| October 17, 2025 |   |
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News |
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BMCC Celebrates CIEE Study Abroad PartnershipBMCC President Dr. Anthony E. Munroe, together with Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) President and CEO Dr. James Pellow, celebrated the one-year anniversary of the BMCC/CIEE partnership, which has so far sent more than 150 BMCC students abroad to cities such as Berlin, Kyoto, Cape Town, and Paris, during an October 15 luncheon at the Fiterman Hall Conference Center. Last year, BMCC was one of only four institutions nationwide selected for CIEE’s Leading Change initiative. The other institutions included Arizona State University, Northeastern University, and the University of California, San Diego. Each pledged to match CIEE’s $1 million contribution, creating a total $8 million investment in student global access. During his opening remarks, Dr. Munroe called CIEE’s grant “a powerful statement of belief in our institution and our students, many of whom, despite their incredible talent and drive, have historically faced financial and logistical barriers to international experiences. This grant has allowed us to accelerate our global engagement initiatives, aligning perfectly with BMCC’s mission to provide an accessible, high-quality education that prepares our diverse student body for success in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.” Dr. Pellow paid tribute to Dr. Munroe, recalling his earlier vision to make BMCC the nation’s leading global two-year college. “We want to do it from top to bottom,” Dr. Pellow recalled the president saying. “Here we are celebrating this organization executing on that vision.” 
BMCC Music Students Get a Masterclass in Jamaican Dancehall MusicSounds of tight percussion echoed throughout BMCC’s Fiterman Hall on October 9 as students and professors from Kingston, Jamaica’s Alpha School of Music led a joyous and fascinating interactive workshop on Dancehall music for students in the BMCC Music Program. The special event was the result of a partnership between BMCC and the Alpha School of Music formed this past June. The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by BMCC President Dr. Anthony E. Munroe and Alpha School of Music Director Gay Magnus, marked a significant step in expanding global music education, cultural exchange, collaboration opportunities, and youth development for both schools. The Dancehall workshop collaboration at BMCC was made possible by the Consulate of Jamaica and Consul General to New York, Alsion Wilson, as well as Jamaica Nice and VP Records. In addition to Director Magnus, Alpha Institute Administrator Margaret Little Wilson; Founder of the True Tribute Organization (and 1978 BMCC alumnus) LeRoy Graham Jr.; and Patricia “Miss Pat” Chin, co-founder of the world’s largest reggae record label, VP Records, attended the event. Earlier in the afternoon, the BMCC Student Choir, led by Music Program Chairperson and Professor, Dr. Eugenia Oi Yan Yau, welcomed the guests by performing renditions of the songs “William Tell Overture” and “Baby Shark,” which brought smiles and laughter from the Alpha ensemble. The BMCC students closed their performance with “If Music Be the Food of Love” and, finally, “My Funny Valentine.” 
Delegation Led by Saint Lucia Consul General Visits BMCCA delegation from the Millennium Heights Complex in Saint Lucia, led by Consul General of Saint Lucia, Jeremiah Hyacinth, met with BMCC President, Dr. Anthony E. Munroe and members of his leadership team on October 15 at Fiterman Hall. The purpose of the visit was to explore avenues for partnership and to further strengthen relations. Consul General Hyacinth is a BMCC alumnus who was student government president during the 2001-2002 academic year. 
BMCC Inducts 30 New Scholars into Out in Two ProgramBMCC celebrated the induction of 30 students into the Fall 2025 cohort of the College’s Out in Two Scholarship program on October 15 at Fiterman Hall. Out in Two is a donor-funded, in-house scholarship cohort program. Since its inception in 1999, more than 90 percent of BMCC’s Out in Two Scholars have transferred to prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, and Cornell University, as well as CUNY colleges including Baruch, Hunter, and others. They are often selected as valedictorians and awarded prestigious scholarships, such as the Jack Kent Cooke award to continue their studies. “Many of our scholars also take on leadership roles—serving as mentors, supplemental instructors, tutors, and active members of student government and Phi Theta Kappa,” said Out in Two Program Director Maria Ramirez. “These accomplishments truly speak for themselves. But what continues to move me most is how much our scholars care, not just about their own goals, but about each other and their communities.” Out in Two Scholars are awarded $1,600 per semester for their remaining three semesters and commit to graduating from BMCC within two years of their first semester. 
BMCC Hosts French Business Students for BMCC Launchpad Innovation SprintBMCC hosted 26 students from the Lycée René Descartes School of Business and Management in Rennes, France, BMCC Launchpad International Innovation Sprint on October 10 in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. BMCC Vice President of Enrollment Management, Dr. Sanjay Ramdath, welcomed the French students and faculty and thanked the event’s organizers, BMCC Small Business Entrepreneurship (SBE) Deputy Chair and Professor Shane Snipes and SBE Professor Monika Mitchell, for their innovative projects. During the first half of the event, six teams of about eight students, typically four or five from BMCC and two or three from Lycée René Descartes, worked with one faculty member from either school to formulate and refine conceptual product ideas. Faculty challenged students with questions to encourage critical thinking, and teams strengthened their concepts by running their designs through ChatGPT. Professor Snipes explained that the event gave students an opportunity to use AI to build stronger business models. 
