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Professor Claudia Green, director of ���ҹ�����’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program, was faced with a challenge as she prepared to teach her civic engagement and public values course remotely: How would the class build a community project when the students were located around the world? The solution: Use Google Earth and open-source mapping tools to create a database of COVID-19 friendly tourism activities worldwide.

Brian Powell ’21 has a deep passion for helping others. That’s exemplified in his pursuit of a health science major with a concentration in global health, not to mention he’s also on the pre-physician assistant track—all extremely difficult subjects. Powell, though, is eager for the challenge. At ���ҹ�����, he’s taken on a number of leadership roles including College of Health Professions (CHP) student ambassador for the Student Government Association (SGA), Orientation Leader, and member of the Future Health Care Leaders, the National Residence Hall Honorary Society, and the Residence Hall Association. “Advocating and being a voice for students was always something that I loved to do,” he told us. “I always ensure that everyone’s voices are being heard and find ways to grow and change constructively.”

As a certified medical assistant with a great deal of patient care experience, Powell has worked on the job to build relationships with his patients and collaborate with various teams to address all tasks on any given day. “Working in this field, you never know what you’re going to see or expect, so you have to be prepared for any situation,” Powell explained. And it’s no wonder—he’s worked extensively with trauma, domestic abuse, and bariatric patient calls. “With most of these calls, you cannot waste time as the patient’s life depends on the time it takes to assist, treat, and transport the patient,” he said.

It was also important to Powell that he not only care for his patients, but that he also work to combat racial injustice within his field as well. “During my time shadowing physician assistants while working as a student nurse, I experienced racial bias between patients and healthcare professionals several times,” he told us. “Being an openly black gay male, there were several times when patients would deny care because of the color of my skin and their beliefs.”

During Powell’s junior year at ���ҹ�����, he decided to take a stand and focused much of his attention on writing a research paper regarding patient bias in the healthcare field. “I was able to complete this paper and give knowledge to my peers and faculty by gathering primary and secondary research,” he told us. Powell conducted many interviews and gathered medical journals and research that focused on patient and physician bias.

From there, he took that same passion for connecting with and uplifting others in order to tackle a new challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic. “As the pandemic placed a hold on my education, I saw this as an opportunity to seek out another way to help those within healthcare,” Powell told us. “I crammed ten weeks of basic EMT training into four weeks. [...] Being able to experience this part of pre-hospital care, I was capable of better learning how to advocate for patients in socioeconomically diverse areas.”

Truly, it’s remarkable how much Powell has accomplished in only a few years at ���ҹ�����. His dedication, experience, skills, and passion have taken him far. But did you know he’s also a model? “Being in the talent industry already for my music, I already had friends and connections within this industry,” he explained, referring to . “After attending my first New York Fashion Week shows that were more focused on empowerment mixed in with fashion such as #MeToo and Chromat, I decided that this was something I wanted to do.”

He’s effected so much positive change since he first took the Pleasantville Campus by storm, but initially, Powell was drawn to selecting ���ҹ����� for more than just its excellent health care programs. “The lip sync battle during Orientation was also a key factor into my choice of choosing ���ҹ�����,” he told us. We’re certain that was quite the battle! We also look forward to all the good Powell continues to do in the bright future he has ahead of him.

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For many ���ҹ����� students, learning doesn’t stop once one leaves the classroom for the day; or even, once one acquires their degree. Kevin McGovern ’83, ’21, who earned his bachelor’s in business administration and CPA designation thirty-eight years ago, epitomizes this ethos of persistence and the continual ability to evolve and grow with the times—which in fact, is one of the reasons he decided to return to ���ҹ����� and pursue a master’s in cybersecurity.

“I’ve been working with technologists for twenty years now,” said Kevin. “I started with Merrill Lynch’s technology team, but I’ve always kind of done things from an accountant’s perspective or a businessman’s perspective, not from the technology perspective. Now, I want to know more about how the technology actually works, which is why I came back to school.”

Kevin is one of ���ҹ�����’s many students that decide to embark on the pursuit of education a second time around. He has had a successful career working with various technology teams across the financial services arena including Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase; yet he believes there is still always more to learn.

“I want to be able to speak both sides,” said Kevin.

While the core principles of ���ҹ�����—and the Setter blue and gold color palette—remain a familiar and grounding constant for Kevin, returning to his alma mater for his graduate degree has been a drastically different experience. As a student at ���ҹ�����’s Westchester Campus back in the 1980’s, Kevin’s undergraduate years had a profound impact on his life. He earned his undergraduate degree, lived on campus as an RA, and even found a circle of people that would become lifelong friends for him and who have remained very close to him today.

“Do it. Don’t give it a second thought. Do it. You will get a great student experience out of it.”

“When we get together, it feels like we’ve been together forever. It is like we are all back in school again, but thirty-eight years later. We have been at each other’s weddings, our kids have grown up together, attended our kid’s birthday parties together, shared both weddings and funerals together. Other people look at it and say that it is ‘such an odd thing’. It is a very good oddity.”

