The old guard met up with new possibilities at a lunch featuring civil rights stalwart Julian Bond on July 13 at the Main Campus.

The event, held in the Center for Business & Industry, was sponsored by Single Stop USA, a national, one-stop resource that partners with the College to connect students with additional financial resources and social services.

Joining Bond at the event were President Donald Guy Generals; Elisabeth Mason, Single Stop USA CEO, along with College trustees, foundation leaders and other community stakeholders. Bond, a Single Stop USA advisory committee member, was in town for the NAACP convention.

At a question and answer session, Generals, Mason and Bond reflected upon changes in the half-century that followed the 1960s civil rights victories.

“Community college grew out of the Civil Rights Movement,” noted Generals, pointing out the 50th anniversary of Community College of Philadelphia coincides with the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He views higher education as the new frontier for civil rights. “College should be a right for everyone,” Dr. Generals added.

Melissa Mello, a student in behavioral health, moved the audience by sharing how Single Stop helped her identify critical resources after she encountered multiple life challenges and faced eviction. Single Stop helped her manage her debt and improve her credit. That support, along with assistance from the College’s Homeless Support Project, enabled her to continue to move toward degree completion. She says she is on track to graduate in May 2016.

“We empower students to develop a plan for their lives based on their needs and take the lead on following through with their goals,” said Paula Umaña, Single Stop’s Project Director at the College.

Mason praised Single Stop’s 2013 launch at Community College of Philadelphia as its most successful to date and hailed Umaña as one of its most effective directors nationwide.

Since 2013, Single Stop at the Community College of Philadelphia has served more than 2,300 students and connected them to more than $6 million in benefits, tax refunds and supportive services.

52% of Philadelphia companies create new jobs after graduating

Philadelphia, PA -- A new report released today from Babson College found that the small business owners who have completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program grow their revenue and create jobs at rates that outperform the broader economy. The report surveyed approximately 2,300 of the nearly 5,000 scholars who have now benefited from the program, including some of those who completed the coursework at Community College of Philadelphia. Greater Philadelphia’s graduates thus far have surpassed Goldman Sachs' national performance rate for net job creation. Among the key findings:

• Forty-six percent of participants nationally and 52 percent of Philadelphia graduates have reported creating net new jobs just six months after graduating, compared to 22 percent of U.S. small businesses according to a survey by the National Small Businesses Association (NSBA). After 18 months, the national rate for creating net new jobs climbed to 51 percent for graduates.
• Sixty-seven percent of participants nationally and 61 percent of the Philadelphia graduates have reported increasing their revenues just six months after graduating – compared to 45 percent of U.S. small businesses according to a NSBA survey  (After 18 months, the national rate for those graduates increasing revenues rose to 76 percent.)

The Babson College national report, Stimulating Small Business Growth: Progress Report on Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, details the progress of the thousands of small business owners that have participated in the 10,000 Small Businesses program, which helps entrepreneurs across the United States grow their businesses and create jobs.  “These results confirm that small businesses continue to play a central role in spurring economic growth and job creation in their communities and nationwide and are so pleased to see how this program has contributed to their success,” said Dina Habib Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation and head of the firm’s Impact Investing business.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter added the program has brought critical educational resources to a vital economic sector in the city. “Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses has provided Philadelphia with an entrepreneurial boost demonstrated in the job creation and increased revenues our small business owners are already showing. It has also helped executives at these small businesses to network, share resources and collaborate so they can handle larger projects,” Mayor Nutter said.

The program maintains a 99 percent graduation rate and fosters a marketplace where 84 percent of graduates do business together. Businesses that collaborate generally more often report growth in revenues and growth in jobs, the survey found. The number of business owners reporting increased revenue and/or increased jobs generally increases along with the intensity of the type of collaboration. In Philadelphia, 169 have graduated to-date, with the majority also finding ways that they then refer work to or contract with other graduates. In fact, four small businesses from the 10,000 Small Businesses program have moved into shared space at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Others have organized capital for investing in other small businesses. Many of the alumni maintain a strong connection to their peers through shared activities and professional events available exclusively to them.

