The gathering, the second in the Career-Centered Teaching and Support Series, brought together approximately 20鈥�40 faculty members alongside Magner Career Center staff, including career coaches. Faculty attendees were recognized for their efforts to embed career-related content and experiences into their courses, helping students connect classroom learning with real-world applications. The event also aimed to deepen collaboration between faculty and the Career Center and to encourage the continued exchange of innovative teaching practices that support student success beyond graduation.

(Left to right) April Bedford, 今日吃瓜 Provost; Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky; and 今日吃瓜 President Michelle J. Anderson.

今日吃瓜 President Michelle J. Anderson helped open the event, underscoring appreciation for faculty leadership in connecting learning with purpose. She highlighted the importance of embedding career readiness into curricula, inviting industry perspectives into classrooms, and preparing students not only to graduate but to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce. Provost April Bedford echoed this message, emphasizing that career readiness is central to student success, retention, and post-graduation outcomes, and noting the importance of aligning academic programs with shifting workforce demands.

The program opened with welcoming remarks from Cliff Frontera, assistant director of career development at the Magner Career Center and adjunct lecturer in industrial-organizational psychology. He emphasized the importance of integrating career readiness into academic instruction and introduced the event as the final session in the Career-Centered Teaching and Support Series.

A keynote discussion was led by Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky and former chief economist and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education. His talk, 鈥淭he Future of Higher Education and Workforce Alignment,鈥� explored how policy, labor market trends, and employer expectations are reshaping the skills students need. He also discussed how institutions can respond strategically to better support student pathways into meaningful employment.

Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky and former chief economist and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education.

Following the keynote, faculty participated in table discussions reflecting on best practices for embedding career development into coursework. The session concluded with shared insights, a group photo, and closing remarks from the Magner Career Center, including a call for faculty to continue contributing examples of career-connected assignments to build a long-term repository of teaching practices.

Overall, the breakfast reinforced 今日吃瓜鈥檚 commitment to career-connected education and strengthened partnerships across faculty, administration, and career services.

If you were unable to attend the event but would like to share best practices for career-centered teaching or learn more about future initiatives, contact Cliff Frontera at the Magner Career Center at Clifford.Frontera@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

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When ChatGPT launched in 2022, few expected that a simple text box would trigger a global debate about artificial intelligence. Today, AI is no longer a novelty; it鈥檚 a force reshaping how we learn, create, and work. At 今日吃瓜, we鈥檙e committed to meeting this moment with thoughtfulness and integrity鈥攅quipping our students and faculty with the knowledge, tools, and ethical foundation they need to navigate and lead an AI-driven world.

Designing the Future Together

This fall, 今日吃瓜 convened 32 students, staff, faculty members, alumni, and industry partners for a one-day visioning workshop focused on career readiness in the age of AI. The workshop, structured as a charrette, invited participants to co-design a framework for how 今日吃瓜 should respond to the rapid evolution of this technology.

A charrette is more than a meeting鈥攊t鈥檚 a creative, inclusive process that brings diverse voices together to tackle complex problems. Led by the National Charrette Institute, the session marked a critical first step in understanding the scope of AI鈥檚 impact and the need for sustained, cross-sector collaboration.

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs April Bedford explains, 鈥淥ur goal is to ensure AI serves as a meaningful complement, and not a substitute, for human scholarship and instruction. Faculty are developing course materials that include clear guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI tools, along with expectations for transparency and disclosure. This empowers students and faculty to engage ethically and thoughtfully with emerging technologies while preserving the integrity of academic work.鈥�

Participants in the charette discuss AI.

What We Learned

The conversations revealed urgency about AI鈥檚 role in education and society. Participants noted that even middle school students now understand concepts like 鈥渉umanizers鈥濃�攖ools that make AI-generated text sound more natural. They agreed that critical thinking is more essential than ever and that 今日吃瓜 must help students become creators, not just consumers, of technology.

