News

BMCC Welcomes Corey Cush as VP of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Corey Cush has been named Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at BMCC where he will serve in President Anthony E. Munroe’s cabinet. “Please join me in welcoming Corey Cush to our BMCC community,” said Dr. Munroe in a message to the college community. “I look forward to his contributions and leadership in advancing our institution’s technology initiatives and ensuring our continued success.” Mr. Cush brings a wealth of experience in technology leadership, having served for over two decades in various capacities that have honed his skills in IT policy development, project management and strategic planning. His expertise spans application lifecycle management, technology policies, compliance, data center operations and enterprise application development. Read more here.

BMCC Has 12 Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Semifinalists—the Most in CUNY and New York State Just in! BMCC has the most semifinalists in CUNY and New York State, for the prestigious Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. This year’s 459 semifinalists were chosen from a pool of more than 1,600 applicants nationwide. The BMCC semifinalists are Isabela Bandeira, Joely Castillo, Anthony Chimbay, Jaime Diaz Granados Almanza, Jeraldine Diyarza Flores, Kaya Fader, Shayla Jimenez, Anamelia Jourdain, Francis Koroma, Jasmin Lecadre, Dan Lin and Katarzyna Gawin. The finalists will be announced in May. Congratulations to BMCC’s outstanding scholars!

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander Visits BMCC
BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe welcomed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander to the College campus where he learned about some of the innovative work BMCC is doing to ensure student success and prepare them to enter the New York City workforce. Comptroller Lander toured the Allied Health Sciences labs where he met students doing EMS training exercises as well as students in the Data Science program. The Comptroller also met with students who are a part of BMCC’s student success initiatives, including UMLA, Conexiones, Project Impact, and IMPACT Peer Mentoring. Rounding out the tour was a stop at BMCC’s Panther Pantry, where he learned about efforts to help address food insecurity on campus.

Consul General of Panama Visits BMCC
BMCC was honored to host The Honorable Elias Levy, Consul General of the Republic of Panama in New York on March 13. Discussions focused on the changing landscape of international diplomacy, higher education, and prospects for collaboration. Pictured above (L-R) are Dr. Sanjay Ramdath, Vice President for Enrollment Management;  Dr. Daniel Katz, Director, Office of Diplomatic Engagement and Training; The Honorable Elias Levy; and Mr. Julio Izquierdo, Acting Vice President of Finance and Administration.”

Making Headlines

Music program lecturer MaKayla McDonald named artist in residence at Cedar Rapids Opera
March 8, 2024—Iowa Press Citizen

Announcements

Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb Keynote Speaker at Social Justice Week Opening Event March 19
The Race, Equity and Inclusion (REI) Steering Committee is hosting the 2024 BMCC Social Justice Week program—"Challenging Conversations: Building Pathways to Hope and Unity”—from March 19 to March 21 in Theatre 2 at 199 Chambers Street. Author, journalist and dean of the Columbia Journalism School Dr. Jelani Cobb is the opening event’s keynote speaker on March 19. In addition to Dr. Cobb, the three-day program will feature other dynamic speakers, student performances and film screenings that foster dialogue and connection. Learn more about the three-day Social Justice week program here.

BMCC Economics Day March 20
BMCC students are invited to explore education and career opportunities in the field of economics at this special event March 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace. Guest speakers include New School for Social Research Professor Clara E. Mattei, author of “The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way for Fascism” and John Jay College of Criminal Justice Economics Department Chair Geert Dhondt. In addition to discussing his research, Professor Dhondt will talk about the Economics program at John Jay College. Learn more about Economics Day here.

Mandatory Ethics Training Offered March 22 or 28
Pursuant to New York State law, all BMCC faculty and staff are required to attend ethics trainings every two years. BMCC employees can complete the training remotely via ZOOM on March 22 at 7:30 a.m. or March 28 at 3 p.m. To sign up for the training, click here.

Promotion to Supervisor Electrician Exam Accepting Applications Till March 26 CUNY employees only can apply through March 26 for a fee of $101 for Exam #4556, Promotion to Supervisor Electrician. The test date is June 18. For more information, read the full Notice of Examination on the NYC DCAS website.

Catch Cybersecurity Threats Before They Catch You 
Faculty and staff are strongly urged to complete a 40-minute, online Cybersecurity Awareness Training course, accessible via Blackboard. Completing this course will enable users to apply best practices in safeguarding their personal information as well as CUNY and BMCC data. Those who complete the brief course will gain tips on how to recognize and mitigate potential cybersecurity threats, including phishing attacks, spam and account breaches. To access the training, log in to Blackboard using your CUNYfirst credentials. Under “My Organizations,” click on "Borough of Manhattan CC Cybersecurity Awareness Training FY23-24." For assistance with the training or more information, please contact the Office of Information Resources and Technology (IRT) Service Desk at userservices@bmcc.cuny.edu, or visit 199 Chambers Street, Room S-141, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Encourage Students to Apply for BMCC Foundation Scholarship: Deadline April 21
Students are encouraged to submit applications for the BMCC Foundation Scholarship. The deadline is April 21. Eligible candidates receive up to $3,200 annually. To qualify, students must be matriculated, pursuing their first college degree at BMCC and maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Full-time students should have completed a minimum of 12 credits by the conclusion of the Spring 2024 semester, while part-time students should have completed at least 20 credits by the same period. Here are additional details. Contact Scholarship and Special Services Manager Sussie Gyamfi, sgyamfi@bmcc.cuny.edu with questions.