Today, Kevin is earning his degree by attending classes online, and has learned certain benefits about the new structure of virtual education and how it plays into his busy day-to-day life.

“COVID changed the pace of everything we do, on a personal and business side, and that actually helped. Two years ago, it would have been much more difficult for me to balance both worlds.”

Kevin even discovered that the relationship that he has with his professors online is stronger than what he experienced as an undergraduate. While his experience may be drastically different than 1983—eight years before the world wide web was introduced to the public (on 8/6/91)! Kevin’s hunger for knowledge allows him to adapt and excel within the futuristic learning format.

One of the reasons he decided to pursue a graduate degree, he says, is due to the speed that the world is changing, and information is “pouring out.” Through enrolling in the master’s program, he has seized upon the opportunities available to him to be more capable in anticipating and adapting to said changes. For example, he is currently collaborating with his professor and his peers on a project concerning quantum computing; a technology which Kevin explains will revolutionize computing itself.

“Say you have a car that can go seventy miles per hour and take you from New York to Boston in three hours. Now I come up to you and say I have a car now that goes seven hundred miles per hour so that you can get there in 10 minutes, and it’s safer than the other car.’ That’s what quantum computing is.”

All in all, Kevin has found his return to school not only practical, but incredibly rewarding. When asked what he would say to someone considering pursuing an online degree, his answer is unwavering:

“Do it. Don’t give it a second thought. Do it. You will get a great student experience out of it.”

Joneisha “JoJo” Carmichael ’22, a commercial dance major and arts and entertainment management minor, has been hard at work completing a “daily doing challenge” put forth by dance legend Dana Wilson. The challenge is simple: do something every day related to your creative outlet. “My daily doing includes turning on a song and dancing to it. Sometimes the movement is choreographed and sometimes I improvise,” JoJo told us. Every video is , where she’s been getting a lot of attention for her passion and perseverance—not to mention her immense talent. “Through this experience, I have gotten more comfortable in creating and sharing my art,” she said.

Initially, her goal was to complete two months of producing daily videos of her dance routines. JoJo is currently well past day 181—and counting. “Throughout this experience, I have slowly been overcoming this perfectionist trait that I inherently have,” she explained. “Social media is a platform where we all generally like to post our life highlights or all of the good things that we have going on, and [we] are reluctant to share our lows. However, since social media is where I display my daily videos, I have gained comfort in sharing my highs and lows with everyone.”

“I think what I enjoyed the most was being able to share the stage with such amazing artists. This was the first time that I had performed with actors and I was simply in awe of everyone’s talent.”

Her passion for dance all started way back when JoJo was just four years old. She was in gymnastics first, and a single moment during practice would change her life forever. “One day a little girl walked into the gym with some tap shoes. After seeing that, I told my parents I wanted to do whatever that little girl did,” JoJo told us. Her parents went on to enroll her in a local dance studio, and the rest is history. She’s been dancing ever since—so, naturally, when it came time to choose a college, it was important to pick one that fit what she was looking for in a dance program.

“Following high school graduation, I knew that I did not want to put myself in a box,” JoJo explained. “���ҹ����� commercial dance seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn and grow as a dancer, as well as have the freedom to explore different avenues within my training. I also found the LA experience that [they] offer extremely exciting, and something I knew I wanted to be a part of.”

She’s appeared in numerous productions at ���ҹ����� since, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which she counts as one of her all-time favorite performance experiences. “[It] was a collaboration between the BFA in Acting program and the commercial dance program,” JoJo explained. “I think what I enjoyed the most was being able to share the stage with such amazing artists. This was the first time that I had performed with actors and I was simply in awe of everyone’s talent.”

Looking to the future, JoJo has some big plans. She not only wants a career in dance, but also to launch her very own talent agency someday. “I would want to represent multiple different talents within the entertainment industry—not just one artistic category,” she explained. “What I hope to bring to the arts industry is authenticity. By staying true to who I am as an artist and human, I hope that I inspire others to do the same. I also hope to bring variety to the arts industry.”

For now, JoJo is staying focused and working on her craft. She recently signed with MSA agency, too, and she says she’s “extremely excited about what this new chapter will bring.” We are, too! Keep an eye on where JoJo’s career goes—you’re sure to see her name in lights soon. In the meantime, .

Effective April 6, all adult New Yorkers—that’s everyone 16 or older—is eligible to be vaccinated. (Only the Pfizer vaccine is approved for 16 and older; Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are approved for 18 or older.) This is one step closer to fulfilling our plans for a Fall 2021 semester that feels closer to normal, with fully in-person classes and activities. Some of you have already been vaccinated as you reached eligibility earlier—which is wonderful news!

Getting as many people vaccinated is one of the most effective strategies for us to protect our families, colleagues, peers, and community members. See below for information about how and where to get vaccinated:

NYC-run Vaccination Sites Accepting Walk-Ins for People aged 16+

Beginning Friday, April 23, all City-run vaccination sites will accept walk-ins by people age 16 and over. No appointments are necessary.

