SUNY Westchester Community College (SUNY WCC) student Joseph Goldstein has been awarded the prestigious Vanguard Award recognizing outstanding students pursuing career and technical educational (CTE) programs that are nontraditional for their gender. Joseph is one of eight SUNY community college students to receive this year’s honor.
Mr. Goldstein received this award based on his excellent 4.0 GPA, his work ethic, his passion for working with children, and his exemplary performance working as a teacher aide in a program with 3-year-olds who have special needs. He was nominated for this award by his mentor at SUNY WCC, Professor Mary Lou Sgro. He graduated SUNY WCC in December 2022 and is now a full-time teacher’s aide working with pre-schoolers who have special needs.
“I feel honored to receive the Vanguard Award and I thank Professor Sgro for nominating me,” said Goldstein, who lives in Dobbs Ferry, NY. “Society often views a field like Early Childhood Education as one that is traditionally for women, but I disagree. I want to be a role model for young children. Men bring a differ
ent perspective and a different energy to a learning environment. Men play an important role in early childhood education as a foundation to a child’s development. I encourage more men to pursue this field.”
“Joseph is an inspiration to me as well as to his peers,” said Sgro. “I was impressed immediately when he was in my Early Childhood Development class. He transitioned easily to remote teaching in March 2020 and remained with me for three additional courses. Joseph is a model of excellence in scholarship and a steadfast commitment to teaching young children. He joins our profession where men are a minority and much needed. Joseph exemplifies the success of a Westchester Community College student. He truly deserves the Vanguard Award.”
The Vanguard Award is administered by the New York State Nontraditional Employment & Training (NET) Program, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, and is sponsored by the NYS Education Department through a Carl D. Perkins grant.
