News

BMCC Names Science Major Mah Noor as 2022 Valedictorian BMCC named Science major Mah Noor as Valedictorian for the College’s 57th annual Commencement Ceremony June 9 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Noor, the first in her family to attend college, plans to pursue a career as a pediatric surgeon and will deliver a speech before thousands of attendees at the ceremony. Noor not only maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA during her time at BMCC, she was president of Phi Theta Kappa, a recipient of the Out in Two Scholarship, a Science Club member and she participated in cellular biology research under the mentorship of Science Professor Alexander Gosslau. During the Fall 2021 semester, she remotely tutored lower-income Saudi children in English.

Dr. Odaelys Pollard Joins BMCC as Director of Research Programs  Dr. Odaelys Pollard, who earned a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at New York Medical College and has served as a scientist and educator at Rockefeller University and other colleges, joins BMCC as Director of Research Programs. Exemplary service in support of underrepresented students developing their research skills is a thread that characterizes Dr. Pollard’s career. She will work closely with department chairs, faculty and staff to support the growth of scholarly research at BMCC.

BMCC Professor Sidney Askew Recognized for Excellence in Accounting Accounting Professor Sidney Askew has been selected for the American Accounting Association/J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook/Deloitte Foundation Award. Askew is being recognized for his excellence in teaching Accounting at the community college level. Askew is the recipient of the 2022 AAA/J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook/Deloitte Foundation Prize for two-year colleges. The awards will be presented to each recipient in the form of a solid silver medal and a monetary prize of $27,500 at the 2022 AAA Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA at the August 1st plenary session.

BMCC Welcomes Julio W. Izquierdo as Acting Vice President of Finance and Administration BMCC welcomes Julio W. Izquierdo, CPA, MBA, as Acting Vice President of Finance and Administration, effective May 9. Mr. Izquierdo will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet and will work collaboratively with Cabinet members and the college community to achieve strategic goals and promote institutional initiatives including Academic Momentum 2.0 and the college’s Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. He will also participate in the development of collaborative efforts with business and community organizations and will serve as the principal liaison with the CUNY system administration, city and state agencies, and other entities regarding fiscal matters. Prior to joining BMCC, Mr. Izquierdo was Vice President of Finance and Administration with Nassau Community College (NCC/SUNY).

President Munroe Elected to Serve on SCUP Board of Directors  The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) is pleased to announce BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe, has been elected for a three-year term to the SCUP Board of Directors. His term will start in July 2022. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, SCUP unites the best of college and professional planners by creating a range of learning opportunities to share perspectives, resources, best practices, and ideas that move challenges to solutions—building upon a culture of integrated planning.

Five BMCC Community Members Earn Doctoral of Education
Attending virtually and in person, fitting classwork and dissertation research around full-time jobs and family responsibilities — not to mention, the challenges presented by a global pandemic — five members of the BMCC community have completed the Doctor of Education, Administration and Supervision (Ed.D.) program at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, and will cross the stage to receive their degree on May 17. The graduates are Counseling Center Assistant Director of Outreach and GAINS Program Manager Robert E. Cortes, Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Michael C. Liu, ARC Director Deborah Harte, Director of Student Activities Harry Mars and Executive Director of Public Affairs Manny Romero.

Professor Alvin Eng Releases a Memoir, Inspires Students to Find Their Voice Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts Professor Alvin Eng’s memoir, “Our Laundry, Our Town: My Chinese American Life from Flushing to the Downtown Stage and Beyond,” will be released by Fordham University Press on May 17. A 2020 NSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Creative Non-Fiction was invaluable to the book’s completion, says Professor Eng. On May 20, Professor Eng will have both a virtual and in-person book launch. Here are links to register: Virtual (with CUNY/AARI) In-Person at City Lore.

College Discovery Hosts Awards and Recognition Ceremony
The BMCC College Discovery program held an awards ceremony May 11 in Fiterman Hall.  The College Discovery program works with BMCC students so they have the skills to do well in their classes, the financial help they may need, and personal and/or academic counseling.

Announcements

NYC Mobile Vaccination Bus Coming to BMCC on May 23 and 24 BMCC students, faculty, staff and all New Yorkers can get FREE vaccinations (Pfizer), boosters and COVID-19 testing. The NYC Mobile Vaccination Bus will be parked at the BMCC campus in front of the Murray Building entrance at 70 Murray Street, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24. The bus is offering the following services: Pfizer vaccines, boosters, and COVID-19 (PCR and rapid) tests are available for ages 12 and up Rapid and PCR tests are available for ages 4 and up For more information call the Office of Public Affairs at (212) 346-8501 or email publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Petrie and STEM Summer Tuition Waivers Help Students Complete Their Degrees
BMCC will offer two tuition waivers in Summer 2022: the Petrie Completion Waiver and the STEM  Waiver. To be eligible, students must be degree-seeking at BMCC. Each waiver covers $210 per credit. Please note that only the tuition for the course will be waived and students will be responsible for all fees and materials, such as textbooks. To qualify, students must have registered no later than May 1 for classes starting May 31, and no later than June 15 for classes starting July 20.

• Students eligible for the Petrie Completion waiver must have three or fewer courses left to complete their associate degree and use the waiver to complete those courses. They can apply one tuition waiver in the summer session beginning May 31 and one in the session starting July 20.
• Students eligible for the STEM waiver must be an NYC resident and U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time the waiver is applied. They must enroll in a credit-bearing math, science or computer science course that counts toward their degree and can apply the one waiver each for classes in the summer sessions starting May 31 and July 20. Other courses covered by the STEM waiver are: ANI 401, 402 and 260; any CIS, EMC 100 and 303; HIT 210, LIN 101, MEA 201 and 371; MMA 100, MMP 100, NUR 415, PHI 110, PSY 100 and RTT 210.

