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In order to share our expertise and serve more immigrants, the International Center works with a number of public schools and community-based organizations in different New York City neighborhoods. By bringing our Conversation Partner model to these organizations, we add an important component to their existing ESL programs. Volunteers provide individual attention and build the confidence adults need to progress in English. Since 1999, these collaborations have helped spread the spirit of volunteerism and facilitate deeper connections between immigrants and Americans, resulting in stronger and more integrated communities.

We are currently recruiting for our Fall term community-based programs, starting September through early December. We will be working in Manhattan (Chinatown, East Village, Harlem, and Midtown), Brooklyn (Cobble Hill), Queens (Astoria and Flushing), and the Bronx (Mott Haven).

THREE TO FOUR-MONTH COMMITMENT: one hour per week. (Fall term runs from September/October to December. Spring term runs from January/April to May/June.)
TRAINING: three two-hour sessions.
FOR MORE INFO: http://www.intlcenter.org/volunteer.html

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The Office of Congressman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY-15) — whose district includes Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, the Upper West Side, and Inwood — is looking for driven and committed college students who have an interest in public service for an internship.  General responsibilities include: office management, constituent relations, community outreach, casework, correspondence writing, memo preparation and conducting research.  The office is also prepared to cater to individuals’ specific interests by providing them with special projects, when applicable.  Interns will also be given the opportunity to attend community events, political gatherings and policy forums when the opportunity arises.  This is an excellent opportunity for any student to learn more about politics - from the local to the federal level, government operations, and Congressional matters.  It is ideal for individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of everyday people.  Please note that while this opportunity is unpaid, students who meet the necessary requirements will be eligible to receive credits, per their university’s stipulations.  The internship will begin at the end of August and last through the beginning of December.  While schedules are very flexible, students are expected to commit between 1.5 and 2 days (12-16 hours) per week. 

Please email Jeffrey Margolies (jeffrey.margolies@mail.house.gov) a resume and cover letter if you are interested. Any questions can be directed to Jeffrey at (212) 663-3900 or at the above email address.

Congressman Rangel’s Office is an equal opportunity employer. Minority candidates and/or constituents are encouraged to apply.

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Students who have had their area of concentration forms approved and have completed between 90 and 100 credits must make an appointment to review their academic records before registering for the final semester in the program. During the audit, students will

• receive information about exactly what they need to do in order to graduate
• complete an application for their diploma; if they intend to use a name other than the name on record on their diploma, they must provide legal proof of the name change (e.g., a marriage certificate)
• pay for their diploma and final transcript; the $15 fee is payable by cash, check, or money order made out to “CUNY Baccalaureate”

This is the equivalent of “filing for graduation.” Students do not need to file for graduation at their home colleges

Appointments can be scheduled by calling the main office at 212.817.8220. It is the responsibility of the student to anticipate the need to schedule this appointment. Appointments are made at least 1 week in advance as they require the preparation of paperwork by the academic advisor and a careful checking of records. You should not wait until your last semester to have a graduation audit. You must have approved area of concentration forms on file (approved by your mentor and the academic director) in order to schedule a graduation audit; no exceptions will be made.

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Credit for prior learning can not be applied to area(s) of concentration, liberal arts, residency, or core distribution requirements. This credit is always elective credit. Students who enter the Program with 90 credits do not have room in their degrees for life experience credits; students who enter with close to 90 credits may not have room either (those students should consult their CUNY BA/BS Program academic advisor after their area of concentration form is approved).

Life experience seminars are held at the Program Office; call 212.817.8220 to reserve a seat.

Fall 2008
Thursday, October 2, 12:00pm
Tuesday, October 9, 5:45pm

Spring 2008
Tuesday, February 3, 12:00pm
Tuesday, February 10, 5:45pm
Tuesday, May 5, 5:45pm

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Thanks,

Beth Kneller, Deputy Director

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The Planning Committee of the first ever CUNY Social Forum is happy to announce that we are now accepting proposals from groups and organizations that want to host sessions at the Forum!

Sessions can take the form of workshops, discussions, films and after-film –talks, or cultural/fun/music/art events…..or forms we haven’t even thought of yet….

We are also looking for organizers who want to help make the forum happen.

To find out more about the upcoming CUNY-wide social forum or to get involved, please visit our website at:http://www.cunysocialforum.blogspot.com/, or read below.

Feel free to contact us with any questions at:

cunysocialforum@gmail.com

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117 graduating students attended the 36^th commencement exercises of the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies on Monday, June 9, 2008…as did hundreds of their friends and families, not just from the metropolitan region, but from all over the U.S. (including the Virgin Islands), and from countries around the world: Antigua, Australia, Barbuda/Dominica, Belize, Ecuador, England, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Israel, Jamaica, and Trinidad.

