See what's Empowering Student Success at DCCC! | |
Dear Friend,
Next week, students will return to Delaware County Community College for the start of a new academic year. Some will be stepping onto a college campus for the first time. Others will be returning after years away from school while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities. All of them are working toward a better future for themselves and their families.
In this month's Spark, you'll meet alumna who turned her DCCC education into rewarding career paths, learn about new partnerships creating opportunities for students, and hear directly from scholarship recipients whose lives have been changed through the generosity of donors.
As part of the DCCC community, you help make these stories possible. Whether you are an alumnus, donor, volunteer, community partner, employee, retiree, or friend of the College, your support helps students learn new skills, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals.
As a new semester begins, thank you for believing in our students and investing in their success. Together, we are creating opportunities that strengthen lives, families, and communities across Delaware and Chester Counties.
Gratefully,
Laura Chisholm, Ed.D.
Vice President, Institutional Advancement and
Executive Director of the DCCC Educational Foundation
| | Your Scholarship Support Goes a Long Way | | |
As DCCC students prepare for the upcoming fall semester, thank-you messages from scholarship recipients are already pouring in and their words carry profound weight. Behind every note lies a story of extraordinary resilience from adult learners returning to higher education after years away, first-generation college students forging new paths, dedicated parents working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and more.
Whether training to become nurses, cybersecurity analysts, electricians, teachers, or future lawyers, these students share a common determination to overcome financial hurdles and make a lasting impact in our region.
Again and again, recipients reveal that scholarship support transforms daunting financial strain into renewed focus and hope. As Amina, a W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Scholarship recipient, shared: “Since becoming a mother in 2004, I have attempted to return to college four separate times... I’ve learned that it's never too late to believe in your own dreams, and this scholarship is helping me do just that.”
For Elijah, a Boeing Scholarship recipient and the oldest of six siblings, the support fuels his drive to succeed: “I currently hold a full-time job and a side job to pay for school... your support gives me motivation to keep going when times get rough.”
And for Gillis Welding Scholarship recipient Steve, the generosity carries deeply personal meaning as he works toward a fresh start: “My background is very rough around the edges... I'm turning my life around and I'm headed in a good direction now with goals and ambitions. I'm motivated to get out of the life I live and make a good living doing something I enjoy.”
To our incredible students: Thank you for sharing your stories, your ambition, and your gratitude with us; we are deeply inspired by where you have been and excited for where you are going.
And to our amazing donors: This is the direct impact of your investment. Thank you for believing in DCCC students, removing barriers to higher education, and helping them continue their transformative journeys. Together we can make sure everyone has a chance to follow their flame.
| | Metallica Foundation to "Fuel" Workforce Education at DCCC | | |
Partnerships can come from many places, but this year, DCCC Educational Foundation is proud to welcome one of its most memorable partners yet: All Within My Hands, the foundation created by the rock band Metallica. DCCC has been selected as one of just 18 community colleges nationwide to receive a $75,000 grant through the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI), launched in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). This investment will help expand workforce education opportunities for DCCC students preparing for high-demand, family-sustaining careers across our region.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the All Within My Hands Foundation, Metallica, and the AACC for believing in Delaware County Community College and our students. When community partners invest in workforce education, they give students the skills, confidence, and opportunity to build brighter futures.
Learn more on the All Within My Hands website.
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From Community College Roots to Healthcare Leadership and Advocacy
Trina Turner, Class of 2004
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When Dr. Trina Turner graduated from Delaware County Community College (DCCC) in 2004 with her Associate Degree in Nursing, she unlocked a lifelong passion for learning and a deep belief in her own potential.
Today, as a doctoral-prepared nursing leader, educator, clinician, and executive, Dr. Turner credits DCCC with laying the groundwork for a career dedicated to transforming patient care and empowering future generations of nurses.
Balancing academic requirements alongside personal and professional responsibilities is no small feat, but for Trina, her time at DCCC proved to be a defining moment of personal growth and resilience. According to Trina, "What surprised me most was how much confidence I gained. While I expected to gain knowledge and academic credentials, I did not fully anticipate how much DCCC would shape my self-belief and willingness to pursue ambitious goals. The experience helped me see myself as a capable leader and lifelong learner."
Trina used her DCCC nursing degree as a springboard for a 32-year career where she has delivered high-acuity care and leadership across trauma, oncology, surgery, and public health settings.
It also inspired her to educate other aspiring nurses as an Adjunct Professor at Delaware State University. Here, Trina mentors senior nursing students during their transition into clinical practice and NCLEX preparation.
