QView #169 | December 12, 2023

In attendance at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education 2023 Annual Conference, Setting the Standard: Transformation through Accreditation, held in Philadelphia December 4-6, were (from left) Professor of Mathematics and Faculty Liaison for Evaluation and Assessment Christopher Hanusa, Associate Provost for Innovation and Student Success Nathalia Holtzman, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Patricia Price, ACSM Professor and Provost’s Faculty Fellow for Middle States Susan Davis, and Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity Jerima DeWese. Watch QView for coverage of the college’s preparation for the 2026 reaccreditation.

Queens College celebrated the season with its annual holiday party in the Student Union ballroom on Tuesday, December 5.

Women for Afghan Women (WAW), an organization that provides direct, comprehensive services to the Afghan community and other Muslim immigrant communities in New York City, is holding ESL classes in space provided by QC. The organizers have been at work for several months this past fall. On Thursday, December 7, people involved in this project had a meet and greet on campus.

From left: Shannon Clare, education coordinator at Women for Afghan Women (WAW); Esther Jhun, mental health counselor; Vanessa Ordonez, director of Immigrant Affairs at Queens Borough President’s Office; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.; Naheed Samadi Bahram ’11, U.S. country director at WAW; President Frank H. Wu; Nazila Ayoub, ESL instructor at WAW; Dewah Darwish, a student.

Rob Prinz, a veteran talent executive who has represented established and emerging artists for more than 30 years, spoke to students on Thursday, December 7, through Professionals on Campus. Prinz has led departments at William Morris Agency, Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, and International Creative Management, working with stars including Jerry Seinfeld, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, LL Cool J, and Bon Jovi.

From left: Rob Prinz, ACSM Associate Director Ed Smaldone

Need a light lunch or a snack? Anda Boba Tea, on the first floor of the Student Union, is open for business Monday through Thursday, selling sushi and bubble tea. Cash only.

Freshman Phenom Nkiru Awaka Wins Fourth Straight Rookie of the Week Honors

Queens College freshman women’s basketball player Nkiru Awaka is off to a fast start in her collegiate career. Last week, Awaka earned her fourth consecutive East Coast Conference (ECC) Rookie of the Week Award. She’s been one of the Knights' top players this season, ranking second on the team in scoring (11.5 points per game) and first in rebounding (9.4 rebounds per game).

The men’s basketball team went 2-1 last week, earning an 88-79 win over Caldwell University on December 4 and an 81-79 overtime victory against Daemen University on December 10. The Knights are off to a solid start this season with a record 6-4 overall and 2-2 in the ECC.

The indoor track and field team got their 2023–24 season underway last Friday at the Wagner College Shootout in Staten Island. Leading the way for the Knights was Fatima Morrobel, who placed 16th in the women’s 600-meter run (1:42.77), and Damilola Babalola, who was 18th in the men’s 60-meter hurdles (9.29).

This week, the women’s basketball team hosts Wilmington University at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, December 13 and then visits Assumption University on Saturday, December 16 at 1:30 pm. The men’s basketball team will also host Wilmington on Wednesday immediately following the women’s game at 7:30 pm. They will then travel to The College of Saint Rose on Sunday, December 17 at 3:30 pm.

For the latest Knights news, visit queensknights.com.

QC Recognizes Aspiring Queer Writers

Queer Writers at QC celebrated members of its fall ’22 and spring ’23 cohorts at a ceremony on Monday, November 27. With writers from the fall ’23 cohort also in attendance, certificates and cash prizes were presented to the finalists in the program’s recent student writing competition. Current students Cris Nieves and Kay Rivera received honorable mentions; Artiste won third place. Second place went to Florence Maxine Pil ’22 and Enrique Peña Oropeza ’23 won first place.

Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Patricia Price attended the event and offered congratulatory remarks.

Over the last three semesters, the queer writers were introduced to Emanuel Xavier, queer poet and staff member of the LGBTQIA+ division at Penguin Random House; Raquel Gutierrez, author; Holden Velasco, editor of the https://www.theknightnews.com/ and graduate student at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism; Britt Trachtenberg, editor-in-chief of the student-run Queens College journal Utopia Parkway; and staff from the Queens College Writing Center.

Now in its second year, Queer Writing at QC is an intensive, six-week program conducted online by a queer member of the creative writing faculty and assisted by a queer student majoring in English and minoring in writing. A cohort of 15 students is selected for each semester via an application process.

