Felix Matos Rodriguez’s Post

I'm looking forward to continue working with Ted Mitchell and the amazing American Council on Education (ACE) team and Board on behalf of the higher education system in our country.

I have been fortunate in my career to have many outstanding colleagues. At the retirement celebration of one such colleague, Glenda G. Grace, I had the chance to reconnect with four great friends who have tolerated me during my journey through CUNY Hostos Community College, Queens College, and the Central Office. Thanks to Felix Monegro, Eton Brooks, Prince Willock, and Jeffrey Medina de los Santos for the partnership, the memories and then things we will keep to ourselves!

Thanks to Jewish Community Relations Council of New York's CEO Mark Treyger and COO Noam Gilboord for their visit to discuss our collaborative work particularly in fighting antisemitism and hate through education. We were joined in our conversation by Rachel Stephenson our Chief Transformation Officer.

Thanks to CUNY Research Foundation President Hector Cordero-Guzmán for introducing me to an outstanding group of summer interns -- Zeehan Gondal, Gigi Oduola, Philip Von Muffling, Dora Zhu, Venis Deva, and Joseph Sollitto -- during the June 2024 RF Board Meeting.

We were pleased to receive a academic-civic delegation from the city of Chula Vista, CA -- lead by Mark Sanchez, Ed.D., President of Southwestern Community College and Maria Kachadoorian, City Manager of the City of Chula Vista -- exploring opening a university as an anchor of economic development in their city. The City University of New York was represented by my extraordinary colleagues Glenda G. Grace, Rachel Stephenson, Jeffrey Rodus, and Christina Chiappa.

I had the chance to visit Lehman College and their impressive new Business School to participate in a podcast hosted by Lawrence Fauntleroy and Dr. Sean Stein Smith DBA, CPA. The conversation allowed us to discuss the transformative investments we are making at The City University of New York in career engagement, exploration and preparation as well as the distinctive niche that Lehman is carving for their Business School. Great also to engage with Lehman's visionary academic leaders Provost Jorge P. Silva-Puras and Dean Dene T. Hurley.

Delighted to have a delegation from the Mexican Consulate in New York City visit us -- lead by my friend the Honorable Consul Jorge Islas López -- to discuss research and student exchange programs between CUNY and universities in Mexico and also collaborations with CUNY Citizenship Now to facilitate some of the administrative changes enacted by the Biden Administration. Our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Alicia M. Alvero, Ph.D. participated in the meeting.

Thanks to Stephen Lassonde for stopping by the office to share a copy of his recently published book _Helping Your Students Write Personal Statements: Framing the Narrative for Fellowships and Other Opportunities_. In the book Stephen shares many of the strategies he uses to support students in their academic journey as a teacher and Director of Hunter College's Office of Prestigious Fellowships. Hunter students are clearly lucky to have him!

So honored to have participated in Kingsborough Community College's 59th Commencement ceremony -- thanks to President Suri Duitch for inviting me. I was particularly inspired by the personal stories and journeys of their Valedictorian Mariami Kochiashvili (born from Georgia) and Salutatorian Maged Ba Qatyan (born in Saudi Arabia). The The City University of New York family always supports each other, so I was happy to join Trustee Sandra Wilkin, LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Denise Maybank at the graduation ceremony. Congrats to KCC's Class of 2024!