News

Higher Education Leaders Meet at BMCC for HACU on the Road Event
On Tuesday, February 25, BMCC hosted the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) on the Road event, “Destination: Higher Education Success,” in BMCC’s Fiterman Hall Conference Center. The event brought together over 100 members of the higher education and workforce development community for a presentation from HACU President Antonio R. Flores and a speaker program including BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe.

Economic Development Corporation Assistant VP Featured Speaker at Women in STEM Event
Mikko Baylosis, an Assistant Vice President at New York City Economic Development Corporation was the keynote speaker at a special forum exploring career opportunities in STEM fields on February 26 at Fiterman Hall Conference Center. Students who attended the event learned about research opportunities at BMCC and had the opportunity to network with faculty and other students. The forum is the first of many planned events as part of the College’s Women in STEM initiative.

Civic Leadership Students Make Case for CUNY Funding in State Capitol
Four students who are part of BMCC’s Civic Leadership Program traveled to the State Capitol in Albany on February 25 where they met with elected leaders to discuss college and career goals and advocate for increased funding for CUNY and BMCC. The students met with staff from the Office of Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, State Senators Brian Kavanagh and Robert Jackson, and Assemblymember Deborah Glick. They were accompanied by BMCC Director of Government and Community Relations Doug Israel. Among the topics discussed were increased funding for a CUNY-wide student well-being initiative, the hiring of additional career and academic advisors, and funding for a pilot program to provide free MetroCards to vulnerable students. The Civic Leadership Program is sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs. For more information, contact disrael@bmcc.cuny.edu.

TV Journalist Cheryl Wills and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Director Joy Bivins Deliver Powerful Presentations at Afrikan Heritage Luncheon
Members of the BMCC community filled the Fiterman Hall Conference Center on February 27 for the Afrikan Heritage Month inaugural luncheon featuring two powerful speakers—Joy Bivins, Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Cheryl Wills an Emmy Award-winning journalist and author. “My interest in Black history and interpreting Black history has always been grounded in the fact that I think we need to control our narratives,” said Bivins. “We need to control the stories that are told about who we are.” Wills told the story of her great-great-great grandfather Sandy Wills, a formerly enslaved person in Tennessee, who served in the Civil War with the United States Colored troops, died in 1889, and was buried in an unmarked grave. Through ancestry research, Wills traced the roots of her family tree and discovered Sandy Wills’ military records and the location of his grave site in Haywood County, Tenn. “A civil war veteran who served this country during a seminal event in this country’s history is buried under leaves and debris. I find it unacceptable.” Wills hired an archeology team to find and exhume his remains, and in 2024, Army Private Sandy Wills was buried with full military honors at the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery in Memphis.

ER Physician, Author and Founder of Kings Against Violence Initiative Speaks at BMCC
BMCC hosted Dr. Robert Gore, an emergency room physician, who founded the Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI) on February 26 at 199 Chambers St. Attendees of the Afrikan Heritage Month event all received copies of Dr. Gore’s book, “Treating Violence: An Emergency Room Doctor Takes on a Deadly American Epidemic.” Dr. Gore discussed the critical work of healing communities that have been traumatized by gun violence and solutions to stop the public health crisis that has affected generations of Black families.  Dr. Gore was named a CNN hero in 2018.

Small Business/Entrepreneurship Deputy Chair Shane Snipes Accepted into FDIB in Africa Program and AI in Education Research Hub Small Business/Entrepreneurship Deputy Chair, Professor Shane Snipes, was recently accepted into the national cohort of the 19th Annual Faculty Development in International Business (FDIB) Africa Program. The program—Understanding the Business Challenges of Sub-Saharan Africa—takes place this June.  Also, this past January, Professor Snipes was accepted into the AI in Education at Oxford University (AIEOU) interdisciplinary research hub. The hub offers opportunities to engage in research and collaborate in the AI and education field.

BMCC Names Anthony Alfaro to Lead Women's Basketball Program
Anthony Alfaro has been named the next head women's basketball coach at BMCC. Alfaro will be a head coach in NJCAA competition for the second time after serving as the head coach of LaGuardia Community College women's basketball program from 2013 to 2017. During his tenure with LaGuardia, he led them to the postseason multiple seasons including a CUNYAC Conference Championship and Region XV semi-final appearance. 