For more information, please contact the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center, aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

BMCC Professors in Cast of Golden Shield and Post-Performance Panels at Manhattan Theatre Club
On May 4, Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts Professor Alvin Eng served as a moderator for a Manhattan Theatre Club panel on the past, present and future of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) theatre following the production of Golden Shield — which features as a cast member, BMCC Race and Ethnic Studies Professor Michael C. Liu. On June 1, Professor and Chair of the Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts Department Vincent Tzu-Wen Cheng will serve on the Golden Shield post-performance panel, “The Art of Translation and Interpretation.” Visit here for discounted tickets to the Golden Shield (using the code GOLDEN) and June 1 post-performance panel.

CUNY Day of Remembrance: Join in Memory of Those We've Lost to COVID  William C. Thompson Jr., Chairperson, CUNY Board of Trustees and Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor invite you to join CUNY Day of Remembrance on Tuesday, May 17. There is a breakfast at 9 a.m. with a program starting at 10 a.m. at the Great Hall at The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue in Manhattan. Please RSVP by Monday, May 16. If you cannot attend in person, the program will be livestreamed.

BMCC Students Can Receive Free Bag of Produce  Currently registered BMCC students can receive a free bag of fresh produce, thanks to a partnership between the New York City Council, CUNY and Grow NYC. The produce distribution will take place on Tuesdays through June 21 between 12 and 3 p.m. Students must sign up in advance by clicking the registration link and completing a brief survey.

BMCC Panther Pantry Assists Students Facing Food Insecurity  BMCC students facing a food emergency are encouraged to visit the Panther Pantry and take home pre-packed bags of nutritious, non-perishable food. The pantry distributes bags of food, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hot meals are distributed Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230. For more information, contact the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) at arc@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8195.

Enrollment

Summer and Fall 2022 Advisement and Registration is Open
Faculty and staff, please encourage students to schedule a Zoom meeting with their advisor to discuss their academic progress and registration. Things to know: All students must meet with their advisor before registering. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialists on Zoom. When choosing classes on CUNYfirst, students should pay close attention to the class meeting mode (in-person, online or hybrid), as well as the class session (15, 8 or 7 weeks). Students attending in-person or hybrid classes must upload proof of vaccination. For more information, visit the Registration page or contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Admissions is Back in the Swing with In-Person Events  
The Admissions and Recruitment team is reintegrating on-campus Tours and Information Sessions. Campus Tours will be offered Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. and the Information Sessions at 3 p.m. Be on the lookout for new and friendly faces around campus. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Making Headlines

BMCC alumna, current Kaplan Educational Foundation Executive Director Nolvia Delgado profiled
May 5, 2022—The Business Journals

Human Resources

Mandatory Trainings for Full- and Part-Time Staff and Faculty
The Office of Human Resources continues to host ESPARC (Employee Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course) and WPV (Workplace Violence Prevention) trainings during the Spring 2022 semester. For dates, times and to reserve a spot, please visit the Human Resources Training and Development page.

Enjoy Healthy Tips and Move More! Visit the WorkWell May Calendar for tips and activities to relax, be creative, build wellness and more. Also, WorkWell Digital provides Healthy Tips and recipes, as well as virtual yoga, stretching, cardio classes and more through June.

Filing Now Open for CUNY Office Assistant and Promotion to Supervisor Exams 
The filing for Promotion to Supervisor, Exam #2068 is open with a fee of $68 now through June 8 (with testing June 27 through June 30) for employees who hold a permanent (not provisional) competitive appointment for the title of Maintenance Worker (90698). The filing for CUNY Office Assistant Open Competitive, Exam #2069 is also open, now through June 7 (with testing June 15 through June 29) and with a fee of $47. Applications for these exams will not be accepted at the BMCC or any CUNY Human Resources office, or at 395 Hudson Street. Applicants are encouraged to apply via Exams Xpress.

Mental Health Month: Find Support through CCA@YourService  
May is Mental Health Month, sponsored by Mental Health America (MHA), and highlights how important mental health is to personal success, positive relationships, physical health and overall well-being. You'll find a wealth of helpful information on the CCA@YourService webpage. Use the Company Code: CUNY.

Donors and Alumni

Save the Date: BMCC "Invest in a Future" Gala, October 27
The BMCC Foundation is pleased to present the college's most important fundraising event — BMCC's "Invest in a Future" Gala, scheduled October 27, 2022 (6 p.m., cocktail hour; 7 p.m., program). This year's theme is "Empowering Student Success," and the event will raise funds for student scholarships. To learn more about the Gala, send an email to: advancementevents@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Swing into Spring – Invest Today!
When you invest in a BMCC student you are investing in a future leader. Your generosity will support student scholarships and enhance the college experience for our current and future scholars.  Spring into action with a gift and invest in our students, today.  Your gift, of any amount will enrich programming, bridge the academic gap, and boost the trajectory of our students’ futures.  As an BMCC friend or alumni you know the value of a BMCC education—helping students graduate and move on to fulfilling their potential of being future leaders. INVEST TODAY!

For more information on supporting BMCC and our students, please visit Ways to Give or email the Office of Institutional Advancement at advancement@bmcc.cuny.edu

Calendar

Assessment Day Colloquium
May 13

Applied Studies Music Students Recital
May 16

Admissions Spotlight, Academic & Career Communities: Health Professions, Communications and Media
May 17

Coffee, Startups and Innovation
May 18

In-Person Admissions Information Session
May 18

Connect with BMCC

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Faculty and staff: Submit items for consideration in an upcoming @BMCC to publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu by 12 noon, Wednesday.