DCCC President Dr. Marta Yera Cronin

(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA)—Interested in hearing more about Delaware County Community College’s upcoming new Southeast Center in Drexel Hill, which will open at the site of the former Archbishop Prendergast High School in January 2026?

The public is invited to “Coffee and Conversations with Dr. Cronin” on Thursday, April 10 at 8:30 a.m. in the Café at Delaware County Community College (910 S. Media Line Road, Media, PA 19063).

Attendees will meet DCCC President Dr. Marta Yera Cronin and learn about her educational and career journey as a first-generation college student born of immigrant parents.

They’ll also hear updates on the progress of the new Southeast Center and learn about the College’s Building Community Campaign, a $7.5 million initiative to provide greater access to education, promote social and economic mobility and share the future of workforce development in the region.

The conversation will focus on the role of community colleges in the future of higher education, community leadership and opportunity for residents and businesses. The Southeast Center is set to drive remarkable change in the local community. The following outcomes, estimated at the beginning of the campaign, are projected for the first five years of the center’s operation and highlight its transformative potential:

  • 11,030 qualified workers will be trained at the Southeast Center for high-priority career fields.
  • Every dollar donated to the campaign is estimated to return $11 in local earnings.
  • The local economic impact generated by DCCC will be $1.5 billion. 
  • Ninety-four percent of career/technical DCCC graduates are projected to work in their related major.

Attendees will hear from student leaders as well as from Andrew Kelleher, an expert in the energy industry who took trade classes at DCCC and was inspired to launch—with his wife Sharon—the Kelleher Connect Career Opportunity Fund, which provides financial support to students pursuing career and technical programs at DCCC. This fund is designed to help students transition directly into the workforce in high-priority occupations, contributing to local economic growth and development.

Also part of the conversation will be Frances M. Sheehan, president of the Foundation for Delaware County, the county’s largest philanthropy, who will discuss how the Foundation is supporting the new Southeast Center and the Building Community Campaign.

A hot breakfast will be served. Please RSVP for the event by April 7 to rsvp@dccc.eduwith your name, email and phone number, or call 610-359-5131.