Hostos Dental Hygiene students are as dedicated to health issues as they are to their studies and patients. This commitment was on full display on April 22, when 20 students, both senior and freshmen, participated in a public smoking cessation event at the A- atrium called “Kick Butts Day.”
The event was organized by Hostos Assistant Professor Petal Leuwaisee and Dr. Alida Pastoriza, and it also celebrated the fact that the Dental Hygiene Unit is 95 percent smoke-free.
“Being and staying smoke-free is probably the No. 1 thing people can do for their own health, as well as the health of the people around them,” said María Vassallo, who recently earned her Dental Hygiene pin for completing the program.
The department also hopes to make this an annual event and feature even more students who are smoke-free.
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Recently named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.