A Message from the President

Dear Colleagues & Supporters:  

We have reached the conclusion of a most productive academic year! As I reflect on this moment, I am reminded of the words expressed by poet laureate Maya Angelou, who counseled, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” This is the sentiment of Guttman and our love for the work that we do on behalf of our students and college community.

In the June newsletter, we share updates on leadership transitions and accomplishments that make us #GuttmanProud. We also take this opportunity to highlight the significance of Pride Month and the advocacy of the Guttman community for being equity-centered, ensuring that the campus environment is conducive to fostering a sense of belonging for everyone who walks through our doors.  

As this is the last newsletter of the academic year, we hope that you will take an opportunity to enjoy the images and articles from our 11th Commencement ceremony. Though the temperature was warm, our hearts were warmer as we welcomed graduates and their families to Bryant Park.  

Have a great summer. We look forward to sharing updates with you in the upcoming academic year! 

Sincerely,

Dr. Larry D. Johnson, Jr. ("Dr. J")

Special Note of Thanks For Leadership and Service

Dr. Nicola Blake: The Guttman community joins me in thanking Dr. Nicola Blake (pictured on left) for her service as interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs over the last two years. She was instrumental in shepherding initiatives such as the formation of the department chair structure, creating the Academic Master Plan and forging new articulation agreements to support post-secondary transfer. During this time, Dr. Blake was selected as a Complete College America Fellow. Read more.

VP Mary Coleman: Guttman is elated to celebrate the contributions of a seasoned and dedicated public servant, Mary Coleman, who extended her service as vice president of Administration and Finance as needed beyond her planned retirement in February 2024. Coleman’s leadership at CUNY includes the last 10 years at Guttman and decades more at Bronx and Hostos Community Colleges, offering budgetary expertise in fiscal compliance and her focus on strategic financial models to advance institutional priorities. She continues as treasurer of the board of the National Council on Black American Affairs. Read more. 

A Trailblazer in Higher Ed

City & State New York's Trailblazers in Higher Education list puts a spotlight on the biggest innovators, groundbreakers and thought leaders in New York's higher education space. The list features high-profile elected officials, higher education executives from academia and administration, labor leaders, philanthropists, advocates and others. See President Johnson’s profile.

Keynote for Union Settlement

East Harlem’s Union Settlement welcomed President Johnson as their keynote speaker on June 28 for its “Caps and Confetti Graduation Celebration” at the Alhambra Ballroom, honoring the accomplishments of over 100 high school equivalency graduates and seniors in their youth and young adult programs.

Student Government Association Leader’s Vision

President Sabrina Qiu leads the roster of elected representatives: Vice President Isaac Manwaring, Treasurer/Marketing Director Brandon Harding and Secretary Marc-Aurele Eboa Ebongue.

What plans does this new team have in store? “My approach as SGA president is to take a magnifying glass to every level of the student experience here at Guttman and seek ways to improve them,” said Qiu.

The Human Services major has already begun discussions with key staff across the College to explore ways to expand the number of internships for students and the range of essential resources students need for mental wellness and healthy nutrition. Likewise, she’s initiating conversations with student leaders of clubs and organizations to see how SGA can collaboratively support their missions and objectives.

She’s not only setting her sights on Guttman. Fostering collaborations between the Guttman community, CUNY and beyond is important to her goals as student body president. “After a decade at CUNY, it's time for more Guttman representation in university spaces. I plan to organize opportunities for students to participate in CUNY-wide events and leverage their access to the broader CUNY network,” she stated.

New Articulation Agreements

Supporting successful, seamless transfer for students, Academic Affairs faculty and staff have been working tirelessly to expand the number of articulation agreements between Guttman and senior college partners. New articulations include:

• Guttman Business Administration A.A. + Baruch Business Academy B.B.A.
• Science A.S. + Brooklyn College EES BA/BS
• Liberal Arts A.A. + CUNY SPS Psychology B.A.
• Accounting A.S. + Medgar Evers Accounting B.S.

In addition to a blanket agreement with SUNY Empire, in process now are eight more articulations that include additional partners outside of CUNY.

Immigrant Student Success Initiative

June 15 marked the 12-year anniversary of the announcement of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). According to the Higher Education Immigrant Portal, there are 530,000 active DACA recipients. Since DACA was established, Dreamers contribute to schools, workplaces, families and communities while adding billions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

Guttman’s Immigrant Student Success Initiative was officially established in Fall 2022. From three distinct areas of the college (the Connect Center, Academic Advising and Financial Aid), CUNY Immigrant Success Liaisons Dana LePage, Sarina Harty and Jessica Portilla joined forces to provide a holistic approach to supporting Guttman’s first- and second-generation immigrant students. The liaisons do not underestimate the trust it takes for a student to feel safe to disclose their immigrant status in hopes of needed support.

“One student who graduated in Fall 1 used resources from the Connect Center early in her college career. Later, she disclosed to me that she had been seeking asylum status for months. I was able to advocate for her to finally receive payment from a job she had before her work permit expired. She had been trying to locate a low-cost or free attorney to represent her for asylum, but every single organization had no availability because of such a high volume of need," said the Connect Center’s Dana LePage. “Through an emergency grant, the Connect Center helped her hire an attorney, and she was granted asylum in the beginning of 2024. This means her husband and her child are entitled to the same status. They will be eligible for various government benefits, be able to apply for social security numbers, get a driver’s license and eventually apply for citizenship!” 