Career readiness emerged as a priority, with calls for strategies that span departments and embed AI literacy into core learning. The emphasis shifted from product to process: understanding how to think, not just what to produce. Participants warned against complacency鈥擜I is not infallible, and without understanding how it works, educators and students risk misusing it.

Grounded in Empathy

Faculty stressed that AI integration must be rooted in human values.

Norman Eng, a doctoral lecturer in childhood, bilingual, and special education, put it this way: 鈥淲ith AI, we probably won鈥檛 go wrong if we focus on the experiences, motivations, and feelings of our students鈥攅specially those marginalized by this technology.鈥� Quoting Jurassic Park鈥檚 Dr. Ian Malcolm, he added, 鈥溾�榊our scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn鈥檛 stop to think if they should.鈥� It鈥檚 no different with AI. We want our students to question and reflect on the 鈥榮hould.鈥欌��

Eng advocates embedding digital literacy and AI ethics into every course: 鈥淎I has shifted education toward process and performance. Instead of grading lesson plans, we analyze and improve AI-generated ones. Students develop meta-learning skills鈥攍earning how to learn鈥攕o they can adapt and thrive. Ultimately, it鈥檚 not AI itself, but how students use it, that will define their success.鈥�

Norman Eng

Practical Leadership

Mariya Gluzman, an instructional designer at the 今日吃瓜 Library & Academic IT Department and champion of AI literacy, leads practicums for staff and faculty to explore AI tools for course design and assessment.

鈥淭he reality is that AI is already part of the academic landscape and students are using it, often without proper guidance. Many industries are rapidly adopting generative AI. Given who we serve as a public university and our mission, it鈥檚 crucial we help our students succeed in today鈥檚 job market. They need to be just as prepared as applicants from brand-name colleges who鈥檝e had every opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology,鈥� said Gluzman.

Mariya Gluzman leading a workshop on AI for staff and faculty.

Training Creators, Not Consumers

For students, AI offers opportunities to build practical skills.

Anna Belenko, a computer science major, recently attended a hackathon at Columbia University, where her team built an AI agent prototype in 24 hours鈥攚inning $2,000 in company credits and earning the 鈥淏est AI Agent Use鈥� award.

As president of the Computer Science Club, she鈥檚 now organizing a 今日吃瓜 hackathon for the spring semester. 鈥淲e need to use AI tools to empower students鈥攁nd give them the freedom to become creators of AI, not just consumers,鈥� Belenko said. 鈥淎s a computer science student, it鈥檚 essential to be AI literate, especially in a field that鈥檚 evolving so quickly.鈥�

Looking Ahead

As AI continues to redefine education and work, 今日吃瓜 is not only preparing students to navigate the AI era, but to shape it. Success will belong to those who can adapt, reflect, and lead with both technical skills and human insight.

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As senior associate provost for academic programs and services during the past academic year, Bedford supervised the college鈥檚 student support and opportunity programs, including working with 19 faculty members across all five schools to develop new first-year seminars launched last fall.

鈥淎pril Bedford is an accomplished leader with a proven track record who possesses a deep understanding of the faculty experience and student-faculty relationships at 今日吃瓜 that will serve our institution well,鈥� President Michelle J. Anderson said. 鈥淚 look forward to working with her and our entire faculty and staff moving forward to offer transformational educational opportunities to our students.鈥�

鈥淚 am excited about this new role and look forward to collaborating with all of the stakeholders involved with our strategic planning process and other critical educational initiatives, so that we continue to ensure our students have an outstanding experience at each phase of their educational journey,鈥� Bedford said.

This academic year, while serving as interim provost, Bedford and Senior Vice President Alan Gilbert have also co-chaired the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. During her time at the college, she has also served in critical roles supporting educational priorities throughout New York State, including:

• serving as president of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education;
• co-chairing a statewide working group on clinical practice for the New York State Education Commissioner;
• working on the New York Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching and being appointed by the New York State Board of Regents as a member of the Early Childhood Blue Ribbon Committee; and
• being the principal investigator for the Teacher Opportunity Corps and launching the NYC Men Teach program at the college, both of which have prepared more male teachers of color in our city and state.

