BMCC and Trinity Washington University Widen Opportunities for Women and Underrepresented Students Through Transfer Partnership

On July 25, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) President Anthony E. Munroe and Trinity Washington University (Trinity) President Pat McGuire signed an articulation agreement that will enable BMCC graduates with associate degrees to enter a seamless pathway to baccalaureate programs at Trinity.

Both Trinity and BMCC are Minority Serving Institutions as designated by the U.S. Department of Education, as well as Hispanic Serving Institutions. Trinity is also a Predominantly Black Institution.

According to its website, Trinity enrolls more graduates of D.C. Public Schools than any other private university in the city. About 70% of the undergraduate students are eligible for Pell Grants, and about 5% of Trinity students are men enrolled in coed programs in the graduate and professional schools.

“Today is historic for both BMCC and Trinity Washington University — two venerable institutions with long-standing commitments to transforming people and communities. BMCC and Trinity prepare leaders, many of whom are Black and Hispanic — and women — to make significant contributions in society,” said President Munroe at the event.

“We strive to equalize access to a quality education, careers with family sustaining wages, and an enhanced quality of life,” he added. “We are proud to strengthen this commitment with our collaboration with Trinity Washington University.”

The bridge between BMCC and Trinity exemplifies how colleges and universities can support national goals to continue to expand equal opportunity in higher education for all students, according to President McGuire’s blog post on the Trinity website.

“The BMCC relationship is particularly important because it is our first articulation agreement with a college from another city, and we hope to expand our network in the future with other partners around the country,” President McGuire says. “As our BMCC partners made clear, the opportunity for students to study in Washington is fantastic, and Trinity can be a welcoming home for students from New York and elsewhere who want to explore the opportunities to study, learn and grow in the nation’s capital.”

On hand from BMCC to witness the signing, which took place on the historic Trinity campus at Michigan Avenue in northeast Washington, D.C., were leadership team members from BMCC including VP of Institutional Advancement Karen Wilson Stevenson, Provost Erwin J. Wong, VP of Enrollment Sanjay Ramdath and VP of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning Christopher Shults.

Representing Trinity at the president’s signing event were VP of Development Patrick Kellogg, Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies Thomas Mostowy, VP of Admissions Victoria Nichols, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions Brigid Noonan, Provost Carlota Ocampo, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences Sita Ramamurti and VP of Academic Assessment Debbie Van Camp.

About Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY

BMCC is part of the City University of New York (CUNY), awarding associate degrees in more than 50 fields and ranked #1 among community colleges nationwide in granting associate degrees to minority students, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education. BMCC is a diverse teaching and learning community committed to advancing equity and the intellectual and personal growth of students. Working to strengthen a culture of care inside and outside the classroom, the faculty and staff of BMCC share a passion for learning with students from around the world, and strive to increase degree completion, successful transfer, career achievement and service and leadership within the BMCC community, New York City, and beyond. Visit: http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu.

About Trinity Washington University

Founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Trinity enrolls more than 2,000 students in degree programs. Another 3,000 students participate in Trinity’s continuing education programs, including professional workshops for teachers. In February 2003, Trinity opened the Trinity Center for Women and Girls in Sports, a $20 million state-of-the-art athletic complex that is the largest facility in the nation with a particular focus on women and girls in sports. In June 2016, Trinity will dedicate the new Payden Academic Center, an 80,000 square foot building including state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms.