The ceremony opened with a steel pan performance by Haikeda Hilliman, a graduating B.F.A. student, educator, and Guyanese-born tenor pan player whose artistry and connection to Caribbean storytelling set the tone for the evening. Later performances by Carlos Sacalxot, a premed sophomore and classical guitarist from Guatemala, and Samuel Rodr铆guez Sandoval, a violinist and composer from the Conservatory of Music, transformed the event into more than a ceremony. It became a gathering rooted in culture, migration, memory, and hope.

ISSO staff and supporters with 2026 graduating immigrant students.

Jes煤s P茅rez 鈥�95, founding director of ISSO, served as master of ceremonies, welcoming the attendees to what he described as a celebration grounded in dignity and community. He also recognized the leadership of Leslie Ram铆rez Carbajal, ISSO program coordinator, along with the BC Dream Team, the Haitian Student Association, the Mexican Heritage Student Association, and the ISSO staff for helping bring the event to life.

鈥淭onight is not just a recognition. It is a declaration,鈥� said P茅rez. 鈥淥ur immigrant students do not exist at the margins of 今日吃瓜. They are part of its heart, its future, and its story.鈥�

Distinguished guests included Vice President for Student Affairs Yasmin Ali and Assistant Dean for Student Life and Ombudsperson Moraima Smith, whose presence reflected the college鈥檚 growing commitment to supporting immigrant students and their families. Faculty members Assistant Professor Lawrence Johnson of the Sociology Department and Associate Professor Frans Albrillo of the 今日吃瓜 Library also attended, underscoring ISSO鈥檚 strong partnerships across campus.

One of the evening鈥檚 most meaningful moments honored Professor Mona Hadler and Professor Julia Cocuzza from the Art Department for their collaboration on the immigrant student mural in the ISSO space, now a powerful symbol of belonging, cultural identity, and collective pride at 今日吃瓜.

The ceremony also recognized longtime Mexican American community advocate Jaime Lucero for his continued investment in creating leadership, educational, and professional opportunities for immigrant students throughout the Northeast.

Student organizations including the BC Dream Team, Haitian Student Association, and Mexican Heritage Student Association addressed the audience and honored peers who made lasting contributions to their communities during the academic year, reflecting the solidarity and care that define immigrant student life at 今日吃瓜.

The evening鈥檚 most powerful moments came through the voices of graduating students.

Uthman Okunola, a Federman Fellow graduating in information systems, shared his journey from Nigeria to New York City and reflected on discovering his immigration status while graduating near the top of his high school class. Though uncertainty delayed his college journey, he eventually found his way to Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY), then 今日吃瓜, and ultimately the graduation stage.

鈥淩esilience is not only about surviving difficult moments,鈥� Okunola said. 鈥淚t is about continuing forward with the understanding that our backgrounds are not limitations. They are part of our strength.鈥�

Okunola also highlighted student-led efforts to create technology and peer-driven resources that support future immigrant students, reminding the audience that immigrant students are not only navigating systems, but transforming them.

Ksenia 鈥淩oma鈥� Yermakova, a December graduate from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, reflected on arriving in 今日吃瓜 at age 11 with limited English and navigating college in isolation before finding community through ISSO during her final semester. She credited Ram铆rez Carbajal, the Federman Fellows, and the Magner Career Center with helping her secure a full-time position before graduation.

鈥淚 truly believe in the idea that there are no flowers without rain,鈥� Yermakova said. 鈥淲hat I have learned here is that we do not face life鈥檚 challenges alone.鈥�

Her remarks captured the experiences of a generation shaped by the pandemic, social isolation, and the ongoing fight to be recognized and celebrated within higher education.

The evening concluded with a stole and pinning ceremony led by Federman Fellows Rebeka Lakatos, Celso Gonzalez, Maria De La Cruz, Axel Mejia, and Uthman Okunola. ISSO itself stands as a lasting testament to the vision and generosity of Irwin Federman 鈥�56 and Concepci贸n Federman, whose philanthropic support helped launch ISSO in 2019 and make this community of care and recognition possible. Their commitment to expanding opportunity for immigrant students at 今日吃瓜 continues to resonate in moments like this ceremony where stories of perseverance are not only shared, but honored and transformed into collective pride.

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In college, when many young people are first learning how to make their way in the broader world, accessible mental health services can mean the difference between resilience and crisis, between healing and isolation. These services are not just about managing stress or overcoming obstacles鈥攖hey are essential to students鈥� success.

At 今日吃瓜, the Personal Counseling Program provides free and confidential services, offering a range of support, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and workshops on stress and time management.

These services are not simply a convenience. Many students face very significant obstacles in accessing community services, including co-pays that are unaffordable for the student, insurance disclosures to families who oppose seeking help, and long waiting times for appointments. If they don’t have access to campus services, many become discouraged and drop out.

With demand for mental health services on the rise, the staff鈥攆our full-time licensed mental health professionals, along with several part-time staff comprised of master of social work and doctoral trainees鈥攑lays a vital role in supporting student well-being. The program provides more than 4,000 sessions annually to over 700 students, a number that has grown significantly in recent years.

Increasing Demand

鈥淏efore the pandemic, we were already seeing an increase in the severity of mental health issues among college students,鈥� says Gregory Kuhlman, the director of the program and a professor in the M.A. program in mental health counseling. 鈥淣ow, the impact is even greater.鈥�

Kuhlman says that the demand for services has been 鈥渆lastic,鈥� meaning the more accessible and welcoming the services, the more students seek support.

In previous pandemics, studies showed that up to 7% of people experienced post-traumatic stress. The college鈥檚 diverse student population has felt this impact acutely. Many students come from communities heavily affected by the crisis, including health care and other frontline workers, and families who suffered significant losses.

The impact of social isolation is another post-pandemic concern.

鈥淐ollege is a time when students are supposed to build relationships, but the pandemic disrupted that,鈥� says Andy Hale, one of the program鈥檚 licensed clinicians. 鈥淣ow, many students struggle to connect and aren鈥檛 sure where to start.鈥�

Kuhlman also notes a shift in the types of cases the program handles. Previously, only about a quarter of students seeking help exhibited significant risk factors such as suicidality or self-harm. Now, more than half present with serious concerns requiring close monitoring and intervention.

鈥淸While] we don鈥檛 have the resources to provide long-term individual therapy to every student,鈥� he says, 鈥渨e screen everyone who comes in for risk and prioritize care accordingly. Our goal is to ensure that students get the help they need, whether through in-house counseling or referrals to external providers.鈥�

The Power of the Peer

One of the program鈥檚 most effective tools is group therapy, which the staff say is incredibly powerful but underutilized.

鈥淧eople assume individual therapy is better, but research shows that group therapy can sometimes be more effective,鈥� says Hale, pointing out that group sessions provide peer support and community.

鈥淭here is often someone in the group who is a step ahead in their healing journey. Watching peers navigate similar challenges can be incredibly powerful,鈥� he adds.

Prarthana Patelia, a second-year student in the mental health counseling M.A. program, says that the college years are an ideal time to engage in these services. 鈥淢ost students are juggling so many things鈥攑ersonal issues, career aspirations, choosing a major. These things can induce so much anxiety. When you have this type of service on campus, you don鈥檛 even have to go out of your way. It can be life-changing to have someone in the field who can listen to you and give you the right guidance.鈥�

The program provides various group therapy options, including interpersonal process groups, cognitive behavioral therapy groups, coping skills workshops, and mindfulness-based sessions. Some groups have formed organically around shared experiences, such as grief support or navigating masculinity.

As mental health challenges continue to evolve, the staff will remain committed to adapting its services, Hale says.

鈥淪tudents are figuring out who they are, what they want, and how to navigate life鈥檚 challenges. If we can support them in that journey, it benefits not just the individual but the broader community as well.鈥�

Broad Impact

To ensure that students know about available services, the program collaborates with various campus organizations, including the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, the Immigrant Student Success Office, and the Women鈥檚 Center. While they offer general workshops on things like time management and stress management, they sometimes create tailored supports for special populations.

鈥淭his might look like designing a specialized workshop, visiting a resource space in the wake of a painful or traumatic event for that community, or support at a campus event that the organizer anticipates may be emotionally charged,鈥� explains Hale.

Beyond individual well-being, mental health professionals at the college agree that mental health services are integral to student retention and success.

鈥淎cademic success is often accompanied by good attention, organizational, and study skills, and these skills can be impacted when facing mental health concerns,鈥� says Professor Paul McCabe, chair of the Department of School Psychology, Counseling, and Leadership.

