ITHAKA

Dr. Claudia V. Schrader, President Of Kingsborough Community College, Joins ITHAKA As Trustee

Dr. Claudia V. Schrader, President of KCC, Joins ITHAKA Board of Trustees

ITHAKA, the not-for-profit organization committed to expanding access to education and knowledge for people around the world, has appointed Dr. Claudia V. Schrader, president of Kingsborough Community College, to its Board of Trustees.

Schrader became president of Kingsborough Community College (KCC) of The City University of New York (CUNY) in September 2018. She is the College’s 7th president, and holds the distinction of being the first African American in the College’s 58-year old history to hold that office. As the president of the only community college in Brooklyn, Dr. Schrader is committed to impacting the lives of thousands who choose education as a vehicle for transformation and elevation.

Dr. Schrader’s appointment to the ITHAKA Board reflects the organization’s growing commitment to working deeply with two-year colleges in the United States. An estimated 4.5 million students are enrolled in community colleges today. These students often come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and are disproportionately people of color. ITHAKA is increasingly working side-by-side with these institutions. Through the research conducted by Ithaka S+R on a range of topics including how to better support community college students’ basic needs and improve transfer pathways, and providing access to digital resources for learning, like JSTOR and Artstor, we aim to strengthen community colleges as change agents in improving students’ lives, those of their families, and their communities.

Reflecting on Dr.Schrader’s decision to become a trustee, ITHAKA board chair and Carleton College president, Steven Poskanzer said, “ Our mission is deeply aligned with the work community colleges do and the students they serve. Dr. Schrader embodies this in her work and is a knowledgeable, impactful leader. We are thrilled she has decided to help guide our organization as we work to deepen our collaboration with community colleges to improve student experiences, access to resources, and learning outcomes.”

Dr. Schrader reflected, “Community college is the vehicle for economic mobility. It provides access to both a solid liberal arts foundation, career programs, and workforce development, and to continuing education options that provide opportunities to transfer to four-year colleges and entry into high-demand careers. There’s never been a more critical time than now for community colleges to make an impact on the socio-economic lives of individuals, and ultimately transform families and entire communities.”

About ITHAKA
ITHAKA is a not-for-profit with a mission to improve access to knowledge and education for people around the world. We believe education is key to the well-being of individuals and society. Through our work and services—Ithaka S+R, JSTOR/Artstor, and Portico— we collaborate with thousands of colleges, universities, secondary schools, and prison education programs to make education and access to knowledge more affordable, improve outcomes for students and researchers, and preserve knowledge for future generations.

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