Transitions and Transactions Conference Set for April 5–6
BMCC in collaboration with the Working Writers reading series, New York College English Association (NYCEA) and Pennsylvania College English Association (PCEA) will host the seventh annual Transitions and Transactions conference April 5–6 at BMCC. The Transitions and Transactions conference is designed to help community college literature teachers navigate the evolving landscape of teaching and respond to the distinct challenges of diverse student populations as well as the dynamic demands of the profession. For more information, including registration, click here. 

Encourage Students to Run for Student Government Association Office: Deadline March 15
Current BMCC students are encouraged to run for office in the upcoming Student Government Association (SGA) elections. In addition to president, vice president and treasurer, there are a number of senate seats. SGA officers manage a budget and vote on boards that impact campus life at BMCC. Officers also receive a stipend. Learn more about the BMCC SGA here.

Civic-Minded Students Encouraged to Apply for Sen. Gillibrand’s Summer Internship Program by April 30
The New York City office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is seeking highly motivated, dedicated and civic-minded students to apply for the Summer 2024 internship program. Interested students are invited to apply here. Applicants must submit a current resume, cover letter, writing sample, letter of reference and transcript (unofficial accepted). Contact Gillibrand_InternshipsNYC@gillibrand.senate.gov for more information or questions.

Let Students Know: Free, Virtual Tax Assistance Is Available Through April 8 Staff from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will help currently enrolled BMCC students prepare and e-file their income tax returns in free, self-help Zoom sessions on March 11, 18 and 25, and April 1 and 8. Sessions are from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. The students will need an active email account, photo ID, social security number, proof of income, information related to claimed credits, their 2022 tax return and banking information for direct deposit. For details and to register, students can visit here.

Would Your Students Benefit From a Free Naturalization Clinic? Registration Deadline is April 11 for April 18 Workshop
The BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC), the City Bar Justice Center and Fragomen, a law practice, will sponsor a free naturalization clinic on April 18 at 199 Chambers Street, Richard Harris Terrace, from 2 until 5 p.m. Students who are permanent residents can attend the clinic and work with a licensed attorney in completing their U.S. Citizenship Naturalization application. The registration deadline is April 11 for the April 18 workshop. To register, students can visit ARC at 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230; email ARC@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8195.

Enrollment

Join us at the Admissions Spring Open House March 21
The Admissions staff is calling all future BMCC Panthers to step onto the main campus of 199 Chambers Street for a college experience at the Spring Open House on Thursday, March 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. Prospective students and their families are welcome for an evening full of activities, including a tour of the vibrant BMCC campus, information about financial aid delays and resources, support programs, and the opportunity to engage with BMCC’s dynamic faculty to discuss potential majors and career paths. Faculty are invited to participate in the open house and take advantage of the opportunity to generate interest for their academic program. For more information, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu. Learn more.

BMCC Continuing Education Program Offers CISCO Certified Education Program
Empower students to build a brighter future by sharing exciting job training opportunities available through BMCC's Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development. Encourage students to explore programs for Cisco Certified Networking, CompTIA A+, Hemodialysis Technician, and Medical Biller and Coder. Scholarships, career counseling and internships are available. For more information, visit www.bmcc.cuny.edu/nyct. 

Register Now for Spring Express Session
BMCC students can register for the Spring 2024 Express Session (eight weeks, 3/21 – 5/22). The session is ideal for part-time students or new and continuing students who missed registration for the regular 15-week session. Please note, there will be limited course offerings in the Express Session and some financial aid limitations. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station specialist on Zoom. For more information, contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu. 

Human Resources

Annual Step Challenge Is Back: Register by April 5
During WorkWell’s four-week step challenge, “Let’s Move NYC,” thousands of City employees will walk, run or roll towards their fitness goals and a healthier NYC from April 22 through May 19.  The deadline to register is April 5.

Gender-Based Violence Training Joins ESPARC and WVP Mandated Trainings

• The state- and CUNY-mandated Employee Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and Workplace Violence Prevention Training (WVP) are available for the 2023-2024 academic year. All part-time employees, including adjuncts, as well as full-time employees must complete both trainings by May 31.
• The state- and CUNY-mandated Gender Based Violence Training (GBVT) is required for HR professionals and managers with at least one direct report. Full and part-time employees notified by email about GBVT must complete it by May 31.

Human Resources will host pre-recorded, two-hour ESPARC and WPV Zoom sessions. Visit here to view the dates through April 25. To schedule a Zoom training, contact Lori Mazzola at lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu and include the training date and time you want to attend.

Calendar

Join BMCC’s ONE Reading Group
March 15

31st Annual Latino College Expo & Leadership Summit
March 16

Start Your Next Journey: Transfer Tools 101
March 16

Teacher Education Career Fair
March 19

Study Skills Workshop: Preventing and Overcoming Burnout
March 19

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