Cradentials

Mount Vernon Center Strategy

Division Coordinator Finalist

SUNY WCC | Workforce Development & Community Education


Part 1: The Strategy

Part 2: Protfolio Aftifacts

Part 3: Gregory Paul, MA

PART 1:

The Strategy

(Back to Beginning)

A. My Approach

Core Idea: Mount Vernon is a connection opportunity, not a recruitment problem

I focus on:

Workforce-aligned programs

Partnership-driven enrollment

Clear pathways to outcomes

B. Community Snapshot

72K

Population

$78K

Median Income

vs $118K county

14.7%

Poverty Rate

35.9%

Bachelor's Attainment

Insight:

Economic mobility = enrollment growth opportunity

C. Equity & Access

Community Profile

  • 33% foreign-born
  • 26% multilingual households
  • Broadband gap vs county
  • Commuter workforce

Implication

Programs must be:

  • Flexible
  • Accessible
  • Workforce-connected

D. Workforce Reality

66%

Labor Force

4.5%

Unemployment

#1

Sector: Healthcare

Key Insight: People are working — they need advancement pathways

F. Strategic Framework

Work / Inspire / Next (WIN)

1

WORK

Job-ready training

2

INSPIRE

Community pipeline

3

NEXT

Credit + career advancement

Fa. WORK

Healthcare is the largest employment sector for Mount Vernon residents. Hudson Valley's largest regional industry: private education & health services at 24.5% of nonfarm jobs.

CNA

Medical Assistant

Medical Admin

EMT

Patient Care

Pharmacy Tech

Phlebotomy

Healthcare Customer Service

Basic IT / Cyber Support

Trades

Clean-Energy / Construction Orientations

✅ Immediate employment focus

Fb. INSPIRE

Library + Youth Bureau

One-Stop Career Center

Community organizations

✅ Turn engagement → enrollment

Fc. NEXT

Noncredit → Credit

Certificates → Degrees

Career ladder progression

✅ Retention + long-term success

G. Enrollment Funnel

✅ Manage the FULL student journey

H. Partnerships = Growth Engine

Healthcare (Montefiore, etc.)

Workforce boards

Schools (CTE pipeline)

Community orgs

✅ Partnerships = enrollment pipeline

I. First 90 Days

1

Listen

Staff + partners

2

Align

Programs to demand

3

Activate

Outreach + enrollment

4

Optimize

Retention + operations

J. Leadership Approach

Data-driven decisions

Equity-centered design

Operational excellence

Continuous improvement

K. Closing

Goal: Position Mount Vernon Center as a

Community-anchored workforce hub

Delivering:

Enrollment growth

Student success

Workforce outcomes

PART 2: PORTFOLIO ARTIFACTS

My role, outcomes, and lessons

(Back to Beginning)

Artifact 1: Fiscal / Grant / Funding Work

  • Grant
  • Budget
  • Fiscal Oversight & Management

Building and Scaling LIU Pre-College Services

When I assumed leadership of Long Island University's Pre-College Services operation, the program operated with funding levels of approximately $192,000. This was a critical juncture, as the program faced significant fiscal and program constraints, mirroring challenges experienced by many youth-serving organizations in the wake of the 2008–2013 recession.

A pivotal moment came with a 2013 notice from the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development. This documentation outlined substantial reductions of our primary funder (NYC Mayor's Office) funding allocations, directly impacting LIU's school-year programming and necessitating a reduction in participant numbers. This environment demanded an immediate strategic response to stabilize and then grow the program's financial footing.



Artifacts

Artifact 2: Workforce Program Design

This artifact showcases my expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive workforce training programs. It covers the strategic planning, curriculum outline, and operational execution required to deliver impactful educational initiatives.

Curriculum Outline

Detailed design of learning modules, objectives, and assessment strategies.

Program Plan

Strategic framework for program delivery, resource allocation, and timeline management.

Workforce Initiative

Implementation of targeted training to address specific industry skill gaps.

LIU Strategic Program: Growth

When faced with the challenge of not just maintaining but significantly growing the Long Island University (LIU) Pre-College Services, my approach pivoted from passive program management to an assertive growth strategy. This strategy was not merely about increasing numbers; it was fundamentally about creating sustainable value and impact through a multi-faceted approach.

Rather than simply maintaining existing programming, I pursued a growth strategy centered on:

  • Diversification of revenue: Exploring new funding streams beyond traditional grants to secure long-term financial stability.
  • Expansion of academic offerings: Introducing new, high-demand programs for youth participants that resonated with student interest and workforce needs. Also, created more opportunities for college students in the school of education to intern and serve as near-peer mentors .
  • Operational efficiency: Streamlining processes and optimizing resource allocation to ensure maximum impact from every dollar invested.

At LIU, my strategic programming work focused on six areas: growing program revenue and sustainability, building a high-performing workforce, developing academic intervention programs such as the Scholars' Lab, creating innovative credit-bearing College & Career Readiness courses, establishing strong school and community partnerships, and expanding student access to higher education pathways.


Artifacts

Artifacts:

Advantage Experience

Watch Video 1

Advantage Game Changers Event

Watch Video 2

Advantage Game Changers Career

Watch Video 3

Other Artifacts:

Education Focus

Designed with a strong emphasis on education:

Pace University School of Education Workshp

Adult Learners

Programs structured to accommodate working adults, providing flexible and accessible learning pathways:

Monroe University University Workshops

Career Pathways

Courses built-in progression from non-credit to credit, enabling long-term career advancement for professionas:

CUNY School of Professional Studies

Artifact 3: Participants Enrollment Growth / Program Expansion

This artifact demonstrates my strategic leadership in driving significant enrollment growth and successful program expansion by aligning educational offerings with community demand and fostering strategic partnerships.

