Westchester Community College Names New President to Lead School
Dr. Belinda S. Miles was appointed Westchester Community College’s (WCC) new president on Thursday by the State University of New York Board of Trustees during its meeting in New York City.
The vote approved the WCC Board of Trustees proposed selection of Miles. She is currently provost and executive vice president of access, learning and success at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. The nationally-known academic leader will start in January at WCC, which has more than 13,000 credit students and 13,000 non-credit students in evening, weekend or online courses.
Miles has nearly 30 years of experience in higher education, primarily at the community college level.
“I am looking forward to this opportunity to engage with students, faculty, staff and the community to advance a comprehensive learning and success agenda,” Miles said. “Together we will work to expand Westchester Community College’s role in helping students achieve their academic and career goals.”
“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Belinda Miles as the new president of the college,” said Michael Kaplowitz, chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators. “Westchester Community College is among the best public educational institutions in the country and Dr. Miles will uphold that standard. It is essential that we have an experienced, talented and dynamic leader for the Westchester Community College community, someone who has a clear vision for the college. I’m confident we’ve found that leader in Dr. Miles. The Board of Legislators looks forward to a long and productive partnership with Dr. Miles.”
Miles replaces the nation’s longest-serving community college president, Dr. Joseph Hankin, who led the college since 1971. He announced his retirement last year. Interim President John F.M. Flynn, the college’s former vice president of academic affairs who has been serving as interim president since January, will stay on in the latter role until Miles takes over.
Miles has had a distinguished career, primarily in the area of community college leadership. Her record as a passionate advocate for the promotion of community college accessibility, an administrator who challenged and supported students through high quality academic programs and a leader focused on improving student success and completion outcomes, was built primarily in Cleveland.
She became provost and executive vice president at Cuyahoga Community College in 2011 with oversight of four campuses and multiple extension sites in Cleveland and surrounding suburbs. The institution serves 48,000 students annually in a wide scope of career and transfer degree programs.
Miles previously served Cuyahoga as president of its eastern campus, dean of academic affairs and assistant dean of liberal arts. She has been affiliated with the institution since 2000. Her prior positions in higher education include faculty and administrator roles at LaGuardia Community College, Nassau Community College and Columbia University.
Originally from Queens, Miles attended public schools and the City University of New York’s York College, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. She attained a masters in educational psychology and a doctorate in higher education organization and leadership development from Columbia University Teachers College.
She and her husband, Keith, will relocate to Westchester. Their son, Gordon, recently graduated from Tuskegee University with a degree in engineering and is employed in that field.
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