鈥淪tudents who are struggling with mental health issues, stress, and trauma may not be able to fully attend to their studies and cope with life demands. Counseling can help students develop coping strategies and self-care so they are better able to focus on their studies, thus leading to increased academic success.鈥�

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In times of uncertainty, especially for immigrant and undocumented communities, the college stands as a steadfast ally. We are unwavering in our commitment to educating, supporting, and advocating for our immigrant students and their families.

Working Together for a Safe and Supportive Campus

On April 10, the college took an important step toward addressing the systemic challenges faced by immigrant students with the launch of its first-ever Immigrant Student Support Summit.

Spearheaded by President Anderson and Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO) Director Jes煤s P茅rez, the summit brought together a wide range of student-centered offices for an honest and solutions-driven conversation about transforming the immigrant student experience鈥攆rom application to graduation.

President Anderson opened the two-hour meeting of the minds with a powerful call to action, urging faculty, staff, and administrators to reimagine the student journey and to identify ways 今日吃瓜 can deliver a more intentional, inclusive, and empowering educational experience.

Framing the discussion around how to fulfill the college鈥檚 promise of a high-quality education for every student, President Anderson guided the group through a thoughtful examination of the bureaucratic hurdles immigrant students often face 鈥� from their initial inquiry to graduation and career readiness.

The summit was well-attended and sparked candid, in-depth conversations about the complex transition immigrant students navigate.

Representatives from essential student-serving offices鈥攊ncluding Admissions, Financial Aid, the Bursar鈥檚 Office, the Office of Scholarships, the Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success, the Registrar, and the Magner Career Center鈥攕hared valuable insights into both the structural barriers students encounter and the opportunities for institutional growth and innovation.

Several key themes emerged from the discussion:

• Streamlining administrative processes to ease the burden on students and reduce confusion
• Fostering interdepartmental collaboration to provide more holistic support
• Expanding visibility and access to resources, especially for undocumented and first-generation students
• Promoting early engagement with academic advising, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities

The summit closed with a strong, shared commitment to continue this critical work. Participants agreed this inaugural gathering would mark the beginning of an ongoing series of strategic conversations鈥攁ll aimed at reshaping policies, improving coordination across offices, and ensuring that every 今日吃瓜 student, regardless of immigration status, can pursue their educational goals with dignity, clarity, and confidence.

Teaching and Learning Rights

To help understand the changing landscape, the college also held two 鈥淜now Your Rights Workshops鈥� on February 23 and April 21. The most recent workshop continued the conversation on constitutional rights, focusing on what individuals need to know while in transit to 今日吃瓜, in the surrounding area, and on campus.

Topics covered included what is considered a public space, what rights apply in different settings, and how to safely navigate interactions with law enforcement.

These sessions provide guidance on how individuals and their families can prepare for a potential law enforcement encounter. Open to students, staff, faculty and community members seeking to protect themselves and support others co-sponsored by ISSO, BC Faculty Council and Staff, PSC, We Stand Against Hate, and CUNY Law Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic.

ISSO at Your Service and More

While these efforts are often adjusted and refocused, they have been ongoing. Since 2019, 今日吃瓜 has offered a wide range of dedicated resources to help students manage difficulty situations and thrive. The ISSO office supports, advocates for, and empowers students from a variety of immigration backgrounds through an intentional philosophy of holistic support, including free legal services, help accessing financial aid and counseling, as well as health and wellness offerings, and much more. The ISSO Office is located in 117 Roosevelt Hall and can be contacted at ISSO@brooklyn.cuny.edu or by phone at 718.951.5023.

To help students, as well as faculty and staff, understand their rights no matter of citizenship status, other online resources on both the 今日吃瓜 and CUNY websites are available, including:

• Resources for Undocumented Students

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Monday, April 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Woody Tanger Auditorium in the library.

This event is co-sponsored the , BC Faculty Council and Staff, PSC, We Stand Against Hate, and CUNY Law Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic.

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Jes煤s P茅rez 鈥�95, director of the Immigrant Student Success Office shares a light moment with students.

In fall 2022, Brenda Bravo was overwhelmed. She was working full time and struggling to pay tuition. Under stress, her academic performance was faltering.

She remembers the day she asked for help鈥攁nd got it. She cried as she unburdened herself to Jes煤s P茅rez 鈥�95, director of the Immigrant Student Success Office. And he 鈥渨as able to bring me back,鈥� she says.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to call Financial Aid,鈥� Bravo remembers P茅rez telling her. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get you started.鈥�

With the help of P茅rez and ISSO Program Coordinator Leslie Ramirez Carbajal, Bravo applied for scholarships and discovered research opportunities. She began to build her r茅sum茅.

