On Thursday, June 2, 2022, Eugenio María de Hostos Community College held the second half of its 52nd annual commencement ceremonies. All told, 1110 candidates registered for graduation this year.
 
Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis was delighted to welcome 345 graduates, to the ceremony – the second in-person commencement since 2019. Noting the “disruption and challenges” presented by the global pandemic, President Cocco De Filippis praised “the dedication shown by faculty, staff and students” over the last two years and the positive effect they’ve had on “the health of the institution as a place of learning and as an anchor institution in the South Bronx.”
 
President Cocco De Filippis welcomed this year’s Keynote Speaker, Mr. Elias Alcantara, the SVP of Corporate Affairs for Macquarie Group in their Infrastructure and Real Assets department and the founder/CEO of Bronx Element Strategies.
 
There is no doubt that U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer is committed to students and life in the City of New York. For years, he shows up to Hostos and CUNY graduations to encourage. The NYS Senator returned to the College on Thursday and delivered his impassioned speech. The Hostos family is grateful to Senator Schumer for never forgetting Hostos.
 
Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. also arrived at the College to attend the Hostos commencement ceremony. The Council Member presented two citations recognizing the 2022 Class Valedictorian Brigitte Bouampoundi Thiombiano and Salutatorian Gabriela Torres. Council Member Salamanca demonstrates his Bronx pride each and every time he comes to Hostos.  
 
The ceremony included the presentation of the Honorary Degree in Humane Letters conferred by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York to legendary activist and educator Ms. Elba Cabrera for her long-time commitment to Hostos, the Bronx, and the field of arts and culture.
 
President Cocco De Filippis also honored six outstanding individuals with a Presidential Medal for their contributions to the Hostos community. They are Brigitte Thiombiano, 2022 Graduate and Class Valedictorian; Yoel Rodríguez of the Natural Sciences Department and Cynthia Jones of the English Department; María Vasquez, Nurse, Student Health Services; Esther Rodríguez-Chardavoyne, Senior Vice President of Administration & Finance; and Aldrin Rafael Bonilla, Executive Vice President, Fund for The City of New York.
 
“These wonderful people embody the Hostos core values,” said President Cocco De Filippis, “by embracing diversity and providing a home for all who seek to create a better world for themselves, their families, this nation and the world.”
 
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez pre-recorded message to the Hostos family is always heartfelt and upbeat. He took time to emphasize how pleased he felt about his longtime friend, the legendary cultural activist, Elba Cabrera receiving an Honorary Degree in Humane Letters.
 
Dr. Linda Hirsch served as this year’s Mistress of Ceremonies. Professor Joyce Dais served as Grand Marshal.

About Hostos Community College
Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change, transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. Hostos serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, and a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "student success coach" program, which partners students with individualized guidance, is emblematic of the premier emphasis on student support and services.
 
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and 2 certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York (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. The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (HCAC) is one of the pre-eminent Latino arts centers of the northeast. The HCAC has distinguished itself for showcasing traditional art forms as well as emerging and internationally renowned artists.
 
Hostos Community College is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university serving more than 500,000 students at 25 colleges.
 
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