Goldstein Auto Group Donates Dodge Caravan to Automotive Department
November 8, 2018
From left: Hudson Valley Community College Assistant Professor Randy Howarth; Dean Phil White; Foundation Executive Director Regina LaGatta; Vice Presidents Bill Reuter and MaryAnn Janosik; Board of Trustees Member George J. Raneri; College President Roger Ramsammy; Goldstein Auto Group General Managers Stefanie Goldstein and Joe Martell; and ENYCAR President and CEO Deborah Dorman pose with the 2010 Dodge Caravan that the Goldstein Auto Group donated to Hudson Valley Community College in the college’s automotive lab on Wednesday Nov. 7, 2018.
Students in Hudson Valley's Automotive Technical Services program now have another vehicle to use for hands-on diagnostics and repair in their classes, thanks to a donation from the Goldstein Auto Group.
Goldstein originally donated the 2010 Dodge Caravan to the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society, where it was used over the last few years to transport and rescue animals. But when it needed hefty repairs, the dealership opted to donate a new vehicle to the humane society and donate the Caravan, with 152,000 miles on it, to the Hudson Valley program in order to help both organizations at once.
Stefanie Goldstein, general manager of Goldstein Subaru; Joe Martell, general manager of Goldstein Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram; and Deborah Dorman, president and CEO of the Eastern New York Coalition of Automotive Retailers, Inc. (ENYCAR) joined Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy and other college officials in the college’s automotive lab to celebrate the donation on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
“We are so appreciative that the automotive dealers in our region, like Goldstein Auto Group, support our program and our students—not only through generous donations like this, but also by employing our graduates,” said Automotive, Manufacturing and Electrical Engineering Technologies Department Chairperson Anthony Kossmann. He said the car will provide real, hands-on experience for students in the automotive program and will help them how to troubleshoot vehicles and make repairs.
Goldstein Auto Group participates in a program with Hudson Valley’s automotive department that allows current students to work at the dealerships while taking classes, be paired up with a technician in the shop as a mentor, and ultimately secure full-time employment at the dealership after graduating. Arrangements like that are helpful to both students who need jobs and dealerships that need skilled employees.
Goldstein hopes donations like this one will help boost interest among students considering careers in the automotive industry. “There’s much more to a career in this industry than just being in a garage, and students may not see that if they’re not exposed to it,” she explained. “There are so many careers now, whether it’s in service, parts, sales, or in the body shop doing repairs. For technicians, there’s a lot of money that can be made. They’re like surgeons; they’re specialists in their field.”
"A dealership is its own ecosystem; there’s a place for everyone,” added Martell. “We need more people to go into these programs, and we’re glad to help give back to the students that need donations like this to learn and grow in the field. These students are the future.”
Hudson Valley offers three programs in the automotive field: an Automotive Management A.A.S., Automotive Technical Services A.O.S., and Automotive Technical Services-Autobody Repair A.O.S. The programs serve nearly 200 students each year.
Dealerships or individuals who are interested in discussing the donation of newer vehicles to the college's Automotive Technical Services program may contact Assistant Professor Randy Howarth at r.howarth@hvcc.edu or contact the college's Foundation at foundation@hvcc.edu or (518) 629-8012.