News

Eleven BMCC Faculty Members Participate in Study Abroad Training in Costa Rica
Eleven BMCC faculty members participated in a study abroad development training program with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Monteverde, Costa Rica, from April 13 to April 19. The training—sponsored by the Office of BMCC President Dr. Anthony E. Munroe—is designed to enhance and expand the college's course offerings in collaboration with CIEE. An additional seven faculty members will take part in a similar training session over the summer. "The training was filled with fruitful discussions on program development, student recruitment, course content and local connections, skill building, and so much more," said Sandra Cortez, BMCC Experiential Learning and Study Abroad Manager. "Through this training, our faculty are walking away with a stronger understanding of how they envision developing their programs." Daniel Nieves, Professor of Ethnic and Race Studies, who will lead a study abroad program in the Dominican Republic, shared his reflections on the experience. "Study abroad should not just be about exposure to something new. It should be an invitation to feel differently, and to reflect deeply on how place, race, and power shape every part of the journey," said Nieves. "I am also grateful to the leadership at BMCC for supporting faculty development through global learning. This kind of investment makes a real difference—for us and for our students." Other participating faculty members included Vincent (Tzu-Wen) Cheng from Speech, Communications, and Theatre Arts; Sheldon Applewhite, Kristina Shaw, Yana Durmysheva, Rifat Salam, and Nicholas Malkov from Social Sciences, Human Services, and Criminal Justice; Antoinette DeLuca from Psychology; Ella Williams from Teacher Education; Judith Dolce from Liberal Arts; and Chirag Raval from Science.

Students, Faculty and Staff Participate in Middle States Open Forum
BMCC students, faculty, and staff attended a forum featuring Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) Representative Tiffany Lee on April 22 in Room N-452 at 199 Chambers St. Starting in Fall 2024, BMCC commenced its MSCHE Accreditation Self-Study. This transparent self-appraisal process occurs every ten years and ensures institutional accountability, self-appraisal, improvement, and innovation through peer review and the rigorous application of standards within the context of institutional mission. Learn more about the MSCHE Accreditation Self-Study.

Allison Messina Named Assistant VP of Workforce Development and Continuing Education In a message to the College community, BMCC President Dr. Anthony E. Munroe announced the appointment of Allison Messina as Assistant Vice President of Workforce Development and Continuing Education. Assistant VP Messina will serve on the President's Cabinet. Ms. Messina brings with her 25 years of experience managing workforce development programs in New York City. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Workforce Development at Project Renewal, where she led multiple initiatives that assisted over 1,000 New Yorkers annually. Prior to her tenure at Project Renewal, Assistant VP Messina spent 14 years at FEGS Health & Human Services, where she held several leadership positions. At BMCC, Assistant VP Messina will provide strategic direction and develop policies to expand existing workforce development programs. She will also design new programs and services tailored to meet the needs of BMCC’s diverse college community and its urban partners. Among other responsibilities, she will oversee initiatives that help lift people out of poverty by equipping them with workforce skills and offering stackable credits toward associate degree programs. She will also lead programs that provide paid internships, foster networking with industry professionals, and support continued higher education.

Criminal Justice Majors Participate in Washington D.C. Experiential Learning Trip
A group of Criminal Justice majors participated in a Perkins grant-funded experiential learning trip to Washington, D.C., on April 17 and 18. The trip included visits to the U.S. Capitol Police Headquarters, the National Law Enforcement Officers Museum and Memorial, and the U.S. Supreme Court. At the Supreme Court, students entered the courtroom and sat in the gallery for a lecture. "The most meaningful moment for me was sitting in the United States Supreme Court room with our students—many of whom come from underserved backgrounds," said Criminal Justice Professor Brenda Vollman. "Sitting in that room, where history was made, with these criminal justice students made me believe in the possibilities of our Constitution and the future successes of our students." Criminal Justice major Joan Santiago Pacheco said the trip motivated her to stay focused on her goals and reminded her why she chose the criminal justice path in the first place. "What stood out to me the most was how crucial it is to have dedicated, informed individuals in positions of influence—especially in fields like criminal justice and law enforcement," said Santiago Pacheco, who sees herself in five years working with the NYPD or pursuing a position with a federal agency, such as a Supreme Court private security detail. The group ended each day with dinner and time for debriefing.

Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Lissette Acosta Presents at Teachers College Event Ethnic and Race Studies Professor Lissette Acosta Corniel presented her chapter—inspired by teaching students at BMCC—titled "Digital Pedagogy in a Multicultural Setting: Learning History and Connecting through Technology,” included in Crossing Digital Fronteras: Rehumanizing Latinx Education and Digital Humanities (Isabel Martínez et al., SUNY Press, 2024). She presented at Teachers College, Columbia University for the Office of the Vice President for Diversity & Community Affairs, and at Word Up Community Bookstore on April 10 and 12, respectively. Professor Acosta Corniel’s chapter emphasizes the teaching philosophy of Puerto Rican sociologist Eugenio María de Hostos—educating global citizens—and the approach of bell hooks, who advocated for a horizontal hierarchy in the classroom where all voices are valued, and for making education engaging and enjoyable. As such, “Digital Pedagogy in a Multicultural Setting” includes a series of assignments developed collaboratively by Professor Acosta Corniel and her students at BMCC. During her presentation, she engaged the audience in completing one of the activities her students typically do in class.

BMCC Office of Diplomatic Engagement and Training Host Leadership from Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs 
BMCC's Office of Diplomatic Engagement and Training hosted leaders from the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs for a half-day program that included a meeting with BMCC faculty focused on teaching ethics in international affairs, followed by a meeting with BMCC students about the Carnegie Council and Ethics 101. The final portion of the program featured a keynote address and discussion with Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs President Dr. Joel Rosenthal.

Student Volunteers Participate in Washington Market Park Clean-Up
As part of BMCC’s Good Deeds Month and in recognition of Global Service Month this April, the Coalition Club hosted a community park clean-up at Washington Market Park on April 24. With support from Civic Leadership and Engagement and the Panther Ambassadors, student volunteers took part in various activities including removing micro-litter, planting, sweeping sand in the sandbox and overall tidying up the park. This collaborative effort underscored BMCC’s commitment to civic engagement, leadership development, and environmental awareness.

Making Headlines

President Munroe and hundreds of other college and university presidents sign letter opposing government overreach and political interference in higher education
April 22, 2025—PBS Newshour

National Youth Poet Laureate and BMCC Student Stephanie Pacheco profiled
April 11, 2025—Manhattan Times

Did You Know?

The BMCC Learning Resource Center offers Free Tutoring

Announcements

BMCC Film Festival Accepting Submissions until April 28
Students are invited to submit their films to the BMCC Film Festival by April 28. All genres are welcome, including animation and multi-camera studio TV production. Students can submit more than one project each. Any films produced in the last 12 months are eligible. The festival is scheduled for May 4 at 3 p.m. in Theatre 2 at 199 Chambers St. To submit a film, click here. To RSVP for the festival, click here. For more information, contact Video, Arts and Technology Professor Tassos Rigopoulos at arigopoulos@bmcc.cuny.edu.

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.

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.

Enrollment

Summer and Fall 2025 Advisement and Registration Available Now
Faculty and staff, please encourage students to talk to their advisor to discuss their academic progress and registration. 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

Register Now for Spring 2025 Professional Development Trainings
College 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.
• 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., May 14 and Wed., June 11. Space is limited, so register online now or by calling (800) 732-8353.

Sports and Wellness

Panthers Split DH & Season Series with QCC

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

BMCC Liberal Arts Showcase
April 30

Asian Heritage Month: VolleyBall
April 29

Connect with BMCC

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