The Immigrant Success Liaisons work hard to gain victories big and small with the students who seek them out, offering 1:1 support and hosting ally-building community events each semester. “A big win this year,” explained LePage, was “eliminating the requirement of the CUNY Sub W9 tax document when students without an SSN or TIN receive emergency grants paid directly to their landlords or their utility companies.”

Since 2017, Guttman is proud to offer the Cornelis & Angela Klein Scholarship (CUNY’s only “full ride” scholarship for undocumented students) and partners with TheDream.US, which enables us to support one or two scholars a year since 2021. “My hope is that someday soon our undocumented students will be able to hold federal work-study jobs or get paid as peer leaders and SGA representatives,” added LePage.

College Welcomes New Leaders

Beginning July 15, 2024, and pending the University’s approval, Guttman will be joined by two new vice presidents.

Dr. Paul Reifenheiser will serve as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Reifenheiser comes to Guttman from State University of New York’s Tompkins Cortland Community College (TCCC), where he served as the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs and as the administrator in charge (CEO). Read more.

Mickey Matos will take on the role of vice president for administration and finance. Currently the College’s executive director of budget and financial planning, Matos brings a familiarity with the College and CUNY to the role with over eight years of experience at Guttman preceded by 22 years at Bronx Community College. Read more.

Sharing their recent scholarship and research on teaching with the Guttman community in the annual Faculty Research Showcase on June 17 were:

• Nicole Kras, Ph.D. – “Building Quantitative Literacy in Human Services”
• Vernon Keeve, MAT – “A Space to Vent: A Journey from Testimony to Research”
• Alexandra Hamlett, MLS and karen g. williams, Ph.D. – “Straddling the Digital Divide: Embedding Information Literacy Skills in Online/Hybrid Courses”
• Samuel Finesurrey, Ph.D. – “Amplifying Student and Faculty Knowledge Production at Guttman Community College”
• Jerald Isseks, Ph.D. – “Experiential Learning around Decarceral Organizing in New York’s Chinatown”
• Alia Tyner-Mullings, Ph.D. – “More Than the Princesses: Disney Animated Movies, their Princesses, and a Reclassification”

Guttman’s General Counsel Richard R. White moderated a session at the June 26-29 National Association of College and University Attorneys annual conference. Joined by other national experts, White’s panel, “Centralizing your Title IV Compliance Programs to Combat Risks Facing Higher Education,” offered perspectives on establishing and maintaining a central compliance program.

Patricia Jean (on left) has been appointed as director of the Center for Career Preparation and Partnerships (CCPP) and LaShonna Turner to the role of associate director of the Career Innovation Hub (CIH), signifying the college’s continued commitment to workforce preparation.

Pride Month

Guttman commemorated the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising echoing the New York City Pride Month theme of “Reflect, Empower, Unite.” On June 4, the annual Lavender Celebration of LGBTQ+ graduating students included an address by Stonewall Club President Gianna Fernandez. Throughout the month, students participated in a painting workshop, an ice cream social and a queer advocacy field trip to the LGBTQ Center in the Village to learn about resources to empower and inform.

Internship Power Hour

At the June 4 Warner Music Group Internship Power Hour hosted by CCPP, students learned about applying for the company’s Emerging Talent Associate Program where they could work alongside Warner’s global collective of music makers, tech innovators, inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives and passionate teams. Students selected as interns will begin in the fall.

Honor Society Induction

68 students were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International College Honor Society on June 4. Thanks to a three-year grant awarded to the College’s five-star Beta Phi Gamma chapter, all membership fees were waived. The grant also covers students’ travel expenses to national conferences and provides coaching for scholarships and transfer support.

Student Presents at International Conference

CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP) student Alexander Atack, accompanied by Dr. Ria Banerjee, presented his research on “Woolf versus the Machine: A Comparative Look at Jacob’s Room & ChatGPT" at the 33rd Annual International Conference on Virginia Woolf in Fresno, CA June 6-9.

Professional Development and Networking for Alumni

This year, on June 13, Guttman graduates joined CUNY’s 7th Annual Multi-Campus Alumni Career Event to connect with other CUNY grads as they engaged in professional development and grew their networks. CUNY School of Professional Studies sponsored the online event, led by career coach and “ChatGPT for Job Searching” author Jeremy Schifeling. View the webinar.

Guttman/Emerson Baldwin Writers' Colony Scholars

Ryan Moran, Alexander Atack, Tyshaun Braxton and Marcos Quinones (not pictured) began their Emerson Education Abroad four-week, eight-credit James Baldwin Writers’ Colony program on June 28 at the Netherlands’ Kasteel Well, a restored 14th century castle. Dr. Tashana Samuel served as coordinating liaison for the international study opportunity with Emerson College.

