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Dear York College Family and Friends,

This October, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, a two-time CUNY alumna, inspired our students, faculty and staff with her story of perseverance and passion. In 2018, Assembly Member Cruz made history as the first formerly undocumented immigrant who identifies as a Dreamer to be elected to the New York State Assembly. Originally from Columbia, she said that it was watching her mother raise four children single-handedly, while working seven days a week, that drove her to devote her career to making the world more equitable for all. With a bachelor's from John Jay College and a J.D. from CUNY Law, since taking office, she has led legislative efforts to address food insecurity, health care costs, protecting aging New Yorkers, and so much more. Before and after the Assemblywoman’s remarks, the campus atrium was filled with fantastic music by Carlos Jimenez and the students turned the atrium into a spontaneous dance floor.

Top: Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, York students dancing,

Bottom: Carlos Jiminez Mambo Vibes

In an annual tradition, York College provided our elected officials with a briefing on the College’s path and progress, which is continually strengthened by the generosity and insights of our legislative allies at the local, state and national level. The briefing is also an opportunity to thank our elected officials for their passionate commitment to York College and for all they do every day to champion educational equity for our students and for all students throughout New York and the nation. At the briefing were Congressman Gregory Meeks; Assembly Members Vivian Cook, Alicia Hyndman, and Khaleel Anderson; NY Senator Leroy Comrie; NY City Council Member Nantasha Williams; staff from NYC Council Member Selvena Brooks Powers and Speaker Adrienne Adams’ offices; and Dawn Kelly, York Foundation Board Member and founder of the Nourish Spot. We are always excited to welcome our elected officials to their home at York College!

Top: Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman, Assembly Member Vivian Cook, York President Bernecia Johnson Eanes, Congressman Gregory Meeks, NY Senator Leroy Comrie; bottom left: Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson; Bottom right: Foundation Board Member Dawn Kelly and Assembly Member Cook

Berenecea Johnson Eanes

President

Scholarship Students Present STEM Research

Four York College S-STEM Scholarship recipients attended the 2023 S-STEM Scholars meeting in Washington, D.C. The S-STEM Scholarship at York College is a grant-funded program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that awards scholarships to academically talented students majoring in computer science, chemistry, math or physics.

Two of the York Scholars also presented their research posters at the meeting. Chanael Decembre, a senior majoring in computer science, presented 'Wishful Identification Towards Influencers and its Effects on Consumerism Amongst Young Adults.' Jonathan Shields, also a senior majoring in computer science, presented 'Analyzing Optimization Techniques to Improve Time Complexity for Recursive Algorithms.'

Senior Terrence Coggins, majoring in computer science, and junior Julian Feliciano, majoring in chemistry, joined Chanael and Jonathan and all four seized the opportunity to participate in the conference’s robust program. The experience made an impression.

“It was a remarkable experience. Though the conference was only three days, it was packed with unforgettable moments that underscore the dedication of the NSF committee to expanding educational opportunities,” said Jonathan.

Chanael reflected,"I enjoyed receiving guidance and attention from numerous STEM professionals. It felt like being part of a vast professional network of people eager to collaborate. I've never experienced such independence before."

Julian appreciated meeting fellow students: "Making connections with other students was fantastic. We traveled around DC together, exchanging contact information for future opportunities."

Terrence shared, "I got the impression that the organizers appreciate the attendees and set out to encourage and guide us scholars along each of our own unique journeys in our academic careers and lives in general... and also, to let us have a lot of fun. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy myself, but I also walked away from the meeting more confident, and that some of the inspiration followed me back to York."

The York Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), York’s Accounting faculty, and alumni came together to bring Deloitte’s M.A.D.E. (Make Accounting Diverse and Equitable) to our campus! It was an incredible event where York students of all majors, and neighboring high school students, had an opportunity to network, learn and consider becoming one of the next generation of leaders in the accounting industry!

CARDINAL CLOSE-UP: Interning in Greece

Kelly MacDonald is a Senior pursuing a B.S. in Aviation Management. She serves as the York College Aviation Club President and is a 15-year veteran in General Aviation as a former Cabin Attendant. This past summer, Kelly interned at Athens International Airport (AIA) in Greece. 

What did you learn that will help you with your career path?

During the month-long internship, I had the opportunity to work in so many aspects of aviation management, including air cargo and ground handling, new development, operations and compliance, passenger services, security, scheduling and planning, catering, airside operations, ATC Tower, Terminal services, safety, engineering, and crisis planning, among others. This immersive learning experience gave me new and essential information to help me move forward in my career.

What was your favorite part of the internship?

I truly enjoyed the day in and day out on-the-job training I received at AIA. Showing up every morning and being part of this team was truly the best memory I have and will carry it with me on my journey. Meeting and working with new people in another country was also very rewarding. The staff at Athens International Airport were wonderful and so knowledgeable. They also love what they do, which is priceless. And, of course, my favorite part of the internship includes exploring the Greek Islands!