This program is designed for queer, transgender, gender nonconforming, and ally students to share and develop writing projects in a safe and inclusive writing space. Prompts from different writing genres help participants explore multiple styles of writing and boost their creativity. Featured speakers allow students to build connections and ask questions related to writing, publishing, editing and more. Access to on-campus and off-campus resources is provided.

Sawyer Kemp was the faculty co-facilitator for fall ’22 and spring ’23; Megan Paslawski was the faculty co-facilitator for fall ’23; Britt Trachtenberg was the student co-facilitator for all three cohorts. Student Life Events Manager and LGBTQIAA+ Programs Coordinator JC Carlson served as program administrator for the three cohorts.

Queer Writers at Queens College is sponsored by the Office of LGBTQIAA+ Programs at Queens College in partnership with the Queens College English Department and the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. This program is made possible through the generous support of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium and the New York City Council. Co-sponsors include the CUNY Office of Student Inclusion Initiatives, and the Women and Gender Studies Program at Queens College.

The winning writing submissions will be submitted to the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and published in Utopia Parkway.

Queeribbean Conference Fosters Conversations and Connections

The second annual Queeribbean Crossings Conference, sponsored by the Caribbean Equality Project in partnership with the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium, was held at the LGBT Community Center in Manhattan on December 7. Organized around the theme Building Communities of Care, the all-day conference focused on confronting gendered and racialized violence and fostering critical conversations and community-driven solutions.

The event generated momentum around queer and gender liberatory projects in the Caribbean and throughout its diaspora—particularly Caribbean-centric neighborhoods in New York City—by encouraging deeper connections across generations, citizen and non-citizenships, ethnicities, and gender and sexual practices and identities, as well as across the academic, artistic, and activist communities that center LGBTQ+ Caribbean people's experiences in their respective work. Discussions explored the intersections of cross-racial solidarity and intimate partner violence on themes of liberation, social justice, immigration, trans equity, decriminalization, mental health, HIV care, and other pertinent issues impacting Black, Asian, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ Caribbean communities.

The conference also featured the New York book launch for “Defiant Bodies: Making Queer Community in the Anglophone Caribbean” by activist Nikoli A. Attai, an assistant professor at Colorado State University.

Student Life Events Manager and LGBTQIAA+ Programs Coordinator JC Carlson offered opening remarks in their role as associate director of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium. Mohamed Q. Amin ’08, CEO and founder of the Caribbean Equality Project, and Carlson received commendations from New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, presented by Kim Watson-Benjamin, LGBTQIA+, Health, and Housing coordinator in the public advocate’s office. QC students Vashinie Peters (Caribbean Student Association) and Verne Molihan (Gender, Love and Sexuality Alliance) volunteered alongside the CEP Team. 

This event was made possible due to the generous support of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium in partnership with the New York City Council and the Office of the Mayor.

Scholarships for Undocumented Students

Applications are open for the 2024-2025 TheDream.US National Scholarship, which provides up to $39,000 to undocumented immigrant students—with or without DACA or TPS—pursuing a bachelor’s degree. For eligibility, candidates must have come to the United States before age 16 and before November 1, 2018; must be or are about to be high school graduates or GED recipients; must have been or are currently enrolled in a college or university; and must exhibit significant unmet financial need.

The application has to be submitted by February 29, 2024. For a step-by-step guide to completing the form, click here.

Students who have questions should schedule a meeting with the Immigrant Student Support Initiative through Navigate. (After logging into Navigate, students must select Student Affairs as the care unit and then choose the service labeled Immigrant Support: Dream.US Scholarship Concerns.) Alternatively, interested individuals can contact TheDream.US directly. Email [email protected], writingTheDream.US National Scholarship Program in the subject line, or call 1-855-376-7076 and ask for the TheDream.US National Scholarship.

Help for Would-be Lawyers

7Sage LSAT Test Prep, a fully digital program, is giving a free presentation on the Pre-Law Discord on Thursday, December 14 at 5 pm. Students can join at https://discord.gg/2Jt67cPBET to see the demonstration and ask questions about the course. Better yet, 7Sage is offering Queens College students a 30% discount on its January class.

Choral Society Performs “The Ballad of the Brown King”

The Queens College Choral Society will present Margaret Bonds’ “The Ballad of the Brown King” and selections from G.F. Handel’s coronation anthems on Saturday, December 16 at 8 pm in LeFrak Concert Hall. Featured soloists are vocal performance majors at the Aaron Copland School of Music. The concert will open with works from Karen LeFrak’s newly released album Christmas Cookies.

