A Message from the President

Dear Friends & Supporters, 

Welcome to the March edition of Press from the Prez. Guttman began the month with an action-packed agenda. Thanks to the strategic efforts of our Enrollment Management and Academic Affairs teams, we’ve reached a significant milestone—enrolling the largest number of students ever in a spring term! Additionally, we kicked off the countdown to graduation with our signature “99 Days Event,” which inspires and encourages our graduating Grizzlies to stay focused and engaged as they approach this exciting milestone. 

In this edition of the newsletter, you’ll also discover some of the new programs we’re launching, including the Secondary Education in Social Studies program of study. We’re also highlighting initiatives designed to prepare our students to be both civically engaged and financially astute. As a college dedicated to the holistic development of our students, we continuously strive to offer a variety of academic and co-curricular activities that enrich the student experience, as you’ll see throughout this issue. 

Most importantly, we take pride in celebrating the diversity of our campus community. We acknowledge and applaud the outstanding women of the Guttman community and honor those who have made significant contributions to our campus and our city. Guttman truly reflects the vibrant ecosystem of New York City, and I’m proud that our campus programming and curricula represents, invites and informs all of us: students, faculty, and staff. 

As we close the month of March, I hope you enjoy the daily unfolding of Spring, and I extend best wishes to all who observed Eid al-Fitr.

Sincerely,

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

President’s Speaker Series Spring 2025  

Dr. Johnson led a lively discussion with Dr. Eva Fernández, Guttman Community College Foundation Board member, Sabrina Qiu, SGA president, Courtney Stevenson, assistant dean of Student Affairs, and Dr. Alia Tyner, professor and Humanities and Social Sciences department chair on 3/26 at 39th St.’s CUNY@Amazon. “The discussion exemplified the powerful voices of women who navigate challenges, dismantle gender bias, and advocate for gender equality in today's political and cultural climate,” said Johnson.

Manhattan Partnership Exploration  

On 3/6 President Johnson and Vice President Ambrose met with executive members of the Exalt team, Chief Program Officer Jason Alleyne and Director of Programs Rafelina Contreras, to explore partnerships. Exalt “elevates expectations of personal success for youth ages 15-19 who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system."

Popcorn With the President  

Each semester, Dr. Johnson invites all members of the Guttman community for informal dialogue on matters of student success. On 3/11, the conversation included resources for immigrant students and the impact of community engagement initiatives. The president also solicited input on progress toward the priorities of Guttman’s Strategic Plan.

Kommissary Resource and Job Fair

On 3/1, Guttman was invited by City Council Member Keith Powers to participate in the Kommissary Manhattan Resource and Job Fair where Dr. Johnson and Dr. Knight talked with attendees about opportunities to enroll in Guttman programs.

Making History: New Secondary Education in Social Studies Teacher Preparation 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more vocal advocate for public schools than Dr. Lori Ungemah, EdD. And you’re even less likely to find a professor with almost a dozen years of 7th-12th grade education experience who not only helped to start a college, but is playing a key role in building its first teacher education program.  

Ungemah, a founding faculty member and a Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Guttman, says that welcoming the College’s first cohort in its new teacher preparation program this semester is a “dream come true.” Read more.

Forward With Financial Literacy 

Thanks to a five-year federal Title V grant Guttman received in 2021, Project Adelante’s third arm of programming recently rolled out on 3/10 with the energy and expertise of nationally recognized millennial money expert Tonya Rapley. Gaining money management tools and strategies from Rapley’s award-winning site, My Fab Finance, students learned about the psychology behind spending and how to tackle college costs. The workshop is followed by a multi-week virtual “Empowered Financial Futures” course, wherein students gain in-depth coaching to elevate their financial planning skills, develop smart digital budgets and build greater understanding of credit, debt, loans and interest rates. Read more.

High School AND College: Guttman Increases Dual Credit Offerings

Where would you find a high school student willing to take a college course on a Saturday morning?  

At Guttman, of course. 

This semester, 110 New York high school students from all over the city, including but not limited to A School Without Walls, Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy (BELA) Charter High School, Bushwick Community High School, Forsyth Satellite Academy and Information Technology High School are enrolled in one of three classes offered in person or virtually each Saturday. Four three-credit transferable courses, Science and Society, Introduction to Media Studies and Introduction to Psychology (two sessions), are taught by Guttman adjunct instructors. These classes are open to all NYCPS students free of charge through CUNY’s College Now, a free college transition, dual enrollment program for New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) high school students, begun in 1984. Read more.

