President's Report for May 2022

Enrollment Management Update

The Office of Academy Advisement continues to advise and register continuing students for the fall 2022 semester. We have also begun advising new, incoming Fall 2022 students on April 19. Many of our efforts this semester have been combined to create initiatives to retain more students. We have worked on a new Group Advising model for the last month and will implement it for incoming, first semester students. We have a dedicated advising team for new students during this enrollment cycle in order to improve onboarding and the group advising sessions.  This translates into giving more time to advisers with their continuing student caseloads. These efforts combined have been put forward to improve retention amongst the Academy students. In addition, all first semester students from spring 2022 have had an advising hold placed on their account and are required to meet with an Academy Adviser to register for courses. We are piloting this with a small group as an additional first year retention initiative. Advisers have also incorporated the texting platform Signal Vine with their caseloads as an additional means of communicating with their students.

 

QCC’s 61st Annual Commencement Ceremony

Queensborough Community College’s 61^st Annual Commencement Ceremony will take place on Friday, June 3 on the Athletic Field (rain location is parking lot #1). Outreach is already underway to fall 2021 and winter 2022 graduates as well as Spring & Summer 2022 eligible candidates for graduation. The last day for graduates to purchase their cap & gown online is Friday, May 6 (orders placed after this date will incur additional fees). Graduates must RSVP themselves and their guests no later than Friday, May 27. Additional information regarding this year’s ceremony can be found on the commencement website

 

Athletics

The Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field teams will be participating in the 2022 NJCAA Division III National Championships, which will be held Thursday, May 12 – Saturday, May 14 at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY.

 

Student Honors/Achievements/Accomplishments

Sophomore men’s basketball standout Khari Ojeda-Harvey has been selected to play in the 2022 NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game presented by the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches). He is one of six NJCAA Division III players from across the United States to be selected to play in the game, which will be held at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 14 at 4:30 pm PDT. This is the first time in school history that a Queensborough men’s basketball player has been chosen to participate in this prestigious all-star game.

 

Student Support Services/Resources

• Faculty and staff are asked to encourage our students to avail themselves of the valuable and free resources through the QCC Advocacy Resource Center. Services provided include (but not limited to) public benefits screening, financial coaching, legal assistance, tax preparation services, housing assistance, food pantry referrals, and more.

 

• Emergency funding is available to students who face a financial crisis that puts at risk their continued enrollment toward their QCC degree. Supported through a grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, the funds provide one-time, emergency grants to students in good standing with short-term financial emergencies to enable them to remain in school, rather than being forced to leave or drop out. Please refer students with short-term financial emergencies to Ms. Amawati Gonesh via e-mail at AGonesh@qcc.cuny.edu. Additional information can be found online at our QCC Scholarship Website.

 

• The Point Foundation LGBT Scholarship Program for Community College Students is the nation's largest higher education scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Point's multifaceted support of its scholarship recipients (“scholars”) extends far beyond direct financial contribution toward the cost of their education. Each scholar is paired with a mentor and participates in leadership development programs and events. To be selected for the scholarship, students are evaluated on academic performance and potential, financial need, their involvement in school and community, and goals for the future. This selective program aims to support LGBTQ leaders in their growth as student activists so that they can continue to inspire change in their communities both before and after transferring.   The awards range between $2,000 and $4,800 per year.  The deadline to apply is May 3, 2022.

 

• The Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity is not a traditional scholarship focused on rewarding academic achievement and financial need. Its specific goal is to reward and encourage innovative and creative problem solving.  The scholarship aims to honor students who excel as creative problem solvers and to help make their higher education goals more accessible. The award amount is $5,000 per year and the deadline to apply is May 3, 2022. Learn more about the Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity.

 

• The Finch College Alumni Community College Transfer Scholarship application period is open for all eligible female students. The scholarships, worth $5000, are awarded to second-year female community college students who will graduate from QCC at the conclusion of spring 2021 and transfer to a four-year university for fall 2021. For additional information, including eligibility requirements and application deadline, visit their website. The deadline to apply is May 22, 2022.

