February 2025 Winners

Sau Chu (Jessica) Siu

Enrollment Bursar Specialist
Office of the Bursar

Last semester, a student came into the Bursar’s office after registration opened for the spring 2025 term and asked to speak with a supervisor as they had been unable to pay in full for fall 2024.

Sau Chu (Jessica) explained to the student that partial weekly payments could be made, bringing the balance down to $500 with a payment plan. The payment plan would include spring 2025 charges and help the student pay off fall 2024 and spring 2025 terms. This student is now registered for the spring 2025 semester.

“Helping open doors for students to continue their education brings me great satisfaction,” said Sau Chu, whose responsibilities in the office run the gamete from cashiering to resolving student issues related to billing and payments.

And Sau Chu quickly adapted to an online world during COVID.

“As a result of COVID, more students were paying bills online and the office no longer needed to accept cash. Sau Chu was given the responsibility of taking over all our third-party invoicing and posting of payments,” said Christine Francavilla, Enrollment Bursar Director, who nominated Sau Chu for the C.A.R.E.S. Award. “Taking on these new responsibilities meant continued training for all the agencies that pay for some of our students' education, including Local 1199 and the Department of Education. It also includes the preparation, invoicing and posting of all funds associated with Certificates of Residency from surrounding counties.”

More than 30 years ago, 19-year-old Sau Chu immigrated with her parents from Mainland, China to the U.S. where she has lived ever since in the “the world’s borough” of Queens.

Her aspiration was to become a higher education professional. In 1995 she enrolled at LaGuardia Community College where she received her associate degree in Micro Computer Applications and Systems in 1998. She received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Queens College in 2001. For a time, she worked at American International Group Inc (AIG) in downtown Manhattan as a payroll clerk and at the United States Center for Immigration Services (USCIS) as a Fingerprint Technician.

Her professional career in higher education started at Hostos Community College as a College Office Assistant on a temporary line for a few months before she transferred to Queensborough in 2008.

She started as a College Assistant in the Bursar’s Office. In 2014 she was promoted to Bursar Accounting Coordinator and then in 2017 as Enrollment Bursar Specialist.

“I am so fortunate to work with this office team in a very fast-paced environment, where we all play a significant role in helping students feel welcome and supported in what can otherwise seem like a stressful situation. It is an opportunity to remind students that Queensborough genuinely cares about its students' successful college experience.”

Naziat Hassan-Ahmed

Adjunct Counselor/Instructor
Counseling

Naziat recalls a student who came to see her and described feelings of depression, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts. Naziat stayed with the student while she contacted public safety and then utilized the College’s partnership with Northwell Health’s Behavorial College program to assess whether this student needed to be admitted.

“In this case medication and outpatient treatment was recommended and eventually the student felt well enough to return to campus. Our care and concern engendered trust and a willingness to continue well visits to the Center.”

Naziat is one of 11 counselors in the Counseling Center. The Center saw 957 students last year. Naziat sees between 75-91 students per semester. “The number of students who come to us for help has grown over the years. They struggle with loneliness, belonging, and world events. Added to this mix are juggling family and job responsibilities while staying on track to get their degree. It is vital to project empathy, open-mindedness, and warmth. We welcome everyone, whether they have an appointment or are walk-ins.”

“Naziat is an empathic clinician whose personal mission is to shed light on mental health as it relates to culturally entrenched negative beliefs,” said Chanpreet Singh, Director of the Counseling Center, who nominated Naziat for the C.A.R.E.S. Award. “She works with student groups promoting wellness activities and represented the Counseling Center at events such as QCC Day in both the Spring of 2023 and 2024. In spring 2023, she took a leadership role in organizing and coordinating Winter Wellness and Healthy Living Day, two semesterly events dedicated to students for de-stressing and unwinding as the semester ends.”

Naziat was born in Bangladesh and although she was just a child when she emigrated to the U.S., she is aware of her country's stigma surrounding mental health. “Of course, stigma is not limited to my home country. There are misconceptions in many communities. My goal is to help destigmatize mental health here at the College, in schools and mosques, and other facilities.”

She is a CUNY graduate having received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and mental health counseling from Queens College and her master’s degree in the same areas of study from Hunter College. She was hired at Queensborough in January 2020 as a part-time Adjunct Counselor/ Licensed Mental Health Counselor. 

And her own practices to reduce stress?

“I practice mindful breathing, journaling, identifying fight or flight triggers. Sometimes I just take a walk. But what really gives me strength is gratitude. Gratitude for things we should not take for granted, like nutritious food to eat and a home to keep us safe and warm and my wonderful children who are so close to my heart.” 

Naziat’s dedication to her field and the well-being of Queensborough’s students have earned her several prestigious recognitions. She received the Mosaic Fund twice and encouraged students to share their stories and how they overcame hurdles to attain success. Naziat’s commitment to providing culturally appropriate counseling and teaching was further demonstrated through the completion of ACUE courses: Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning Spring (2023) and Effective Teaching Practices in Person (Fall 2023- Spring 2024). Lastly, Naziat is a recent awardee for the CUNY Adjunct Incubator program.