Premiered in 1954 with a text by Langston Hughes, “The Ballad of the Brown King” was written in honor of Balthazar, identified in Greek manuscripts as one of the three kings from the story of the birth of Jesus. Three of Handel’s four coronation anthems will be performed in the second half of the program. Coronation anthems are uplifting and celebratory works specially commissioned for the crowning of a sovereign. These compositions have been performed at every English coronation ceremony since 1727, including that of King Charles III in May 2023.

Karen LeFrak, a children’s book author and recording artist, has released ten studio recordings since March 2021. Her music has been included in hundreds of curated playlists and has been streamed over 26 million times.

Lucas Gomez ’72 Achieved the American Dream

Lucas Gomez ’72 emigrated to the United States with a vision of achieving the American dream, and through hard work, great support, and a decision to attend Queens College, his dream became a reality. 

Gomez grew up in Colombia in the 1940s and 50s, graduated from high school, and then entered Colombia’s Police Military Academy, eventually graduating as a lieutenant of the National Police stationed in Bogotá. But he dreamed of a better life in the United States, and when the opportunity arrived, he emigrated to the United States in 1963. A year later, he married his sweetheart, and they settled in Astoria.

He spoke very little English when he arrived and worked various jobs for his first few years as he got used to life in America, but he always knew that eventually he wanted to go to college.

“By 1967, I felt confident with the English language, and it was time to go to college,” Gomez said. “I knew from the beginning when I arrived in the United States that to survive and optimize the opportunity to attain the American dream, I really needed to have a college degree.”

Gomez decided that Queens College was the right fit for his needs. He had heard good things about the college, it was near his home, and QC offered night classes, which allowed him to work full-time during the day so that he could support his wife and two young children.

Perseverance Pays Off

When Gomez first arrived at Queens College, he was immediately impressed by the helpfulness of his academic counselor and the QC staff.

“This lady was incredible. I don’t remember her name, but in the 4 ½ years that I attended Queens College, she was always very convenient and gave the right advice.”

Because of his many responsibilities, Gomez was not the traditional Queens College student and couldn’t have the true college experience that so many QC students have. He spent his days working—first at a garment factory and later in a payroll department—and attended classes at night, all while raising two children. He spent many late nights studying and losing out on sleep, but he made it work thanks in part to a lot of perseverance and a good support system.

“I have a great wife. She supported me all the time. She knew it was for the good of the family. It’s very important to have the support of your family,” noted Gomez. “And the teachers at Queens were incredible. They were very patient, very professional, and dedicated. They really showed a concern for the students.”

Initially, Gomez applied for a chemical engineering degree, but after a semester he realized that it wasn’t the right fit for him and changed his major to economics. He thrived in economics, making the Dean’s List several times, and he graduated in just 4 ½ years, a speedy time frame for someone taking courses only at night. Despite his limited financial condition at the time, Lucas paid his entire education expenses, demonstrating that the American dream can be accomplished by anyone with the drive to do so. After graduating, Gomez went on to earn a master’s degree in international finance at St. John’s University and officially became a U.S. citizen in 1974.

“Graduating from Queens College and St. John’s University were great occasions for our family to thank God for the opportunity to realize such accomplishments and to recognize the incredible sacrifices and support by my wife,” added Gomez.” Even though my name is on the two diplomas, my wife’s name should be listed next to mine because she deserves as much the honor of my successes.”

A Successful Career

While still at student at St. John’s, Gomez was offered a job with Exxon to work in their Treasurer’s Department. He became a credit analyst for the company in their Manhattan office beginning in 1973, a role he held for eight years.

In 1981, Gomez was given the opportunity to work for Exxon Chemical Company in Houston as a credit manager for Latin America, focusing primarily on improving credit controls, processes, and credit receivables performance. As a native of Colombia, he was the ideal candidate for the job. So he accepted the position and moved his family down to Texas.

Gomez­ traveled all over South America in his position and proved to be very successful in this role—so much so that it caught the attention of senior management, and in 1990 he was given the challenge to bring the same successful changes to the Asia Pacific and European Chemical operations. His travels expanded to Brussels, Hong Kong, and Singapore. By that time, Gomez had already been promoted to general credit manager and was appointed an assistant treasurer.

