Class of 2023 Salutatorian Shahmir Zaidi
Please tell us about your background?
I have always been a disciplined, highly motivated, and optimistic individual. After finishing high school, I knew I had to explore the world, learn about new cultures, celebrate differences, and improve myself to become a better human being. Hence, I came to the United States from Pakistan with high hopes of not only becoming independent but also exposing myself to a whole new life experience. It was a challenging freshman year in a new college and a completely new city… Read More »
“Enjoy the college experience.” - Infinite Clovie, B.A. Economics, Class of 2025
Growing up in Brooklyn and experiencing first-hand the inequities of New York City’s public school system, Infinite Clovie always dreamed of building a school for students with special needs in his neighborhood. Now that he’s pursuing his degree at CCNY and building his professional network, he hopes to have all the capital instruments he needs to realize that vision.
Please share a little about your background — what's your story?
I grew up in Brooklyn, East New York,… Read More »
The core of what makes us human: Psychology Professor Laura Brandt’s commitment to researching substance use disorders
Please share something about your personal and professional background, and what brought you to CCNY and the Colin Powell School.
I am from Germany and lived in Austria for about 13 years before coming to New York, and my journey here was and is a winding road with many bumps and curves. While I knew that I wanted to become a researcher relatively early on during my graduate studies and my interest in addiction developed soon after, I… Read More »
“Pursue your passions and goals, shoot your shot and don't count yourself out”: The Journey of former D.C. Fellow Jason Santiago ‘20 and his path to self-discovery
Jason Santiago is a second-generation Bronxite and a proud product of the Caribbean Diaspora from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. A passion for giving back to his community along with first-hand experience with struggles of food insecurity, housing instability, and environmental and economic racism motivated Jason to pursue his education at Bronx Community College. There, his… Read More »
“Motivation comes from knowing the end goal.”
As a single mom of three, Heather Stewart forged her path to the United States with hopes of making a difference in the lives of her family and serving as a change agent for her community. Now that all her children have graduated from college, Stewart is putting herself back on course to make her dreams a reality. With a dual degree in Psychology and Business Management, Stewart hopes to start a new career in the financial sector. As a transfer from BMCC, Stewart took part in our inaugural cohort of Bridges to Success, an… Read More »
Visiting Fulbright Scholar Margo Groenewoud brings new Caribbean insights to CUNY DSI
Originally from the Netherlands, Margo Groenewoud has lived in the Dutch Caribbean for more than 15 years. There she obtained her PhD, developed herself as a teacher, and discovered the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence program, which ultimately brought her to CCNY. In this position, Groenewoud focuses on research, guest lecturing and digital humanities, bringing her expertise on the Dutch Caribbean in the context of trans-Caribbean history and Caribbean Studies. Groenewoud aims to raise… Read More »
The Lewis Mandell Memorial Fund for Students of Economics
The Lewis Mandell Memorial Fund for Students of Economics was established in tribute to Lewis Mandell (1943-2019), a 1964 graduate of City College of New York who credited CCNY, and specifically the Economics Department, with giving him the strong foundation from which he launched an extraordinary academic career that spanned more than four decades.
Throughout his life, Lew helped countless students to achieve academic success and a chance to pursue their dreams. In gratitude to CCNY and the… Read More »
Importance of Higher Education - Economics Major Kyara Valdez
Born and raised in Washington Heights, Kyara Valdez says that her family – originally from the Dominican Republic – stressed the importance of knowledge and education. Valdez discovered a passion for economics in high school when her family was confronting their own financial struggles. At CCNY, Valdez has strengthened this passion as a Santander Finance Fellow – a new initiative launched by the Colin Powell School to train its highest performing students to be leaders in the finance industry. Valdez has… Read More »
New Economics Chair Prabal De: Using Interdisciplinary Research to Address Social Problems in the Global South and the U.S.
As a high school student in Kolkata, India, Professor Prabal De took interest in the writings of the renowned Indian economist Amartya Sen. After completing his undergraduate studies in economics, he came to the U.S. and completed a Ph.D. in economics at NYU. Having grown up amidst the immense cultural diversity of India, he now considers himself an adopted New Yorker. As an economist, he has pursued a level of interdisciplinary research uncommon to… Read More »
Professor Dirk Moses Explores How Countries Reckon with Legacies of Genocide
In this interview, Dirk Moses, the Anne and Bernard Spitzer Professor of International Relations, reflects on his upbringing in Australia, his studies in both Australia and the United States, and his current work as a member of the Colin Powell School community. He recalls being politicized after seeing the Australian government oppress indigenous people, crush labor movements, and promote extractivist environmental policies. This drove him to study politics, history, and law and eventually to… Read More »
Last Updated: 01/15/2020 15:46