Friday, September 30, 2022 | Vol. 5, No. 7, Fall 2022 Semester

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DAISY COCCO DE FILIPPIS

My Dear Colleagues and Students,

I smile as I write these words, looking back on a week when we said presente in so many meaningful ways. Life is coming back to our corridors, Hostos bridge, labs, library, classrooms, gym, art gallery and in so many affirming ways of our community, art, education, music and simply the warmth of our common humanity.

Let us all stay present and collaborate on finding solutions to the multiple challenges presented by the challenges of preparing for a post-pandemic world. Safe practices, vaccinations and consideration of others go a long way.

I wish you a wonderful weekend, and if you can, join us on Monday afternoon in the Hostos Art Gallery at 3 p.m. as we celebrate art and literature and the works and legacy of our beloved Julia de Burgos.

Mil gracias y bendiciones, Daisy 

Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.

President

SHARING A FAVORITE POEM

Neruda, Pablo. Poemas humanos/Human Poems, translated by Clayton Eschelman, Grove (New York, NY), 1969.

TIME NOW NOT TIME PAST 

We are at the beginning of our voyage through these once troublesome waters. For every demographical truth lives the memory of the Aspen awards; congratulations Hostos Community College. I fared well but that does not mean farewell. We are everywhere because will and testimony saved the macrocosm. The bigger the world of accomplishment which can rest the soul and the soul does not sleep. We are here to be successful from day one. Remember to make it be your spirit of education. Enter all clubs that coincide with your classes or have fun at whichever club you choose. If traditionalism runs deep yet deep-rooted, show it for it will be an indicator of how you belong at College. I foresee togetherness in your future. Use it wisely, from studying together, to a luncheon at your favorite cafe. Our traditionalism will be honored.

CAIMAN CLUES

The “Caiman Clues” for the  Fall ’22 semester | Week 5

Dear Students,

We are a third of the way through the Fall 2022 semester — that happened fast! The clues this week focus on financial support, available scholarships, and the latest update on financial aid! Use your campus resources. You’ve got this! 

Here are the Caiman Clues: 

• Student Emergency Grants Application - You can be awarded up to $1,500 a semester. Click here to apply and learn about the grant. The deadline is December 15, 2022. If you have any questions, contact the One Stop Program/Health and Wellness department at 718-518-4141.
• New York State TAP and Part-Time TAP is now open! - For the first time ever, the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is available to part-time students! If you are enrolled in 6 to 11 credits, you may be eligible. Students can apply here. For assistance in completing your TAP application, contact the Financial Aid department here. 
• Scholarship Information Session - The Glaelle Mathurin Community Foundation (GMCF) is proud to offer financial assistance to outstanding CUNY students. Three scholars will be selected to receive a fall scholarship of up to $2,000 for the academic school year. Click here to register for the info session being held via Zoom today, Friday, September 30 at 2 p.m. For scholarship questions, contact the Hostos Scholarship Office at mesquilin@hostos.cuny.edu or 718-518-4166. 

Simply follow our Facebook (@HostosCC), Twitter (@HostosCollege) and Instagram (@HostosCollege) for helpful hints you can use all year round.

Read past issues of the Caiman Clues for helpful tips and reminders.

Don’t Miss Your Caiman Clues — Your Hostos Helping Hand to Success 

Submitted by Sofia Oviedo, Ph.D., Director of Research Programs

Dear Students and Colleagues,

I am delighted to share with you my remarks for the Stated Meeting of the College that was held last week and hope that you are encouraged by the recent accomplishments and upcoming activities of the Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives.

Remarks for Stated Meeting of the College, Sept. 21, 2022 

Greetings to my fellow students and colleagues. I am honored to have this opportunity to share updates with the college community on the progress and accomplishments of the Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives for Student Success, College Growth and Stakeholders’ Engagement. Over the course of the Spring and Summer, I worked closely with President Cocco De Filippis and the members of the Hostos Advisory Corp to develop, implement, and evaluate the pilot initiatives.

1.  Families United in Education 

2.  Mentor/Mentee Jobs on Campus (new name) 

3.  Hostos Research Center 

4.  Hostos Mentoring and Supporting Students in 2+2+2 Programs 

5.  Hostos External Internships Program 

6.  Bridge Tuition Support Assistance Fund 

7.  Educating for Diversity 

8.  Workforce Initiative 

9.  Ms. MacKenzie Scott Excellence Awards 

Launching these various initiatives over the course of just two semesters took extensive collaboration and concerted effort across various departments and programs that all worked very hard to make these initiatives possible. I would like to extend my gratitude to President Cocco De Filippis and the College’s senior leadership and administrators, the Hostos Advisory Corp members, the President’s Office team under the leadership of Executive Chief of Staff Diana Kreymer, the Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Academic Affairs, the Career Services Office, and all departments/programs that participated across the initiatives.