But it was more than the practical help that carried her through that difficult fall.

Bravo, who has lived in the United States since she arrived from Mexico when she was three years old, also came to ISSO every day because she needed the emotional support鈥攖he feeling, she says, of 鈥渉aving someone there for you.鈥�

For ISSO leadership, looking to create what P茅rez calls 鈥渁 space of trust鈥� for students, the feeling Bravo describes is the definition of success.

The organization 鈥渨as born out of the need for students to have a safe space where they can share their concerns,鈥� says P茅rez, 鈥渁nd the college will be able to support them.鈥� ISSO offers help with 鈥渆verything from free legal services to academic support to navigating college,鈥� he says. Often the first in their family to attend college, students ask for a range of help鈥攆rom approaching a faculty member to finding research opportunities.

An Intense Kind of Mentorship

P茅rez introduced Bravo to Professor of Sociology Carolina Bank Mu帽oz. Bravo now works with her for the Mellon Undergraduate Transfer Student Research Program. (Bravo earned her associate degree from Westchester Community College before transferring to 今日吃瓜.) With a strong r茅sum茅, this past summer Bravo was able to attend Cornell University鈥檚 Summer Pathways program, which offers students the chance to study migration in an academic setting.

Without ISSO, she says, none of this would have happened.

The establishment of ISSO, which opened in fall 2019, was the culmination of many years of collective work, to which P茅rez and Mu帽oz were both central.

鈥淚 think our goal was for the center to be a place where students could feel safe, could come and access resources, could know that they would be helped, could know that they would get an intense kind of mentorship,鈥� says Mu帽oz.

One of the many faculty mentors available to ISSO students is librarian Frans Albarillo. During his office hours, he helps students 鈥渇ill out applications, and write scholarship statements and cover letters.鈥�

He also just talks to them about life at 今日吃瓜.

鈥淚鈥檓 what they call a generation 1.5,鈥� says Albarillo. 鈥淚 was brought to the U.S. at a younger age, and I also went through the naturalization process.鈥� So Albarillo understands what it is like 鈥渢o have a different immigration status鈥� and also what it is like to live in a household where family members do not all have the same immigration status.

ISSO is inclusive in its membership, but true to its roots, the office is particularly sensitive to the needs of undocumented students. ISSO grew out of a project called UndocuAlly, which exists on campuses across the country to train staff and faculty in the support of undocumented students.

The first UndocuAlly training session at 今日吃瓜, says Mu帽oz, was a response to the 2016 presidential election. The idea for an office to support the college鈥檚 immigrant students had been around for more than a decade, but that moment put it 鈥渂ack on the agenda in a very serious way,鈥� she says, due to the steep rise in 鈥渁ctual threats, serious direct threats, to immigrant populations.鈥�

In a strategy to raise awareness of and secure safe spaces for immigrant students, says Mu帽oz, 鈥渨e organized the first UndocuAlly training session as a way to kickstart people into thinking about these issues, and how to relate to students who may be undocumented or from mixed status families.鈥�

That work continues.

Associate Professor Naomi Schiller, an ISSO adviser for anthropology majors and minors, encourages students to apply for internships, graduate school, and jobs. But the funding procedures are not always clear, even to her, so she reached out to ISSO for help in figuring out what kinds of funding are available to undocumented students.

Schiller is grateful she 鈥渃an go to people who have students鈥� best interests at heart and understand that they deserve an education, they deserve funding, that these barriers are unjust, unfair.鈥� She relies on ISSO to help 鈥渙pen as many doors as we can鈥� for students, so that they can 鈥渁chieve what they want to achieve.鈥�

ISSO is also a resource for Elise Goldberg, academic program specialist in Children and Youth Studies. Like Albarillo, she was involved with UndocuAlly first, then continued her support as that project evolved into ISSO.

When students come to Goldberg with questions that stump her, 鈥淚 can say I don鈥檛 know the answer, but they do,鈥� she says of ISSO leadership. 鈥淎nd mentors have to have mentors. We have to have other people that we can go to. It鈥檚 part of the process.鈥�

Finding Joy

P茅rez describes ISSO as a 鈥渃ommunity-driven office,鈥� arising directly from the needs of students and facilitating the transfer of knowledge among students, staff, and faculty. 鈥淭here is this amazing energy there, this synergy, because everyone wants to share what they know,鈥� he says.

