As part of the College’s third “Engineering Program Alumni Reunion,” the Hostos family welcomed back alumnus Dr. Dane Christie for a lecture about his personal and academic journey, which began at Hostos in 2008 and ended at Princeton University in 2018, where he earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.
Today, he works for Corning, Inc. as a materials scientist. His story was informational and educational for students, faculty and staff alike. Some of his mentors, including Hostos professor Yoel Rodríguez, were present to welcome Christie back to campus in what was a truly inspirational event.
"Dane is an inspiration and a role model for an entire generation of young engineering students,” professor Rodríguez said about his former student. “He encountered large obstacles during his educational path, but none of them stopped him and we have experienced what he represents today. His hard work, persistence, and passion for engineering and science paid off. We are immensely proud of him.”
Christie, who was born in Jamaica, spoke passionately and offered practical advice to students seeking to pursue engineering. After struggling early on in his own life in school, he attempted to become a professional baseball player in the Dominican Republic. The tall, left-handed pitcher had some talent, but ultimately fell short of that goal.
But always possessing an aptitude and interest in STEM studies, Christie followed his mother to New York City and enrolled at Hostos in 2008. He discovered the many benefits of Hostos’ Joint Dual Degree Program with The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering and hit his second chance out of the park.
His advice to students: don’t be afraid to explore the many different disciples in engineering because there are so many options; stay motivated and dedicated; and always take advantage of mentor and networking opportunities—being a well-round student and person is also important.
The event preceded the College’s third alumni reunion, which celebrated alumni who excelled in their STEM studies while at Hostos and beyond. Hostos President David Gómez joined other faculty, students and administrators to help honor other graduates, including Maskana Adedjouman, Wendy Fernández, lsamar Garrido Rodríguez, Ángel Cuevas, and Mohamed Afoda-Sebou. Christie joined his fellow Hostos engineering graduates for what was an enlightening event that emphasized the quality of the Hostos Joint Dual Engineering Program with The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering.
The event was made possible thanks to Hostos Natural Sciences and Mathematics Departments and Hostos’ Office of Alumni Relations. Christie’s presentation was sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs. The Engineering Alumni Reunion was sponsored by the Office of Student Activities.