At a recent meeting of the CUNY Board of Trustees, held on Monday, June 23 at Bronx Community College, students from nearby Hostos Community College showed up in force to testify, heaping praise on Hostos and expressing their gratitude for how the South Bronx institution helped them improve their lives and future prospects. In all, nine current students and recent graduates, including members of the Student Government Association (SGA), Phi Theta Kappa, the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC), the Honors Program, and the Student Leadership Academy (SLA) gave powerful testimony before the Board about their experiences at the College and the invaluable contributions that the faculty, staff and administration made in their lives.
“Hostos was the beginning of my journey, my launch. It didn’t just educate me, it gave me purpose, leadership, and a deep understanding of service,” said Dainma Martínez ’25, former President of the SGA. “It showed me that someone like me, a first-generation student, a caregiver, a Bronx native has the power to lead and represent. Hostos is unique in its deep commitment to community. It’s a place where professors know your name, where staff uplift you beyond the classroom, and where the struggles students face whether housing insecurity, food insecurity, or mental health are met with compassion and action.”
Another student, Brian Flores Gerardo, who is legally blind, spoke about the emotional struggles he endured when he first arrived at Hostos to pursue a degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences. “Everything started to change when a staff member at the Accessibility Resource Center noticed I was struggling and referred me to the Counseling Center. With time — and the compassion of the Hostos community — I found the support I needed to climb back up. Through this network, I’ve reconnected with who I am. I now understand the strength that comes from knowing I’m not alone. The support systems at Hostos gave me a safe space to release what weighed me down, to heal without judgment, and most importantly, they gave me a home — a community that truly believes in me. Today, I’m not just a student going to class. I’m an advocate. I’m a leader. And I move forward with renewed purpose and the drive to create positive change.”
“I honestly can’t think of a more welcoming institution than Hostos,” said Alyssa Valentine, who just completed her first year at the College. “My professors were kind and resourceful. The staff cared and let me ask them as many questions as I needed, and Lord knows I had so many. I was welcomed with open arms at my first college-wide meeting, where I felt included in decisions and announcements made by the College. Without Hostos, I would not have found my passion for social service and advocacy, and I would not have met so many amazing people that have changed me for good.”
For Jean Hood Lewis, a student-parent with a concentration in Black Studies, her time at Hostos has been transformative. “I returned to college after more than two decades away from school, and Hostos has transformed not only my educational journey but my entire life. As a single mother, a returning adult learner, and someone committed to serving my community, I can say without hesitation that Hostos has been more than a college — it has been a lifeline. From day one, I felt welcomed, supported, and empowered. Hostos offers more than academics — it offers belonging. CUNY and Hostos are proof that public education can be transformative, equitable, and community-centered. I am not just earning a degree — I am building a future for myself, my son, and the Bronx community that raised me. Thank you for supporting students like me. Your continued investment in Hostos means more lives will be changed, just like mine has been.”
Cynthia Bongo, who immigrated from Africa, endured many hardships, but persisted and succeeded thanks to wraparound support that Hostos provided. “I’m the first in my family to go to college, and that journey hasn’t been easy. There were moments I didn’t even know if I’d make it to the next day,” she shared. “When I lost everything in a flood, I had no supplies, no basics but grants helped me get back what I lost. When I was hungry for more than three days, waiting for my parents to send money from overseas, the food pantry was there. I will never forget how that meal felt. I’ve also been through housing struggles. I stayed in a shelter, unsure of what my future would look like. But I had a counselor who believed in me, who told me my story mattered, that
I mattered. Sometimes all you need is just one person who sees your potential when you can’t see it yourself.”
Marco Alvarez, ’25, also found that person at Hostos who helped propel him upward, Student Leadership Coordinator Jason Libfeld. “When I was discouraged about applying to Columbia University, Jason was the only person who told me to go for it. He said, ‘If that’s where you want to go — apply. You never know.’ Those words were simple, but they cut through doubt. I applied one day before the deadline, and got in. Jason didn’t just motivate me. He backed me with recommendation letters, mentorship, and a steady belief in my worth as a scholar and leader. That belief helped me take the biggest academic leap of my life. Today, I am proud to say I am a Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholar, and this fall, I will be attending Columbia University on a full scholarship.”
Students Jorge Sanz, Akoli Sessi, and Yasmina Glele also provided forceful testimony about the life-changing impact that Hostos Community College has had on their lives, providing compelling reasons for CUNY to continue supporting the College with additional funding.
The student delegation was accompanied by incoming SGA President Nichelle Hemphill, as well as Dr. Eric Radezky, Director of Governmental Affairs, and SLA Coordinator Jason Libfeld.