It was a joyous occasion in which each graduate was recognized by coming on stage to receive the degree. Several faculty mentors were on hand, as was the CUNY BA staff and many campus coordinators. At the ceremony, the following students received awards and scholarships:

The Abby Stein Scholarship was awarded to Susan Ryan (English / Legal Studies)

The Dan Daley Journalism Award was presented to Susan Hill (Urban Community Planning / Literary Journalism)

The Nan Bauer-Maglin Prize in Literary Studies was awarded to Kelly Gola (Psychology and Literature)

The Barbara Kneller Memorial Award was given to Patricia D’Agosta (Art History)

Alumni Awards were given to Saundra Ayala (Ancient Mediterranean Art History), Sharif Corinaldi (Physics), and Sara Ingram (Disability Studies)

EXCERPT: KEYNOTE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH, JOURNALIST JOHN HOCKENBERRY

[See post to listen to audio]

“Wow, you design your own curriculum and you have the highest grade point average?! Who would ever have thought?! Shhh…don’t tell anyone. Let’s keep it a secret!”

Surveying the 2008 graduating class of the CUNY Baccalaureate, four-time Emmy award-winning journalist John Hockenberry called the students a “paparazzi of hope, a press corps of promise” and urged them to think outside the box when choosing careers. Hockenberry said he had no idea what he wanted to be when he was in college but knew he “hungered and thirsted for putting knowledge together in ways that maybe weren’t the preconceived categories at the University of Chicago”; he wanted to study both advanced mathematics and music, which, despite raising eyebrows at the time, he came to learn was established as its own unified science in the 5^th Century BC by Pythagoras. He referred to interdisciplinary studies not as rebellion, but as a return to the way learning works. “Rebel is not a rejection of what is but an affirmation of what might be. You created your own curricula and you are part of an extraordinary tradition at an extraordinary moment in history.” Despite the students’ efforts at creating their own paths, he added, “Don’t for a moment think you know now where your impact will be…roll the dice.”

EXCERPT: COMMENCEMENT GREETINGS, PROF. JOHN KRINSKY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, CCNY

“Graduates, if some significant percentage of you are anything like the couple of you I know well, you are a remarkable bunch. You have arrived through numerous paths, but all of you have decided, in one way or another, to stray from the prescribed paths that faculty committees, through the application of years of experience, wisdom, and scholarship, hours of hard work, bargaining, and occasional conflict, have designated as majors across the colleges of this university. You have decided not to follow these leads, and design your own majors. Now, that’s either very presumptuous or it suggests that you have your own intellectual projects: things that keep you up at night, talking to yourself on the sidewalk, or just eager to tackle in whatever class you may be in. If you’re anything like the few students here I’ve gotten to know well, this thing, this project, is something that will last well beyond your college career, and is, perhaps already your life’s work. If you’re anything like the few students here I’ve gotten to know well, this project has a lot to do with making the world a better place. With reducing or mediating conflict; making human relations less violent and less lethal. With promoting real understanding through listening to those to whom we’d often rather not listen. And with promoting justice, as well. Perhaps you’ve taken a different tack on a similar theme: for example, trying to find ways to reduce global poverty or disease, working toward environmentally and socially sustainable development.

These things should keep you up at night, and muttering to yourself on the street! They’re worth it, and it’s to your credit that you’ve recognized this, and recognized that understanding something more systematically about the way the world works takes pursuing these questions across a range of constituted academic disciplines and pursuing them as deeply as possible. But you also know that you can’t do everything on your own. That’s why the CUNY BA is so terrific. In many respects, I think I’ve gained as much or more from being a mentor as my mentees have gained from talking with me. I come out of meetings with my own batteries charged, a sense of possibility restored by the enthusiasm and seriousness of the students. I should emphasize, too, that in addition to being intellectually driven, you have had the help not only of your own mentors, but of the faculty of the CUNY colleges. And, as a mentor to several driven students, I’d like to thank the other mentors and the other faculty in the University—full-time and adjunct, junior and senior, who have helped you, graduates, pursue your own projects with as much seriousness as you apply to them yourself.”

EXCERPT: COMMENCEMENT GREETINGS, EASTER WOOD, JUNE 2008 GRADUATE

Alaafia! Buenos dias! E k’aro! Bonjour! Nîmen zao! Boker tov! Salaam! Konnichi wa! Mudobo! Bom dia! Mema mo akye… good morning and blessed greetings to all the distinguished guests on and off the stage, friends, and family.

Our Director, Dr. Hartswick, mentioned some of the many locales that we hail from. I myself am a third generation native New Yorker. We could not have ended up in a better place than CUNY BA, sharing in a common destiny that includes a vast array of scholarship and a rich tapestry of life experience. I must say that I’m honored and delighted to have been chosen to speak on behalf of such a diverse and multi-talented group of individuals.