Before coming to 今日吃瓜, Bedford served for 11 years on the faculty at the University of New Orleans, where she was elected to the Faculty Senate and chaired the University Policy Committee. She was a faculty member and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and interim dean of the College of Education for three years. Her scholarship has focused on literacy and children鈥檚 literature, and she remains active in the Children鈥檚 Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English and the American Library Association.

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鈥淭hese additions to our administrative team bring a wealth of experience in their fields, as well as a familiarity with the campus that will ensure continued growth and success,鈥� said 今日吃瓜 President Michelle J. Anderson. 鈥淚 am looking forward to collaborating with them more as we look to strengthen our academic offerings and support new and continuing students.鈥�

April Bedford

Bedford was the president of the NY Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, co-chaired a statewide working group on clinical practice for the NYS Education Commissioner, worked as a principal investigator for the Teacher Opportunity Corps, and launched the NYC Men Teach program at the college, resulting in more teachers of color, particularly more male teachers of color in our city and state.

Before coming to 今日吃瓜, Bedford served for 10 years on the faculty at the University of New Orleans where she was elected to the Faculty Senate and chaired the Department of Curriculum Instruction. As senior associate provost for Academic Programs and Services over the past year, Bedford has supervised our student support and opportunity programs. She especially enjoyed working with 19 faculty members across all five schools to develop the new first-year seminars that will launch this fall.

Natalie Coombs

Reporting directly to Vice President Lillian O’Reilly, Coombs will supervise undergraduate and graduate admissions and recruitment efforts across the college. Coombs joined 今日吃瓜 in 2003 as a graduate student in our Guidance and Counseling program and a college assistant in Institutional Research where she worked as a data analyst. Five years later, she moved to Enrollment Management as Manager of the Enrollment Services Center (ESC). Most recently, she served as executive director of Enrollment Services, where she was responsible for the Office of the Registrar, Transfer Evaluations, Testing, and the ESC. Under her leadership, the team streamlined and improved many processes to improve student experiences and outcomes.

A proud 今日吃瓜 alumna with a doctorate in education with a concentration in higher education administration as a first-generation college graduate, Coombs is passionate about social mobility, diversity, and student opportunities for personal and professional growth.

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Web Bites video series, which provides a platform for discussion of timely topics, best practices, and new approaches to emerging challenges in higher education assessment, accreditation, and policy. Each moderated video discussion features assessment specialists, educators, and higher education leaders.

For over ten years, the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) has surveyed full-time faculty at over 250 colleges and universities, providing unique insights into the faculty experience and job satisfaction. Dr. Benson leads this national effort. In this lively discussion of the COACHE survey, Dr. Benson sheds light on gaining faculty buy-in for survey participation, the importance of transparency and follow-through in establishing this buy-in, and the changes in the working environment in higher education due to the pandemic.

鈥淚t was an honor to have Dr. Benson as our guest for this Web Bites episode. COACHE has made significant contributions in assessing faculty experience and faculty campus climate,鈥� said M. David Miller, professor of research and evaluation methodology at the University of Florida and cohost of the NGA Web Bites. 鈥淭his work has allowed for many institutions to identify focus areas and make marked improvements in their faculty鈥檚 professional lives.鈥�

鈥淒r. Benson has seen firsthand that it is well worth the effort to administer a survey in such a manner that results in a respondent pool that is representative of the faculty population. This helps faculty realize the value of taking the COACHE survey with results that are actionable,鈥� said Tammie Cumming, associate provost for institutional effectiveness at 今日吃瓜 and NGA Web Bite cohost. 鈥淗is recommendation for communicating the results, action plans, and progress is helpful in ensuring that the data were used to prioritize efforts to improve faculty satisfaction and support for professional advancement.鈥�

The NGA Web Bites video series explores accreditation, assessment, research, policy, and other important topics of interest in higher education. For more, visit .