Since 2013, when Mayor Nutter announced the program would expand to include Philadelphia, a number of the local graduates have received honors for their business prowess. Four of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber’s 2014 Small Business Excellence award winners were 10,000 Small Businesses alumni; seven made the Philly 100 and two of the five most recent Small Business Administration regional winners were Greater Philadelphia 10,000 Small Businesses alumni.

Community College of Philadelphia even has had some of its own alumni – graduates earning associate's degrees - enroll and complete the Goldman Sachs program.  Luis Torrado of Torrado Construction is just one of the College’s success stories from Philadelphia’s developing entrepreneurial economy.  His business is located on E. Thompson Street in Port Richmond and has been around for almost two decades. ”I developed a skill set and confidence from 10,000 Small Businesses that did play out fairly immediately in revenue and job growth within those first six months,” Lou Torrado said “More significant, though, is the path we are on now to grow to more than triple what we were eighteen months ago when we completed the program. That is a lot of new Philadelphia jobs.”

“The College continuously seeks new ways to help Philadelphians create life-changing opportunities, whether it is by training for a new career, transferring to a baccalaureate-level institution or growing a business,” said Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president of Community College of Philadelphia. “The Goldman Sachs program provides a learning hub for a diverse array of the region’s talented social and business entrepreneurs.”

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that greater access to this combination of education, capital, and support services best addresses barriers to growth for small businesses. 10,000 Small Businesses is guided by an Advisory Council on which Babson President Kerry Healey serves, and is co-chaired by Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein, Bloomberg L.P. founder, president and CEO, and 108th Mayor of the City of New York Michael R. Bloomberg, Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett, and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City’s Dr. Michael Porter.

To apply to 10,000 Small Businesses, visit www.ccp.edu/10KSB.

More than 100 well-wishers gathered at the Sandra E. Klein Cube on May 5 to toast and honor 42 retiring faculty and staff members during the 2015 farewell program for retirees.

The audience—which included family, faculty, staff and Foundation board members—noshed on fresh fruit salad, brownies and cookies, and sipped iced tea and lemonade, as vice presidents Judith Gay, Jacob Eapen and Samuel Hirsch, and several staff directors shared stories and heartfelt memories about the many contributions the retirees have made to the College over the past decades.

This year’s retirees hail from a wide range of departments on the Main Campus and the West Regional Center, including Building Maintenance, Diagnostic Medical Imaging, Counseling, Academic Advising, English, Nursing, Biology, and the Controller’s Office. Several of this year’s retirees began their career at the College soon after the College opened its doors to Philadelphia students nearly 50 years ago. They included:

• Robert Rosenberg, associate professor of Psychology, who began working at the College in 1967. A senior member of the Psychology Department, Rosenberg is widely regarded by students over the years for being approachable and welcoming and was described by Dr. Judith Gay as “an extraordinary citizen of the College.” At the event, he told the audience, “I never intended to retire. I thought the retirement letter was sent by Publishers Clearinghouse. My wife forced me to sign it. The finest people I ever met so far in my lifetime were the ones I met here at Community College of Philadelphia.”
• Sonia Ochoch, associate professor of Psychology, who is retiring this year after 49 years of service to the College. Dr. Gay lauded Ochoch for being instrumental in developing the curriculum at the College from its early years, and for her pioneering role in teaching night and online classes in psychology. Said Ochoch, “The most interesting thing is I run into students everywhere. They say, ‘Dr. Ochroch, do you remember me?’”
• Bettie Davis, assistant professor of Marketing and Management, who retires in December after 48 years of service to the College. Davis is a member of the inaugural graduating class of 1967 at the College, where she earned an associate’s degree in Executive Secretary Science before earning a bachelor’s degree at Drexel University and a master’s degree at the University of Scranton. One of the last retirees honored at the celebration, Davis looked out at the packed crowd and said, “Comparing this year’s graduating class to my class, we had 167 students. Now we have 2,000. I’ve seen this place grow. It’s wonderful.”

