QView #164 | October 24, 2023

The first art scholarships funded through the Thomas Chen Family/Crystal Windows Endowment were announced on the evening of October 18. The recipients—five undergraduates and two graduate students—were chosen by an outside jury and their work was exhibited in Klapper Hall. Philanthropist Thomas Chen (second from right), founder of Queens-based Crystal Window and Door Systems, spoke at the invitation-only event. The evening’s honoree was internationally celebrated author and journalist Ting Chiang Wang (center), whom President Frank H. Wu presented with the college’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Queens Jewish Community Council President Michael Nussbaum ’69 was honored for his outstanding leadership on October 18. Numerous state and city legislators, as well as Mayor Eric Adams and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, praised Nussbaum's work and that of the organization. The council is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical body for communication and action for Queens residents and organizations.

A clear fall day showcased QC’s celebrated view of the Manhattan skyline, captured last week by Andy Poon (Communications and Marketing).

As part of the New York State Official Dispensary Showroom Tour, community organizations, cannabis companies, and members of the New York State Department of Labor's Cannabis Employment and Education Development unit presented a cannabis educational program at Queens College on October 20-21.

President Frank H. Wu—seen flanked by Queens legislators Senator John Liu (left) and Assemblymember David Weprin—was among the honorees at Terrace on the Park on October 19, when Schneps Media celebrated the people named to its Queens Power List for 2023. Proceeds from that night’s raffle are being donated to the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition.

Queens College’s undergraduate open house on October 22 attracted an enthusiastic crowd of prospective students and their families. Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Jennifer Jarvis, faculty chairs and department representatives, program leaders, academic advisors and counselors met with many hundreds of prospective students and family members. Campus tours were provided throughout Sunday afternoon.

Launched last year, the Queens College Mathematical Discoveries Series brings accomplished mathematicians to campus to discuss their work in non-technical language. All students are welcome, regardless of major. Yesterday’s event featured Cornell University’s John Hubbard.

Fireside Chat Reaches Broad Audience



Nearly 300 people were in attendance when John C. Williams, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, joined President Frank H. Wu for a “fireside chat” on October 18. Following their conversation, Williams fielded questions from QC students. The event received coverage in Bloomberg, Financial Advisor, Kiplinger, Reuters, The Street, and other outlets, many of which noted Williams’ support for maintaining restrictive interest rates to lower inflation.

The college established a relationship with the New York Fed following a speech Wu delivered in May to colleagues from the Federal Reserve System on the topic of Asians in the United States. That well-received talk helped to connect the Queens College School of Business to education programs and resources offered by the New York Fed.

Women’s Tennis Finishes Regular Season Undefeated; Soccer and Volleyball Teams Make Playoff Push



The Queens College women’s tennis team earned two more victories last week to finish the regular season with a perfect 7-0 record, and they will be the #1 seed in this week’s East Coast Conference (ECC) playoffs. The playoffs will take place this Friday and Saturday; matchups and times have yet to be announced.

In soccer action, the men’s team picked up a key victory over Molloy University this week by a score of 3-0. The win puts the Knights in good playoff position, as they hold the fourth and final spot with one ECC match remaining. This week, The Knights will visit Jefferson University in a non-conference match on Wednesday before closing out the regular season with an ECC contest against D’Youville University at home on Saturday at 3 pm.

The women’s soccer team earned a key 1-1 draw against Molloy this week to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Knights host D’Youville on Saturday at 12 pm and will need a win and some help from other teams to earn a playoff bid.

Women’s volleyball went 1-1 last week, losing a hard-fought match to Adelphi in five sets before bouncing back to earn an ECC win over Roberts Wesleyan University in straight sets. The Knights are in strong playoff position as they sit in second place in the ECC with four matches remaining in the regular season.

The cross country teams wrapped up the 2023 season last Saturday at the ECC Championships. The women’s team placed seventh and the men’s team was sixth. The team will now rest up for a few weeks until the indoor track and field season begins.

For the latest Knights news and to follow the fall sports playoff push, be sure to visit https://queensknights.com/.

Eye-opening Morning



The next QC Business Breakfast will take place tomorrow—October 25—from 8:30 to 10 am in the Q-Side Lounge. is. Here’s a chance to enjoy a light meal, hear about QC’s B school offerings, and network with alumni from different sectors. The breakfast, co-sponsored by the QC Blackstone LaunchPad entrepreneurship program, is free; reserve seats here.

Active Shooter Preparedness



What steps should you take in the event of an active shooter on campus? Learn what you can do at a presentation by CUNY Public Safety tomorrow—October 25—from 12:15 to 1:30 pm in the Patio Room of the Dining Hall. All members of the QC community are invited; students in attendance will be entered into a raffle for Visa gift cards.

Queens Stands at King Hall with Immigrants

Immigrants and their descendants make up much of the QC community—a great reason for the campus to observe the eighth annual I Stand with Immigrants College and University Day of Action tomorrow (Wednesday, October 25). To mark the occasion, the Immigrant Student Support Initiative invites immigrants and allies to visit its office, King Hall 213, from 12 noon to 2 pm, and learn about its work. Light refreshments will be served. Free “I Stand with Immigrants” T-shirts will be distributed to students until supplies run out.

