Delaware County Community College Receives $75,000 Gift from Aqua Pennsylvania to Provide Essential Resources for Students
(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA - January 22, 2024)—Delaware County Community College has received a gift of $75,000 from Aqua Pennsylvania, an Essential Utilities company, to support the College’s Student Resource Center, which offers a wide range of services that reduce barriers to student success. This generous contribution, made through the company’s Essential Foundation, will support students at both the Marple Campus and the future Southeast Campus in Drexel Hill. To mark the donation, the Center at each campus will be renamed the “Essential Student Resource Center.”
The Student Resource Center is a critical campus hub, supporting students comprehensively from the initial day of enrollment through graduation and beyond. Administered by the College’s Office of Student Outreach and Support, the Student Resource Center serves as a welcoming, judgement-free space where students are met by a caring, compassionate team of college employees. The goal of the Center is to provide outreach, advocacy, and holistic support to cater to the unmet needs of students. In addition to a food pantry, students are provided with a variety of services, including textbook assistance, peer-to-peer mentoring, transportation assistance, emergency grants for students facing unexpected financial emergencies, and other academic and non-academic support.
“Our Student Resource Center is essential in helping to improve our students’ graduation, retention and completion rates,” said Marta Yera Cronin, Ed.D., president, Delaware County Community College. “We are grateful to Aqua Pennsylvania for their support in our mission to provide equitable access to higher education to students in Delaware and Chester Counties.”
The food pantry accounts for 70% of Student Resource Center visits, demonstrating the great need for its services. In addition to non-perishable food, the pantry provides students with access to toiletries, school supplies and gently worn professional attire. Since its opening in 2020, the Student Resource Center has seen an overall increase in student visits from 1,000 in its first year of operation to 2,500 student visits last year.
“This generous gift will help us to continue to provide vital resources that meet the diverse needs of our students,” said Kendrick Mickens, Ed.D., director of the College’s Student Outreach and Support.
“Aqua Pennsylvania is proud to help make such a positive impact on the lives of thousands of local college students and their families,” said Marc Lucca, president, Aqua Pennsylvania. “As a company founded in Delaware County in 1886, we’re honored to make this donation which will reinforce our commitment to bring positive change to this community,” Lucca added.
Among those attending the check presentation ceremony was former Essential Utilities’ Chief Administrative Officer, Sue Haindl. Haindl, who has since retired, has deep ties to the College as a distinguished alumna, professor, commencement speaker and scholarship supporter. Haindl was proud to celebrate the partnership focused on providing essential resources to improve student outcomes.
PHOTO CAPTION: Aqua Pennsylvania presented a $75,000 gift from its Essential Foundation to Delaware County Community College to support its Student Resource Centers. L to R: Susan Haindl, Chief Administrative Officer, Essential Utilities, Inc.; Krista Seng, Corporate Giving & Community Affairs, Aqua; Kendrick Mickens, Ed.D., director, Student Outreach and Support; Marta Yera Cronin, Ed.D., president, Delaware County Community College; and DCCC student and Student Success ambassador Sarah Staquet.
About Aqua Pennsylvania
Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.5 million people in 32 counties throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow Aqua on Facebook at facebook.com/MyAquaWater and on X at @MyAquaWater.