“It was a demanding journey which required a lot of work and traveling, but it was also a very successful chapter in my life,” explained Gomez. “My cultural background, my constant search for excellency, my military background—they all came into play as a solid foundation to accomplish such great achievements.”

Gomez held this role until his retirement in December 2000. During his tenure, he also served as the chairman of the National Chemical Credit Association and the chairman of the international division of the same credit group, and he wrote many articles in Business Credit magazine on credit management. In 2011, he published a book titled Credit: Beyond the Numbers, which focused on the critical role the human element plays in the overall credit management process.  

“By the time I retired, we had a global credit team that, despite their different cultural backgrounds and customs, were performing under successful similar credit controls and processes,” noted Gomez. “Without a great worldwide credit team, we would not have been able to succeed. I was honored to be their leader, and the significant long hours of work and travel that it required made it all worthy. It was, without any doubt, a success on a global basis.”

Gomez is now enjoying his retirement and the fulfillment of his American dream. He spends his days traveling to see various national parks and enjoying quality time with his grandchildren. And he has nothing but fond memories of his time at Queens College.

“Queens College opened the door for me and allowed me to make my dream a reality,” he added. “Something that I am always grateful for.”

Glice Skating at New York Hall of Science

As the year comes to an end, the New York Hall of Science is rink-ing in the new: a waterless ice-skating surface. Wearing skates provided by the Hall of Science, visitors can glide around on Glice, a material composed of polyethene plastic pellets that were compacted under pressure and heat. As skate blades pass over the surface, it releases internal lubricants that renew the synthetic ice.

Glice skating costs $10—$8 for seniors—on top of general admission tickets. The rink will be available through April 8, 2024.

Daniel Habib

Daniel Habib, a micropaleontologist who taught at Queens College for more than four decades, passed away on November 18, 2023. 

Habib earned a BS in Geology in from City College and a PhD in Paleontology from Penn State in 1965 and joined QC’s Geology Department in the fall of that year. He was the first executive officer of the Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD Program at the CUNY Graduate Center, serving from 1972 to 1984. In addition, he chaired the Geology Department and SEES for a total of 12 years. He retired from CUNY in 2007.

Habib wrote dozens of high-impact journal articles as well as the textbooks Origin of Dinosaurs, Mammals, Birds, and Pterosaurs and Dinosaurs in the Age of Reptiles. His scientific research was notable in several areas, including his papers on the extinctions at the K-T boundary; he was one of the first to use microfossils to track paleoclimate and sea level changes in late Cretaceous and early Paleogene.

Habib is survived by his spouse, Rochelle; his children Joshua, Benjamin, Rebekah; and his grandchildren.

Morton Sitver ’56

Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Sitver died on November 9 at the age of 87.

Graduating from QC with a degree in accounting, Sitver earned a law degree from New York University and a master’s in education from Columbia University.

Resuming his legal career, he spent seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Arizona. In 1973, he moved to Washington, DC, to become deputy chief of narcotics and dangerous drugs for the Department of Justice. Three years later, he moved back to Arizona, where he would spend the rest of his career, serving as first assistant U.S. attorney and then, for three consecutive eight-year terms, as magistrate judge.

Eugenia Paulicelli (ELL) was featured on CUNY TV's "Urban U" September 2023 episode . . . . Nuria Rodriguez-Planas (Economics), Rafael De Balanzo (Urban Studies), and Alan Secor (RFC CUNY) published a working paper, “Resilience-Thinking Training for College Students: Evidence from a Randomized Trial” Resilience-Thinking Training for College Students: Evidence from a Randomized Trial (iza.org), funded with a RSF grant, CUNY Interdisciplinary Public Health Research grant, and QC provost funding. This randomized evaluation of a universal primary prevention intervention targeting Queens College students during the year 2022 improved their resilience; results persisted 3 to 6 months later . . . . the Hellenic American Project has been included in the Library of Congress’s Voices: Eastern and Central European Americans Web Archive, which is part of a larger collection of historically and culturally significant websites designated for preservation . . . . an extensive blog post from the QC SciTech-TEAMS research program was accepted and published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and National Science Foundation (NSF). This post was sent to all AAAS and NSF members in the division . . . .

Professor of Higher Education and Director of the New York University Steinhardt Institute of Higher Education Ann Marcus visited Queens College last week, meeting with President Frank H. Wu, senior administrators, and faculty. Wu has been invited to give a talk at NYU in March 2024

Happy Holidays to all! This is the last QView of the fall semester. The newsletter will resume publication in the spring semester.