Making Headlines

Criminal Justice Professor Diana Rickard provides analysis of fundraising website for criminal defendant Luigi Mangione
February 21, 2025—New York Times

BMCC launches transfer agreement with Morehouse College
February 26, 2025—Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

Did You Know?

Announcements

Join Middle States Self-Study Kick-Off Event March 3
BMCC students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the Middle States Self-Study Kick-Off event on Monday, March 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers St. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) grants accreditation to over 500 institutions of higher education, including BMCC. This process ensures institutional accountability, self-appraisal, improvement and innovation through peer review and the rigorous application of standards within the context of BMCC’s mission.

Young People Can Get Their HSE While Earning Construction Industry Creds Let your communities know: The SUNY Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) at 165 W. 125th Street, 15th floor, NYC 10027, offers young people ages 17 to 24 a program to earn their High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma while gaining construction industry credentials. Share this link, so those interested can register for an information session on Thursday, March 6 for classes starting in March. If you have questions, contact MEOC Youth Build Project Director Michael Parker, Michael.Parker@man.eoc.cuny.edu, (212) 961-4348.

BMCC’s ARC to Host Immigration Information Session
The BMCC Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) has partnered with City Bar Justice Center, Fragomen, and CUNY Citizenship Now! to sponsor a free Immigration Information Session on April 9 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Currently enrolled BMCC students who are taking classes can find answers to general and frequently asked immigration questions during the session. No registration required.

Register by March 14 for Conference Empowering Women Professionals Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez invites communities across CUNY to attend the Career Compass for Women Leaders Virtual Conference, “CUNY Means Business: Empowering Women to Thrive as Professionals,” Monday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. RSVP by Friday, March 14.

BMCC Testing Office Moving to Fiterman Hall
The BMCC Testing Office is relocating from 199 Chambers St. to the Fiterman Hall lower lobby, effective immediately. They will be moving from S103 (testing office) and S106 (testing lab) to the Lower Lobby of Fiterman Hall.

Handshake: Student Career Connection Available
Handshake is BMCC's premier career services platform, connecting students and alumni with a wealth of opportunities.  Whether an individual is searching for internships, part-time jobs, full-time positions or simply exploring career paths, Handshake is a good resource. Job or intern seekers can claim their profile to showcase skills and experience and gain access to thousands of job postings and other resources. Handshake also allows individuals to register for career events, schedule appointments with Career Advisors and receive personalized job recommendations.  Handshake is a one-stop shop for launching a career! BMCC community members with questions about Handshake can contact Director of Career Development Robert Earl at rearl@bmcc.cuny.edu.

BMCC AI Literacy Day Coming March 28 BMCC’s Blackstone Launchpad will host the BMCC AI Literacy Day: Solving Local Challenge with People-first AI on March 28 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Richard Harris Terrace at 199 Chambers St. The event will feature keynote speakers and various workshops and opportunities for teams to pitch ideas before AI expert judges. Learn more here.

LinkedIn Learning Platform Now Available LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform designed to assist users with improving business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. The LinkedIn Learning video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by industry experts allows users to learn at their own pace. Available courses include Developing Presentation Skills, Learning Time Management Skills, How to Be An Effective Leader, QuickBooks Tutorials for Accountants, Adobe Creative Cloud Tutorials Web/Fashion Designers, AutoCad Tutorial for Engineers, Scripting Languages for the Application Developers and more. For more information, contact Leticia Dinkins, Instructional Computer Services Manager at the Learning Resource Center, at ldinkins@bmcc.cuny.edu.

The Moth Story Lab All-CUNY Workshop at BMCC in Spring 2025
The Department of Speech, Communication, and Theatre Arts will co-present The Moth Story Lab All-CUNY Workshop Series, a free workshop program where CUNY students—both undergraduate and graduate—can learn the art and craft of true, personal storytelling during the Spring 2025 semester. A series of in-person and virtual workshops will be available beginning in February. For a full description of the event as well as links and workshop dates, click here.

