ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. (November 23, 2020) – Rockland Community College (RCC) has recently joined forces with White Plains-based Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT) to help expand the pipeline of students of color to pursue teaching professions. RCC is the first community college to partner with TSTT and all RCC TSTT graduates may be eligible to continue their journey in education and attend one of 23 national and regional college or university partners. TSTT will provide RCC students with academic support, career guidance, workshops, networking opportunities, and teacher placement assistance.
“We are honored to partner with Rockland Community College which has a rich history of furthering the educational goals of students of color,” says Dr. Bettye H. Perkins, founder, President and CEO of TSTT.“ Together, we will provide TSTT’s economically challenged students with the opportunity to expand their horizons and enrich their life’s experiences by joining the RCC community and its culturally stimulating and challenging educational environment. Students will also be provided with financial support so that they can graduate debt-free from college and pursue their dreams of teaching the next generation.”
“We are delighted to welcome TSTT students to our campus,” says Dr. Michael A. Baston, President of Rockland Community College. “We offer three Associate of Science teaching degrees for our students and are committed to encouraging more students from diverse backgrounds to enter the teaching profession. Today, only 13 percent of our nation’s teachers are people of color while the student body is almost half. Until the nation’s teaching population can better reflect the backgrounds of today’s students, economic and societal inequality will continue.”
With the addition of RCC, Dr. Perkins expects TSTT’s pipeline of more than 800 qualified high school and college students will continue to expand. And so too will the number of TSTT alumni, now more than 250, who are changing the lives of students in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
About Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers
Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (www.tstt.org) was founded by noted educator and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bettye H. Perkins in 1994. With her enormous passion to open doors for young people, Dr. Perkins established TSTT as a tax-exempt, independent 501 (c) (3) organization in 1999.
TSTT is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. TSTT is a unique school-based mentoring program that recruits and mentors culturally diverse and economically challenged high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching. TSTT provides financial assistance for students to attend college, and places them as teachers and leaders who will inspire and strengthen their communities.
With the support of school districts, colleges, corporations and communities, TSTT has grown from seven students in one Westchester County, New York high school to nearly 880 participants, including: 430 high school students in four states, 350 college students across the United States and 150 teachers in nine states who serve as role models in their communities. TSTT has 21 partnering colleges that have agreed to assist in supporting TSTT students throughout their college education with a minimum 50% tuition scholarship.
The Social Impact Exchange has selected TSTT as a Member of the S&I 100, the National Index of High-Impact Nonprofits, the first-ever broad index of US nonprofits that have evidence of results through a rigorous screening for evidence of impact through third-party verified studies.
About Rockland Community College, State University of New York
Rockland Community College, State University of New York, offers a safe, supportive learning environment for thousands of students from diverse backgrounds who appreciate small class sizes and personal attention from a distinguished, award-winning faculty that includes Fulbright scholars and SUNY Distinguished Professors. Thanks to the school’s affordable tuition, students who begin their career journey at RCC and then transfer to a four-year college can save up to $100,000 on their education. RCC is also proud to provide career training and professional development to adult learners looking to change careers or upgrade their skills through its new Career Skills Academy. More information can be found at sunyrockland.edu.