Happy Thanksgiving

When November rolls around, I always begin to think of what I am grateful for, and for this life we live.  I look around at our students, catch up with grads on Facebook, LinkedIn, at events, through calls and emails, and am always renewed by seeing the world through their eyes.

One fairly recent grad, Michael Adebiyi , CW Class of 2012, attended our alumni homecoming event a couple of weeks ago. I was lucky enough to have Michael as a BBA intern.  Smart, insightful, ambitious – it was a pleasure working with him.  Even before he graduated, Hertz snatched him up.  Michael is now a manager, and trainer of managers at Hertz’s largest Brooklyn location.  Clearly, he is happy and not finished climbing the success ladder.

This is what we at CW do.  We continue to be the facilitators and launching pad for thousands and thousands of young people like Michael.  The stories of success are endless!

I was fortunate to hear Dr. Merryl H. Tisch, Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, speak at the most recent Association of Proprietary Colleges meeting in Albany last week.  Dr. Tisch is the leader of education in the state of New York.  If you have ever met her or observed her in practice at a Regents meeting, you know that she is not a shrinking violet, and she always has a firm grasp on those things within her domain.  Dr. Tisch is a force to be reckoned with, and she shares her opinions clearly; she said many inspiring things last week.  The one that stuck with me most clearly was this; “the Proprietary Colleges in New York State are the gold standard for higher education in our state.”  With many wonderful colleges and universities in NY, this was an amazing thing to hear from the person who holds the fate of colleges within her leadership of the Regents.

With the release of the US Department of Education’s Gainful Employment rules on October 31, it is good to know that our state leadership believes in what we do, and understands that proprietary colleges play an essential role in educating New York’s students.  The State of New York stands with us and, even more importantly, they stand with our students’ opportunities for choices when deciding on a college.

I am grateful for the community of CW.  You all make this journey at CW worth it every day.

May the coming holidays be ones of great joy for you and yours, and may you find something fascinating in the everyday.  May you feel camaraderie and take comfort and support from those around you.  May your challenges bring unexpected opportunities, and as your best laid plans go awry, may you find that your life is joyous, unexpected and new.