BMCC Science Café Explores the Science of StressBMCC’s Office of Research hosted a Science Café focused on the Science of Stress as part of the College’s Women in STEM initiative on October 14 in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers Street. As part of the event, students from the BMCC NeuroPsychology Lab conducted a live EEG brain scan demonstration on volunteers, showing real-time brainwave activity on a screen. The display illustrated how stress and relaxation alter neural rhythms—from fast, high-frequency patterns to slower, calmer waves. An EEG (electroencephalography) measures the brain’s natural electrical signals through sensors placed on the scalp. On the screen, these appear as moving lines—fast, jagged waves when the brain is alert or stressed, and slower, smoother rhythms when relaxed. BMCC’s NeuroPsychology Lab, led by Dr. Oksana Sivkovich Fagin, provides BMCC students with hands-on research experience in cognitive neuroscience and EEG methodology. The lab’s primary goal is to prepare students—many of whom are STEM Psychology or Science majors—for transfer to senior colleges and professional neuroscience laboratories, equipping them with foundational skills in EEG-based research. As the EEG demonstration took place, Dr. Edi Peterson from the Counseling Center presented a biofeedback session, allowing students to observe how heart rate variability and breathing patterns respond to changes in stress levels. Interim Provost, Dr. Liesl B. Jones, a neuroscientist herself, attended the event and spoke with students about scientific careers, encouraging them to pursue advanced study in neuroscience and STEM. She also discussed coping mechanisms for managing stress. Over the past decade, stress among college students has remained persistently high. Surveys from the American College Health Association show that about 70 to 80 percent of students report moderate to high stress levels, peaking during the pandemic and only slightly declining since. It was exciting to see students connect science and stress—watching the brain’s electrical patterns and heart rate variability change in real time,” said Dr. Sivkovich Fagin. “The live EEG and biofeedback demonstration made neuroscience tangible and engaging, turning abstract ideas into something personal and accessible.” 
Student Health and Wellness Fair a Big SuccessMore than 200 students attended BMCC’s Health and Wellness Fair on October 16 in Richard Harris Terrace. Around $140 in “NYC Health Bucks” were distributed to promote healthy eating. Several students scheduled flu shots and others participated in HIV/STD screenings provided by Mount Sinai Health System and Harlem United. More students registered for the nutrition classes and wellness coaching through Get Fit, Eat Well, as part of BMCC’s Stay Healthy Program. “This event was yet another outstanding example of collaboration between BMCC’s dedicated leaders and community wellness vendors, working together to support student health and well-being,” said Darin Soliman, BMCC Health and Wellness Manager. |
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Making Headlines |
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Alpha School of Music Delivers Masterclass on Dancehall Music at BMCCOctober 16, 2025—Caribbean Life BMCC among New York State institutions waving application feesOctober 8, 2025—The Hill |
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Did You Know? |
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October 17 is National Mammography Day—a day that serves as a reminder and encouragement to women to get screened for breast cancer through receiving a mammogram. |
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Announcements |
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BMCC Community Invited to Middle States Town Hall on October 21BMCC faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in a Middle States Town Hall on October 21 from 1 to 3 p.m., in Room N-452 at 199 Chambers Street. Questions can be submitted prior to the event here. The Middle States Self-Study Core Team has organized this event to acquaint the BMCC community with the Middle States accreditation processes that define the College as an institution. Please register here to attend the Town Hall. 
Bestselling Author Doug Jones Discusses his book The Fantasies of Future Things October 23BMCC community members are invited to an in-person discussion with author Doug Jones on October 23, from 5 to 7 pm in Room N 452 at 199 Chambers Street. In this “gorgeously compassionate” (Tayari Jones, New York Times bestselling author of An American Marriage) debut reminiscent of Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, two men in Atlanta reconcile their human dignity against the price of their professional ambitions working for a real estate development company displacing Black residents in preparation for the 1996 Olympics. For more information, click here. Alert from BMCC Public SafetyPublic Safety has been made aware of recent incidents involving scammers targeting students in the Greenwich Street and Chambers Street area. These individuals are reportedly approaching students with false promises of job opportunities or employment information and demanding cash in exchange. Public Safety advises that:
Free Naturalization Clinic for BMCC Students – Register by Oct. 20 for Nov. 4 ClinicThe BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) will host a free naturalization clinic with representatives from the 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 AvailableBMCC 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.
Call for Proposals: BMCC Transitions and Transactions ConferenceBMCC’s English department invites faculty to submit paper and panel proposals for “Transitions and Transactions VIII: Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, and the Classroom,” scheduled for April 17-18, 2026. The Transitions and Transactions conference is dedicated to helping community college teachers of literature flourish and excel as they envision, invent and expand ideas. The deadline for submissions is November 15. For more information, visit the event’s web page. |
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Human Resources |
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BMCC Health Fair — Your Wellness Starts Here November 3November 3, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Richard Harris Terrace Annual Compliance Training Available OnlineWe 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:
Deadlines:
How to Access Your Trainings:
New employees will gain access the day after their CUNYfirst record becomes active. Resources and Supports:
Thank you for your continued commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all members of the CUNY community. |
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Calendar |
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Storytelling LIVES! Encore Performance
Modern Languages SymposiumOctober 29 Italian Heritage Month Celebrations KickoffOctober 30 |
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Connect with BMCC |
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