News

Track Stars, Volleyball Milestones, CUNY’s Biggest Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and More: BMCC Athletics Is in Top Form
BMCC’s new Men’s Volleyball team competed for its first season in the NJCAA Division III competition. Nineteen student-athletes were named to the Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, the most among CUNY two-year colleges. Lea Reimer and Tatenda Chikanyairo (shown above, L-R) were the Outdoor Track and Field Program’s first-ever individual qualifiers, and Reimer was the first-ever NJCAA Division III Runner of the Week. Not only that, she won the two-year individual CUNYAC Championship in women’s cross country while notching two first-place finishes—in both the Women’s Mile and 3000 meters events—at the 2024 CUNYAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. BMCC Athletics is thriving, and students, faculty and staff are invited to follow their wins and catch their games. 

Alumna Rebecca Panko Earns Ph.D. in Biology and American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowship at EPA
In 2009, after growing up in three national parks, earning a G.E.D. and exploring a career in fashion photography, Rebecca Panko enrolled at BMCC and earned an A.S. in Science in 2014. Next, she completed a B.S. in Biology summa cum laude from the City College of New York and a Ph.D. in Biology at the Federated Department of Biological Sciences (jointly located at The New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University-Newark) in 2020. Today, Dr. Panko is an evolutionary plant biologist who conducts research in the science of urban ecosystems. In 2022, she was chosen as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), hosted at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, Integrated Climate Sciences Division in Washington D.C.

More Than 70 MEOC Students Attend First Chat with Executive Director Anthony Watson
On April 16, SUNY Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) Executive Director Anthony Watson met with more than 70 students at 163 West 125 St. “In order to make progress and improve programs and services, we have to hear and include the people we are most impacting—and that is our students,” said Director Watson. The event provided a safe space for MEOC students to discuss ideas, after which they shared a meal together. “There was so much information about the next steps that I can take,” said Houda Ben Ayed, ESOL student. “The resources and opportunities that Mr. Watson shared were tremendous and will help me towards a successful educational journey at this school.”  

BMCC Theatre Program Presents “Pecong,” April 17- 21 at TPAC
The BMCC Theatre program presents “Pecong,” a 1990 play by American playwright Steve Carter. Set on a fictional Caribbean Island, the play tells the story of a sorceress who falls madly in love with a less-than-savory character. The play, directed by Professor Karl O’Brien Williams, opened April 17 and runs through April 21 in Theatre 2. Admission is free. For more information, visit the play’s webpage.

Student Symposium of Modern Languages Honors Cultural Legacies
BMCC’s Modern Languages program hosted its fifth annual student symposium, “Multicultural Legacies in New York City,” on April 17 at 199 Chambers St. After welcome remarks by Provost Erwin Wong and Modern Languages Chair Eda Henao, panels and presentations included student testimonies, a look at rhyming traditions across the globe and more. The day closed with a microstory contest award ceremony and a special guest performance by singer, composer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist and music teacher Aracely Sánchez.

BMCC Recognizes Honors Scholars
The BMCC Honors Scholars Program hosted a celebration of student excellence on April 17 at Fiterman Hall. The event recognized the academic achievement of students in the Honors Scholars program, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) as well as the Honors Contract and Achievers program. President Anthony E. Munroe welcomed attendees in a pre-recorded message. Guest speakers included Shellaná Henderson, Director of the Friedman Transfer Scholars program at Macauly Honors College (CUNY) as well as representatives from PTK. The event reaffirmed BMCC’s commitment to cultivating a community where excellence is acknowledged and celebrated.  

Book Talk Celebrates Collection Featuring CUNY Student and Alumni Narratives
BMCC Sociology Professor Deborah Gambs hosted a book talk on the edited collection, “The Children of the People: Writings by and about CUNY students on race and social justice,” April 15 at 199 Chambers St. Two BMCC alumni; Wanett Clyde and Jose Lopez, read from their essays at the event. The book was co-edited by BMCC Sociology Professor Rose M. Kim, College of Staten Island Sociology Professor Grace M. Cho and American Council of Learned Societies former fellow Robin McGinty. It features 30 personal narratives selected from 76 submissions by CUNY students and alumni that reflect on education and social justice. The book originated from a 2019-2021 Mellon grant, “Autoethnographies of Public Education and Racial (In)Justice,” which generated narratives through two projects: a writing workshop for CUNY students and alumni at the Asian American Writers Workshop and taught by Bushra Rehman, and an original play written by formerly incarcerated women who pursued college and post-graduate degrees at CUNY and formed an ensemble at the Theater for Social Change. 

Equity in Access: Disability Career Fair Provides Resources and Support
The Office of Accessibility and Center for Career Development partnered to create BMCC’s first Equity in Access career fair on April 17 in Fiterman Hall. The event connected job seekers to disability-centered career development tools as well as employers committed to inclusive recruitment and hiring. In the spirit of disability inclusivity, the career fair also featured a respite space staffed by Office of Accessibility and Center for Career Development professionals as well as IMPACT Peer Mentors. Eight employers and agencies including Lego and Marriot International participated in the event.

