Queensborough Announces Inaugural Class of Friedman Transfer Scholars
Five Queensborough students have been named Friedman Transfer Scholars, a highly selective program at Macaulay Honors College that provides a seamless transfer to bachelor programs at Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, College of Staten Island, John Jay College, Hunter College, Lehman College, or Queens College.
Friedman Scholar Jada Thomas, who will graduate from Queensborough this spring said, “I was a returning student and needed a strategy to keep my grades up, so I created a plan with my transfer advisor that helped me take advantage of support services and develop a routine to balance studying with downtime.” Thomas, a Business Administration major, will continue her studies at Baruch College where she will major in Digital Marketing.
“Our inaugural class has maintained exceptional academic standards while fulfilling the rigorous requirements of Macaulay Honors College. Three of these students are New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) graduates who transitioned directly from high school, and two are Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members,” said Renée Rhodd, Director, Transfer Resource Center.
Students are recruited in their first year for the honors program. Once accepted they take Macaulay honors seminars and are offered summer tuition, immersive activities to study New York City culture, laptops (for students who qualify), and Metro Cards. Students also have access to opportunities for research, internships, and study abroad.
Thomas, who commutes to Queensborough each day from the Bronx, felt a special connection to an artwork located in the Schomburg Library of African American Culture where Langston Hughes’s ashes are interred. “There is a center piece on the floor that features a map of “lifelines,” places that speak to the last line in one of his iconic poems, ...my soul has grown deep like the rivers. This experience helped me forge a strong bond with my cohort. We each have our own lifelines and have shared a goal to get our degrees.”
Isabel Torres, another soon-to-be graduate and Business Administration major, said, “Since being named a Friedman Scholar, I have grown academically as well as personally. This spring I am participating in the Macaulay Alternative Spring Break in Montreal.” Torres served as SGA President, co-captain of the Volleyball team, committee member of the Food Pantry, and is an active volunteer in the surrounding community.
Congratulations to the additional Friedman scholars and soon to be graduates: Brandon Battle, Criminal Justice, as well as Monique Simpson and Angelique York, both students in Film & Media Production.
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