It is here that I pause to say adupe, obrigada - thank you - to the many wonderful people at CUNY BA who have helped us get to this day. Dr. Hartswick once joked that every CUNY BA graduate should get an honorary degree in public administration because, while creating an individualized degree seems like a neat little idea, there’s a sea of paperwork – not to mention e-permits – to navigate. We couldn’t have done it without the dedication of our directors, registrars, academic advisors and everyone at CUNY BA. I offer kudos to each and every graduate, as, although we had help, it was US who ultimately circumvented, surmounted – and in some cases bulldozed – any obstacles that stood in the way of us achieving our goals. I also offer special recognition to those who are graduating today after having been out of school for some time. The Yoruba people of Nigeria say that “The person who waits for a perfect opportunity will wait a life-time” – while there might not have ever been a perfect time to return to school we were, in fact, fortunate that it didn’t take lifetime to find the perfect opportunity in CUNY BA.

A CUNY education was once free but alas that is no longer the case. Thankfully, we at CUNY BA are surrounded by a host of wonderful benefactors, and so I’d also like to take this opportunity to personally thank Thomas W. Smith and the many others who have so generously contributed to helping me and many of my fellow students to achieve our dreams. Next, I must offer a collective meda ase, shukran – thank you – the more than 400 faculty mentors who have worked tirelessly with us to make sure that there was always some method to our madness. Special thanks to my mentor, Dr. Jo-Ann Hamilton for the dedication and maternal understanding she has shown me over the past 2 years. We are also thankful to all of the professors who have not officially served as mentors, but who have imparted the knowledge and guidance we needed to arrive here. Last, but certainly not least I offer merci beaucoup, sas efharisto poli – many thanks - to my parents and to all the family members and friends present who have stood by our sides offering encouragement, shoulders to cry on and urging us on when it felt like we couldn’t read another line, write another paper or talk to another professor about overtallying us in since the class we needed was full by the time the e-permit went through.

As I’ve studied history, particularly that of the African Diaspora, I’m keenly aware of the ways in which ugly events of the past can reinvent themselves despite progress. For the first time in history, we have an African descended person who has won the nomination of a major party and who has real shot at becoming the president of the United States yet, in the midst of this monumental event, we see the continuation of a genocidal campaign in progress in the Darfur region of Sudan that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of African people. For the first time in history, we had a woman candidate with the real potential to win the presidency yet, at the same time, in many places the world over – including right here in America – many women continue to endure oppressions like sexual violence and lack of access to education. These are but two examples of the intense juxtapositions we face in the 21^st century. While, indeed, we recognize and celebrate the positive happenings in our world, we must also be aware of the negative, take an active stand, and not turn a blind eye when we are witness to so much needless suffering around us. As so eloquently put by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

It is said that “to whom much is given much is expected” – we have been given a lot and have gained immeasurably from our experiences here at CUNY BA and now is the time to give back what is expected by being successful and productive members of society. May this be the beginning of many triumphs, successes and blissful moments to come! Ashe!

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Monday, September 15, 2008, 6pm

Room 9204; Refreshments following in Room 6412.

Submerged: Tales from the Basin, is an anthology of literature, memoir, and art created by more than thirty women to benefit those who survived Hurricane Katrina. The title refers to a fear many of us had as young children, of having our heads submerged under water while our mothers washed our hair. The stories, essays, poems, and art of Submerged are an exploration of each contributor’s relationship with her hair, in most cases emotional, often humorous, and consistently generated from youth. An African American writer discusses having her hair ironed straight in the 1960s, with her mother trying hard to keep her from looking like a Black Panther. A Southern writer laments her childhood braid lying in a box in perpetual youth while she, herself, ages. A young woman watches her aging grandmother go bald. A lonely widow rediscovers intimacy from the remote touch of her wax technician. A New Orleans performance group talks about Hurricane Katrina, gender stereotypes, and hair as stagecraft. Artist Lorien Jordan has created a series of drawings in response to these essays, memoirs, and poems. A percentage of the book’s proceeds will help support charities based in New Orleans that work with ongoing relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina survivors.

Readers:

Kelly A. Gola, Lauren González, Ellen Hagan, Rebecca O. Johnson, Carla Porch, Alyssa Robbins.

Kelly A. Gola is a recent graduate of the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies; read more about her here.

About the book:

Edited by Lauren González, Images by Lorien Jordan

Available September 1, 2008

ISBN 978-0-9802300-2-4/LCCN 2008932593

Soft cover/US $19.95

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Important dates for the November 5-8 2008 ABRCMS conference in Orlando Florida:

September 5, 2008: Abstract Submission Deadline

September 5, 2008: ABRCMS Travel Award Submission Deadline

For more, visit http://www.abrcms.org/page01a.html

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