October 15, 2020
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is grateful for the hard work and years of dedication of all its employees, including those in the Civil Service series (including Provisional employees), College Assistants; Research Foundation employees; Gittleson (COA, CSA, CAA) employees, and employees in the HEO Title Series.
Each year, the college recognizes years of service anniversaries of its employees. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, an in-person celebration was not held — but the college is proud to recognize and thank the individuals who continue to make BMCC a great institution where students thrive, and faculty and staff grow in their professionalism and important contributions.
20 years of service to BMCC
“BMCC is special to me because not only did I receive my Associate Degree from BMCC, but so did my mother and sister,” said Kelly Abdel, Assistant Director of the Panther Station, Enrollment Services, who is celebrating 20 years of working at BMCC.
“I fell into my career by chance as a Federal Work-Study student at BMCC and I remained because my co-workers became like my second family,” Abdel says. “Not to mention, I derive great pride in assisting students in making their college dreams a reality.”
Employees celebrating 20 years of service include:
Kelly Abdel, Enrollment Services
Isa Clarke, Budget / Fiscal Office
* Flavio Guillermo, Information Resources and Technology
Revital Kaisar, Media Arts and Technology
Patricia Mathews, Social Sciences
* Romel Mebane, Buildings and Grounds
Samuel Paul, Education Opportunity & Diversity
* Edward Perez, Mailroom
* Miriam Rivera, Budget / Fiscal Office
* Jodie Schouten, Admissions
Janice Walters, Social Science
Philip Weisman, Media Arts and Technology
Tak Yuen, Computer Applications
25 years of service to BMCC
“I can’t believe it’s been 25 years, since I started working at MEOC. So much has changed, from working in the office, to working at home,” says Karen Berry, Specialist, Admissions Operations, Manhattan Education Opportunity Center.
“I’ve worked with several different directors and I’ve seen MEOC grow in the numbers of students it serves and in the types of programs and services we provide,” Berry says. “I’ve grown, too, not just in my skills, but in my understanding of what people need to get back on their feet, and find a career or their next chapter in their education.”
Employees celebrating 25 years of service include:
Nkechi Agwu, Mathematics
Kenneth Antrobus, Communication Studies
Karen Berry, Specialist, Admissions Operations, Manhattan Education Opportunity Center
Adem Faisel, IT
30 years of service to BMCC
“The years went by quickly because I enjoy what I do,” says Pedro Pérez, Director of College Discovery who has dedicated 30 years to BMCC. “I love working with our amazing students. I am able to freestyle student interventions, and feel encouraged to be the best I can be. BMCC allowed me to do all of these things. It’s not over though, there’s more…”
Employees celebrating 30 years of service to BMCC include:
* Jose Acevedo, Registrar
Mahmoud Ardebili, Science
Carol Cleveland, Fine And Performing Arts
Marva Craig, Office Of Student Affairs
Maria Devasconcelos, English
Constance Fennell, Education Opportunity & Diversity
* Aida Hernandez, Financial Aid
Barbara Lawrence, Mathematics
* Elba Pena-Amadiz, English Department
Pedro Pérez, College Discovery
Roseann Ragone, Office of Enrollment Management
* Melvin Trotman, Buildings and Grounds
* Andres Vargas, Buildings and Grounds
* Darlene Vandyke, MEOC
Yong Wei, Academic Literacy and Linguistics
35 years of service to BMCC
“BMCC is where my life began,” said Grace Brown, Administrative Assistant in the President’s Office who is celebrating 35 years of service at BMCC.
“I was fortunate to be a student and have an amazing job working in the President’s Office. There is always a new project. I am grateful to the staff, the students, the faculty, the stability and the people you meet along this journey. My two sons were born during my time at BMCC. BMCC is special, it’s like a second home with family.”
“I’m approaching my 35th year of teaching at BMCC,” says Writing and Literature Professor Robert Zweig. “In all these years, the world has changed in ways no one could have imagined — 9/11, the current pandemic and so many other cultural and historic events. We’ve all had to struggle — including our students of course — with what these changes mean. One thing has remained steady. Teaching gives one a sense of renewal and hope. Every year there are new challenges and opportunities: ‘How can I communicate better? How can I listen more attentively? What can I learn from each student?’ It’s facing these questions every year at BMCC that affirms the conviction that I’ve always had, that teaching is the greatest profession.”
Employees celebrating 35 years of service include:
Philip Belcastro, Health Education
* John Buktenica, Reprographics
Grace Brown, Office of the President
William Guttenplan, Business Management
Joseph Johnson, Academic Literacy and Linguistics
Michael Nazzaro, Science
* Scott Pettaway, Buildings and Grounds
* Paul Rivera, Buildings and Grounds
Edgar Schnebel, Science
John Short, English Language/Literatures
Mildred Whitener, Mathematics
Robert Zweig, Writing and Literature
BMCC congratulates and thanks these dedicated employees for their years of service. Learn about other Employee Recognition Programs here.
* = Classified and Civil Service employees, who were also recognized in a virtual event in June 2020.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Because of COVID 19, BMCC’s annual recognition of faculty and staff who have reached milestone years is virtual
- BMCC congratulates employees for 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service
- Karen Berry, who has reached 25 years at MEOC says, “I’ve grown, too, not just in my skills, but in my understanding of what people need to get back on their feet, and find a career or their next chapter in their education.”
