group of individuals taking part in “Dance For Your Life! Zumba Health & Wellness Fest

Hostos Community College got into the #GivingTuesday spirit on December 1 by hosting an event that helped raise support for Hostos students and also awareness about health and wellness issues.

Held in “The Swamp,” the first ever “Dance For Your Life! Zumba Health & Wellness Fest” brought students, faculty, staff, as well as members of the community, together for a fun and fitness-driven day of dancing. Zumba instructors included Ericka Douglas, the College’s Communications Design Coordinator who also served as Project Manger; Ruddy Santos, a Zumba instructor at Hostos; Shimyia Sinclair, a certified fitness instructor who also works at Hostos as an Administrative Executive Coordinator; and Stephanie Crespo, a Hostos student in her final semester who is also a certified fitness instructor born and raised in The Bronx.
 
Fabian Wander, Hostos’ Director of Health and Wellness Center and Jeffrey Padilla.

Along with encouraging healthy lifestyles in The Bronx, this event also helped to recognize World AIDS Day. Fabian Wander, Hostos’ Director of Health and Wellness Center and Jeffrey Padilla, a representative from Iris House, spoke about the current AIDS problem and the strides New York State is taking to eradicate the disease. They also shared information on keeping students safe and aware.

The event was also part of the College’s year-end fundraising campaign, which helped to bring donation efforts to more than $35,000 for students at Hostos. There is still time to make your year-end gift! Simply visit www.givetohostos.com to support Hostos students and help them to achieve their academic goals.

We thank our sponsors: CRUNCH Gym, New York Pole Dancing, Erik Holder and Jesse O. Prince.

Raffle winners: Xbox One Bundle (Shameka Douglas), Fitbit "Flex" (Francisco Diaz), CRUNCH Gym 6-month Membership (Janice Arce), New York Pole $150 Gift Certificate (Rufina Amadiz), "Get Fit" Bundle (Dolly Martinez).

If you missed the event, click here and enjoy and share this great Facebook photo album.

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 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.