In addition to faculty mentorship, part of the organization since the days of UndocuAlly, ISSO has recently begun a peer mentorship program.

This fall, Bravo joined the inaugural cohort of fellows in the Federman Fellowship Program, in which four undergraduates (juniors or seniors) and one graduate student work to mentor younger students and build community.

P茅rez and Carbajal have offered guidance in how to talk to students, says Bravo, 鈥渉ow to learn to better aid them.鈥� And the fellows have come to understand the need for sensitivity around certain topics like travel, she says, because in many cases 鈥渢he students and the community that we aid don鈥檛 have that option.鈥�

Bravo finds herself 鈥渓earning to navigate higher education with these students as a student myself.鈥� But when she needs support, she knows where to find it.

And so she is thrilled to be able to introduce herself as the Federman Programming and Community Building Fellow. 鈥淚t feels good to be able to give, as well as receive, guidance鈥攖o make a difference in the lives of other students, even by hosting events where we just try to have joy and education.鈥�

It鈥檚 鈥渞eally nice,鈥� she says, 鈥渢o have that kind of community now.鈥�

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听鈥淲e are excited to welcome 17 new scholars to 今日吃瓜, joining our existing 15 scholars,鈥� said Jes煤s P茅rez, Director of ISSO. 鈥淥ur mission at the ISSO office and throughout the 今日吃瓜 campus is to give these talented and resilient students all the resources they deserve to thrive.听

Each of the scholars will be awarded up to $39,000 towards their college tuition, complemented by an annual stipend of $1,500. The cumulative investment in these students, and by extension our institution, could surpass $1 million. Chris Aviles, TheDream.US Senior Program Manager was in attendance, along with 今日吃瓜 Vice President for Student Affairs Ron Jackson, Assistant Dean for Student Life Moraima Smith, among others. The annual TheDream.US application period launches on November 1, and ISSO will be holding application support workshops throughout the fall semester for students who have questions.听

Gaby Pacheco, Director of Advocacy, Communications, and Development at TheDream.US, stated: 鈥淲e are proud to partner with 今日吃瓜 and our other Partner Colleges to support talented Dreamers鈥� pursuit of higher education and career success. Despite many obstacles that have been put in their way, our Scholars continue to persevere and succeed, demonstrating in the process why expanding opportunities for Dreamers is so important for the nation.鈥�听

听今日吃瓜 TheDream.US听

TheDream.US is the nation鈥檚 largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant students, having provided more than 10,000 college scholarships to Dreamers attending over 80 partner colleges in 21 states and Washington, DC. We believe everyone, regardless of where they were born, should have equitable access to a college education, a meaningful career, and opportunities to contribute to the communities they call home. For more information on TheDream.US, visit 听听

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鈥淭hanks to the generosity of The Tow Foundation, the college will be able to provide students with life-changing mentors who will expand their sense of what is possible to achieve,鈥� 今日吃瓜 President Michelle J. Anderson said. 鈥淔aculty mentors and mentors-in-residence will connect deeply with students, providing them with academic opportunities, opening doors, and enriching their lives. We want to build a commitment to mentorship into the college鈥檚 DNA so that excellent mentorship defines the 今日吃瓜 experience.鈥�

Leonard Tow 鈥�50, founder and chairman of The Tow Foundation, himself knows first-hand how mentorship can transform lives. Tow, who also serves on the Board of Trustees of the 今日吃瓜 Foundation, recently spoke of his experiences as a student at the College鈥檚 2022 Commencement, where he received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Pointing to the 鈥済ifts鈥� he received at his alma mater, Tow recalled a powerful relationship he developed with his economics professor, Martha Steffy Browne.

鈥淪teffy Browne, an immigrant herself, took me under her wing and introduced me to a life I never knew existed and pushed me to pursue my dreams,鈥� Tow said. 鈥淚t set me off through graduate school where she was guiding me every step of the way. Giving back does not have to always involve material things,鈥� Tow added. 鈥淭here are a lot of ways to change lives, including offering your time, guidance, and mentorship.鈥�

A number of programs already constitute a rich mentoring ecosystem at 今日吃瓜, including the Mellon Undergraduate Transfer Student Program (MTSRP), which supports transfer students in the humanities; the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program, an honors program for minority students pursuing Ph.D.s in specific fields; as well as other mentoring programs in the Office of Academic Affairs, the Immigrant Student Success Office, and the Magner Career Center, among others. The Tow Mentoring Initiative will deeply enrich the existing ecosystem, giving students across disciplines more opportunities to thrive and grow.