I have conducted an evaluation assessing the implementation and impact of the initiatives thus far and will be sharing some brief highlights of the President’s Initiatives major accomplishments. While there is more work to be done as we continue evaluating the pilot initiatives to determine which initiatives have the potential for greater impact and scalability, I am very encouraged by what we have achieved and am hopeful that we will continue to make good progress in advancing this important work.

Highlights of Accomplishments

1.  Increased access to innovative programming and provided support to diverse groups of students. 

The President’s Initiatives have provided our students with increased access to innovative programming that has generated enthusiasm across the college community and helped to support our transition back to campus after two years of remote learning. The initiatives have also increased our organizational capacity to serve targeted groups of students. Some notable highlights include: 

• Families United in Education served family members attending Hostos together to support their path to graduation; 13 students participated in the pilot program (including siblings, cousins, and aunt/niece) who received access to resources, mentoring through monthly family meetings, and exposure to cultural engagement experiences. Eleven participants made significant academic improvement and/or maintained good academic standing and were awarded a scholarship to support their studies. 

• Another group of students that benefited from innovative programming are continuing education students who were motivated to advance their credentials and education by accessing the MacKenzie Scott Adult & Continuing Education scholarship that supports their access to enrolling in a degree program at Hostos. This spring seven students were awarded this $1,000 scholarship and were also connected to available supports to meet their academic needs. 

2.  Created opportunities for on-campus employment, summer research opportunities and paid community-based internships. 

• Through Mentor/Mentee Jobs on Campus, 45 students were placed in jobs during summer 2022 across 21 academic and administrative departments. These employment opportunities helped to support the development of career readiness skills in a professional environment and provided students with on-the-job mentoring to support their academic progress.

• The Hostos Research Center engaged 12 students as summer research assistants/interns across five faculty-led projects providing them with vital skill-building experience. This included the pilot of the Hostos Game Design Studio, which engaged seven students in a new incubator space where they gained hands-on professional experience and exposure to the world of gaming. 

• The Hostos External Internships Program placed five students in summer internships at community-based organizations (which are typically unpaid) and provided them with a stipend to support their participation. Students had the opportunity to participate in a six-to-eight-week internship with local community partners that included After-School All Stars NY, Argus Community, Every Day is a Miracle, Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, and Part of the Solution. Students gained insight into the critical services provided in youth development, health and wellness, food insecurity, and legal counseling provided by these community organizations. 

3.  Developed research grant opportunities for faculty and staff.

• In Spring 2022, 11 ADELANTE (Advancing Excellence in Liberal Arts, Sciences, & Technology) grants (ranging from $3,000 - $10,000) were awarded to faculty/staff to support the development of new research projects.

• A total of $9,000 in seed grants were awarded to help faculty/staff develop full-fledged proposals for projects that can be submitted to external funders for support.  

• A total of 18 faculty and six staff members are involved in leading these funded activities and represent a wide array of departments across Hostos: Allied Health, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Teaching and Learning, CEWD, Education, Educational Technology, Humanities, Mathematics, Office of Academic Affairs, OIERA, and Natural Sciences. 

4.  Supported community-building activities.

Seven mini-grants were awarded this Spring 2022 to support activities that engaged the Hostos community (students, faculty, and staff) in discussing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Various activities were held including educational workshops, a film screening, student panel, and book discussions that were attended by over 160 students, faculty, and staff. In most activities, students, faculty, and staff had opportunities to engage in constructive discussions that involved sharing their questions, experiences, and views on topics being addressed.

5.  Established collaboration with Columbia University to develop a higher education pipeline in public health and epidemiology. 

• The NextGen Public Health Scholars Program was launched in Spring 2022, a unique partnership between Hostos Community College and the Columbia University School of General Studies and Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. The program will prepare a cohort of Hostos students for careers in public health and epidemiology providing full tuition coverage, mentoring, and access to career development opportunities. 

