SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Matilda Raffa Cuomo

Matilda Raffa Cuomo, wife of former Governor Mario Cuomo, will deliver the address at Kingsborough Community College’s 47th commencement ceremony, the school has announced.

Matilda and Mario Cuomo will also be honored with the President’s Medal at the ceremony, which takes place June 12 on the school grounds at 2001 Oriental Boulevard.

From the school’s press release:

As first lady of New York, Mrs. Cuomo was dedicated to service. She diligently worked full time as a volunteer with state and elected officials, as well as community leaders, to establish programs to prevent child abuse, strengthen families, promote adoption for foster care children and prevent school dropout. She is the founder of “Mentoring USA,” an organization that has provided supportive mentors to more than 5,000 children. Mrs. Cuomo has been described as the most active first lady in New York’s history.

“We are honored that Mrs. Cuomo will deliver Kingsborough’s commencement address,” said [Dr. Regina Peruggi, president of Kingsborough Community College]. “She is an inspirational and dynamic leader whom I have admired for many years. She recognized the necessity for broad range support and mentorship for young people in need across the state and graciously fulfilled it. Her dedication to education and community service is unparalleled and is a model for our Kingsborough students. I am extraordinarily pleased to award her and Former Governor Cuomo the President’s Medal in recognition of their devotion and commitment to serving the people of New York State.”

The Class of 2012 valedictorian is Nelli Sidorova. Ms. Sidorova, 27, is a native of Russia, a business major and has a perfect GPA of 4.00. She has been actively involved in the Honors Program, served as an Honors representative and has been a leader in a number of Business Clubs and activities.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/06/4542958/matilda-raffa-cuomo-former-first.html#storylink=cpy

Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Boulevard) is one of 10 community colleges from around the country selected to participate in a new initiative focused on civic learning the the humanities.

The program, called “Bridging Cultures to Form a Nation: Difference, Community and Democratic Thinking” brings teams from all 10 colleges together to design a three-year curriculum and faculty development project to strengthen civic engagement.

“We are extraordinarily pleased to have been selected as a national leader for our unswerving dedication and commitment to making civic engagement an integral part of the academic experience at KCC,” said Regina Peruggi, president of KCC. “The preparation of our students to become engaged citizens and leaders of tomorrow is critically important and top priority at KCC.”

Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and co-sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and The Democracy Commitment, the new curriculum will:

• infuse questions about difference, engaged community, and democratic thinking into transfer courses in the humanities
• promote greater adoption of practices that advance important civic learning outcomes
• create a series of humanities-enriched professional development opportunities for full-time and adjunct faculty
• expand the project’s impact through collaboration with additional community colleges and partnerships with state humanities councils

Here’s more about the project, from the college’s press release:

Bridging Cultures was developed as part of AAC&U’s ongoing initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement and builds on the recommendations issued in the report, A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future, released in January 2012 at a White House convening. The key recommendation in A Crucible Moment is to make civic learning in college expected rather than optional for all students, including all those in career and technical programs. Building from this recommendation, Bridging Cultures began in February 2012 with a call for proposals to community colleges across the country, leading to the selection of 10 teams composed of humanities faculty and administrators.

Team members will participate in an intensive summer faculty development institute in August 2012, as well as multiple other faculty development opportunities and partnerships with other community colleges. The project will culminate in a symposium planned for October 2014. Bridging Cultures’ impact will also be strengthened by a partnership with theNew York Times Company education group, which is collaborating with TDC in their national initiative.  Project participants will use the Epsilen online learning platform to develop forums and to share and co-create resources and course materials.

In addition to KCC selected institutions include Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ); County College of Morris (NJ); Georgia Perimeter College (GA); Kapi’olani Community College(HI); Miami Dade College (FL);  Middlesex Community College (MA);Mount Wachusett Community College (MA); Lone Star College-Kingwood (TX); and Santa Fe College(FL).

The clock is ticking! There are only 215 days left for smokers to enjoy a cigarette on the Kingsborough Community College campus (2001 Oriental Boulevard).

