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April 14, 2011 Betsy Yagla

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-Press Release-

Gateway President Joins New Haven Promise Board of Directors

(NEW HAVEN) — New Haven Promise is pleased to announce that Dr. Dorsey Kendrick has been appointed to the New Haven Promise Board of Directors.

Dr. Kendrick has been the president of Gateway Community College since 1999.

Dr. Kendrick joins founding ex-officio board members New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Jr., Yale University President Rick Levin and Community Foundation for Greater New Haven President Will Ginsberg. Yale University is funding the scholarship portion of New Haven Promise. New Haven Promise is a component fund of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

“Dorsey is a great colleague and important partner in advancing educational opportunities, the result of which is wealth creation and career advancement for many New Haven residents,” said Mayor DeStefano. “She will bring a wealth of experience to the board of New Haven Promise and I look forward to working with her.”

“I’m very encouraged and excited to be a part of the New Haven Promise Board because it provides me with an opportunity to be a voice for so many students who may otherwise not have an advocate,” said Dr. Kendrick. Not only does the promise of tuition relief motivate, it also sends a valuable message about the importance of a higher education and lifelong learning.”

Dr. Kendrick was one of three African-American students to forge integration at Union University, where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration. She also holds an M.S. in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University, a Ph.D. in Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from Walden University, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Education Management at Harvard University.

Under Dr. Kendrick’s leadership, Gateway Community College’s enrollment has grown over 100 percent, and she has significantly increased program offerings and community partnerships in response to community workforce needs in the areas of nursing, allied health, green technologies, education, business, and continuing education.

“I am pleased that an educator of Dr. Kendrick’s stature and experience is joining the New Haven Promise board,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Mayo said. “She understands the power of college to transform lives and communities. Dr. Kendrick is deeply committed to New Haven Promise’s goals and will be a powerful addition to the board.”

“I’ve often quoted Dr. Benjamin Mays, ‘The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach,’” said Dr. Kendrick. New Haven Promise offers students hope that they will achieve their dreams along with the expectation of a bright future. The sky will be the limit for those who work hard and put forth their best effort. My goal is not just to offer open doors for students enter, but that those doors lead to the path of success.”

New Haven Promise is a visionary scholarship and support program that strives to create a college-going culture in all New Haven public school students, build community and parental engagement and strengthen economic stability in the City of New Haven.

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