 

• The Family Fellowship Program, the largest scholarship in the U.S. available to current and former foster youth pursuing post-secondary education, is accepting applications from eligible students. The scholarship provides up to five years of financial support to assist with tuition, books, tutors, and more to assist students with navigating and eventually completing college.  Additional information on the scholarship can be found on their online FAQ at https://www.togetherwerise.org/family-fellowship/faq/. The application deadline is May 27, 2022.

  

Upcoming Events

• The Counseling Center presents a "Healthy Living Fair" to promote wellness in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. Destress and unwind with us as the semester ends. Find ways to bust stress and gain resources to add positive ways to help you achieve better social, emotional, and physical health.  We will host/engage in various activities throughout the week of May 2 through May 6. Please check the Events Calendar for updates and registration instructions.

OFFICE OF CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (CETL) AND THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (OET)

 

The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) will be hosting virtual training workshops for High Impact Practices in Fall 2022.  A call for participation and details will be announced soon. For implementing a High-Impact Practice (HIP), faculty are encouraged to sign up for the workshops on August 22-24. Faculty who are planning to integrate HIPs during Fall are requested to enter the information on the HIPs designation form in order to designate their courses on CUNYfirst. Please click here​ to complete the form.

 

Please visit CETL and OET homepages to see a complete listing of all upcoming events and professional development opportunities.

 

Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs

 

Grants Awarded – March 21 – April 22, 2022

 

Health, Physical Education, and Dance                            

CUNY University Dean for Health & Human Services: $2,500, Salis, Andrea & Assassi, Parisa; “IPE Curricula Integration Effort”                             

 

Physics

Simons Foundation: $4,149,994; Bellovary, Jillian; “CUNY Masters in Astrophysics Bridge Program”; awarded to CUNY Graduate Center (no funding to QCC) 

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation launched a fundraising campaign to raise scholarship funds for full-time Queensborough students for the 2022-2023 academic year. The Crowdfunding campaign is LIVE and will run until 5:00 p.m. on June 30, 2022. The Foundation will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made to the campaign!

 

A Tribute to Susanne Grossman:

Susanne Grossman passed away on October 3, 2021. She dedicated seventeen years of service to Queensborough in the Office of Career Services and touched many lives throughout her life. To honor her life and commitment to Queensborough and student success, a tree will be planted on campus with a plaque bearing her name. To make a donation in Susanne’s honor, please click here. The campaign runs until June 30, 2022. All remaining funds raised will be donated to the Lucille A. Bova Food Pantry on campus.

 

Annual Fund Campaign – 2022 Spring Appeal

Your donation to Queensborough’s Annual Fund will make both an immediate and life-long impact on our students who continue to grapple with the impact of the pandemic. Faculty and staff may choose to support faculty development, merit scholarships, the QCC Food Pantry, the Coronavirus Community Fund, or another key service or program that resonates deep within them. Click here to make an online donation to the Annual Fund spring appeal. Please make checks payable to the QCC Fund, Inc. and mail them to Queensborough Community College, Office of Institutional Advancement, Room A-508, 222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364.

 

Thank you for your continued support of our students!

 

Celebration of Service: - May 17, 2022 – Great Lawn

Each year, the College honors full-time employees who have served 20 years at the College in a full-time title. The Celebration of Service was put on hold during the pandemic. On Tuesday, May 17^th (rain date of Thursday, May 19^th), the College plans to honor those employees who reached their 20-year milestone, those employees who have completed 30, 40 and 50 years of full-time service, and adjuncts who have completed 20 years (40 semesters) of service in adjunct titles during these past two years.

 

The Celebration of Service will be held on the Great Lawn at 3:30 pm. An evite will be sent to the QCC Community.

Congratulations to all employees who have served our students and our colleagues for all of these years!

