About Hostos > Office of the President

Message from the President

Dr. Dolores M. Fernández, President

With every passing year, I am increasingly gratified and motivated by the progress we are making toward the full realization of my vision, which is for Eugenio María de Hostos Community College to become "a college of excellence for students seeking a liberal arts or career education in a multilingual, multicultural learning environment." In the pursuit of excellence, we are advancing steadily toward the following objectives:

• To serve as the premiere bilingual/multicultural academic and career institution in the city, state, and nation;

• To prepare students to compete successfully in the academic and career fields of their choice;

• To prepare students to participate fully in a global society;

• To create an educational and work environment that nurtures respect and understanding for cultural and linguistic diversity.

In March of 2006, I began my ninth year as President of this institution. Since I joined the Hostos family in March of 1998, it has been my privilege to work with faculty and staff members whose exceptional expertise is equaled by their extraordinary dedication to our students. Many faculty and staff members have been with the College since its establishment and have never lost sight of what Hostos represents to its students and the community. Those who have joined the ranks more recently have also contributed immeasurably to our institution regeneration. Hostos personnel exhibit the same high level of commitment to the College that it receives from the community we serve.

Collectively as well as individually, the Hostos faculty are a source of knowledge and inspiration. Holding degrees from prestigious colleges and universities throughout the world-Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Oxford, the Sorbonne, and others-they have the credentials to teach at any institution of their choice. We are indeed fortunate that they have chosen to teach at Hostos.

Working together, we've made remarkable progress over the past six years. The "Hostos Renaissance" (1998-2000) was driven by a renewed commitment to rigorous career and liberal arts programs that would lead to meaningful employment or successful pursuit of higher-level studies. As a result of the growth and expansion of the academic programs central to the mission of this institution, our students are profiting from new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. There is a sense that Hostos is now moving forward with a renewed sense of pride and purpose. We have accomplished a number of important initiatives and instituted organizational, systemic, and procedural changes throughout the campus.

Academic program offerings and the scheduling of courses have been and continue to be revamped. I am especially proud of the Serrano Scholars program, which offers Hostos graduates the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree from Columbia University in preparation for careers in diplomacy or international affairs. The same holds true for the articulated programs through which Hostos graduates are continuing their studies at other CUNY colleges: the engineering program at The City College of New York, the education program at Lehman College, and the business program at Baruch College. Additional articulated programs are now in development.

In the area of extracurricular activities, the Hostos athletic program has been revitalized, and the outstanding performance of our men's and women's Caiman teams has lifted school spirit to an all-time high. Our first fundraising activity, a benefit gala and concert held in November of 2003, provided the college with financial support for scholarships and programming at the Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture. Speaking of the arts and culture, it is of the utmost importance to me for Hostos to be a College that produces well-rounded human beings. If an individual graduates from this institution without an appreciation for the arts, then we have failed that student.

Historically, the Renaissance preceded the Age of Discovery, which is also called the Age of Exploration. Now, the college, has embarked on its own Age of Discovery (2001-2005), in which we are seeking new ways to make Hostos the pride of the CUNY system. This will be a time in which we explore every possibility of institutional improvement.

In the course of six years, Eugenio María de Hostos Community College has begun to set and surpass new standards with its dual language academic and career education programs. Through our ongoing efforts, Hostos will attain and retain a unique place among outstanding two-year colleges throughout the nation. The college community recently completed a strategic plan that will guide us through 2008, and I believe we are entering our most challenging years. I am excited by the prospect of continuing to work with the Hostos faculty and staff to achieve my vision. Like the Caimans, we are an invincible team, and there is no limit to what we can and will accomplish.

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