• The first cohort of three scholars have been selected and have recently begun their participation in this new program: Hawa Abraham, Community Health Major; Andrea Vasquez Guillen, Nursing Major; and Maria Vasquez Guillen, Nursing Major. The selected candidates all demonstrated high levels of academic achievement, personal integrity and perseverance, and commitment to service in the public health field, which made them ideal candidates for this inaugural cohort.

• This model is leading to the development of new 2+2 transfer opportunities which are being developed through partnerships with City College and Queens College to support career paths in engineering, game design, and arts administration. 

As we look to the continued development of the President’s Initiatives this academic year, there are two major updates I would like to share: 

Hostos Research Center

• Planning is underway for the development of the newly renovated space (former Hostos bookstore) that will house the Hostos Research Center (HRC). Working in collaboration with Professor Yoel Rodríguez and staff that lead and support our campus operations, we are planning the design and different uses of the space. In this new space, the HRC will promote faculty and student engagement on research projects, showcase research presentations, host seminars, lectures, workshops, and other learning opportunities. The new space will also showcase student-created artwork. This fall we will be issuing a mural design competition inviting students to submit original artwork that can be rendered in mural form that expresses their love of learning. 

• The new Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives Request for Proposals was issued and announced via email to the college community. President Cocco De Filippis and the Hostos Advisory Corps members are inviting members of the Hostos community (students, faculty, and staff) to submit proposals. Through this RFP, one to two new pilot initiatives will be funded. Funding of up to $10,000 will be provided to a short-term project conducted over a 3-4-month period, and funding of up to $20,000 will be provided for a project that is conducted over the academic year. The deadline for proposal submission is Oct. 11, 2022. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in proposing a new initiative that can advance Hostos’ work in the key areas of our student-centered mission and potentially bring your project to life. 

Thank you all. It has been a pleasure to spend this time with you.

For more information about the Ms. MacKenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives, please email or call Sofia Oviedo at soviedo@hostos.cuny.edu | Tel: 718-518-4309.

Submitted by Director of Governmental and External Affairs Eric Radezky, Ph.D.

Pell Grant Recipients Eligible for $20,000 in Student Debt Relief; Non-Pell Grant Recipients Eligible for $10,000

This week’s update comes from the Office of Congressman Adriano Espaillat. 

On Aug. 24, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a Student Debt Relief Plan that includes one-time student loan debt relief targeted to low- and middle-income families. A recent report from the US Department of Education estimates that 2,258,000 New Yorkers are eligible for student debt relief under the plan. 

The new program will provide up to $20,000 in debt relief to Federal Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt relief to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers with loans held by the US Department of Education are eligible for this one-time student loan debt relief if your annual federal income was below $125,000 (individual or married, filing separately) or $250,000 (married, filing jointly or head of household) in 2021 or 2020.

• $20,000 in debt relief: If you received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you'll be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt relief.
• $10,000 in debt relief: If you did not receive a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you'll be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt relief.

Borrowers are eligible for debt relief regardless of whether you are in repayment, in school, or in grace, as long as you meet the income requirements and have eligible loans. That means that currently enrolled Hostos students may apply if they meet the eligibility criteria. Please also spread the word to friends and family who are out of college and still repaying college loans. 

See a list of Frequently Asked Questions about program rules and eligibility, or call the program’s Contact Center where staff can answer your questions at 1-833-932-3439. Sign up to receive updates on when the application becomes available on the US Department of Education website. Select the first choice, New Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates. The application is expected to become available online sometime in October 2022.  

Submitted by Provost and VP of Academic Affairs Shiang-Kwei Wang, Ph.D.

New Full Professors at Hostos

The Office of Academic Affairs is very pleased to share news of the recent promotions of three of our Hostos faculty to full professors. Professor Sandra Castellanos, Professor Kate Wolfe, and Professor Damaris-Lois Yamoah Lang have been leaders in teaching, research, and service within and outside of the college. A snapshot of their achievements during their tenure is shared in the descriptions below. Please join us in congratulating them.

Sandra Castellanos, professor of dental hygiene in the allied health sciences department, is well respected in her profession. She has served as a peer-reviewer and has published four articles in peer-reviewed journals. Aside from publishing, she has also presented at conferences and seminars at the international and national level over the last few years. She is also a member of several national dental organizations. Within the college, Professor Castellanos has participated in broader institutional activities and community service. Her service to the college and community includes being the liaison to the library and the web manager for the dental hygiene unit. Additionally, she has been a member of several committees, including the honors program committee and the EPIC committee. She also served as the senate representative for the dental hygiene unit. 