Art Gallery

Exhibitions:

 

April 27, 2022 – June 6, 2022
Juried Student Exhibition: Department of Art & Design

 

The Juried Student Exhibition displays a broad range of talent from the students currently pursuing their artistic aspirations here at Queensborough Community College. This is the fourteenth annual student exhibition held in the QCC Art Gallery. This exhibition will be on display through June 6, 2022

 

April 27, 2022 – June 6, 2022
Architectural Designs - The Engineering Technology Department
Art gallery - Exhibitions Details (cuny.edu)
A collection of architectural models embracing the talent and creativity of the students enrolled in Engineering Design courses here at QCC. The exhibition explores the techniques used to develop these models and architectural construction under the guidance of Professor Craig Weber.

 

 

Internship Program:

 

• The Gallery continues its internship program with in-person as well as virtual opportunities. The internship program demonstrates undergraduate research by providing unique opportunities for the individual to develop practical experience in the art administration field. The participating individuals continue to assist with the documentation of the permanent collection and incoming donations.
• Currently, the Gallery has two interns from the Gallery and Museum Studies Program through the Department of Art & Design. Interns are assisting with documentation of the collection and incoming donations while inputting work into the permanent collection database (Re: Proficio)
• The Gallery’s internship with Flushing International High School resumed this Spring and has two individuals participating in this program.
• The Gallery continues our virtual internship with Bayside High School and currently has one individual participating in this program.

 

 

Kupferberg Holocaust Center

 

KHC ORIGIHNAL EXHIBITION:

 

The Concentration Camps: Inside the Nazi System of Incarceration and Genocide

 

On View and Online:

KHC camps website

This original exhibition at the Harriet & Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center surveys the scope and brutality of the Nazi system of incarceration and genocide, underscoring the horrific consequences of intolerance, racism, and authoritarianism. In addition to the exhibit’s text, images, and artifacts, personal testimonies from local Holocaust survivors offer painful insights into these excruciating landscapes of degradation and dehumanization. This exhibit is curated by Dr. Cary Lane, KHC 2020-21 Curator-in-Residence and Associate Professor of English at QCC.

 

SPRING 2022 EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS SUMMARY:

 

The KHC welcomed its first QCC classes for in-person tours of the new Camps exhibit this semester. These tours were for 10 classes, in 4 academic departments, impacting 140 students.

 

In partnership with CETL, the KHC hosted a Professional Development series for a small cohort of faculty members with the theme “Cultivating Compassion in Practice.” This was the second half of a year-long series of workshops.

 

SPRING 2022 PROGRAMMING SUMMARY:

 

• During the Spring 2022 academic semester, the KHC presented 15 public programs including lectures, panel discussions, performances, and special commemorative events.

 

• There were 2 thematic program initiatives this semester, the Human Rights and the Museum series and the KHC/NEH 2021-22 Colloquium - Incarceration, Transformation & Paths to Liberation during the Holocaust and Beyond.

 

The Center was honored to have partnerships with 15 outside institutions who focus on the Holocaust and other human rights issues, including: Harriman Institute at Columbia University; the Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Academy at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; the Center for the Study of Genocide & Human Rights at Rutgers University; the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College; and the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center.

 

There were 8 QCC partnerships which were with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), the Common Read Committee, the Creative Writing Club, QPAC, the LGBTQI Consortium at QCC, and the departments of English, Art & Design, and Music. As well as 3 CUNY partnerships, including the Museum MA Program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies, The Department of Jewish Studies at Queens College, and the LGBTQI Consortium at the College of Staten Island.

 

• Public programs ranged from our International Holocaust Remembrance Day Virtual Commemoration with keynote speaker Dr. Robert Williams, Deputy Director for International Affairs at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum whose presentation was entitled: “From Awareness to Action: Confronting Antisemitism at Home and Abroad.”  The event had 661 registrants and was co-sponsored by 9 Holocaust Institutions in the greater NYC area, to a new partnership with the Common Read Committee to bring author Claudia Rankine, author of Citizen: An American Lyric to be in conversation with QCC faculty and students for an event that had 200 registrants.

