The delegation at the National Congress of the Dominican Republic, accompanied by several deputies from the Education Commission.
From June 26 to July 6, a diverse delegation of teachers, school principals, college professors, and administrators from Hostos Community College (CUNY) and the New York City Department of Education participated in an intensive academic and cultural exchange program in the Dominican Republic, co-coordinated with the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), the first university in the Americas.
The initiative began with two weeks of educational workshops in New York under the theme: “Expanding Knowledge on Dominican History and Culture.” The group then traveled to the Santo Domingo, the capital of the Caribbean country, for an immersion program titled “Dominican Social, Educational, and Cultural Realities,” part of a formal agreement between the New York State Department of Education and the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Education, led by Hostos Dean of Community Affairs Ana I. García Reyes.
The delegation was well received at every institution. At the School of Education of the UASD, they were welcomed with a folkloric presentation and refreshing coconuts.
The experience fostered meaningful binational dialogue on topics such as education policy, the role of public universities, sustainability, inclusion, and Dominican history and cultural identity. These discussions further solidified participants’ commitment to better serve Dominican immigrant students in the U.S.
The delegation met with leadership and faculty at UASD’s School of Education and visited the Instituto Superior de Formación Docente Salomé Ureña (ISFODOSU), a key institution for teacher education in the country.
(L-R) Yecenia Cardoza, Principal at Gregorio Luperón High School; Meritorious Teachers from the Hostos delegation, Ana del Carmen García, Juan Soto-Franco, and Carisa Musialik; and Dean Ana García Reyes, Dean of Community Affairs.
A highlight of the visit was attending the 2025 Reconocimiento al Mérito Magisterial ceremony, held at the Hall of the Caryatids in the National Palace. Three members of the delegation — Carisa Musialik, Ana del Carmen García, and Juan Soto-Franco — were honored for their outstanding educational contributions by the country’s highest authorities, including President Luis Abinader.
The group was also received at the Dominican National Congress by Cirilo Moronta, Overseas Representative in NYC; Nolberto Ortiz de la Cruz, Chair of the Education Commission; and other deputies, reaffirming the Dominican government’s commitment to strengthening academic and cultural ties with the diaspora and strategic partners such as Hostos.
Thanks to the coordination of Professor Rocío Billini, Head of International Exchanges at the UASD, the delegation engaged in lectures and workshops on Dominican religious syncretism with Dr. Carlos Andújar; Dominican political history with Prof. María Filomena González Canalda; migration and cultural identity with Professor Irma Nicasio; contemporary Dominican Spanish with Dr. Odalís Pérez; and Dominican music and
amargue as pedagogical tools with Dr. Wilfredo José Burgos Matos. These academic exchanges deepened shared knowledge between both institutions.
The delegation donated school supplies to several educational centers, including Gotas del Saber, led by Leila Arbaje, in Guerra, San Pedro de Macorís.
Participants also explored the Dominican Republic’s rich history and civic legacy through visits to the Colonial Zone, the Cibao region, the Mirabal Sisters Museum, and the Eduardo León Jimenes Cultural Center in Santiago.
A Comprehensive Program
Before traveling to Santo Domingo, participants attended preparatory sessions in New York that provided a rigorous introduction to the program’s key themes. Dean Ana García Reyes welcomed the group at the Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation, joined by special guests Cristina Meléndez, Deputy Commissioner of Education (NYCDOE); Eddy Cuesta, Director of Dominicanos USA; and Domingo Cruz, Executive Director of the Foundation. These sessions explored Dominican culture, traditions, and the diaspora.
The group then received training on legal and professional standards, including Title IX guidelines for international travel, led by Phil Oliveri, Hostos Chief Diversity Officer, and CTLE (Continuing Teacher and Leader Education) requirements facilitated by NYCDOE specialist Gilberto García Jiménez.
Keynote lectures and workshops connected pedagogy with Dominican and Caribbean identity, featuring presentations by Associate Commissioner of Education Elisa Álvarez on bilingual education in New York, and internationally renowned poet Frank Báez on the use of Dominican literature as an educational tool.
A standout day took place at Gregorio Luperón High School in Washington Heights. Participants toured the school and engaged in dynamic sessions with educators, authors, and journalists. Children’s author Angie Abreu, who leads the Dominican Writers’ Association, presented on incorporating Dominican and Latin American literature in classrooms, while representatives from the New York Duarte Institute led a session on the symbolic use of the Dominican flag and national emblems, deepening the civic learning goals of the program.
The preparatory phase also included STEM-focused workshops on teaching math and science to multilingual learners, led by Professors Edison Teano and Ramón Mejía-Sánchez, and a session with Bronx Community College Professor Nelson Santana on the impact of the Dominican community on U.S. education. The final session was an international safety orientation led by Hostos Chief of Security Arnaldo Bernabe, ensuring participants were fully prepared for their trip.
This unique program not only strengthened institutional ties between Hostos and UASD but also opened pathways for future collaborations, joint research, and teacher training across borders. It affirmed education as a transformative bridge between cultures.
A closing ceremony will take place in September, where teachers who completed the course and program requirements will receive certificates.