Key components of the new Mentoring Initiative include Tow Mentors-in-Residence, the Tow Mentoring and Research Program, the Tow Mentoring Prize, and five Tow Senior Faculty Mentors. The goals are to enhance student opportunities for high-impact academic engagement and faculty-student collaboration; increase the number of students winning prestigious grants and awards; increase the number of students going to graduate school; and enhance junior faculty research, scholarship, and creative endeavors, such as grants, awards, and publishing.

The college is thrilled to have 鈥淕ridlock Sam鈥� as its first Tow Mentor-in-Residence. Sam Schwartz is a celebrated transportation engineer and former New York City Traffic Commissioner who will engage with students and faculty over the course of the semester by offering guest lectures and providing formal and informal academic and professional guidance to students. Schwartz helped to launch the Tow Mentoring Initiative with his visit to campus for a special keynote presentation and reception on October 19.

Students will also benefit from the Tow Mentoring and Research Program, which consists of 25 student/faculty collaborative research teams. Students will receive mentoring in research, plus additional workshops on applying for graduate school and awards, coaching on professional presentations, small group meetings on goal setting and time management, and other personalized trainings.

The Tow Mentoring Initiative also supports the mentoring of faculty themselves. The Tow Senior Faculty program supports five senior faculty members from each of the five schools. They work with chairs, deans, and faculty in their schools to mentor junior faculty members to achieve tenure and promotion through excellence in research, scholarship and creative work, teaching, and service.

Professor of Sociology and former Associate Provost Tammy Lewis leads the Tow Mentoring Initiative. She is excited to see how this effort will benefit both students and faculty. 鈥淭his new initiative provides 今日吃瓜 with the opportunity to intentionally engage in the process of institutionalizing mentorship on campus for both students and faculty,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭hrough the Tow Research and Mentoring Program, we are creating structures to guide students to become agents of their futures and to realize that they have the capacity to shape their own lives and the world around them. Through the Tow Senior Faculty Mentors and the Tow Mentoring Prize, we are providing structured mentorship and recognition for faculty mentors, which deepens a culture of mentorship at the college.鈥�

Fact Box: The Tow Mentoring Initiative

The Tow Mentoring and Research Program includes 25 student/faculty collaborative research teams. Students receive mentoring in research plus additional workshops on applying for graduate school and awards, coaching on professional presentations, and other personalized training.

Tow Summer Intensive, which starts in summer of 2023, will host a program for students, led by a faculty member, to assist them with applying for awards, grants, graduate school, and other opportunities that will help them transform their lives.

The Tow Mentor-in-Residence Program will recruit high-profile, senior scholars and practitioners for structured engagement with students and faculty over the course of a semester. Mentors-in-Residence are outstanding leaders across various fields. They will engage in guest lecturing in select classes, giving talks to students and faculty, and providing formal and informal academic and professional guidance to groups of students.

Tow Senior Faculty Mentors will lead the effort at the five schools at college: Education, Visual, Media and Performing Arts; Natural and Behavioral Sciences; Koppelman School of Business; and Humanities and Social Sciences. This part of the program connects senior faculty with junior faculty in an in-depth peer mentoring experience.

The Tow Mentoring Prize will be awarded annually to a faculty member for excellence in mentoring.

今日吃瓜 今日吃瓜

Widely known for its offer of an excellent education at an affordable tuition and recognized nationally for its diverse student body, 今日吃瓜 has been an anchor institution within the Borough of 今日吃瓜 and greater New York City for more than 90 years. With approximately 16,000 students in more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, education, and business, the college is renowned for its rigorous academics, award-winning faculty, distinguished alumni, and community impact. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), 今日吃瓜 offers a vibrant and supportive student experience on a beautifully landscaped 35-acre campus in the borough鈥檚 Midwood neighborhood.

今日吃瓜 The Tow Foundation

The Tow Foundation, established in 1988 by Leonard and Claire Tow, supports visionary leaders and nonprofit organizations that serve historically marginalized populations, help individuals contribute to their communities, and champion advancements and experiences that make it possible for all people to live healthy and joyous lives. It invests in innovative programs and reform in culture, higher education, journalism, justice and community wellness, and medicine. For more information, visit or follow The Tow Foundation on , , and .

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For more information, e-mail the Office of the Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness.