Forty-eight classified/confidential employees reached 5-40 year milestones of service to the College. That adds up to a combined total of 915 years.

That individual commitment and collective service took center stage on Wednesday, May 6 when the College community came together for the 31st annual Classified/Confidential Employees Luncheon at The Great Hall.

Staff gathered to congratulate their colleagues for their long-serving commitment to the College at the end-of-year celebration. Old school jams filled the Great Hall as employees took photos, relaxed and caught up with familiar faces.

“Today is a very special day to recognize and congratulate those who grease the wheels and make things happen around here,” said Dr. Generals, President of the College. “Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to Community College of Philadelphia for the wonderful job that you do.”

Dr. Generals, who was installed as the sixth president of the College at a celebratory inauguration ceremony and reception just days before the luncheon, expressed his thanks to the audience for the warm wishes of support he has received since the ceremony. “I really look forward to hundreds—well, not hundreds—dozens of years of working with you,” he added, to the laughter of the audience.

To cap off the celebration, the College announced its Employee of the Year, Debra Carr, a longtime administrative associate for the Registrar’s Office. Carr also received an award at the ceremony for her 30 years of service to the College.

“Debbie Carr is reliable and intentional about being a productive member of the unit,” said Dr. Samuel Hirsch, Vice President of Student Affairs. “Her experience and willingness to accept new and challenging tasks are valuable to the department. Her friendly smile and demeanor has a way of brightening up the day.”

A hard-working planning committee helped to organize this year’s luncheon, including Ruth Al-Ameen and Debbie Coley of Math, Science and Health Careers; Joyce Angelucci and Jennifer Ford of Library and Learning Resources; and Ida Swindle of the Office of Student Affairs.

To help kick off Diversity Week, Dr. Donald Guy Generals led the College community in a wide-ranging discussion about the impact of diversity on our lives and our nation on April 6 at the fourth Fireside Chat of the academic year.

Students, faculty, and staff gathered at the event at the Winnet Student Life Building Coffeehouse to share their thoughts and reflections on diversity. Since November, Dr. Generals has been holding Fireside Chats to provide the College community an opportunity to read about present and past societal issues and articulate their thoughts, beliefs and experiences. Past Fireside Chats explored Hispanic culture and life, African American history and culture, and the historical accomplishments of women.

“Encouraging diversity throughout the Community College of Philadelphia community is more than a goal. It’s a shared mindset and commitment,” Dr. Generals wrote in his invitation to the fourth chat.

The dialogue opened with a discussion on two books—one, the 1956 classic novel, Giovanni’s Room by African American writer James Baldwin, and the other, the 2007 memoir Infidel by Somali-Dutch activist and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

For Dr. Generals, Giovanni’s Room “was one of the consummate expressions of the issues of diversity. It cut across cultural, racial and sexual lines.” He drew parallels between the protagonist in Giovanni’s Room, a white American ex-soldier in Paris who feels conflicted about his sexuality, and Baldwin, an expatriate who struggled with his identity as a gay black man and left the United States to escape the sting of racism.

Dr. Generals noted that as a writer in the 1950s and 1960s, Baldwin shared similar struggles with another gay black man of that era, Bayard Rustin. Rustin was the civil rights activist who was instrumental in organizing the March on Washington but did not receive public credit for his role. Both Baldwin and Rustin, Dr. Generals said, were marginalized not just by the larger white society, but also by their fellow African Americans for their sexual identity.

The Harlem Renaissance shaped Baldwin’s views of diversity and his development as an artist and activist, Dr. Generals shared. African American writers, musicians, and artists of the Renaissance, he noted, expressed racial pride, incorporated jazz and blues into their work, and broke down racial barriers through their work.

Switching gears to present-day activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Dr. Generals briefly traced Ali’s life—her life growing up in a fundamentalist Islamic household in Somalia, her escape to the Netherlands from a forced marriage, and finally, her subsequent rise to the Dutch Congress. Faced with death threats, Ali moved to the United States and is now a prominent critic of fundamentalist Islamic views of women.

One student posed a provocative question to Dr. Generals on whether fundamentalism is a reaction against the pressure to assimilate into the American melting pot.

