Professor of Iberian and Latin American Cultures Isabel M. Estrada, director of CCNY’s Fellowships Program, opened the mini-conference.
The first-ever Mini-Conference on Undergraduate Research at CUNY’s central office attracted more than 150 attendees from across the University, a significant proportion of them from The City College of New York.
Professor of Iberian and Latin American Cultures Isabel M. Estrada, who directs CCNY’s Fellowships Program, led off by discussing an application for an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant that would create the CUNY STEM And Research Scholars Bridge Program. To be known as CUNY STARS, this program “would integrate community college students into growth-oriented multi-institutional pathways within the CUNY system to foster their access to graduate education, and to effect systemic change,” she said.
“It is important for CUNY students to be involved in research,” said Associate Vice Chancellor and University Vice Provost for Research Rosemarie D. Wesson, who also noted that 13 campuses participated in the day’s conference. “These introductions should begin at the undergraduate level so that students can see the wide scope of options available to them in this changing global, digital knowledge economy.”
Total grants and contract expenditures by the CUNY Research Foundation topped more than $600 million in FY24, she pointed out.
The mini-conference featured two panel discussions and four breakout sessions. The morning panel, on perspectives of students and alumni, featured four representatives of CCNY, including moderator Francesca Anselmi of the Office of Experiential Learning.
One, Richard Perez, a psychology senior, shared the challenges he faced as an older student returning to college after losing most of his vision eight years ago. That experience ignited his passion for advocacy, particularly for individuals with different abilities. Crediting the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership’s network, he received an offer to intern with the New York State Commission for the Blind. He and his wife earned second place in the Zahn Innovation Center’s business start-up incubator competition in the Standard Chartered Women + Tech Track for SpotLight, which provides care management for individuals with low or no vision.
“One of the sayings I often remind myself of is that setbacks and failures are valuable because they provide an opportunity to reflect, analyze, and ultimately find a way forward,” he said. “This mindset was central to the creation of SpotLight, which came about after hearing about the struggles faced by members of our community who had lost their vision.”
The day concluded with an overwhelming majority of the attendees voting to hold a second such conference next year.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Lightcast puts at $3.2 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. In 2023, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Syd Steinhardt
212-650-7875
ssteinhardt1@ccny.cuny.edu