What would you like to do once you graduate?

First and foremost, I will be doing an online MBA once I graduate from York. I will continue my Aviation Career by going into a management area. I have excellent customer service experience and love to be around people. I will most likely continue my journey in General Aviation, as it's my area of expertise, but who knows where life will take me. I have interests in security as well as Airport Redevelopment Planning. I truly enjoy being involved in community events and public relations as well. I am open to many areas of aviation and not afraid to take leaps and challenges.

How has York’s Aviation Management Program prepared you for a career in the industry?

First, I would like to say that I could not have been readier for my new journey in aviation without the education I received from York College. The Aviation Management Program at York College provides the tools and education one needs to succeed in this career and the faculty go above and beyond to support students. The Aviation family here at York is wonderful and when I graduate, I will always remember my time with the faculty and students. As president of the Club I was glad to be of assistance to many young aviators starting their journey. No matter what path we all take in life, we all have one thing in common, “We love aviation”! It has been an honor to be a student in this program and an honor to serve as club President.

What advice do you have for current students?

To all my fellow students, take what you learn here and make a difference in the world. York gave me the opportunity to make a difference in my career, and I took every opportunity to engage in everything York College and the Aviation Management degree offered. York College has provided me with knowledge, strength, career readiness, internships, reassurance and most of all confidence in the skills I need to procure a job in Management.

We are thrilled to welcome new faculty – the largest tenure-track cohort in the last three years!

Alumni with Graduate Degrees in Clinical Trial Management Making a Difference

A York College Master’s degree in Clinical Trial Management is a gateway to one of the fastest growing fields. Students in this Master's program hail from undergraduate majors from all disciplines, including English, computer science, history, and biology. A central tenet of this program is to graduate professionals who use and advance their leadership, project management, and knowledge-building skills. Career options include clinical investigators, researchers, administrators, consultants, data managers, quality assurance managers, regulatory affairs managers, and educators. Two graduates share their experiences!

York Alumnus Nizam Talukdar (‘13): Clinical Trial Manager at Johnson & Johnson

Discovering a career in clinical research management turned out to be a fortunate turn of events for Nizam Talukdar. While working as a laboratory assistant processing samples at The New York Blood Center, he stumbled on a posting for a clinical research assistant position and applied. He landed the job, and his career dreams shifted: he saw the opportunities available in this new field—from working in private practices to hospital settings and pharmaceutical companies.

Read More >

Gabriel C’Blaise Ogbennaya (‘21): Clinical Trial Manager at Montefiore Medical Center

Gabriel C’Blaise Ogbennaya always knew he wanted to pursue a career in the health field. He grew up surrounded by health professionals including his mother, a nurse, and his uncle, who is a doctor. After obtaining an undergraduate degree in biology at York College, he set his sights on physical therapy school. But while waiting for that program to begin, he decided to explore York Master’s Program in Clinical Trial Management. Once he started the program, there was no turning back; he had found his calling.

Read More >

Introducing the Criminal Justice Minor

Professors Robin Harper, Jake Apkarian, and Michele Gregory, all of whom teach in the Behavioral Science Department, share their perspective on the power of York College’s Criminal Justice Minor, the only program of its kind at a four-year CUNY college in Queens.

The new minor is interdisciplinary, bringing together class offerings from all three programs in the Department of Behavioral Sciences: Political Science, Sociology, and Psychology. Levering the strengths of different disciplines offers students a unique opportunity to take part in a multidiscipline approach to the study of criminal justice.

Read more here >

Aviation and Aerospace Academy Launched

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and York College established a new Aviation and Aerospace Academy that will provide aviation-focused weekend and summer education and enrichment programs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for up to 700 students from grades 1 through 12. The program will provide Queens students from the communities surrounding the Port Authority's two New York airports with the STEM education, skills, and training to prepare them for jobs and careers at the airport and in aviation, airport management and aerospace technology. Applications for the Fall semester are now being accepted. The York College-based Academy is part of the JFKR Community Development Program and was developed based on discussions with the JFKR Community Advisory Council, co-chaired by Congressman Gregory Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.

Read more here for details and how your elementary and high school students can apply.

This year marks the 50^th Anniversary and we welcome you to join us on October 26^th to honor the impact, evolution, and influence of Hip Hop as “York College and Friends of York Celebrate the 50^th Anniversary." In collaboration with community partners and elected officials, we will honor the history of Hip Hop by displaying Music, Exhibitions, Fashion, Graffiti Artists, Dancers, Interactive Experiences, Panel Conversations, and more. Please save the date and sign up to receive details as they become available.

READ MORE MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS >

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