Free Flu Shots for BMCC Students
The Health and Wellness Center (HWC), located at 199 Chambers St., Room N-380 offers free flu shots to all BMCC students daily throughout the winter months. No appointment is necessary, just walk in. For more information, contact the HWC at HealthServices@bmcc.cuny.edu or call (212) 220-8256.

Students Facing Food Insecurity Can Visit the Panther Pantry BMCC is a member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance. Let your students know that if they are facing a food emergency, they can take home nutritionally balanced, non-perishable and frozen food items by visiting the Panther Pantry in the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC), 199 Chambers Street, Room S-230, on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Faculty and Staff: Do Your Students Work in K-12 or Daycare?
The LEAP to Teacher (LTT) program—a partnership between the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) and BMCC—offers free services to all (Pre-K to 12th grade) school and daycare workers pursuing a degree or certificate at BMCC to advance their careers in teaching or other fields. These free services include academic and career support, financial assistance, workshops on NYS teacher exam prep and more. To access the services, students must register online. Learn more here or contact Antoinette Adman, LTT Program Specialist, at Antoinette.Adman@slu.cuny.edu.

Enrollment

Spring 2025 Express Session—8 Weeks, Fast & Flexible!
A Spring 2025 Express Session is available from March 22 to May 22! This 8-week session lets students earn credits faster, but course options and financial aid may be limited. Encourage them to check with an advisor to see if it’s a good fit. Learn more here. Students can register on CUNYfirst or meet with a Panther Station Specialist on Zoom. For more information, visit the Spring Express page or contact Academic Advisement at (212) 220-8315 or aatc@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Join us at the Admissions Spring Open House, March 18
The Admissions staff is calling all future BMCC Panthers to step onto the main campus of 199 Chambers St. for a college experience at the Spring Open House on Tuesday, March 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. Prospective students and their families are welcome for a night full of activities, including a tour of our vibrant campus, information about financial aid and resources, support programs, and the opportunity to engage with our dynamic faculty to discuss potential majors and career paths. Faculty are invited to participate in the open house. This is a great opportunity to highlight your academic program and generate interest for enrollment. For more info, contact the Admissions Office at (212) 220-1265 or admissions@bmcc.cuny.edu. Learn more.

Human Resources

Register Now for Spring 2025 Professional Development Trainings
Campus Resources, Professional Development and Learning (PDL) in the office of University Human Resources provides professional development opportunities for Spring 2025.

• PDL Spring Courses. Provided through the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), these courses range from $75 to $150 per person and require supervisory approval. Register online.   
• DCAS Open Enrollment: Citywide training is provided in cultural awareness, management, technology and more.
• Refocus & Lead: A Manager Refresh. This training is for managers with two to six years of CUNY management experience who are nominated by their supervisor. It runs from March 15 to June 15. Register online by February 28.  
• New Supervisors Program (NSP). This training is for new CUNY supervisors nominated by their supervisor. The training runs from April 15 through September 15. Register online by March 7.
• Campus On-Site Training Requests. Custom training sessions can be requested through DCAS.

For full details, please refer to the Spring 2025 Professional Development Opportunities Catalog. CUNY employees who participate in professional development outside of PDL’s offerings are asked to log those activities on the Professional Development Tracking Form. Questions can be sent to University.Training@cuny.edu. 

Meet With a Financial Consultant on Campus Christian Hawkinson from TIAA will be on the BMCC campus to assist employees in person with investment planning, retirement and more. One-on-one appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street, Room N599P, on these dates: Wed., March 5; Thurs. Apr. 24; Wed., May 14 and Wed., June 11. Space is limited, so register online now or by calling (800) 732-8353.

Sports and Wellness

Duran's Career-High 26 Points Not Enough as Panthers Fall in Region Quarterfinals

Fitness Center Spring Hours
BMCC’s fitness center is open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about what’s available at the fitness center here.

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

Women’s Herstory Month 2025 Opening Ceremony and Brunch
March 5

Women in STEM: How to Conduct Research in STEM Careers
March 5

Connect with BMCC

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