To keep informed about services, resources, scholarships, and support available to the immigrant community, click here and join the Queens College Immigrant Student Support Initiative email list.

Offering the Cure for Fright



In Cure (Kyua), a thriller set in Tokyo, police investigate a series of gruesome, random murders. This film won Japanese horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa an international following. Everyone can see why in a pre-Halloween screening presented by the Japanese Studies program on October 26, from 5 to 8 pm, in Queens Hall 120.

Picturing Life and Work with an iPhone



If you have an iPhone, you don’t need a camera to capture everyday moments. That’s the idea behind Pixel Perfect: Elevate Your Life & Brand With iPhone Photography, a four-part workshop presented by the Tech Incubator at QC. Taught by commercial photographer Wai Ng—whose work has been exhibited at MoMA PS1—Pixel Perfect covers areas such as composition, outdoor techniques, and post-processing, and culminates in an exhibition of participants’ images. 

The workshop will be held on four consecutive Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 am, beginning on October 27. Aspiring iPhone photographers may attend one session for $19, or the complete program for $49. See the schedule and access the registration form at https://bit.ly/46XJsOS.

Getting into Halloween Spirits

Stilt walkers, balloon artists, and a puppet show will be among the attractions on Sunday, October 29, from 1 to 4 pm when the eighth annual Batty over Halloween Celebration comes to the Great Lawn of Astoria Park (19th Street and 23rd Avenue). The event will feature live performances, karaoke, and treats for all.

The Voelker Orth Museum, a bird sanctuary and Victorian garden (149-19 38th Avenue, Flushing 11354), will set aside Monday, October 30, from 5 to 7 pm for Halloween family fun. The museum will offer storytelling, art making, games, and of course, treats. Costumes encouraged. Admission is $4 for individuals, $10 for families.

ACSM Conducts Pilot for High School Students

Adding enrichment to outreach, Aaron Copland School of Music is workshopping a program that gives high school musicians the chance to advance their knowledge and, if they matriculate at Queens College, enter with academic credits.

The pilot was launched last summer in collaboration with the Glen Cove City School District.

“We wanted to bridge the gap between what students might learn in high school and in college,” said Aaron Copland School of Music Director Michael Lipsey, who lives in the area and discussed the idea with local QC alumni. Then Eric Chernov (ACSM) went out to Glen Cove to give a brief presentation to students and their teachers about the proposed course he would teach—Rudiments of Music 1. The syllabus would start with the history of clefs and what they do and then explore chords and intervals (the relationship between two notes).

Five students signed up for the course, comprising 16 sessions held from July 5 to 26. All classes took place online, seven synchronously and nine asynchronously. Through remote programs, Chernov replicated some of the interactivity of in-person classes. “In Zoom, I had music software open to call up examples,” he explained. “I created PDF worksheets in Adobe and shared the screen to ask students, ‘What chord is that?’ and have them identify intervals.”

By all accounts, the pilot was a success. “We got a good response,” reported Chernov.

Lawrence Nadel, coordinator of fine and performing arts for the Glen Cove City School District, expressed gratitude for “a wonderful opportunity for our Fine & Performing Arts Department to ensure that students are receiving the best and most comprehensive arts/music education.”

“We have plans to roll it out on a larger scale next summer,” said Lipsey, who is grateful to Chernov for redesigning the course and to Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Jennifer Jarvis and Director of Undergraduate Admissions Chelsea Lavington for their guidance.

Yasoda Dhanraj

Yasoda Dhanraj, part of the Queens College community for more than 20 years, passed away on October 15. She was 48.

Dhanraj started at campus as a contract security guard and then became a CUNY campus security assistant. With her friendly smile, she often greeted people at Gate 2, the women’s gym, and Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library. Her work ethic made her a valued member of the Public Safety team and garnered her yearly requests for her presence at QC’s summer camp.

Lloyd Gilden

Lloyd Gilden, psychology professor emeritus, passed away on September 5 at the age of 94.

A Cleveland native who left college one semester short of graduation to serve in the Korean War, Gilden saw five years of duty in the Pacific with the U.S. Navy. Upon returning to civilian life, he enrolled in McGill University in Montreal, completing a doctorate in experimental psychology. He subsequently joined the Queens College faculty.

In addition to teaching, Gilden had a private psychotherapy practice and served as president of the Lifwynn Foundation, a research organization founded by influential psychoanalyst Trigant Burrow.

Gilden is survived by his wife, former wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Daisy Cocco De Filippis ’75, MA ’78, president of Hostos Community College, and President Frank H. Wu were panelists for Defending and Reimagining Diversity Without Affirmative Action, presented during the plenary session of the Hispanic Education Summit on October 18. The summit was held at the CUNY Graduate Center by the Hispanic Federation . . . . Ramón De Los Santos EdD ’09 has been named AVP of Student Affairs at City College. He has previously held leadership roles at Hostos Community College, Guttman Community College, and LaGuardia Community College . . . . Yvonne Bruzual Williams ’05, ’06 was appointed deputy commissioner of administration and finance at the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner . . . .