September 19, 2025

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)

News

BMCC alumnus, Educator and Author Philip Berry Guest Presenter at Global Exchanges and Experiences Career Event

BMCC’s Global Exchanges and Experiences program hosted the Beyond Study Abroad: Envisioning a Global Career event, featuring a special guest presentation from BMCC alumnus Philip Berry—an educator, author, and leader, who is president of Philip Berry Associates LLC, former Vice Chairperson of the CUNY Board of Trustees, and Vice President of Global Workplace Initiatives at Colgate-Palmolive. Event organizers invited students who studied abroad this past summer and winter, as well as those applying to study abroad in Winter 2026. “Our goal was to have students reflect on their study abroad experiences and begin connecting those experiences to skills they have built that can be utilized on their résumés, in interviews, and toward their overall career goals,” said Sandra Cortez, BMCC Study Abroad manager. Mr. Berry delivered a presentation titled “Transforming Your Global Experience into Career Success.” His talk covered, among other topics, building global brands, storytelling, digital portfolio development, and creating a 90-day action plan. Students also received a copy of Mr. Berry’s book, Being Better Than You Believe: 8 Steps to Ultimate Success.

BMCC to Host Screening and Live Panel Discussion on LGBTQIA+ Rights focused Documentary “Heightened Scrutiny"

BMCC will host a screening of the 2025 documentary “Heightened Scrutiny” on October 28 at 6 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street in N452. The event will also include a live panel discussion featuring the film’s director Sam Feder and Kim Watson-Benjamin from the Office of the New York City Public Advocate. The film follows ACLU Attorney Chase Strangio, the first out trans person to argue before the Supreme Court, as he fights a high-stakes legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (United States v. Skrmetti). The event is being organized by BMCC Media Arts and Technology (MEA) Associate Professor Shon Keane and Academic Literacy and Linguistics Professor Perry Balmat.

BMCC Hosts HBCUNY Classic Professional Panel Discussion for High School and BMCC Students

As part of the fourth annual HBCU New York Classic weekend, BMCC hosted a reception and professional panel discussion for high school juniors and seniors, as well as BMCC students, on September 12 at 199 Chambers Street. (The Classic weekend culminates with the Howard vs. Morehouse football game.) The discussion included information about HBCUs as well as community colleges for prospective students. Attendees gained insights into some of the current realities of going to college or opting out; learned about key tools and resources to help make good decisions about post-secondary options; and explored strategies to help pay for a high-quality education. Among the featured speakers at the event were BMCC Interim Provost Dr. Liesl Jones and UMLA Director Dr. Ashtian Holmes.

Making Headlines

Kaplan Foundation celebrates latest college decisions for its 18th cohort, including four from BMCC
September 15, 2025—City Biz

Did You Know?

BMCC students, faculty and staff have free digital access to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal provided by CUNY Libraries. The college community can create accounts to access the free services at the links below:

For the New York Times, click here.
For the Wall Street Journal, click here.

Announcements

SAVE THE DATE—Middle States Town Hall

The town hall will include information about BMCC's Middle Staes accreditation process and feature a conversation with the President and team leaders. When: October 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. Where: Room N-452 at 199 Chambers Street.

Free Naturalization Clinic for BMCC Students – Register by Oct. 20 for Nov. 4 Clinic

The BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) will host a free naturalization clinic with representatives from City Bar Justice Center and Fragomen on November 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace. The clinic is designed to assist currently enrolled BMCC students who are Permanent Residents to complete a US Citizenship Naturalization application. Currently enrolled students who are permanent residents can attend the event. The deadline to register is October 20. To Register: Visit the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) Office at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230, email ARC@bmcc.cuny.edu, or call (212) 220-8195.

BMCC IDs Currently Available

BMCC IDs are currently available to all registered students and active employees at the Service Desk located in room S-141 of 199 Chambers Street, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, visit the Service Desk Knowledge Base.