High-tech Construction Completed in Classrooms

Thanks to Information Technology and Facilities leadership, the new classrooms on the 6th floor of Guttman South are ready for students with state-of-the art technology equipped for hybrid and in-person classes. New laptop carts, movable seating and smart lecterns were added according to faculty specifications.

11th Annual Commencement Ceremony

Although temperatures soared with the hottest graduation on record, Guttman’s commencement in Bryant Park on June 18 was a glorious occasion for the graduates and their families. President Larry Johnson greeted them and campus administrators, student leaders, faculty, staff and honored guests. Addressing those assembled were CUNY Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, CUNY Trustee John Verzani, outgoing Student Government Association President Samantha Ruiz-Correa, CEO of the New York City Housing Authority Lisa Bova-Hiatt, Assistant Professor of Anthropology karen g. williams, Class Speaker Alexander Atack, and President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Lynn Tincher-Ladner.

Student Awardees Highlighted

Dr. Johnson was proud to recognize the achievements of numerous students, notably Class of 2024 Valedictorian Chun Yin Chu and Salutatorian Lixuan Cao, along with other distinguished awardees.

Valedictorian Chun Yin Chu

Salutatorian Lixuan Cao

Focus on Philanthropy

Wedding planning is fraught with decisions, and in October 2019, Jasper Wang and his wife-to-be, Kristin Heintz, were in full-on decision-making mode in the months leading to their Spring 2020 nuptials. One decision was obvious: “We realized we did not want to have a gift registry,” said Jasper. “We'd already been living together for a long time in a New York apartment without much extra space. We were inspired by friends who had asked their wedding guests to contribute to charitable causes on their behalf. As we thought about what mattered in both our families, education was an obvious choice. But our own degrees are from Ivy League schools that do not need more money in their endowments, so we wanted to look elsewhere, where the money could make a meaningful difference.”

Jasper sat down and Googled “New York community colleges.” “I found out that Guttman was not only a well-regarded school by various rankings, but also that it was conveniently located across the park from my office at the time. I reached out, and a couple weeks later, I walked across Bryant Park and toured the building.”

The couple decided to fund two graduation awards, named after Jasper’s father and Kristin's grandmother. Due to the pandemic, they ended up ended up having to reschedule their wedding several times, finally getting married in August 2021. The newlyweds asked their wedding guests to contribute to the funds and delivered the checks to Guttman shortly thereafter.

Today, Jasper and Kristin live in Harlem. Kristin is an executive at a software company, and Jasper runs a small media company. This year, the couple once again was pleased to present two $1000 awards in honor of their loved ones, to students nominated by faculty and staff for their extraordinary resourcefulness and resilience. “We hope that philanthropy will become a more and more important part of our lives, and that our relationship with Guttman will continue to be core to those efforts,” said Jasper.

The Wang Award for Resourcefulness, named after Jasper’s father Ken Wang, who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s in hopes of giving his children as many opportunities as possible. This award is given to a student who is an immigrant or a child of a recent immigrant and has demonstrated resourcefulness and industriousness. This year’s winner was Science major Alexis Dorval.

The Braun Award for Resilience, named after Kristin’s grandmother Dottie Braun, who exemplified resilience while also giving to her community as a social worker, Girl Scout leader, and school board member. This award is given to a student who displayed resilience during their time at Guttman while contributing to the school community's good. This year’s winner was Human Services major Kadillatou Sillah.

Join Jasper and Kristin in transforming lives through education — your donation can make a powerful impact. Please make your gift today.

End-of-the-Year Cruise

On June 10, graduates set sail for the Stella Awards ceremony and end-of-the-year cruise from Chelsea Piers. The annual tradition celebrates the outstanding achievements of Guttman graduates and recognizes the remarkable talents and contributions of award recipients.

Stella'r Student Award:

Jonathan Erazo

Liberal Arts major Jonathan Erazo is probably one of the most photographed students at Guttman. At every campus event, he’s usually in a picture. No wonder he’s this year’s winner of the Stella’r Stella Award, presented on the end-of-the-year cruise.

We caught up with Jonathan here:

Why did you get the Stella’r Stella Award?

I think I got this trophy because of my insane school spirit. I live, breathe and occasionally sleep at Guttman. From being one of the first students on campus, arriving at 6:30 a.m. almost every morning to going to almost every event there is on campus, I practically made Guttman my second home.

What are your future plans?

After Guttman, my goal is to become a teacher, preferably history. A more long-term goal is to become a principal of my own school one day in the Bronx. I want to change lives and inspire young minds, the same way previous teachers and principals did for me. They made me feel like I was more than just some kid from The Bronx, and I want to continue that tradition.

Were you always as energetic and photogenic as you are in every photo we see of you?

Yeah, from what I remember I was always energetic, optimistic and photogenic. When I first came to Guttman, I was a little shy. You know, first time in college and didn’t really know anybody. But thanks to the advisors and faculty in the Mezz, the peer leaders and my fellow peers — honestly so many people — they really helped me. Meeting people who only want the best for you. It’s the whole reason why I love it so much. When I was awarded the Stella’r Stella I teared up because of how much these people have made a difference in my life.

Gabby Rosario, Class of 2014: She’ll Get You There

Connect with President Johnson

Follow the College