1

Enhanced Enrollment

Implemented targeted outreach campaigns and streamlined application processes, resulting in a significant increase in student registrations.

2

New Program Launches

Successfully developed and launched high-demand workforce programs, including technology, directly addressing local skill gaps.

3

Expanded Participation

Grew overall program participation through effective community engagement and new collaborative initiatives, broadening access to educational opportunities.

These initiatives underscore a data-driven approach to educational programming and community impact, fosterng a robust pipeline for student success.

LIU Program Expansion & Strategic Improvements (2015-2016)

During the 2015-2016 school year, LIU Advantage expanded its approved enrollment target from 120 to 150 youth participants, reflecting a 25% increase in program capacity. Concurrently, the program maintained approximately 80 daily participants and developed a waiting list of 20 youth, demonstrating strong community demand.

25%

Increase in program capacity

150

Expanded enrollment target

20

Youth on waitlist

Artifacts

Artifact 4: Public Partnership

  • MOUs, partnership plans, or collaboration summary

This is how I turn partnerships into actual pipelines—not just relationships

Strategic Partnerships

Over a five-year period, our strategic approach to building and sustaining institutional partnerships transformed the program's reach and impact. By cultivating collaborative relationships with schools, community organizations, and key stakeholders, we created strong, lasting pipelines that connected students to meaningful educational and career opportunities.

1

School & District Partnerships

Built formal relationships with local K-12 schools and districts to create direct pathways for students transitioning into workforce and college.

  • Ronald Edmonds Learning Center at MS 113
  • Arts and Letters School provided program space and collaboration
  • BCAM HS which provided youth interns
  • Urban Assembly provide interns and sporting
  • Bishop Loughlin provied nterns and program space
  • Internal partners, such as faculty program/ curriculum support.
  • Pratt Institute provided programming
2

Community Organization Alliances

Collaborated with community-based organizations to identify underserved populations and co-design outreach strategies that expanded student enrollment pipelines.

  • 88h precinct provided programs and workshops
  • Mayors Office provided funding and Support
  • Brooklyn Hospital provided family health services and workshops
  • Creative Outlets provided preforming arts programs
  • Academic Zone provided sports and academic
  • Chinese American Planning Council provided program support and staffing
3

Institutional MOUs & Agreements

Formalized partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding with healthcare employers, nonprofits, and public agencies to align program offerings with community workforce needs.

4

Sustained Stakeholder Engagement

Maintained ongoing communication and collaboration with partners through regular convenings, joint planning sessions, and shared accountability for student outcomes.

Artifacts


Article 5: Personell & Leadership

Staff leadership documentation referencing supervision of over 30 personnel.

Building Team Infrastructure for Growth

One of my most significant accomplishments at Long Island University was not simply growing the budget from approximately $192,000 to over $430,000. It was building and leading the team infrastructure necessary to support that growth. I supervised approximately over 30 staff members, created systems for accountability and program quality, (hired LIU Education majors) students developed future professionals skills through internships opportunities, and ensured that organizational growth translated into improved student outcomes.

As the program expanded, my leadership challenge was not only fiscal or enrollment growth; it was building the personnel infrastructure to sustain that growth. LIU salary and budget records show that the staffing model grew into a large, multi-role workforce, including administrative staff, instructors, education specialists, activity specialists, youth workers, group leaders, and summer personnel. I was responsible for coordinating staffing patterns, aligning personnel to program needs, maintaining coverage across school-year and summer operations, and ensuring that staff roles supported student engagement, academic support, and compliance requirements.

Artifacts

Artifact 5: Data, Dashboard, & Evaluation

  • Administration
  • KPI dashboard, report, and evaluation

LIU Data, Dashboard, & Evaluation

A critical aspect of my leadership at LIU was translating strategic vision into measurable outcomes. This involved robust data-driven evaluation to demonstrate impact and inform future decisions. We meticulously tracked financial growth, program quality, and staff development, ensuring every initiative contributed to improved student outcomes.

Budget & Growth Analysis

Successfully grew the budget from $192,000 to over $430,000, by meticulously tracking financial performance and resource allocation through custom dashboards to ensure sustainable expansion.

Team Performance Metrics

Developed and implemented systems for accountability, overseeing ~30 staff members. Performance was evaluated against program quality benchmarks and student outcome improvements.

Program Quality & Evaluation

Established metrics for program quality, ensuring our growth directly translated into enhanced student outcomes and effective professional development for future leaders via internships and mentorship.

By focusing on data and rigorous evaluation, we were able to demonstrate the tangible impact of our work, securing continued investment and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

For example, under my leadership, the Advantage Scholars' Lab provided targeted academic intervention, tutoring, literacy support, and study-skills coaching for middle school students. Program staff monitored student academic performance, collaborated with teachers, and developed individualized support strategies. During the 2015–2016 school year, the Scholars' Lab assisted 41 students in improving failing grades to passing grades while supporting overall GPA improvement and stronger academic engagement.

Artifacts

PART 3:

Gregory Paul, MA

(Back to Beginning)

My Commitment & Readiness to Lead

"Staying near, going far: enabling Mount Vernon residents to achieve their educational and career goals close to home."

Strategy Recap

This plan fuses:

  • Community engagement,
  • Program innovation,
  • Student-centered support

To drive enrollment growth and transform more lives in Mount Vernon. Every element is designed to be actionable, measurable, and equitable.

What I Bring

  • Proven Workforce Development & Continuing Education leadership experience growing programs from the ground up
  • Track record of building partnerships and managing $2M+ in grants
  • Deep commitment to equity and serving underserved communities
  • Collaborative, data-driven leadership style that mobilizes teams and communities alike

I am eager to bring my passion for education and workforce development to the WCC Mount Vernon Center, and to deliver real, lasting results for this community.

Gregory E. Paul, MA