Campus Hosts Borough’s District Five Community Board 

Guttman welcomed Community Board Five (CB5) for its monthly public hearing and full board meeting on the evening of 3/13. At the forum linking residents and city government, participants voiced concerns and offered input on local issues such as Midtown South Mixed Use Plan, the city budget, municipal service delivery and other issues affecting the community's welfare.

Advocating For Guttman in Albany

On 3/5, Vice President Rosslyn Knight and Diane Barrett, Guttman’s new government relations specialist, joined Manhattan CUNY colleges to advocate for CUNY funding priorities during the CUNY Manhattan Legislative Breakfast. Following the breakfast, Knight and Barrett met with several legislative officials to advocate for Guttman students and programs.

Guttman Attends State of the Borough Address 

President Johnson, along with members of the Guttman Community Outreach and Government Relations team, attended the Manhattan State of the Borough on 3/23, hosted by the Honorable Mark Levine at LaGuardia High School. 

Grizzlies Debate Housing at the NYS Senate Chamber 

On Saturday, 3/9, Guttman students joined their CUNY peers in partnership with the New York State Assembly and Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force in Albany during the 2025 Somos Inc. New York Conference for a mock debate in the New York State Senate chamber. This year’s debate centered around the theme “Housing Is A Human Right Act.”

Women’s History Month:

Events For All!  

With an all-campus 3/6 HERStory kick-off and closing with a 3/26 trip to Broadway’s “Hell’s Kitchen” by Alicia Keys, Grizzlies put the “Stella” in Charles and Stella Guttman Community College this Women’s History Month. The packed March calendar included events for everybody, such as a 3/11 Women’s Self Defense Class taught by Guttman’s own Officer Rodney, a 3/13 Femme Power lecture with Professor Juliana (JuJu) Wong on how gender roles and expectations influence the educational opportunities, 3/18 rock climbing at Chelsea Piers and a 3/25 Tea Party culminating event.

Transfer Fair

At Guttman’s 3/27 annual Transfer Fair, students met with representatives from over 40 public and private colleges and universities to learn about transfer options, programs, admissions requirements and financial aid. For most students, it’s their main opportunity to connect with their potential senior college, face to face. In the weeks leading up to the fair, Guttman Transfer Specialist Nicolas Acosta met with students to develop their target lists for transfer. “This allows them to enter the fair with a game plan of who to visit and what questions to ask,” says Acosta. “The big win for me this year is the number of students that were proactive in their planning,” he added.

Entering the World of Work with Skill and Confidence  

“Thriving in Today’s Job Market: What Employers Want and How to Stand Out” was hosted by Tiffany Muñoz, CUNY EDGE director at Guttman, and City Tutors, a volunteer organization, on 3/19. City Tutors provided mentors who are professionals in the IT and business fields for students to meet and initiate ongoing mentoring partnerships and tutoring services.

“Excellence in Every Thread”  

On 3/20 and 3/27, Ilbert Sanchez, NYC fashion designer and entrepreneur, offered the first two workshops of a three-part series for United Men of Color participants. Sanchez, owner of menswear line Garçon Couture, focused on personal care and grooming, intentionality and mindfulness in relationships.

Business Interns Get Close-Up Look at Banking Careers 

Business Administration majors in Dr. Sebastien Buttet’s BUSI 243: Internship Seminar got a career prep boost on 3/20 with a “Networking Pop-Up” coordinated by Shaina Davis of Guttman’s Center for Career Preparation and Partnerships and Sierra Baksh of The NYC Jobs CEO Council. Representatives from TD Bank delivered tips on interviewing essentials, elevator pitches and career strategies. Students were invited to apply for the TD Intern and TD Analyst programs for hands-on training and an inside look at the banking industry.

Communicating Respect

“Got Beef? How to Disagree Without Being Disrespectful” was the focus of the energetic workshop on 3/19 led by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in collaboration with the Connect Center. Participants practiced debating controversial topics and learned more about free speech at CUNY.