“For me, we’re a tossed salad, not a melting pot. For me, it’s jazz,” he answered. “Each person has an opportunity to solo, but the foundation of their performance is laid with their group. So I think our strength is in our diversity, and that diversity can be coalesced into a commonality that we all appreciate, understand, value, and celebrate our differences.”

In addition to the Fireside Chat, Diversity Week featured events ranging from interactive workshops and trainings to panel discussions, films, and performances. Other program highlights included:

• A keynote address by Angela Giampolo, founder of Philadelphia’s LGBT law blog and resource directory, www.phillygaylawyer.com;
• Documentary screenings of “Storied Streets,” about the struggles of the homeless and formerly homeless, and “The History of 20G,” about the oldest Latino gang in Pennsylvania;
• A performance by Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus; and,
• Panel discussions featuring members of the Philadelphia-based LGBTQ Attic Youth Center and students of the Veterans Resource Center.

Alumni Joseph J. Williams, M.D., and Gwendolyn V. Williams, Ed.D., credit Community College of Philadelphia for not just paving their paths toward academic and career success, but for bringing them together as partners for life.

Their courtship, however, did not begin smoothly. When Joseph first asked Gwen out on a date, she declined, saying she was seeing somebody else. But her friend and matchmaker Joyce Crawley was not having it.

“She was like, ‘You told him no after I fixed you all up? No, you tell him yes,’” recalled Gwen. “We went around the whole college trying to find him, and we found him in the library at some point.”

The year was 1966, and Community College of Philadelphia had just opened its doors to students the year before. Classes were held in the former Snellenberg Department Store at 34 South 11th Street (between Chestnut and Market) while a permanent campus was being sought.

“I remember [Joyce] literally pushing me to go up there and tell him that I wanted to go out to the date,” recalled Gwen. “He put his head down and he paused for a really long time, and then he said, ‘Okay’ (laughs). That was how it all started.”

Gwen was a member of the inaugural class at the College while Joseph started the following year.

Joseph remembers the excitement among Philadelphia residents when news about the College’s opening broke. “When they announced in the newspapers and TV that they were going to start a new community college in Philadelphia, most of us didn’t believe it because promises had been made before and never came through,” said Joseph. “But when it came to fruition that summer of 1965, when people started receiving letters of acceptance, it was surreal. It was something that truly was going to happen.”

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the College has graduated more than 54,000 students who found their path to possibilities here. Joseph and Gwen are among the College’s first alumni. Today, Joseph is a Yale University-trained urologist with over 30 years of experience in private practice in Philadelphia. Gwen, who received her doctorate at Rutgers University, is an educational consultant and adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University with 32 years of experience as an elementary school teacher.

Both Joseph and Gwendolyn recall caring faculty members who were firmly committed to providing a top-notch education to their students.

“My favorite faculty member was Dr. Ruby, my science teacher,” said Gwen. She remembers once studying for a test before a class so intensely that she studied through the test. “I told Dr. Ruby what happened, and he said, ‘Don’t worry about it. Come into my office and I’ll give you the test now.’ You got a chance to have a good rapport with the teachers and professors. We were all striving and so we had some really good times.”

For Joseph, Chemistry professor Rufus Cox was an influential mentor who propelled him toward his medical career. He hired Joseph as a lab assistant, giving him the opportunity to strengthen his grasp of the subject matter by tutoring other students. Professor Cox also taught fundamentals that fueled the budding doctor’s success inside and outside the classroom. “He taught me a lot about studying technique,” he said. “It carried over to other classes—I got an “A” in biology and an “A” in organic chemistry—I mean it was just like a whirlwind. I was more outgoing, more forceful. Professor Cox gave me that good feeling about myself and he said, ‘You can go anywhere, you can compete against anyone.’”

The couple met numerous lifelong friends during their time at the College. Joseph counts nine students from his organic chemistry class who hold M.D. or Ph.D. degrees, out of a class of 12. And like their alma mater, scores of Gwen’s former classmates are now leaders in education, including principals, superintendents and assistant superintendents.

