Eugenio María de Hostos Community College of The City University of New York is proud to announce it will confer degrees to its largest number of graduates in the College’s history on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at 3:00 p.m., at New York City Center.
Some 1,196 students will be celebrated, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will serve as the keynote speaker. Diaz also will be recognized with the President’s Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the College.
“I could not be more proud of the fact that, once again, Hostos is graduating the largest class in the College’s history,” Hostos President Dr. David Gómez said. “The work that these men and women have put into their studies, some under less-than-ideal circumstances, needs to be recognized and celebrated. As Hostos closes in on its 50th Anniversary, it is moments like these that remind us all of how important this institution is in transforming our students into the change agents of tomorrow.”
Electrical engineering scholar Wendy Fernández, a native of the Dominican Republic, is the 2016 Valedictorian and will address her fellow graduates. This summer she will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) 2016 Summer Program in Biology and Neuroscience before returning to complete her bachelor’s degree at City College in the fall. She is also planning to pursue a Ph.D. related to electricity and software design in the future. Fernández was awarded the Gold Medal in both the “Women in Science” and “Engineering” categories at last week’s Hostos Honors Convocation.
Serving as 2016 Salutatorian is mathematics major Santtee Agrispin. The Bronx native will pursue his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at City College. He received the Bronze Medal in “Mathematics” at the Hostos Honors Convocation.
In special celebration of the 45
th anniversary of commencement, the College also will honor 12 Distinguished Alumni, who have not only excelled in their field of choice but have remained supportive of Hostos, including Victor Vázquez, class of 1978, now Chair of the Social Sciences Department at Miami Dade College; and 2006 alumna, Yesenia Lendor-Montero, who improved her English skills at Hostos and is now working as a structural engineer for New York City’s Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information on Hostos Community College and the 2016 Commencement, visit
hostos.cuny.edu.
HOSTOS 45TH COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Ruben Diaz Jr., Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr. first entered public office as a member of the New York State Assembly in 1997, and is currently serving his second full term as Bronx Borough President, having been re-elected in November 2013 with more than 89 percent of the vote.
As borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr. has led the implementation of a “New Bronx” agenda—on economic development, housing, education, and public safety—in every corner of the borough. The Bronx has seen over $7 billion in new development of all kinds since Borough President Diaz took office in 2009. This includes more than $600 million in housing, building over 14,000 new units.
More than 15,000 new jobs have been created in The Bronx since 2009, thanks in large part to the continued partnership between Borough President Diaz, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and those seeking to do business in the borough. Major projects such as FreshDirect, the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, new retail developments in every corner of the borough and the Cary Leeds Tennis Center in Crotona Park are among the major contributors to the “New Bronx” renaissance, led by Borough President Diaz.
Since taking office in 2009 Borough President Diaz has provided millions in funding to projects of all types in every Bronx neighborhood, including new technology upgrades to borough schools, green roofs and boiler upgrades, park improvements and more.
A lifelong resident of the Bronx, Borough President Diaz lives in the Southeast Bronx with his wife Hilda Gerena Diaz and their two sons, Ruben Diaz III and Ryan Isaiah Diaz. He graduated from Lehman College, City University of New York, with a bachelor's degree in political theory. Borough President Diaz is also the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees in civil law from Berkeley College and Mercy College, and a doctoral degree in humane letters from the Metropolitan College of New York.
Media contacts
Camille Currie: 718-518-4334 or
ccurrie@hostos.cuny.edu
Rich Pietras: 718-518-6513 or rpietras@hostos.cuny.edu
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.
Named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 28 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.