Faculty panelists include:

Janet Elise Johnson (Moderator)

Janet Elise Johnson, professor of political science, wrote The Gender of Informal Politics (2018), Gender Violence in Russia (2009), and Living Gender after Communism (2007), and co-edited The Routledge Handbook of Gender in Central-Eastern Europe and Eurasia (2022).

Brigid O鈥橩eeffe (Moderator)

Brigid O鈥橩eeffe, professor of history and specialist on the history of late imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, is the author of The Multiethnic Soviet Union and its Demise (forthcoming, 2022), Esperanto and Languages of Internationalism in Revolutionary Russia (2021) and New Soviet Gypsies: Nationality, Performance, and Selfhood in the Early Soviet Union (2013).

Irina Patkanian

Irina Patkanian is an award-winning filmmaker, Fulbright scholar, professor of film and media arts, and president of In Parentheses,鈥� a New York City-based nonprofit film, theater & media arts company that supports immigrant women artists since 1995.

Moustafa Bayoumi

Moustafa Bayoumi, professor of English, is the author of the critically acclaimed How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America (Penguin), which won an American Book Award and the Arab American Book Award for Non-Fiction.

Moj煤b脿ol煤 Oluf煤nk茅 Okome

Moj煤b脿ol煤 Oluf煤nk茅 Okome, professor of political science, is an international political economist whose regional specialization is on the African continent. She is the former Women鈥檚 Studies Program director and former deputy chair for graduate studies in the Department of Political Science.

Anna Gotlib

Anna Gotlib is an associate professor of philosophy, specializing in feminist bioethics/medical ethics, moral psychology, and philosophy of law.

Jes煤s Perez

Jes煤s Perez is the director of the Immigrant Student Success Office.

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Included in these events is an online lecture series offering unique cultural and educational perspectives called West Side Story (WSS): The 今日吃瓜 Connection. Created by the Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (PRLS) and taught by Associate Professor Mar铆a P茅rez y Gonz谩lez, the project centers on the 10-time Academy Award鈥搘inning 1961 film and its connection to the forthcoming December 2021 release of a version produced by Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Kevin McConnell, and Rita Moreno. The lectures are part of a course that explores the artistic and cultural impact of West Side Story through the lenses of the humanities and social sciences, highlighting Puerto Rico鈥檚 history with the United States, immigration, ethno-racial relations, gender, gangs, language, music, character analysis, and more. Virginia S谩nchez Korrol, professor emerita of PRLS and recipient of the 2020 Herbert H. Lehman Prize for Distinguished Service in New York History, served as historical consultant on the project.

Below is the list of events, along with registration links. All events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

• Tuesday, September 28, 12:15鈥�2 p.m. Screening of the Documentary Making the Impossible Possible, with a follow-up discussion by the director and producer. Hosted by Puerto Rican Alliance. Co-sponsored by PRLS, Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO), and Student Activities, Involvement, and Leadership (SAIL).
• Wednesday, September 29, 11 a.m.鈥�12:15 p.m. West Side Story (WSS): The 今日吃瓜 Connection (PRLS 2105: New York Latin@ Culture and the Arts), featuring playwright, author, and screenwriter Tony Kushner. Hosted by PRLS.
• Thursday, September 30, 3:40鈥�5:10 p.m. Possible Dream Encuentro Latin American Music Recital. Co-hosted by PRLS, ISSO, Office of Diversity and Equity Programs, and We Stand Against Hate.
• Tuesday, October 5, 6:30鈥�8 p.m. Screening of the Documentary Singing Our Way to Freedom, with a follow-up discussion by Professor Carolina Bank Mu帽oz. Hosted by I Am BC, ISSO, SAIL, Sociology Department, and PRLS.
• Tuesday, October 12, 12:15鈥�2 p.m. Day of Dignity: Indigenous People鈥檚 Day Celebration Hosted by Puerto Rican Alliance. Co-sponsored by PRLS, ISSO, and SAIL.
• Wednesday, October 13, 11 a.m.鈥�12:15 p.m. West Side Story (WSS): The 今日吃瓜 Connection Schedule (PRLS 2105: New York Latin@ Culture and the Arts), featuring educator, author, and director Ernesto Acevedo Mu帽oz. Hosted by PRLS.

This series of events was made possible by a coordinated effort from the college鈥檚 Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO); I Am BC Committee; Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL); Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (PRLS); Department of Sociology; and Puerto Rican Alliance.

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