Working alongside The Center for Tobacco Policy, the City University of New York (CUNY) has chosen to ban smoking on all of its facilities system-wide, and that includes the Manhattan Beach-based community college.

The policy bans the use of tobacco on all grounds and facilities under CUNY’s jurisdiction, both indoor and outdoor. It also prohibits tobacco industry promotions and marketing on campus properties, and tobacco industry sponsorship of athletic events and athletes. The ban makes CUNY the largest smoke-free public university system in the United States.

Kingborough Community College’s Coordinator of Student Life, Maria Patestas, said she doesn’t believe it will be a hard transition for students.

“The only time I really see the smokers outside on campus is on rainy days,” she said. “They’ll stand closer to the entrances of buildings, taking cover.”

But should there be a designated area for smokers on the Brooklyn campus? Patestas noted it wouldn’t be a bad idea, but that brings its own issues. “I mean how could you even regulate that?” she asked.

The origins of the new ban go back to January 2011, when CUNY’s Board of Trustees voted to approve a proposal made by a committee of faculty, staff and students.

For now, student smokers can enjoy the spring-like weather and a pull of their favorite cigarette. But in September this will all change. Verbal warnings will be submitted to students for now, but in the future Patestas does not dismiss the possibility of a fine system being implemented.

“We have to see how it goes first once September comes, but I think it’ll be harder for faculty and staff rather than students,” Patestas noted.

This is a paid announcement from BramsonORT College, a co-educational private not-for-profit college for students seeking an associate’s degree.

Looking for the best opportunities in a tough economy? Need job specific training? Then BramsonORT is the place for you.

Locally-based at 8109 Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, BramsonORT offers certificates and associate’s degree programs to give you practical, smart job training in a personal environment. BramsonORT is the place to enjoy learning and seize a brighter future.

Check out these new programs…

• Renewable Energy Technician. Go green, baby!  With public- and private-sector investment fueling America’s future as a leader of environmental innovation, this is the degree to get ahead of the curve.
• Game Design. CTRL-ALT-DELETE your career and move into this fast-growing industry. Whether it’s XBox or an iPod, get the skills to create the next gaming sensation. Admit it, you just know that you can do better than Angry Birds!
• Medical Billing. The medical industry is the largest growing sector of the economy. Get the knowledge you need to claim your spot in one of the nation’s most stable and smart career sectors.
• Paralegal. Enough watching Law & Order – get in on the courtroom drama! Formally trained paralegals have better employment opportunities in this growing-but-competitive field.

BramsonORT College, a not-for-profit educational institution, was established in 1942 and accredited by the Board of Regents of the State of New York in 1977. Its mission is to serve the needs of the student seeking an Associate’s Degree in high demand fields such as accounting, medical assistant, pharmacy technician, administrative assistant, business management, electronics technology, HVAC, computer networking, computer programming, video game design, graphic design, renewable energy and medical billing and coding.

The above is a paid announcement by BramsonOrt College. Sheepshead Bites has not verified the claims made in this advertisement. If you own a business and would like to announce a special offer to tens of thousands of locals, e-mail us at advertising [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.

This is a paid announcement from BramsonORT College, a co-educational private not-for-profit college for students seeking an associate degree.

You are cordially invited to attend our Open House Events at BramsonORT College.
Come and discover the best small, private, not-for-profit college!

BramsonORT College, located at 8109 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, is holding open houses for perspective students on…

• Sunday, January 8, from noon until 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, January 22, from noon until 2:00 p.m.

BramsonORT College, a not-for-profit educational institution, was established in 1942 and accredited by the Board of Regents of the State of New York in 1977. Its mission is to serve the needs of the student seeking an Associate Degree in high demand fields such as,  accounting, medical assistant, pharmacy technician, administrative assistant, business management, electronics technology, HVAC, computer networking, computer programming, video game design, graphic design, renewable energy and medical billing and coding.

 To RSVP please call (718) 259-5300

SPRING SEMESTER BEGINS FEBRUARY 5th, 2012 – (rolling admission available)

Financial Aid and Scholarships Available to those that qualify

For more information, please contact Vera Brenner at (718) 259-5300, ext. 203 or
email Vera at vbrenner@bramsonort.edu. Check us out on the web at www.bramsonort.edu

The above is a paid announcement by BramsonOrt College. Sheepshead Bites has not verified the claims made in this advertisement. If you own a business and would like to announce a special offer to tens of thousands of locals, e-mail us at advertising [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.