Grizzlies Gain Support from NYS District 75  

Guttman’s Connect Center and State Assembly Member Tony Simone of NYS District 75 are partnering for a student supply drive. Donations of school supplies and toiletries are being collected at the 29^th St. district office through 6/14.

Initiatives Provide Needed Resources

An informational “Know Your Rights” workshop on 3/12 was offered to the Guttman community from Immigrant Student Success and CUNY Citizenship Now!, and on 3/25 students explored career and internship opportunities with representatives from Unlocal and Immigrant Uprising. On 3/26, Alejandra Claves, nutrition outreach coordinator of Food Bank for New York City, met with students to determine their eligibility for SNAP and assisted them in applying for the benefit.

“Big Read” Sparks Big Ideas  

Guttman’s 4th Big Read kicked off on 3/20 with “Whereas,” a collection of poems by Layli Long Soldier that considers topics of philosophy, legal studies and the social sciences. Through the collaboration of English faculty Ria Banerjee, Chief Librarian Meagan Lacy and Humanities Alliance Fellows Melisa Martinez, Sukie Kim and Christina Katopodis, staff, faculty and students engage in a common reading of a text that generates broad and rich discussion. With free copies for community members, the “Big Read” continues in the Library and on Zoom on 4/24 and 5/8. All are welcome! 

At the top of the spring semester, we asked two busy students why they also make time for extra-curricular activities they’re interested in.

Guttman Welcomes New Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education 

Dean Anita Luckett, MBA comes to the College with a wealth of expertise interweaving education, employment and social support. Her experience includes career development and instructional design at CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College as well as leadership roles in NYC Human Resources Administration. We’re thrilled to have her on board! Read more.

Director of Information Services Takes on New Role  

For over nine years, Christopher Eng has used his depth of technical knowledge to bring complex solutions to the College’s information technology needs. As Guttman’s interim chief information officer (CIO), Chris’ record of leadership in operational efficiency and collaboration for student success precedes him in this new position. He now oversees the College's IT strategy, infrastructure and services, ensuring the innovation and reliable technology on which our mission relies. 

Government Relations Specialist Joins College 

Guttman is pleased to have Diane Barrett advocate for the College and build relationships between the campus and elected officials and policy makers. She brings to the college years of community and public affairs leadership experience in New York at both city and state levels, and a deep familiarity with CUNY as an adjunct and full-time faculty member.

Faculty Further Knowledge in their Fields  

• Dr. Edimarlyn Gonzalez presented her published research on the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 evolution using whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis at the NYU Center for Genomics and Systems Biology on 2/28.  

• Professors Nicole Kras and Tara Bahl with Drs. Tom Martin and Derek Tesser published their article “Incorporating nature-based learning experiences across disciplines: Inspirations from urban community college faculty” in the February issue of Change: The Magazine for Higher Learning. 

• At the 3/3 CUNY BRES Spring Research Symposium, chemistry Professor Ji Kim and science major Nicolli Mesquita, LSAMP Fellow, presented their work, “Investigating the Impact of PFAS Contamination on Communities of Color.”  

• Dr. April Burns, associate professor of psychology, facilitated a book talk with novelist Kathleen Collins for the CUNY Academy for the Humanities and Sciences at the Graduate Center on 3/5.  

• Arts and Humanities faculty Maya Mason exhibited two oil-on-canvas paintings at the group exhibition Echo Chamber” at The Hole in the Bowery from 2/27 to 3/30 and spoke at an Artist Talk about the works on 3/19. See our recent video about Professor Mason and the new Studio Arts class she’s teaching!

Honoring Women's Leadership

President Johnson is proud to celebrate Women's HERstory Month and highlight the dynamic women with whom he is honored to collaborate in advancing the Guttman mission. As we closed out the month, we honored our female leaders who are dedicated to the College's excellence and growth through their service on the President's Strategy & Implementation Team and the Guttman Leadership Team.

Guttman received $14,600 in additional funding from CUNY K16 Initiatives / College Now to support two K16 Pedagogy Fellowships and two more PSYC 101 dual enrollment classes.

Goals and Good People: Figuring it Out with Alexis Dorval '24

"Short steps, long vision" is more than a motto for alumnus Alexis Dorval. It’s the driving force behind his inspiring journey.

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