A little rain could not stop a wonderful day at the Hostos Community College Foundation’s 18th Annual Golf Outing Classic at the Pelham Bay and Split Rock Golf Courses. When the skies cleared in the evening, Hostos supporters from the Bronx and beyond filled the cocktail and dinner reception, altogether helping the event raise more than $130,000 for scholarships and student services at Hostos.
In her welcoming remarks, Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis thanked the donors for their ongoing support of the College and its mission to transform lives through education. While many colleges struggle with enrollment, she proudly noted the 3.3% FTE growth at Hostos, with continued growth over four semesters. This illustrates Hostos’ dedication to its students, but also underscores the importance of events, like this one, which help provide scholarships that help students to persist toward their degree.
After Alfonso Robles of Schindler Elevators conducted the Ball Drop Contest, won by Hostos’s own Melanie Garcia, the evening program began. Hostos Community College Foundation Board member and Vice President and Regional Manager at Citizens’ Bank Julio Reyes emceed, joined by Montefiore Einstein’s Vice President of Government and External Relations Lilliam Perez to present the golf awards. The Longest Drive Contest winner was J. Macia; Closest to the Pin Contest winner was Samual Brooks; the runner-up foursome was the team from Manhattan Parking Group (MPG), and the Classic’s winning foursome was the team from BronxCare. All winners received a trophy and a complimentary foursome at Pelham Bay and Split Rocks Golf Courses.
The evening’s keynote speech was by the Foundation’s 2022 Benefit honoree Tomas Ramos, founder and CEO of the anti-poverty organization Oyate Group and 2024 recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden. Ramos spoke passionately about what drives his organization and his vision to empower young people, particularly undocumented young people. Through education, good jobs, fair wages, and partnerships with mission-aligned institutions like Hostos, Oyate Group hopes to elevate young people born or brought into inequitable circumstances to opportunity and prosperity.
Left to right: Jason Autar, Oyate Group, Rossalyn Quaye, HCC Foundation Board Member; Alexander Reyes, Oyate Group, Tomas Ramos, CEO Oyate Group
Jose Keppis, a student in the Joint Dual Admission Engineering Program at Hostos and City College Grove School of Engineering, closed the evening with words of thanks before announcing the raffle and silent auction winners. As a student with offers from many schools, he chose this program because he could earn the prestigious Grove School of Engineering degree he knew he wanted, and also benefit from smaller classes, enhanced research opportunities, and scholarships at Hostos. Hostos, and the donors that help sustain it, helped him on his educational journey to become what he has long known he is mean to be: an environmental steward who can lead the changes that need to happen to preserve our planet.
Jose Keppis graduated from Hostos and transferred to City College's Grove School of Engineering with the help of donors
The evening’s joyful mood was bolstered by several exciting announcements. Classic Sponsors Montefiore Einstein and Schindler Elevator Corp. (U.S.) announced their intentions to establish scholarships for students in allied health and STEM, respectively. Title Sponsor MADDD Equities capped the evening by announcing that it will match any gift to Hostos, dollar for dollar up to $15,000, made by the end of October.
The Foundation extends its gratitude to all those who attended, and the many individuals and organizations who generously showed their support for Hostos students. A heartfelt thanks to the Hostos Community College and Foundation leadership: President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Senior Vice President Esther Rodriguez-Chardavoyne, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director Colette Atkins, Board Chairperson José Sánchez-Kinghorn, Vice Chairperson Dolores Batista, and Secretary Carolyn McLaughlin. Thanks to the Hostos Division of Institutional Advancement team, especially Development Officer Idelsa Méndez, and the Golf Outing Committee, Janet Jiménez, Jorge Madruga, and Alfonso Robles.
Finally, thank you to the evening’s sponsors: Title Sponsor MADDD Equities; Classic Sponsors Montefiore Einstein and Schindler Elevators (U.S.); Dinner and Cocktail Sponsor BronxCare; Lunch Sponsors ABM, Augfang Architects, Brooklyn Brokerage, Oyate Group, TellDaniel; and Corporate Foursome Sponsors Assured Environments, Bronx Terminal Market, Friends of the Chairman, JCAL Development Group, Lead Security Group, Manhattan Parking Group, and Ponce Bank.