Crowds Attend Student Art Show Opening
The Art Foundations program in the Music and Art Department at BMCC and the Shirley Fiterman Art Center hosted an opening reception for the student art show April 16 at 81 Barclay St. The exhibition features the work of close to 300 student artists working in a wide range of mediums. The exhibition will be on display through May 11. For more information about the Shirley Fiterman Art Center’s hours, click here.

Making Headlines

BMCC Theatre Program to present “Pecong” at Tribeca Performing Arts Center
April 17, 2024—Broadway World

Joy B. Toliver named Assistant VP for Legal Affairs and Labor Relations
April 16, 2024—Diverse Issues in Higher Education

Student Success Story

Announcements

Encourage Students to Apply for BMCC Foundation Scholarship by April 21
Student applications for the BMCC Foundation Scholarship will be accepted through 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 student applicants 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 that time. Learn more here or contact Scholarship and Special Services Manager Sussie Gyamfi, sgyamfi@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Cafeteria closed for Spring Break BMCC’s MBJ cafeteria located on the second floor at 199 Chambers St. will be closed from April 22 through April 28 for Spring Break.

Encourage Student Filmmakers to Submit to BMCC Film Festival: Deadline April 28
The BMCC Cinema Arts Club will present the Spring 2024 BMCC Film Festival on May 5 in Theatre 2 at 199 Chambers Street. Students can submit film projects of any genre—including animation and multi-camera studio TV production—through April 28. For more information, contact Anastassios (Tassos) Rigopoulos at arigopoulos@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Faculty and Staff Required to Complete Cybersecurity Training by April 30 Cyberthreats are a significant threat in the higher education setting. BMCC faculty and staff can reduce CUNY’s cybersecurity risk by completing a mandatory, 40-minute Cybersecurity Awareness Training course—available on Blackboard and designed specifically for CUNY—by April 30. The course covers risks such as phishing attacks and provides tips on how to protect CUNY accounts, apply best practices to safeguard personal data and more. Access the course from the CUNY Blackboard home page. Navigate to “My Organizations” and select the “Cybersecurity Awareness Training.” For questions or further assistance, contact the IRT Service Desk at userservices@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Join Now: 2024 Couch to 5K Step Challenge Leads Up to 5K on May 1
The Health Education Department and Division of Student Affairs are hosting a steps challenge through April 29 that leads up to an in-person 5K that starts in the BMCC gym at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1 and is open to all members of the BMCC community. Learn more here. Register here.

Faculty and Staff: RSVP for 2024 Commencement; Order Cap and Gown by May 1
Faculty and staff are encouraged to RSVP for BMCC’s 2024 Commencement Ceremony, which will take place at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Faculty and staff who are interested in sitting on the stage during the ceremony will be required to wear a cap and gown, which will also serve as an admission ticket to the ceremony. If you have yet to secure a cap and gown, please reach out to Jonathan Rosser via email at jrosser@bmcc.cuny.edu no later than May 1 for further assistance. To RSVP online, click here.

Learn to Identify and Apply Trauma-Informed Responses to Student Distress, May 3
On Friday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, guest speaker Dr. Janice Carello, Associate Professor and MSW Program Director at Pennsylvania Western University, will deliver a talk as part of the Joe Doctor Colloquium series on how to recognize signs of student distress, identify communication and pedagogical strategies that reduce stress, locate resources to support students’ well-being and more. Register online. 

Register Now for May 15 BMCC Annual Research Symposium
Don’t miss the 2024 BMCC Annual Research Symposium (BARS) on Wednesday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 199 Chambers Street. Keynote speaker and microbiologist Dr. Jenny Paredes is a former BMCC professor whose expertise is in the fields of immunology and oncology. She serves as a staff scientist at City of Hope, Los Angeles, dividing her time between research on the microbiome and training junior investigators. In the future, Dr. Parades plans to become an independent investigator and to study nutrition in the context of racial-cancer-disparities. BARS will showcase student posters reflecting their faculty-mentored research projects ranging from environmental science, immunology, business, engineering, computer science, economics, humanities and more. Register online.

Enrollment

Summer and Fall 2024 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: 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

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 May 9. To schedule a Zoom training, contact Lori Mazzola at lmazzola@bmcc.cuny.edu and include the training date and time you want to attend.

Sports and Wellness

BMCC Breaks into USTFCCCA Northeast Outdoor Track and Field Index For First Time In School History At No. 5

BMCC Falls on The Road to Suffolk C.C., Casana Moves Into A Tie For Seventh All-Time In Doubles

Follow the Panthers The BMCC athletic program leads eight varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For more news on the Panthers, visit the official site of BMCC Athletics, and follow the Panthers on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Calendar

Paramedic Program Information Session
April 21

National Safety Council CPR/AED & First Aid Train
April 22

Join Us for Weekly Yoga
April 23

Connect with BMCC

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