NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The College of New Rochelle celebrated the opening of its new Yonkers site at a ceremony today. The program is the only college degree program offered in downtown Yonkers. The new site is located at the Schoolhouse Terrace Development, a collaborative effort between The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) and the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers (MHACY).
In addition to College of New Rochelle President Judith Huntington and Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, several other city and state officials also spoke at the event and joined in the ribbon cutting including:
· City Councilman Michael Sabatino
· City Councilman Chris Johnson
· NYS Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins
· NYS Assemblyman Gary Pretlow
The Schoolhouse Terrace project is a $63 million joint redevelopment effort by TCB and the Municipal Housing Authority on the site of an old school building in the Ashburton Corridor. The development includes a new mixed-income community with residential buildings affordable to families and seniors, underground parking, and community facilities.
Judith Huntington commented, “We are delighted to have this opportunity to expand our educational offerings to benefit the residents of Yonkers and to be a part of the revitalization of the downtown area. We look forward to contributing to the academic and professional development of students who will work in the area and beyond. Working with the City of Yonkers and Community Builders has helped us establish an initial foothold which we anticipate will lead to a diverse program of courses.”
The College of New Rochelle was chosen as an educational partner at the multipurpose site because of the College’s decades of experience educating adult students who return to school for a college degree through its School of New Resources.
“The Community Builders is pleased to partner with The College of New Rochelle to bring this important college degree and pre-college program to downtown Yonkers,” said Bart Mitchell, president and CEO of The Community Builders, Inc. “The pilot, located at Schoolhouse Terrace, creates valuable educational opportunities for Yonkers residents and helps strengthen the entire community.”
For Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, the decision to incorporate The College of New Rochelle into the Schoolhouse Terrace Development is one more important step in creating additional educational options for residents of Yonkers. “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome The College of New Rochelle to Yonkers. The College’s presence will be part of the growing economic boom we are fostering in our downtown. Extending educational opportunities for our community, especially for our adults, provides for a stronger, more diverse city for people in which to live, work and play. Special thanks to The College of New Rochelle for their investment and commitment to Yonkers.”
At the new site, the College will offer its nationally recognized adult learner degree program, as well as its Pre-College Academic Program, which prepares students to pass the new, more rigorous High School Equivalency (HSE) exam, allowing them then to go on to pursue their college degrees.
Founded in 1972, The College of New Rochelle School of New Resources (SNR) offers a bachelor’s degree program designed specifically for adults 21 and older. Named a best practice institution by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, SNR provides a quality liberal arts education that develops critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills, the technological competence needed in today’s job market, and incorporates life experience directly into the curriculum.
SNR has graduated more than 17,000 adult learners with baccalaureate liberal arts degrees and has been recognized internationally as a model for adult education. More than 52 percent of SNR graduates have gone on to obtain advanced degrees at colleges and universities nationwide. Many hold senior management positions in the public and private sectors. In addition to the new Yonkers site, SNR currently serves adult students at six locations in Brooklyn, Co-op City, the South Bronx, New Rochelle, Harlem, and DC-37 Union Headquarters in Manhattan. Each campus is designed to serve as an extension of its community and offers students classes in the mornings, evening, and on weekends.
