Juan Carlos Polanco

Picture of Juan Carlos Polanco


Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ethnic and Race Studies

EMAIL: jpolanco@bmcc.cuny.edu

Office:

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-6:00 on Zoom

Phone:

Polanco is an attorney, a proud member of the Department of Ethnic and Race Studies, and is celebrating his 23rd year in education. Polanco has taught Latino Studies, History, Economics, and Business Law at the Borough of Manhattan Community College of the City University. While serving the students here at BMCC, Polanco served as an executive for the NYS legislature for two decades and is a former Bronx Commissioner and President of the NYC Board of Elections. Today, Polanco also serves as President & CEO of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc., the country’s most influential law school pipeline.

J.C. is a Bronx kid all the way; not only was he a New York Yankee batboy for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, and he’s dedicated his career to the people of the Bronx. After growing up in the Fordham section of the Bronx and attending Fordham Prep, Polanco left briefly to study politics and history at the University at Albany. J.C. quickly returned to the Bronx and became a Social Studies teacher at Truman High School in Co-op City. While teaching at Truman and Boricua College, J.C. attended Fordham Law School and the Fordham Graduate School of Business as a night student to complete a law degree and MBA.

J.C. has served as a policy commentator for MetroFocus on PBS, Tiempo De Debate on Univision 41, and NY1 Inside City Hall, Consultant’s Corner. Polanco has also appeared on NY1 Pura Politica, NPR’s the Brian Lehrer Show, Fox News, CNN, and many other critical media outlets to discuss politics, election law, and administration.

In 2017, J.C. became the first American of Dominican descent to run for citywide office in New York City on a major party ticket. J.C. is the proud dad of Savannah and Sebastian Polanco and resides in the Bronx’s Allerton section.

Expertise

Degrees

  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D., Corporate and Securities Law, 2005
  • Fordham University Gabelli Graduate School of Business, M.B.A., Marketing, Law, 2005
  • State University of New York at Albany, B.A., History, Political Science, 1999

Courses Taught

BUS 110 (Business Law)
CRJ 102 (Criminology)

Research and Projects

Publications

  • Admitted to the New York and New Jersey Bar
  • NYS Permanent Licensed Educator, 7-12, Social Studies
  • Member of the American Bar Association
  • Member of the New York State Bar Association
  • Member of the New York and Bronx County Bar Association
  • Admitted to the Federal Court in New Jersey

Honors, Awards and Affiliations

Additional Information