BMCC Cafeteria and Fiterman Café Open for Fall Semester

BMCC Cafeteria at 199 Chambers St. is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Fiterman Café is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Handshake: Student Career Connection Available

Handshake is BMCC's premier career services platform, connecting students and alumni with a wealth of opportunities. Whether an individual is searching for internships, part-time jobs, full-time positions or simply exploring career paths, Handshake is a good resource. Job or intern seekers can claim their profile to showcase skills and experience and gain access to thousands of job postings and other resources. Handshake also allows individuals to register for career events, schedule appointments with career advisors and receive personalized job recommendations. Handshake is a one-stop shop for launching a career! BMCC community members with questions about Handshake can contact Director of Career Development Robert Earl at rearl@bmcc.cuny.edu.

LinkedIn Learning Platform Now Available

LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform designed to assist users with improving business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. The LinkedIn Learning video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by industry experts allows users to learn at their own pace. Available courses include Developing Presentation Skills, Learning Time Management Skills, How to Be An Effective Leader, QuickBooks Tutorials for Accountants, Adobe Creative Cloud Tutorials Web/Fashion Designers, AutoCad Tutorial for Engineers, Scripting Languages for the Application Developers and more. For more information, contact Leticia Dinkins, Instructional Computer Services Manager, at the Learning Resource Center, at ldinkins@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Enrollment

Join us at the Admissions Fall Open House- October 15

The Admissions staff is calling all future BMCC Panthers to step onto the main campus of 199 Chambers St. for a college experience at the Fall Open House on Wednesday, October 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. Prospective students and their families are welcome for a night full of activities, including a tour of our vibrant campus, information about financial aid and resources, support programs, and the opportunity to engage with our dynamic faculty to discuss potential majors and career paths. Faculty are invited to participate in the open house. This is a great opportunity to highlight your academic programs and generate interest in enrollment. For more info, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu. Learn more.

Human Resources

BMCC Health Fair — Your Wellness Starts Here

October 8, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Richard Harris Terrace
Join us for the BMCC Health Fair, a vibrant and informative event dedicated to your health and well-being. Whether you're looking to connect with health professionals, explore wellness resources, or discover services available to you, this is your opportunity to take charge of your health journey. Come with questions, leave with answers. Let’s build a healthier BMCC community together.

BMCC Flu Clinic — Protect Yourself This Season!

October 9, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. • Faculty Dining Hall
Stay healthy this fall by getting your free flu shot at the BMCC Flu Clinic! Quick, convenient, and essential—this clinic is open to all BMCC faculty and staff.

Why You Should Come:

Free flu vaccinations
No appointment needed
Protect yourself and others

Let’s keep our campus community safe and strong. Stop by, roll up your sleeve, and take a simple step toward better health.

Annual Compliance Training Available Online

We are pleased to announce the launch of CUNY’s 2025–2026 annual compliance training program. All employees are required to complete their assigned trainings in Brightspace, the University’s new learning management system. This is the first year compliance trainings are being offered through Brightspace. We encourage all employees to log in and complete the required courses as soon as possible.

Required Trainings:

ESPARC: Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course
WVP: Workplace Violence Prevention Training
GBVT: Gender-Based Violence Training (Required for HR professionals and employees who supervise at least one direct report)

Deadlines:

Full-time employees must complete all assigned trainings by May 29, 2026.
Part-time employees, including adjuncts, must complete their trainings by May 29, 2026, or by the end of their employment for the semester, whichever comes first.
Employees who become inactive in CUNYfirst will lose access to the trainings.

How to Access Your Trainings:
You have been automatically enrolled in your required compliance courses.
To get started:

Log in to Brightspace
Go to the "Compliance" section under My Courses

New employees will gain access the day after their CUNYfirst record becomes active.

Resources & Support:

Thank you for your continued commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all members of the CUNY community.

Sports and Wellness

Men’s Soccer: Late Goal Propels Panthers past QCC

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Office of Public Affairs
245 Greenwich Street
(212) 346-8501