is important to me because the professors can focus on each individual student more. I am very happy that I made the decision to continue my education at the CW.”

Student Success: 47% of Day students make the Dean’s list. Additionally, CW just received recognition as being in the top 25 colleges in terms of percentage of students participating in the Phi Theta Kappa Honors program.

Student Activities & Opportunities: CW offers an array of activities designed to help students expand their horizons. Clubs are a great way to get to know fellow students. Students participate in helping local causes, getting involved in program specific group projects or one of the many student government planned events.

Career Services Assistance: The College of Westchester’s Office of Career Services offers a comprehensive suite of resources to help students navigate their career paths and achieve professional success. Our staff are available to assist students with career guidance and securing employment whether it be while going to school or once they graduate. We offer lifetime placement assistance.

We invite you to visit CW and witness our commitment to excellence in action. Our exciting learning opportunities and supportive environment empower students to make the most of their education and achieve their goals. Contact admissions for an appointment.

All my best,
Karen J. Smith
President, The College of Westchester

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