Calcified caveman poop? Or a prehistoric meteorite containing the mineral Krotite? Source: MSNBC.com

The next time you hear someone coolly drop the old maxim, “Those who can’t do, teach,” remind them of Kingsborough Community College Physical Sciences Professor Dr. Harold C. Connolly, Jr. and his research partner, CUNY undergraduate intern Stuart A. Sweeney Smith.

The two ‘rock’ stars from Southern Brooklyn’s world of academia by the sea were part of the prestigious group of scientists who discovered the new mineral “Krotite,” described as “one of the earliest minerals formed in our solar system,” as revealed in a paper titled “Krotite, CaAl204, a new refractory mineral from the NWA 1934 meteorite,” which appeared in the May-June issue of the “American Mineralogist.”

Continue Reading »

Courtesy of Paypaul via Flickr

by Ryan Maye Handy

English? Check. Biology? Check. Farming?

Check.

Kingsborough Community College will be the first higher-education institution in New York City to launch an urban farm tilled by students, the school announced on Wednesday.

Kingsborough is launching the “Build a Garden in Brooklyn” project to teach students about urban agriculture and organic farming practices. It will contribute produce to the Culinary Arts Program and the college cafeteria, according to project supervisor Dr. Stuart Schulman.

“The farm will function as an outdoor classroom,” said Schulman, who is also the Executive Director for Economic and Work Force Development at Kingsborough. ”Instead of sitting in a classroom and talking about vegetables, students actually grow and harvest them.”

Keep reading about Kingsborough’s urban farming initiative, and find out how buying a bottle of wine can help support the school.

A Kingsborough Culinary Arts student at work

If you’ve ever watched Hell’s Kitchen or Top Chef and said to yourself, “I wish that was me” – this is your chance to develop some real culinary skills for free!

It goes without saying that our economy is in a difficult time. With so many qualified applicants flooding the job market, younger and less experienced job applicants can find the search daunting. If you’re not currently employed or a full-time student, then the CUNY Young Adult Program has a wonderful opportunity for you to add to your skill set and open up a career path. The program is providing free Food Service/Culinary Arts training to eligible people at KBCC. The program is being advertised via Facebook and Craigslist in an apparent bid to appeal directly to 18- to 24-year-olds.

We told you about Kingsborough’s newly-launched Culinary Arts major back in May. The new kitchens, expert faculty and innovative program make this a bargain for young adults.

View the full advertisement and get more info

A student prepares hors d'oeuvres for the crowd

Melisa Carbajal’s relationship with Kingsborough Community College is coming around full circle. After finishing an Associates Degree program at the school in 2007, the student is returning to be a teacher. She’ll be one of a handful of chef-instructors in the school’s budding culinary arts program, where she’ll teach healthy cooking for cancer patients and survivors in a partnership with CookforYourLife.org.

“So many good things have happened,” Carbajal said in front of a crowd of about 100 people at Kingsborough last night. “I couldn’t have started in a better place than Kingsborough Community College.”

But had it been a few years earlier, Carbajal never would have had the opportunity.

The group Carbajal spoke to was celebrating the launch of the Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts, the latest – and biggest – step towards maturing a program that was only born in 2001.

Keep reading to learn more about Kingsborough Culinary Arts program’s development

Photo courtesy of Paypaul via Flickr

Kingsborough Community College is booming this year, as a record high number of students pad the school’s budget and spur program growth.

While all of the city’s other community colleges were forced to roll back application deadline dates for the current Fall semester, Kingsborough Community College remained the only two-year public higher education institution that accepted all eligible students. The result was a massive 16 percent leap in enrollment, to a teeming 17,821 registered students.

The increased numbers haven’t stressed the system, according to Thomas Friebel, Dean of Enrollment Management at KBCC. Instead it’s led to some long-awaited improvements. Continue Reading »