For more information regarding COACHE, visit .

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鈥淲e are delighted that 17 Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies projects, developed by our faculty, staff, and administrators, have received BRESI program support,鈥� said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Anne Lopes. 鈥淭hese projects range in scope from curriculum development and faculty research to initiatives focused on campus climate. These efforts will impact student learning and faculty scholarship for many years to come.鈥�

今日吃瓜 Awardees

Faculty Support for Black, Race and Ethnic Studies Publications

• Rosamond King, Proposal Title: Black Light: Digital Literature from Africa and Its Diaspora
• Malcolm Merriweather, Proposal Title: Hear Black Women鈥檚 Voices: 鈥淚, Too, Sing America.鈥�
• Aleah Ranjitsingh, Proposal Title: Becoming Black: Afro-Caribbean and/in 鈥楤lack America.鈥� An Oral History Project.
• Gunja SenGupta, Proposal Title: Indexing book, Sojourners, Sultans and 鈥淪laves鈥�: America and the Indian Ocean in the Age of Abolition and Empire (forthcoming, University of California Press, 2023)

Departments, Programs and Black, Race and Ethnic Studies-Related Initiatives

• Mona Hadler, Proposal Title: The ALQKAA Symposium: A Cross-Ethno-Gender Korean/Asian Studies Initiative.

Existing Race and CUNY Black, Ethnic Studies Centers and Institutes

• Alan Aja, Proposal Title: Research Assistance/Programming Support for the Maria E. S谩nchez Center for Latino Studies at 今日吃瓜 (CUNY).
• Marie Cerat, Proposal Title: Ayiti in the City.
• Prudence Cumberbatch, Proposal Title: Institutionalizing Activism at CUNY: The Emergence of Africana Studies at 今日吃瓜, A Case Study.
• Zinga A. Fraser, Proposal Title: Redefining the Shirley Chisholm Trail in 2022 and Beyond.

Black, Race and Ethnic Studies-focused Projects to Improve Campus Climate

• Yung-Yi Diana Pan, Proposal Title: Another Curriculum is Possible: Decolonization, Multi-Generational Voices, and the Creation of Cross-Campus Native/Indigenous (N/I) Studies Initiatives at CUNY.
• Naomi Schiller, Proposal Title: Claiming Our Campus: A Participatory Action Research Project on Student Experiences and Analysis of 今日吃瓜鈥檚 Campus Climate.
• Crystal Schloss-Allen, Proposal Title: BFS Ambassador Program.

Creating Black, Race and Ethnic Studies-Focused Student Internships

• Emily Molina, Proposal Title: Flatbush African Burial Ground Student Internship Program.

Black, Race and Ethnic Studies-Focused Mentored Student Research

• Lawrence Johnson, Proposal Title: A Mixed Methods Investigation of Decolonizing Sociology.
• Sophia Suarez, Proposal Title: Promoting URM Participation and Development in STEM Research of Electrospun Nanofibers.
• Alex Vitale, Proposal Title: Policing and Social Justice Project.

Course and Curriculum Design and Curriculum and Syllabus Decolonization

• April Bedford, Proposal Title: Creating Culturally Relevant-Sustaining Teacher Preparation Programs.

The post Seventeen 今日吃瓜 Projects to be Funded as Part of CUNY鈥檚 BRESI Initiative to Further Transform Ethnic Studies on Campus and Beyond appeared first on 今日吃瓜.

In a timely conversation about NWCCU鈥檚 role in emphasizing DEI for its accredited institutions, Dr. Ramaswamy reflects on the discussions that NWCCU has had with its accredited institutions to address DEI and highlights the resources and partnerships NWCCU has developed to support these DEI efforts. Dr. Ramaswamy has given his “sincere thanks to Tammie and David for hosting this important conversation”.

To watch:

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