Kate Wolfe, professor of behavioral sciences in the behavioral and social sciences department, is engaged at all levels of the college and has taken the opportunity to collaborate, mentor, develop new courses, and conduct research that is timely and meaningful here in the South Bronx. She serves as a positive role model for students who, despite many obstacles, remain committed to pursuing their educational goals. As a member of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department, Professor Wolfe has remained committed to curriculum development, helped adjuncts with Pathways compliance, mentored junior faculty, served on the department P&B and guided students interested in pursuing careers in psychology. One of Professor Wolfe’s proudest moments was the recognition of her leadership as co-chair of the campus Middle States initiative with one of the inaugural Presidential Medal of Honor awards in May 2021. Further, she was recognized for her leadership of the Middle States Steering Committee with a Manos a la Obra/All Hands on Deck certificate in December 2021. Her leadership with the Middle States process helped the college to be successful with MSCHE reaccreditation of the institution. Since her promotion to associate professor in 2019, her research has focused on collaboration, online teaching and learning, assessment, and transgender identity. She has presented at the Drexel Annual Conferences on Teaching and Learning Assessment; co-authored a peer-reviewed article published in the “Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene.” She also co-edited the book, “Developing Educational Technology at an Urban Community College,” and co-authored specific chapters within the book. Professor Wolfe’s additional service to the college has involved co-chairing the Provost Search Committee and serving on the Hostos Advisory Corp which is adopting new Presidential initiatives funded by the Ms. MacKenzie Scott Gift.

Damaris-Lois Yamoah Lang, professor of biology in the natural sciences department, has served at CUNY for almost twenty years. Dr. Lang is a biologist whose research work focuses on the neurobiology of behavior. Her peer-review publication in 2019 was on the neuronal activation involved in paternal care focusing on external factors impacting the brains of the monogamous species, Microtus ochrogaster (prairie vole). In 2020, Dr. Lang pursued and earned an Executive Education in Public Leadership in three certification areas on creating public value; leading successful programs: using evidence to assess effectiveness, and creating collaborative solutions from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. In 2021. Dr. Lang shifted her work in the neurobiology of behavior towards educational neuroscience to study and address societal triggers impacting the neurobiology of race and color inequity behaviors at its core. She published her book titled “Classically Conditioned Biases: The Blues and Browns of the Twin Lands of Kiaralot and Donekiaratall”. Dr. Lang worked with esteemed research collaborators across institutions, including Harvard, publishing “Substantial Gleason reclassification in Black men with national comprehensive cancer network low-risk prostate cancer — A propensity score analysis” in one of the world’s high-impact scientific journals, Nature. Dr. Lang is also an elected Board of Trustee official of education for a union free school district. She is currently serving as the science program director and the vice executive director of the CUNY Academy for the Humanities and Sciences.

NEWS FROM THE DIVISION OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Submitted by VP of Student Development and Enrollment Management (SDEM) La Toro Yates, Ph.D.

SDEM Student Spotlight:

Elizabeth Soto was born and raised in San Jose de Ocoa, a small town in the Dominican Republic. At an early age, Elizabeth knew her purpose was to help people just like her father who was a Veterinarian, and her mother as an Accountant. She understood that with hard work and determination her dream of becoming a Doctor will and must happen.

While learning the English language, she began her studies at Hostos; and it was her Anatomy and Physiology courses that reaffirmed her commitment to the medical field. She developed a strong sense of grit, respect, and discipline for the medical field while raising her daughter, working, and attending school. These characteristics were bolstered by her inquisitive nature, which had accompanied her since childhood. 

At Hostos, she was able to work as a Biology tutor and mentor. She was also a research assistant investigating the use of stem cells in dentistry. Elizabeth is a Senator in the Student Government Association (SGA) and currently works at the Student Services Intake. In addition to having a high degree of integrity and a cheerful personality, she is one of those rare individuals who can both follow the lead and take initiative when appropriate.

Elizabeth’s hard work has also awarded her various scholarships to help her through her academia. She is currently six credits shy of completing an Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Public Health. After graduating, she intends to apply to the Hostos Radiologic Technology program and already has her eyes set on obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. 

She feels strongly about the health disparities amongst Latinos and Black-African Americans in her community. She is aware of the cultural and linguistic barriers and inequities in health care and is determined to get a “seat at the table” to advocate for the underrepresented. While not a Doctor just yet, her career and educational choices will lead the way toward her dream.

