Message from the President

BMCC Community,

Juneteenth is a day in which we honor our roots, personally, as a community, and as a nation. It is a time during which we can continue to learn from our roots, our history, and emerge stronger in the future we are building together, at BMCC. Juneteenth recognizes the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On June 19, 1865 — two years after President Lincoln declared all enslaved persons to be free — a U.S. Army general rode into the town of Galveston, Texas and proclaimed freedom for enslaved individuals who had not yet experienced enforcement of Lincoln’s proclamation.

Anthony E. Munroe

Many of us have celebrated Juneteenth with our families and neighbors for decades, even generations. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2020, and at that time this important federal holiday became part of CUNY’s diversity calendar and a recognized holiday at BMCC.

At the heart of Juneteenth is delayed freedom and a delay in justice. Today, we see systemic racism and inequality across our nation. By employing education as an effective tool, we have the capacity to dismantle all systems of inequality to create a true democracy.

I encourage you to read more about the importance of Juneteenth, and how it relates to our collective struggles today with equal rights throughout our nation.

On Monday, June 19, as our tapestry of communities at BMCC reflect on Juneteenth in their different ways, let the triumph of Juneteenth validate our continued and tireless efforts to advance equity, socioeconomic mobility, and justice through the liberating power of education.

Sincerely,

Anthony E. Munroe
President, Borough of Manhattan Community College 

News

BMCC Celebrates Graduates at Inspiring 58th Commencement
Thousands of proud family members and friends cheered on graduating members of the BMCC Class of 2023 on June 8 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 58th annual ceremony recognized more than 3,600 graduates from the past academic year. More than 1,600 of those graduates participated in this year’s commencement event, each of them crossing the stage and receiving their diplomas as their names were called out over the arena’s sound system. View photo gallery.

BMCC Researchers Attend Workshop at Hudson River Park’s River Project 
BMCC faculty, staff and students participated in a workshop and information session at Hudson River Park’s River Project on June 13 at Pier 40, just across West Street from the 199 Chambers Street campus. Faculty and students toured the Wetlab aquarium and learned about research opportunities and potential collaborative projects.  Hudson River Park’s River Project conducts research and offers hands-on environmental education and scientific programming with the purpose of communicating the ecological importance of the park’s 400-acre estuarine sanctuary.

BMCC/CUNY in The Heights Hosts Career Fair with U.S. Rep. Espaillat 
More than 60 employers and community organizations were on hand for the Summer 2023 Career Fair on June 10 at BMCC/CUNY in The Heights. The event was co-sponsored by BMCC/CUNY in The Heights and U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat. The more than 600 job-seekers and college students who attended learned about job openings, internships as well as career and educational training opportunities. Tips on resume writing, utilizing LinkedIn, dressing for success, and a legal workshop for immigrants were offered throughout the day.  BMCC/CUNY in The Heights offers credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing courses during this summer and upcoming semester. Visit BMCC/CUNY in The Heights to learn more. 

Professor Brian Kelley Applies the Power of Advocacy to Support BMCC’s LGBTQIA Community
June is NYC Pride Month, and BMCC encourages the college community to take part in events at BMCC as well as Pridefest celebrations in Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Harlem and Manhattan. Pride Month is also a time to remind the college community about resources such as the BMCC Pride Center and services including SafeZone Training for staff and faculty who want to become better allies for the BMCC queer community. These institutional efforts in support of the LGBTQIA community are made possible by faculty and staff who lead initiatives, join committees and contribute support. One of BMCC’s most dedicated advocates for LGBTQIA students is Assistant Professor Brian Kelley, who authored courses at BMCC including “Critical Thinking: Inquiry through Queer Theories,” founded the college’s first Queer Communities Faculty Interest Group (FIG), created the BMCC Pride Mentoring Network, and has embedded what he refers to as “queer pedagogy” in all the courses he teaches.

BMCC Graduate Selected for New Leadership New York Summer Institute BMCC Small Business Entrepreneurship graduate Carlene Hunte-Nelson has been selected as a 2023 New Leader in The NEW Leadership® New York (NLNY) Summer Institute, scheduled to meet in person and virtually from August through December. The NLNY Institute, a program based at the University at Albany’s Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at Rockefeller College, seeks to educate college women about the political process and teach them to become effective leaders.

U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman Sports BMCC Jersey at High Profile Game U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman represented New York’s 10th district, where BMCC is located, by wearing a BMCC baseball jersey and Brooklyn Dodgers hat at the Congressional Baseball Game on June 14 in Washington D.C.

@BMCC Newsletter Going Bi-weekly for Summer
The @BMCC newsletter will be published on a bi-weekly basis from June 15 to August 17. Please note, our deadline for news tips or announcements is Wednesdays at 12 p.m.

Making Headlines

BMCC graduate who won Blackstone Launchpad featured in NY1 Noticias story
June 10, 2023—NY1 Noticias

Gesy Duran and Professor Shane Snipes interviewed for feature article
June 10, 2023—Diverse Issues in Higher Education

Did You Know?

Announcements

Understanding Multifactor Authentication for BMCC Email Accounts
BMCC email accounts now require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), a feature that provides an additional layer of security to online accounts. Here are more resources and information regarding MFA. Faculty and staff are encouraged to use this resource to better understand and make full use of this important security feature. 

MBJ Cafeteria at 199 Chambers Street Announces Summer Hours The MBJ cafeteria located at 199 Chambers Street will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The cafeteria will be closed on Fridays.

Enrollment

Summer/Fall 2023 Advisement and Registration is Open
Faculty and staff, please encourage students to talk to their advisor to discuss their academic progress and registration. Things to know: CUNY’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate has been lifted. Proof of vaccination is not required to enroll in college classes. All students must meet with their advisor before registering. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom. When choosing classes on CUNYfirst, students should pay close attention to the class meeting mode (in-person, online or hybrid), as well as the class session (15, 8 or 7 weeks). For more information, visit the Registration page or contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Human Resources

BMCC Closed June 19 in Observance of Juneteenth 
BMCC will be closed on Monday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. Employees work their regular un-extended hours Tuesday through Friday. 

Calendar

Admissions Information Session (In-Person) with Special Guest: BMCC Conexiones & Connections Program
June 21

IHOPE Program Information Session
June 22

Fall 2023 CUNY Start Information and Registration Session
June 22

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