Finally, Trina is Co-founder and CEO of Holistic Integrative Consulting, LLC, guiding individuals, particularly women and emerging nursing leaders, through coaching, mentorship, and faith-centered wellness. And, she has been recognized with numerous honors including the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, fellowship in the American Nurses Advocacy Institute, and keynote speaker invitations across the region.
Looking back on her transformative journey, Trina offers this advice to current DCCC students: "Take full advantage of every opportunity available, build relationships with faculty and peers, and never underestimate your potential. Success is not about having all the answers from the beginning; it is about showing up consistently, asking for help when needed, and remaining committed to your goals. The effort invested today can create opportunities for years to come."
| | New Early Learning Center Open at DCCC's Southeast Center | | |
Meeting community needs requires listening to local families and uniting with partners who share a commitment to serving them. To expand access to high-quality early childhood education, the YMCA of Eastern Delaware County recently opened a new Early Learning Center at Delaware County Community College’s Southeast Center in Drexel Hill. Equipped with modern learning spaces, enhanced security, and vibrant outdoor play areas, the facility has the capacity to serve 140 children and has earned a Keystone STARS 4 Center rating (the highest quality designation in Pennsylvania’s early learning system).
This collaboration showcases what can be achieved when organizations pool their unique strengths for the greater good. The partnership pairs the YMCA’s deep expertise in early childhood education with DCCC’s mission to expand access to learning, workforce development, and opportunity in the communities it serves.
By welcoming young learners and their families to the Southeast Center, DCCC and the YMCA are laying a strong foundation for education to begin early and opportunity to thrive for generations.
Read the full story on the Upper Darby Now website.
| | DCCC & WGU Partnership Expands Higher Ed Pathways | | |
Delaware County Community College (DCCC) and Western Governors University (WGU) have announced a new partnership designed to offer DCCC graduates and employees seamless transfer pathways into higher education. Through this collaboration, learners gain access to flexible, online, competency-based degree programs tailored to help them achieve their professional and academic goals in Delaware and Chester counties.
This agreement adds to DCCC’s robust network of more than 30 transfer partnerships with four-year institutions. DCCC President Dr. Marta Yera Cronin emphasized that the agreement reinforces the college’s nearly 60-year legacy of empowering students and strengthening local communities. Dr. K.L. Allen, Northeast regional vice president at WGU, noted that the collaboration focuses on eliminating barriers to opportunity through career-aligned education.
Additionally, eligible DCCC graduates and employees can apply for the WGU Community College Partner Scholarship, valued at up to $3,500.
Read the full story on the DCCC website.
| | New Media Lab Celebrates 10 Years of Student Storytelling | | |
Fall 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of the Delaware County Community College New Media Lab (NML). Founded in Spring 2016 by Professor Maria Boyd to reimagine the college’s former radio station, NML began as a podcasting initiative designed to build transferable workforce skills. What started with downloadable audio files on Canvas has grown into a dynamic media hub featuring a catalog of over 120 YouTube programs, viral Instagram Reels averaging 30,000+ monthly views, and newly launched streaming channels on Apple Podcasts and Spotify this fall.
Beyond technical media production, NML participants cultivate essential leadership, teambuilding, and workflow management skills. Alumni leverage these portfolio-ready projects into diverse professional fields, going on to succeed as television producers, camera operators, teachers, realtors, publicists, and community advocates.
The New Media Lab's productions can be found on:
Instagram @DCCC_NewMediaLab
YouTube DCCC New Media Lab
Listen to our New Media Lab trailer on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe!
Learn more about the New Media Lab on DCCC's website.
| | AI Certificate of Competency | | |
A former digital project manager looking to add fresh skills to her resume after taking a break to raise her daughter, Esra Yilmaz believed DCCC’s Certificate of Competency in AI Foundations was the best way to start her new chapter.
“One of the things I appreciated most about the program was that it was designed for beginners. Even someone with no prior knowledge of artificial intelligence could easily understand the material because the concepts were explained in a clear and accessible way." According to Esra. "This program has given me the confidence to embrace new technologies and adapt to today's rapidly changing workplace.”
One of program’s greatest benefits for Esra was learning about the history of AI and the ethical principles behind it. Building that foundation gave her a much deeper understanding of the technology and the responsibility that comes with using it.
“Earning this certificate has been an important milestone,” she says. “It reminds me that it's never too late to learn something new and invest in your future. I hope to continue building my AI skills and contribute to organizations that value innovation, lifelong learning and the responsible use of technology. Returning to school at DCCC has been a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience for me.”
Learn more about the certificate program on the DCCC website.
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