Fifty years later, Community College of Philadelphia continues to be “the college that keeps on giving” for the Williams’ family. After Gwen graduated, her mother, brother and two nieces followed in her footsteps and either attended or earned associate’s degrees here. More recently, she learned about another nephew who is currently a Colonial. The family’s cross-generational ties to the College have inspired them to support President Obama’s proposal to make community college free for most students.

“If you’re a forward leader in the free world, you understand the importance of affordable education as one of the cornerstones of free society,” said Gwen. “If you don’t have that, you’ll have people struggling who don’t have the skills in this technological society to feed their families and live out their full potential.”

Being debt-free in their own college years helped them afford to send their daughter to Brown University, they say.

“Community college afforded us an affordable education that allowed us to slingshot back to help our kids and keep them from being in debt,” said Joseph. “We’re very, very thankful to Community College [of Philadelphia]. If I had to do it, I would do the same thing again.”

Elena Tsizer credits Community College of Philadelphia for helping achieve her vision of the American dream.

Attorney Tsizer is now a solo practitioner living and working in Framingham, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. Her law practice focuses on family law, estate planning and consumer bankruptcy. She is also providing pro bono (free) legal services for the residents of several Massachusetts counties.

But when you speak to Tsizer, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1993 after emigrating from Ukraine, she makes one thing very clear—she is always grateful for the Paralegal Studies education she received at Community College of Philadelphia.

“The two greatest things about the program are a fantastic faculty, which consists of both practicing and non-practicing attorneys, who teach you how the law is truly practiced,” Tsizer said. “They teach you the skills you need to actually succeed in the legal field and outside of it. The second great thing about the program is that it teaches you how to research. The value of that skill cannot be overstated, regardless of whether you remain in the legal field or go elsewhere. I continue to use the skills I was taught here every day.”

Tsizer is a real-life example of a person who used a community college as a path to law school.

An analysis by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) in 2008 found that students starting at two-year institutions tend to succeed in law school as well as students who start at four-year institutions. LSAC also reports that more law school applicants, especially Hispanic/Latino applicants, are beginning their undergraduate education at more racially diverse two-year institutions nationwide.

She started at the College in 1996 after Philadelphia attorney Thomas Hora, who was then teaching at the College’s Paralegal program, recommended that she apply. She credits Kathleen M. Smith, J.D., director of the College’s Fox Rothschild Center for Law and Society, with helping her to enroll and eventually to graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies in 2003.

While at the College, she worked full time as a secretary in a solo Philadelphia law practice that served Russian and Ukrainian immigrants.

After her graduation, Tsizer went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Public Relations/Advertising from Temple University, a Juris Doctor degree from the New England School of Law and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University.

Following law school, she served as a judicial law clerk for the Family and Probate Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court, which handles, amongst other things, the litigation of divorces, will contests, guardianship and custody cases.

Before her emigration to the United States, Tsizer was a ballet dancer in her native Ukraine, performing for the National Opera House of Ukraine, Kiev Classical Ballet Theater, and Kiev Theater for Children and Youth. An injury ended her dancing career.

Her hard work and upbeat attitude is helping secure a bright future for her. When you ask her what are among her life’s fondest memories, she smiles and says that her time at Community College of Philadelphia will always have a special place in her heart.

“This was one of the best programs I could have ever wished for,” she said. “It truly started my path to where I am today so it is truly a path to opportunity. When I attended the Paralegal Studies program, my life really didn’t begin until 5:45 p.m. in the afternoon when my classes started here. My fondest memory is actually coming here and studying and learning new things in English, which is my second language. This (College) was really my life and everything else I did all day was leading up to this.”

Darryl Irizarry, Jr.’s home in West Kensington was a sanctuary of love and stability where education was a priority and family values shielded him and his sister from the lure of the streets.

Principles and morals instilled by his parents, coupled with a curiosity about learning, enabled him to avoid the tragic ending that took the lives of some of his peers. “Some of my friends growing up — sadly — are dead or in jail or struggling because of bad choices they made. I had a foundation, which was my mother and father, and they always instilled in me the value of education,” Irizarry, Jr., 29, said. “My father always said, ‘You are going to make something out of yourself’.”

