An Evening of Thanks Celebrates Generous Donors and Foundation Board Members

December 18, 2020

A virtual Evening of Thanks held Thursday, December 17, recognized the generosity of donors to Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) and acknowledged the critical contributions of the BMCC Foundation Board members and College community.

Executive Director of Public Affairs Manny Romero welcomed the more than 60 guests and opened the program with a video on BMCC’s efforts to address food insecurity with help from Feed the Frontlines, NYC.

BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe spoke following the video. “Food insecurity promises to become more pressing as colleges try to reopen and the country grapples with economic recovery, as a result of the global pandemic,” he said, and thanked the donors and supporters of BMCC for standing by the college “especially during this very challenging and tumultuous year. Your dedication, advocacy, and generosity have helped BMCC rise to the challenges that face our students and entire campus community.”

Commitment to a mission of equity, community efforts and an extraordinary gift of $30 million help ensure a brighter New Year

Thanking the BMCC community of students, faculty, alumni and staff, Munroe said, “I am truly thankful and grateful to serve as President of such a wonderful college community. Collectively, we displayed the resilience necessary to persevere in the face of challenging circumstances.”

In addition to challenges caused by the pandemic, Munroe said, “We continue to witness racial injustice and socioeconomic inequalities that have directly impacted many of our students and our college community. However, we continue to rally and follow our mission to advance equity and the intellectual and personal growth of our students; to strengthen a culture of care inside and outside the classroom; and to increase degree completion, successful transfer, career achievement and service and leadership within our community and beyond.”

A strategic and heartfelt commitment to that mission, in Munroe’s view, is why BMCC “was so fortunate to receive a $30 million gift from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott,” he said. “The $30 million gift will be used to establish the BMCC President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation, which will accelerate and amplify current efforts and create new, diverse models to address race, equity and inclusion; gender equity and related issues; economic mobility; innovation in education; the impact and effects of the pandemic; social responsibility and the College’s strategic plan and priorities.”

Those initiatives provide an opportunity for everyone across the College and within the BMCC community to engage in elevating BMCC as a leading institution, Munroe said.

One immediate opportunity to engage is to donate, now through December 31, to the CUNYTuesday campaign and help ensure that BMCC meets its goal of $50,000, Munroe said. “All of you play a vital role serving our community, especially in difficult times like these. I hope you will give what you can to make our students’ lives better, especially as they start 2021 in hopes of a brighter future.”

Positive reminders of the strength of the BMCC community and its donors and friends

The Evening of Thanks featured students included Psychology major Yama Faye and student speaker Jose E. Cevallos, who spoke of the benefits of attending BMCC. Despite the pandemic, said Cevallos, “some things about BMCC didn’t change,” including the support he received from his professors and programs at the College.

Next on the program, a video commemorating the Evening of Thanks was screened. It showcased the BMCC community in action, distributing free laptops and devices to students who were suddenly reliant on distance learning, and serving free meals to students in need. The video also highlighted the COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund and BMCC’s first virtual fundraiser that raised more than $600,000 in June 2020.

BMCC Dean of Student Affairs Michael Hutmaker spoke next, describing the challenges students rose to overcome in the Spring 2020 semester, as they “had to relearn how to learn,” and their education became a solely remote activity.

Foundation Board Chair Anthony J. Portannese underscored the tireless efforts of the BMCC Foundation Board members, and shared that NBC Universal had just announced a donation of $100,000 to provide 20 students with $5,000 scholarships and internships. Also, Portannese said, the Robin Hood Foundation, a loyal friend to BMCC, had just announced it would donate $270,000 to the College.

With these positive reminders of the strength of the BMCC community and the loyalty of its supporters, the evening closed with a holiday video featuring the BMCC mascot, Manny the Panther, who wished everyone best wishes for the holidays, and a healthy and safe new year.

  • A virtual Evening of Thanks recognizes donors and supporters of BMCC
  • Efforts of the students, faculty, alumni and staff have helped the College move through the 2020 pandemic and remain connected to its mission of equity
  • Guest speakers included BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe and BMCC Foundation Board Chair Anthony J. Portannese

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