On December 19, 2022, Nasry Michelen Foundation (NMF) Board Chairperson Cira Angeles presented a gift of $75,000 to the Hostos Community College Foundation. Chairperson Angeles, as well as NMF Board members Dr. Rafael Lantigua and Dr. Manuel Acevedo met with President Daisy Cocco de Filippis, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance Esther Chardavoyne, Dean of Community Relations Ana Garcia Reyes, and Vice President of Institutional Advancement Colette Atkins to celebrate the signing of a $150,000 Gift Agreement and fulfillment of $125,000 of the NMF’s $150,000 pledge to establish the Dr. Nasry Michelen Memorial Endowment. The endowment will fund annual scholarships for Hostos students who demonstrate academic excellence pursuing allied health and public health careers.
The $75,000 gift was made possible by participants and sponsors of the First Nasry Michelen Foundation Golf Tournament 2022, held in Punta Cana last spring. In recognition, a reception was held in the Longwood Gallery by the Hostos Community College Foundation and The Nasry Michelen Foundation on October 13, 2022. The event also celebrated the legacy of Hostos’ founding president and trailblazing healthcare leader, Dr. Nasry Michelen (1924-2018).
On that evening, NMF Board members and one of Dr. Michelen’s sons reflected on the impact of Dr. Michelen at Hostos as the institutions’ first president. A formal proclamation from New York City Mayor Eric Adams marked October 13, 2022 as Dr. Nasry Michelen Day. In a touching speech, Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs for the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Miosotis Muñoz remarked, “It is impossible to overstate the impact that Dr. Michelen had on healthcare in New York City. In his many roles, Dr. Michelen worked tirelessly to uplift the members of his community.”
The mission of Hostos Community College is deeply rooted in the ideals envisioned by Dr. Michelen during his tenure as president of the College from 1969-1971: to be a gateway to opportunity and improved healthcare access in the South Bronx. Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis described the many ways the College is upholding that mission. “Hostos’ nursing, radiologic technology and dental hygiene programs, for years, have delivered consistently high and even 100% pass rates for certifications and validation exams. In this spring of 2021, the Nasry Michelen Foundation’s distinguished Board of Directors worked closely with Hostos to bring a lecture series to the College, [honoring] the memory of Dr. Michelen by uniting people and empowering them with tools and knowledge.” The President also highlighted the College’s ground-breaking new NextGen Public Health 2+2+2 partnership with The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, which facilitates transfer with a full-ride scholarship from an associate degree at Hostos through a bachelor’s and master’s at Columbia.
In reflecting on the impact of scholarships for students within Hostos’ Allied Health Program, dedicated student Elizabeth Soto expressed her gratitude for the private philanthropic support she has received. “Thanks to scholarships, I have been able to work fewer hours and live a full college experience. I have also been able to participate in research and hone my leadership skills by joining the Student Government Association.”
Hostos Community College Foundation and the Nasry Michelen Foundation extend sincere gratitude to the donors and sponsors whose generosity enables both institutions to carry on the transformative work of Dr. Nasry Michelen. As Dr. Walid Michelen said, “My father was a firm believer in the power of education to advance the disenfranchised. This endowment in his honor at Hostos will help many students achieve their dreams while fulfilling my father’s dream of helping others.”
If you would like to make a gift to support the Dr. Nasry Michelen Memorial Endowed Fund or another scholarship program at Hostos, visit
www.givetohostos.csom.
Eugenio María De Hostos Community College
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 for over half a century. Since 1968, Hostos has been 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.
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate secure 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 25 colleges.
Nasry Michelen Foundation, Inc. Mission Statement
The Foundation supports undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in the Allied Health sciences. By promoting excellence through mentoring and financial support via scholarships, the Foundation seeks to create an atmosphere that will encourage lifelong learning and commitment to diverse underrepresented communities. The Foundation seeks to foster the continued growth of its award recipients by recommending prospective students to internship opportunities. It also seeks to identify Dominican-American students and other underrepresented groups with high academic potential who wish to pursue careers in Allied Health.