Irizarry, Jr. serves as the Annual Fund and Alumni Relations coordinator at Community College of Philadelphia, the institution from which he graduated in 2006. He and his sister are the first to receive their bachelor degrees, but their success marks an achievement for this family, which, for decades, has sacrificed to give the next generation better lives.

“My grandparents on both sides didn’t have a high school diploma,” Irizarry, Jr. said. “My parents had a high school diploma. My sister and I earned bachelor’s degrees. And now, my goal is to provide a path that will take my two children as far as they can go.”

Since our founding in 1964 and opening our doors to students for the first time on September 23, 1965, Community College of Philadelphia has served more than 685,000 individuals. The College’s graduates have risen to leadership ranks in business, government and education.

Darryl Irizarry, Sr. said that he and his wife, Glory, took time to stay involved in their children’s school-work. “At a very young age we would sit down with them and make sure they did their homework. We went to afterschool meetings with teachers. After school, we picked them up,” Irizarry, Sr. said.

Irizarry, Jr. believes that his family’s support was the crucial link, and now he is preparing his sons to climb higher on the ladder of opportunity.

As a graduate of Philadelphia public schools, Irizarry, Jr. earned top honors but needed a little help getting college-ready. He found the doors wide open at Community College of Philadelphia, the destination of choice for nearly a third of the graduates from Philadelphia’s public high schools.

“My high school lacked the ability to prepare students to get into college, and I think that Community College of Philadelphia really filled that void. It gave me the essentials I needed in order to go into a four-year college and be successful,” Irizarry, Jr. said.

He entered the College’s dual admissions program, which provided him with a seamless transfer to Temple University and some scholarship extra funds as he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business. Well-timed contributions from his parents, coupled with other scholarship and grants, enabled him avoid taking loans.

“The affordability component was huge,” he said. “That’s what allowed me not to have debt. I’m in a better position now to create a college fund for my kids because I didn’t have loans.”

Over the years, the College has served multiple roles in the lives of Philadelphians like those in the Irizarry family. It has served more than 685,000 students since opening 50 years ago, including an increasing number of Hispanic students.

Sometimes the graduates become employees, and the children of employees become graduates. Irizarry, Jr.’s sister, Jessica, graduated from the College in 2008. His mother previously worked at the institution and his father is currently employed here servicing heating ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

Today Irizarry, Jr. is working to help the next generation of children growing up in neighborhoods like West Kensington. He leads fundraising for a North Philadelphia event called Vale La Pena, which supports youth with afterschool programs and recognizes Hispanic leaders. His work with the regional chapter for the Boy Scouts of America last year helped bring back the Philadelphia Encampment, which gave many urban scouts their first camping experience.

“I want to show my sons no matter where you are in life, you should always be kind to everyone,” Irizarry, Jr. said. “And if you’ve got it, give it to others.”

Community College of Philadelphia Mathematics Professor Ji Gao is not your typical college professor. He is a citizen of the world and, in many ways, a renaissance man.

He has five degrees, including a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh. He is loved by many of his current and former students at Community College of Philadelphia, where he is a renowned mathematics researcher and writer. He is also the creator of the “Gao Constants,” a mathematical equation in which he defined a parameter to describe the squareness of the unit ball of a Banach space. He calls this research “one of his proudest moments.”

With his credentials, Gao could have applied to any college or university around the globe, but he has remained tethered to Community College of Philadelphia, drawn by the students and the opportunity to change lives.

In fact, his feelings for the College run so deep he became a student at the College for his “own personal enrichment.” He became a Music student at the College where he earned an associate’s degree in Music in 1997, putting him into an elite group of faculty who teach here, but also are alumni. He is among tens of thousands of graduates Moving Philadelphia Forward by making contributions at work and in their communities.

