At an August Foundation event, College Director of Alumni Affairs Russell Malbrough, right, poses with three of the FA officers who donate to the SCC Foundation through payroll deduction. From left are FA Secretary Cynthia Eaton, Grievance Officer Kevin McCoy and Grievance Officer Elect John Capurso. The other FA officers also give through payroll deduction: Dante Morelli, Courtney Brewer, Kim Ng Southard and Pete DiGregorio. (photo by Victoria Pendzick)

Editor’s note: In this article, Director of Alumni Relations Russell Malbrough discusses the lasting impact that FA members have on students which often inspires them to support the Foundation after graduation. In a companion article, FA member Kristie David shares her perspective as a specialist II working for the Foundation.


You’ve come to Long Island from a different part of the world, you’ve slowly but surely learned to speak English well enough to get to SCCC and you’re determined to earn an associate’s degree. You’re paying out-of-state tuition and you don’t qualify for financial aid, so you have no choice but to hold a full-time job while simultaneously taking care of your children and being as involved as time allows in various on-campus clubs and activities. You’re facing a long two years.

But there’s one thing helping you stay afloat: The scholarships you’ve received from the SCC Foundation. The funding eases the burden, sure, but more importantly each scholarship means that someone you don’t even know believes in you. Someone has dedicated a little bit of their own hard-earned money to help you get a better start in life. You don’t want to let that person down, so you keep working hard, maintain a solid GPA and proudly walk across that stage at Commencement with your eyes on a four-year institution or ready to land a great job.

This is not an uncommon story among SCCC graduates. As director of alumni relations I have the pleasure of serving as the reconnection point for over 145,000 alumni back to Suffolk County Community College. In my interaction with graduates, often there is one professor, one faculty mentor or one faculty scholarship donor that makes a profound difference for a student to reach their goal.

Seeing the Faculty Association as an organization as well as individual faculty members reinvest both time and donations back into the future of SCCC shows current students and alumni that success is a continual journey.

It also shows them that we truly are a community. Alumni success often ties back to specific experiences with classroom faculty, faculty club advisors, librarians, counselors and other FA members in various departments across all three campuses. Equally as often, graduates tell us that it was one particular scholarship that made the difference—scholarships supported by FA members just like you. Our alumni have reflected after graduating that faculty academic and financial support helps launch careers, inspires a transfer experience or keeps a semester from being lost due to unforeseen circumstances like fires or car accidents.

Out of gratitude to faculty who have helped them along the way, alumni will donate to the Foundation. I then make sure to share with them some of the many faculty successes in academic departments and other areas, and show how alumni can bring things full circle by enhancing the faculty experience through funding or volunteer time as guest speakers, career coaching, panelists, etc.

This kind of pay it back/pay it forward reciprocal giving is the heart of community spirit and what makes the Foundation such a special place.

The Retirees Association of Suffolk Community College serves as a particular inspiration across every level of employment. I appreciate the dedication of faculty members who also consider their retirement impact and make contributions as a final departure from working at SCCC to the areas they have cared about for many years.

We cannot take for granted the many steps students must take just to enter the classroom doors. Any and every donation lifts a burden and drives our community toward expanding successful educational outcomes.

Please consider giving to the Foundation.

How to give

Payroll deduction is a simple and reliable way for donations to make an impact over time. The seed of a scholarship planted by one or more faculty members can often flourish over decades into a lasting legacy helping many students. Employees can enroll by completing the online payroll deduction form. Alumni and retirees can donate through the Foundation website.

Gifts can be designated to general funds such as the areas of greatest need, hardship funds or scholarships—or they can be designated more specifically to named scholarships, named hardship funds, departments or initiatives. My Foundation colleague Kristie David describes several of these options in detail.

FA members, friends and family who are alumni are encouraged to email me or contact me by phone (631-451-4630). I am honored to help facilitate their donations to support future SCCC student success.