 

• The KHC had 1,422+ attendees participate in our virtual programs during the Spring semester. *

 

* This number does not include the final 3 KHC events taking place after the submission of this report

 

 

To view all KHC public programs that took place during the Spring 2022 semester, as well as Fall 2021, and a selection of events from the 2020-2021 academic year, please visit: KHC Events website

 

 

Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC)

 

CASA (Cultural After-School Arts Initiative)

PS 280Q

May 9, 2022 through May 13, 2022

 

CASA (Cultural After-School Arts Initiative)

PS 193Q

May 6, 2022 through May 20, 2022

 

Allen Community Senior Center Arts Programming

May 19 2022 - Bobby Harden R&B

 

Young Israel Senior Center Arts Programming

May 26, 2022 - Elvis is in The Building

 

Thursday, June 16, 2022 – 7:00 p.m.  (Rain Date - 6/17/22)

 

A Disney Singalong Tribute – FREE CONCERT AT JUNIPER VALLEY PARK

 

The Disney Singalong Tribute is the ultimate Disney experience band for Disney fanatics of all ages. The band’s repertoire covers all 82 years of the Disney canon, including favorites from The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Frozen. The group performs in full costume with band members dressing up as characters from the films. The “Little Mermen” tour nationally to sold- out crowds of cosplayers and casual fans alike. Founded by singer/songwriter Alexis Babini, The Little Mermen throw enchanted events that are jam packed with nostalgic fun and sing-alongs. Hailed by BuzzFeed and Time Out New York as the premiere Disney cover experience, they’ve even won praise from none other than Disney.com and Alan Menken himself.

 

Thursday, June 23, 2022 – 7:00 p.m. (Rain date – 6/27/22)

 

Strawberry Fields – FREE CONCERT AT JUNIPER VALLEY PARK

 

Strawberry Fields is the closest you can get to seeing the Beatles perform live. These four (4) acclaimed musicians deliver a unique theatrical experience.  They take audiences of all ages on a chronological journey through the Beatles timeless catalogue. The use of costumes, and vintage instrumentation and amplification, delivers a truly authentic audio and visual experience. Strawberry Fields consists of cast members from the Broadway and touring companies of the hit musical Beatlemania. They have performed throughout the country and around the world, most notably at Shea Stadium, Citi Field, Fenway Park, and Yankee Stadium.  Strawberry Fields also holds a record for the longest running Beatles Show on Broadway, having performed its legendary “Beatles Brunch” for 19 consecutive years at BB Kings in Times Square, NYC.

The Food Pantry Will Host a Pre-Final Exams Food Distribution on May 12, 2022:

 

As a follow-up to its successful Thanksgiving Food Distribution, the Lucille A. Bova Food Pantry will be hosting its next event on Thursday, May 12th as an effort to provide members of the campus community dealing with food security the nutrition they need as they prepare for final exams. Creative Services will be promoting the event across various channels and will be on hand for the event to photograph and document the event. Details such as invitee lists are still being worked out.

 

The Collective:

 

At nearly 90 pages, the 2022 edition of The Collective, the student literary journal, showcases the diversity of student voices at our college by including original poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and artwork of our students. Its mission is to create community through creativity. Published annually during the spring semester by the Creative Writing Club and the English Department, this year’s edition will be available both online and in print in May of 2022.

 

College Now Videos:

 

Creative Services was asked by College Now to produce a short series of alumni videos to promote the program to eligible high school students across Queens. The first interview was conducted on Friday, April 22 with Chadayne Westney. Chadayne was fantastic and will definitely be someone that we reach out to in the future. He participated in (and interned at) College Now at Queensborough, was part of the ASAP & CSTEP programs, worked as a Tech Fee for Ralph Romanelli in IT, graduated from Queensborough with an AAS degree in Computer Engineering Technology (Dean’s List), and now has a BS from SUNY Farmingdale. Recommendations by two Queensborough professors helped him get two prestigious internships (while at SUNY Farmingdale) to Brookhaven National Labs. He is now a software engineer at TCS, a giant consulting firm, and under contract with Toyota, which is a wonderful accomplishment given that his dream growing up was to work in the auto/motorcycle industry.

 

 

Summer Registration Push:

 

Members of the Creative Services team including the design, student communications and media services areas, are working on a comprehensive plan to promote registration for summer, including postcards to be mailed to prospective visiting students, a strategic social media campaign targeting currently enrolled students, and various other communications.

