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I hope the beginning of December finds everyone well-rested from the long weekend and ready to finish the semester. In light of the drought conditions in the Northeast, I imagine that no one's spirits were dampened by the rain.
I am especially touched by the continuity of our community. As I did a year ago, I spent part of the weekend in Santa Monica visiting Peter and Barbara Rothholz. Peter and Barbara are both alumni. He worked in public relations, including internationally, and she as a teacher and painter. They found out that Peter’s physical therapist, Camila Trias, also is an alumna. By coincidence, she was visiting the same time I was! A member of the class of 2005, Camila was a champion swimmer for the Knights, recruited from Venezuela on an athletic scholarship. She set campus records in the 1,000-meter and 1,650-meter freestyle, and served as an assistant coach for three years. In another coincidence, Jay Hershenson, my senior advisor and one of my vice presidents, received an award from Peter several decades ago when Peter was the chair of the Queens College Foundation! (Jay was honored alongside New York Senator Emanuel Gold.)
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I’m grateful for our supportive alumni across the country and around the world, and for the compassion members of the QC community routinely show for those who are less fortunate. Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week (HHAW), taking place the week before Thanksgiving, calls attention to poverty and builds support for local agencies fighting it. This year, for the third year in a row, the Office of Student Development and Leadership (OSDL) and the Knights Table Food Pantry organized events in connection with HHAW.
To kick off the week on Monday, November 18, the Knights Table raffled off 50 turkeys and chickens. More than 80 students received eggs, bread, and a bag of vegetables;
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a psychology major volunteered to set up a table to share tips on mental health awareness for the holidays. At a bingo event the next day, three prizes were awarded: $25 gift cards for Stop & Shop. On Wednesday, November 20, the Office of Student Development and Leadership held their annual Knights Giving Room, amassing over 900 donations for the Knights Table and the Pomonok Community Center. The following night, the Student Association hosted its Giving Back Party and collected over 80 nonperishable items for the Knights Table. The week culminated on Friday with two drives: Sigma Delta Tau's brought in 50 nonperishable items for the Knights Table and The Summit’s provided the Pomonok Community Center with more than 50 nonperishable items and a stash of feminine hygiene products. I’m proud of OSDL, the Knights Table, and student organizations—together, they collected more than 1000 donations and raised awareness for HHAW.
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Many Summit residents are far from family. On Thanksgiving Day, they enjoyed a great meal among friends. | |
Congratulations to the four members of our QC men’s soccer team who were named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-Region team last week. Harry Cooke and Joaquim Johnson were selected to the First Team, while Thanasis Shehadeh and Kevin Johnson earned Second-Team honors. The four selections were the most in program history. | |
Our fall sports teams have finished their seasons, but our winter sports are in full swing. Be sure to support our men’s and women’s basketball and indoor track and field teams this winter. The complete schedules can be found at queensknights.com. | |
I ask everyone to join me in welcoming CERRU’s new director, Iyabo Oyewo-Hall, who will begin working here on January 6. Ms. Oyewo-Hall’s career path started at CUNY: she earned a BA in English from Baruch and an MPA in Human Resource Management from John Jay, followed by an MA in Arts in International Education in Human Rights from New York University and a DEI Certificate from Cornell University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta and multiple professional organizations, among them the American Council on Education, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, the Association of Title IX Administrators, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and the National Conference on Race & Ethnicity. Through positions at Mount Sinai Medical Center, the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and the NYC Department of Housing Development and Preservation, Ms. Oyewo-Hall gained the valuable experience that she brings to our diverse community. The director will report to Dean of Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer Jerima DeWese and collaborate widely on programs for and with students, faculty, staff and resource persons. Thanks go to Aysa Gray, co-founder of the CUNY DEI Incubator, for her service as CERRU’s interim director. | |
Today—December 3—is Giving Tuesday across CUNY. Once again, Queens College is seeking support for the Knights Table Food Pantry, which addresses food insecurity among QC and CUNY students. In addition to carrying food, the Knights Table is a source of free toiletries, feminine hygiene supplies, and, as of this fall, business attire. Earlier this semester, we held a ribbon-cutting of new expanded space in the Student Union. As of yesterday afternoon, more than 100 donors made contributions to this worthy cause. | |
I want to put in a plug for QC’s Inaugural Assessment Showcase on Friday, December 5, 10 am-4 pm, in the Student Union Ballroom. The Offices of the Provost and Institutional Effectiveness have worked hard to plan this event, which will include presentations on data-informed decision making, as well as games, food, and refreshments. | With the semester winding down, exam time is here. I offer students my best wishes and a suggestion: Don’t hesitate to ask for help! The Learning Commons provides free tutoring for more than 80 courses. Make an appointment or just walk in. The Commons also has quiet space for studying. | Tis the season to be festive. Next Tuesday—December 10—my office will host the college’s annual holiday party. I encourage faculty and staff to put on your dancing shoes and join me at the Student Union Ballroom that day from 3 to 5 pm. | Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all. I’ll see you in 2025. | PS: Speaking of 2025, please mark January 19, 3 pm, in your datebook. That’s when QC will hold its annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration in Colden Auditorium. Arva Rice, president and CEO of the New York Urban League, will give the keynote, and the Branford Marsalis Quartet will perform. It’s sure to be a memorable afternoon. | |
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