Please note the following

• Appointments will be at the designated vaccination location. You are responsible for getting to the vaccination site.
• These appointments will be for either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine, which requires a second dose after several weeks. If you will not be able to get to vaccination location for your second dose, you should not sign up for an appointment.
• Photo ID will be required at check-in; an insurance card will also be required if you have one.
• Your second dose will be scheduled at time of check-out.
• The Moderna vaccine is FDA-authorized only for those 18 and older and the Pfizer vaccine is FDA-authorized only for those 16 and older. Please be prepared to provide proof of age (e.g., government-issued ID, birth certificate, passport).

Vaccine Eligibility and Appointment Resources

Check the below websites for information about vaccine eligibility and appointment availability:

• New York
• Connecticut

Utilizing Social Media for Vaccine Appointments

If you are using Twitter, there are several accounts that provide appointment availability in real-time. Follow the account and , so you don’t miss a tweet.

New York:

New Jersey:

Connecticut:

Be sure to keep checking your ���ҹ����� email and ���ҹ�����Safe app notifications for information about vaccine appointments for the ���ҹ����� Community.

View the full issue of ���ҹ����� Magazine.

Announcing the establishment of the Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion. This new center, established via a donation from the Gosins, supports ongoing efforts at ���ҹ����� in anti-racism and equity, expands work to elevate job placement and entrepreneurship among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students, and enhances academic scholarship in these areas.

This February, ���ҹ����� announced the establishment of the Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion. This new Center, established via a donation from the Gosins, supports ongoing efforts at ���ҹ����� in anti-racism and equity; expands work to elevate job placement and entrepreneurship among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students; and enhances academic scholarship in these areas.

Housed on ���ҹ�����’s New York City Campus, the Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion launches with the overarching goal of increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups and fostering their success during the job placement process and throughout their careers. Specific objectives of the Center include:

• Diversifying the entrepreneurship experience and education with enhanced support and programming through the ���ҹ����� Entrepreneurship Lab and Center for Student Enterprise.
• Increasing career advisement opportunities and resources for BIPOC students at ���ҹ�����.
• Expanding collaborative critical inquiry and community partnerships in anti-racism.
• Supporting ���ҹ�����’s academic units in faculty and student research and scholarship on equity and inclusion.
• Facilitating the development of equity literacy, inclusive curricula and anti-oppression pedagogies.

"The establishment of this Center represents an important step in the movement to diversify the voices in the corporate workplace and boardrooms across America. For many young people, college serves as a critical point in their journey to professional success, and it is our hope that this Center will provide ���ҹ����� students with the knowledge, skills and opportunities that lead to long and rewarding careers,” said Barry Gosin, the CEO of global commercial real estate advisory firm Newmark and a member of ���ҹ�����’s Board of Trustees. “���ҹ����� has always been a beacon for historically underrepresented and first-generation college students as they seek a brighter future. We believe this new initiative will advance this storied institution’s ability to continue fulfilling that core mission, while paving the way for a stronger, more equitable New York.”

"The Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion is significant because it elevates the work at ���ҹ����� and will make a tangible difference in the lives of our students and community. It’s an honor and privilege to do this work and open this new Center,” says Tiffany SW Hamilton, chief diversity officer at ���ҹ�����.

Ranked the number one private, four-year college in the United States for driving upward economic mobility, according to the Opportunity Insights research project at Harvard University, ���ҹ����� uplifts its students academically and professionally with relevant, focused, and forward-looking degrees and programs. The ���ҹ����� Community is vibrantly diverse and inclusive, with ethnic, gender, and economic diversity that sets it apart from most other institutions in higher education. A majority of ���ҹ�����’s student body identify as BIPOC, close to 30 percent of ���ҹ����� students are from low-income families eligible for Pell grants, and close to 40 percent identify as the first in their family to go to college.

“���ҹ����� has a proud tradition of providing access to a quality education for all hard-working, ambitious students, including those from all backgrounds and many who are the first in their families to attend college,” said ���ҹ����� President Marvin Krislov. “We know that college can transform a student’s life, and in so doing transform a family and community. Through Barry and Jackie Gosin’s generous gift, this new Center will be critical in helping us live up to our commitments on diversity, equity, and access, and inclusion—and ensuring we deliver on that promise for all of our students.”

Tiffany SW Hamilton, chief diversity officer at ���ҹ����� said, “Higher education should be a transformative experience for students, faculty, and staff. Historical barriers of the academy have often disproportionately impacted Black, Latinx, and economically challenged individuals. ���ҹ����� champions diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. Yet, we must always strive to be better and do better. The Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion is significant because it elevates the work at ���ҹ����� and will make a tangible difference in the lives of our students and community. It’s an honor and privilege to do this work and open this new Center.”

The work managed and facilitated by the Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion is well underway and we can’t wait to share updates from the Center.