 

UPDATE: Recruitment Initiative to Promote the College’s Medical Assistant Degree Program   

 

Planning continues for the upcoming series of video interviews of alumni to promote Queensborough’s Medical Assistant Degree Program. As a refresher, the Medical Assistant Program provides students with both clinical and administrative skills, thus preparing them to work in various types of healthcare settings upon graduating. Goals of the Program are to provide students with opportunities and experiences that open doors for them, such as internships and multiple certification opportunities. Our first in-lab interview is scheduled for May 2nd. On that day, our film and video team will be onsite to record Professor Chrisoula Kalogiannis’ BU-903 Medical Office Procedures class, which on that day will be learning how to use the computer application Medisoft, which simulates an electronic health records system. Students will create their own medical practice and enter all the data from the front desk down to the billing and reporting process. The goal is to do 4 – 6 alumni videos and 1 or 2 faculty interviews to round out the message.

 

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS

 

Queensborough Alum Tao Hong Wins Prestigious Soros Fellowship for New Americans:

 

Tao, who graduated Queensborough in 2017 and went on to study at Cornell, was one of three CUNY students to be awarded a 2022 Soros Award. The goal of the $90,000 merit-based scholarship is to assist immigrants and children of immigrants at critical points in their education. This year’s 30 Fellows were selected from more than 1,800 applicants across the country. The selection criteria focus on a student’s drive, creativity, intellectual spirit, and their commitment to the values at the heart of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

 

Hong was raised by his grandparents in Zhoushan, a small island city in the East China Sea. After graduating from high school, he worked in an auto repair shop to support his family and help his mother, who was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. Two years later he immigrated to the United States. As an adult student, Tao started studying English and engineering at CUNY’s Queensborough Community College where he reignited his childhood dream of becoming a college professor.

 

 

He explained that once he overcame the language barrier through Queensborough’s CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), he gained the confidence he needed to launch his academic career.

 

Reflecting upon his time at Queensborough, Tao stated, “Queensborough is about acceptance and encouragement. The faculty respect your background. Their support freed me to take my interest in research and discovery to the next level.” Tao is currently a Ph.D. student at the Interdisciplinary Material Science program at Vanderbilt University.

 

 

UPCOMING

Queensborough Alum Mateo Sáenz to Be Featured as the Next Profile in Our Humans of Queensborough Video Series:

 

After a 2-year break, we are ready to restart our Humans of Queensborough video series. The series taps the extensive talents of every member of the Creative Services team to put a human face on the experiences of being a Queensborough student: their backgrounds; the challenges they face to complete their degrees; and their paths post-graduation. Mateo Sáenz earned an A.S. in Biotechnology from Queensborough. He participated in the CUNY and Capital One Community College Innovation Challenge. His business hypothesis, Eagle-I—an autonomous robot designed to help emergency responders by using biotechnology sensors and artificial intelligence to find survivors and save lives—was one of the winning pitches presented at the fall 2017 CUNY and Capital One Community College Innovation Challenge. Mateo earned a $50,000 grant awarded by the National Science Foundation for his work. The grant allowed him to travel the country, conducting more than 100 interviews to hear first-hand what the biggest challenges are for emergency responders. His chief mentors were Dr. Christine Mooney, Business, and Professor Michael Lawrence, Engineering Technology. He traveled to California during the massive 2017 wildfires, where he spent days with firefighters, FEMA, the LAPD and the United States Air Force. Mateo, an Ecuadorian immigrant, is currently at John Jay studying Cell & Molecular Biology.

  

 

 Student Communications

 

Student Communications is supporting the mission of Career and Technical Education (CTE) by reaching out to continuing students to make them aware of the benefits of joining CTE. The benefits include offering students specialized courses, in addition to their required courses, and helping them participate in internships, engage with mentors, and practice what they are learning through hands-on projects.

 

CTE is an educational option that provides learners with the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for college and careers. CTE gives purpose to learning by emphasizing real-world skills and practical knowledge within the student's selected A.A.S. degree or Certificate program while they are at Queensborough.​