Gao says his time spent in the classroom as a Music student has better prepared him to teach. He looked at the institution through a student’s lens. “I love teaching at Community College of Philadelphia,” Gao said. “I totally understand that to make our students succeed it is very important for the teacher and student to form a very close bond. And I think in the 25 years that I’m teaching here, many students have improved and learned a lot. I am very excited when I watch the students walk across the stage when they receive their diploma from the hand of the president each year. So I think that student success is my success in teaching.”

Gao was born and raised in Yangzhou, China. He lived in China for the first 43 years, earning his bachelors and master’s degrees in the field of mathematics at Peking Teacher’s College as well as Nanjing University. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in China, Gao said it was very hard for the ordinary Chinese child to get an education. The opportunity for higher education was only open to very few people. He credits his mother, Haung Xiuling , a music teacher, for encouraging him to study hard. Gao came to the United States in 1984 to pursue his Ph.D. in Mathematics. He continued his education in the U.S. receiving his master’s and Ph. D., both from University of Pittsburgh.

Gao, who currently lives in Upper Darby, PA, started teaching at the College in 1990. As he has risen through the teaching ranks here, he has always continued doing scholarly research while teaching full-time in the classroom. He said doing research helps him better translate math concepts like geometry and linear algebra to students.

“You see, modern mathematics is based on basic courses we teach to our students here at Community College of Philadelphia,” he said. “ ...If you want to give students a drop of water, you must have at least a barrel of water yourself and that is why I keep active in research.”

As a personal escape to the pressure of teaching and research, Gao plays the piano and uses that instrument to help him live a better life.

“I play the piano everyday for one hour,” Gao said. “Because of my mother’s influence, I love music. Math activates the left hemisphere of your brain and music activates the right half of your brain... Math is very abstract and music is very emotional, so I think they can work together every day so you’re always happy.”

Elizabeth Crutchley is the type of worker cities across the nation are anxious to attract. She is young, enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, and determined to make a difference in her community.

This first-generation college graduate is a product of the pipeline of intellectual talent that flows from city neighborhoods. A native Philadelphian, she is interested in setting down roots here and eliminating local achievement gaps, a phenomenon which stalls economic growth.

“I think a big problem is that a lot of young people move here but when they start families they end up moving away,” said Crutchley, who received an associate’s degree from Community College of Philadelphia in 2010 before transferring to Penn. “I think we need a lot more strong, smart people improving everyone’s lives in the city, not just their own. I think young urban professionals are trying to make a difference in Philadelphia.”

In addition to taking classes at the University of Pennsylvania, she works as a laboratory manager for the Penn Infant Language Center, which studies how speech develops in infants and toddlers. “We basically do observational experiments on them to determine how we acquire language. We study language acquisition and we’re particularly interested in first language acquisition,” she said. Her associate’s degree in Psychology provided a solid foundation for the field.

On track to graduate from Penn in May 2015, Crutchley plans to use her bachelor’s degree in psychology to prepare underprivileged youth to find success in class and in life. “I’ve always been interested in psychology. I took a psychology course in high school and it just really fascinated me,” she said. “I really want to help kids. Hopefully, by learning how we learn language, that will help me improve outcomes for children.”

Community College of Philadelphia plays an important role in the lives of Philadelphians whether the goal is to earn a degree, transfer or secure the cutting-edge skills that lead to career advancement. More than 90 percent of graduates responding to a recent survey reported they had jobs in the city or the region, according to the College’s 2013 Institutional Effectiveness Report. Approximately one-third of Philadelphia high school graduates who are college-bound enroll at Community College of Philadelphia.

Crutchley is one among tens of thousands of students locally who found their path to possibilities here. Born and raised in Olney and Northeast Philadelphia, she was in eighth grade when her parents moved the family to the suburbs. At age 21, the culture, convenience and active lifestyle attracted her, so she moved back to the city. Community College of Philadelphia scored extra points among her college choices because she could bike to classes here. “I think it was all bike lanes from where I lived, and I had heard good things about the professors there,” she added.

Her time spent in community college classrooms produced some pretty unexpected, dividends. “I became a better creative writer there,” she said. “I learned to think scientifically there. It was definitely a great experience.”