Financial Aid

On August 18, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of a $150 million expansion of the New York State Tuition Assistance Program, which will now provide TAP awards to approximately 75,000 additional students enrolled part-time.

At Hostos, the expansion of the TAP Program could create a pathway to affordable education for an estimated 2,000 part-time students for the 2022–2023 academic year. Most Hostos students are New York City residents and may qualify for a full-time TAP award of up to $4,800 annually; however, qualifying non-NYC residents could be awarded up to $5,665 annually.

Part-time TAP awards will be made available on a prorated basis, similar to the Pell grant, for eligible students taking 6 to 11 qualifying credits per semester.

Students enrolling in the Fall 2022 semester may apply for TAP by filling out the FAFSA. Once submitted, New York State residents attending NYS campuses can link directly to the TAP application. For students who have already enrolled and submitted their FAFSA for the 2022-2023 academic year, TAP awards will automatically be prorated or adjusted based on the number of enrolled credits.

Eligibility for part-time TAP is consistent with the eligibility for full-time TAP awards, which include residency and income requirements. TAP awards do not need to be repaid by any recipient. New York also adopted the Senator José Peralta DREAM Act In 2019, which provides undocumented New Yorkers and other students access to TAP and other New York State-administered grants and scholarships that support their higher education costs. Students can learn more about the DREAM Act here.

See below for the general eligibility requirements for the Tuition Assistance Program.



An applicant MUST:

• Be a legal resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months;
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, or eligible under the Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act;
• Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) formally known as a GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;
• Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;
• Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing;
• Be enrolled taking, six or more credits, per semester, applicable toward their degree program;
• Be charged at least $200 tuition per year;
• Meet income eligibility limitations (see below);
• Not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards;
• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award;
• Must not have exhausted your TAP eligibility. You are allowed a total of eight full-time semesters of TAP payments (or its equivalent for part-time study) for your entire undergraduate degree. You may receive up to six semesters as an associate degree student.

TAP Income Eligibility Limits

When should I apply?

• The TAP application is available at the same time as the FAFSA: October 1.

When is the application deadline?

• The application deadline for TAP is June 30 of the academic year in which the grant is sought.

Poem submitted by VP La Toro Yates

From Mountaintop to Oceanside

By Amanda Gorman

From mountaintop to oceanside

I love you, my sweet land:

There rivers flow, and children grow,

And friends give helping hand;

There's always place for love and grace,

There's always bit of sun;

From mountaintop to oceanside

You'll always be the one.

There hills are green, and aims are keen

And birds are gay above;

There skies are blue, and friends are true,

And I have right to love;

If right had died, then we would fight

For right, for peace between;

From mountaintop to oceanside

You'll always be my dream.

I'll fight for you, my land of blue!

I'll rise for you and stand

From mountaintop to oceanside,

From hand to caring hand;

The thing that will prevail is love.

For there is always light

If only we are brave enough

To make our hearts be bright.

From mountaintop to oceanside

I love you, my sweet land:

There rivers flow, and children grow,

And friends give helping hand;

From Florida to Maryland,

From Texas to D.C.

No other land could mean as much

As you do mean to me.

Hostos Sustainability Council

Late in 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation which required all SUNY and CUNY campuses to create waste diversion plans to reduce and work towards eliminating single use plastics and begin food composting on all campuses. In response, in spring 2022, CUNY asked each of its colleges to create a council to discuss ideas to promote the concept of sustainability on their campus. Hostos sent out invitations to the college community to join the Hostos Sustainability Council and involve themselves in making a more sustainable college, city, and world. Hostos’ interim Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Zack Korenstein, spearheads the council. The council held a couple of meetings in the spring, and developed a Plastics Reductions Plan to comply with the governor’s legislation and the CUNY Board of Trustees Single-Use Plastic Resolution, which requires CUNY campuses to encourage the elimination of the use of single-use plastic items.

Over the summer, Sustainable CUNY held meetings with campus sustainability council members to discuss ways to reduce or eliminate single use plastics, alternatives to plastics, and processes to promote and support these efforts on the campuses during this pilot year. Sustainable CUNY is CUNY’s broad sustainability program comprising three key pillars: CUNY Sustainability, Solar and Energy Resiliency. The Hostos Sustainability Council will be setting up meetings this fall to continue discussing sustainability efforts on the Hostos campus. Meeting dates and details will be emailed to the entire college community. If you are interested in joining the council, please reach out to Zack at zkorenstein@hostos.cuny.edu. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome.   

NEWS FROM THE DIVISION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) has been awarded $125,000 from District Council 37 Education Fund (DC 37 Education Fund) to offer occupational training courses to 100 DC 37 union members. The occupational training courses include: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Electrocardiography Technician (EKG), Phlebotomy, Microsoft Office, English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and High School Equivalency. Since 2009, this 14-year collaboration has provided 2,333 participants with certifications and upskilling supported with $802,088 in funding from the DC 37 Education Fund.

For more information on CEWD’s District 37 partnership please contact Peter Mertens, Assistant Dean at 718-518-6731 or pmertens@hostos.cuny.edu.

Spread the Word

Please share information about CEWD’s current scholarships and no-cost programming opportunities, which can be found by clicking here and selecting the scholarships & tuition assistance programs link in our online course catalog. 

For additional information, please encourage prospective students to sign up for one of CEWD’s upcoming summer Virtual Information Sessions by visiting https://tinyurl.com/HostosCEWD.

History of Latin Jazz and Music Saturday Lecture Series (Recurring Notice)

Every week on Saturday from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. join CEWD for the History Of Latin Jazz and Music Lecture Series:

  Oct 8, 2022 11 a.m.

  Oct 15, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Oct 22, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Oct 29, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Nov 5, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Nov 19, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Dec 3, 2022 11 a.m. 

  Dec 10, 2022 11 a.m.

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Weekly Link.

Join Zoom Meeting Link.

Hostos Annual Golf Outing Classic

The 16th Annual Scholarship Fund Golf Outing Classic is next week! Join us at the scenic Pelham Bay & Split Rock Golf Courses for friendly competition, an opportunity to network with local leaders, and, most importantly, a great way to help the Foundation expand opportunities for Hostos students. If you would like to learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.hostosgolfouting.com or email Idelsa Méndez. 

Changes to CUNY Tuesday



It’s hard to believe that Giving Tuesday, the national day of giving, is just a couple months away! This year, our CUNY-wide “CUNY Tuesday” campaign will not include a payroll deduction option for CUNY faculty and staff. Instead, we encourage our giving community to make a pledge or enroll in recurring payments via the CUNY Tuesday website between October 8 and November 29. Setting up a pledge with recurring payments is the easiest way to support students with a manageable, monthly payment. Contact Idelsa Méndez if you have questions or want help planning your gift.

To set up your recurring gift at any time, visit www.givetohostos.com enter your donation amount, then click “add donation.” When more options appear, select “recurring gift.”

The Aging and Health Studies Unit Celebrates 20 Years of Impact and Bids a Fond Farewell to Professor Eunice Flemister

On Thursday, September 22, the Hostos Community College’s Aging and Health Studies Unit, the Office of Alumni Relations, and community partners gathered to celebrate 20 years of successful gerontology alumni at Hostos and to mark the bittersweet retirement of beloved professor, Eunice Flemister. Throughout the moving event, former students and community partners reminisced about the profound impact of Professor Flemister and the importance of the aging and health studies program. In a moving statement, Alumnus Edwin Echevarria ‘15 reflected, “You never know the blessing that you are to people, but I can tell you the blessing you were in my life. I lost my mother in 2019, but I know that because of what I learned [at Hostos], I was able to keep her with me longer. Thanks to you, I knew how to find her the care that she needed.”

Professor Flemister has collaborated with the Office of Alumni Relations and Division of Institutional Advancement to create plans for an intended scholarship that would be available to students in the aging and health studies unit. If you would like to make a contribution to help this intended scholarship reach the $5,000 threshold to set unique criteria, make a gift here.

An Afternoon of Art and Literature: Celebrating the Works of Julia de Burgos

Monday, October 3 | 3-5 p.m.

Location: Art Gallery

Join Author Chiqui Vicioso, Poet Urayoán Noel, Translator Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D. and Artist Alí García for an event honoring the pioneering Puerto Rican poet and activist.

Sponsored by: Office of the President

El Inolvidable Tito Rodriguez: A Tribute Concert

Saturday, November 12 | 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 13 | 4 p.m.

Location: Hostos Theater

Buy tickets here.

Celebrating 55 Years of Hostos 

Saturday, April 22, 2023

This coming spring, we will celebrate the college’s 55th anniversary. Suggestions about how we mark our 55th anniversary this coming spring are welcome. Please send a note to Executive Chief of Staff Diana Kreymer by the end of September.