As a young woman fresh out of college in the early 1990s, Freida D. Foster-Tolbert took a job with BMCC — a move she now partially credits for her growth as a person.
“I learned a tremendous amount about my history during those years at BMCC,” she said. “BMCC is in such a historical location, being near the site of an African Free School … it’s just amazing. There’s no other place as suitable for a great African Heritage and Black History Month.”
Foster-Tolbert has since moved on from BMCC: she’s been a CUNY Trustee, appointed in 2006 by Governor George Pataki, who she previously worked under as Director for Community Affairs in the state Executive Chamber. Now she is a manager at the public relations firm of Burson-Marsteller. Burson-Marsteller provides services to government, corporate, and community clients. But that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten her time at BMCC.
Starting at BMCC
During her tenure at the college, Foster-Tolbert was a Community Service Coordinator, and the Human Resources Administration Liaison and Recruiter for the College Opportunity to Prepare for Employment Program (COPE).
COPE provides academic support, job skills training, job referral services and advocacy for students on public assistance. Foster-Tolbert’s job duties included developing and maintaining relationships with community-based organizations in the New York City area in an effort to garner student internships. She also advocated for more than 600 students to enhance student recruitment and retention.
It was during those years that Foster-Tolbert became involved in African Heritage and Black History Month — and over the years she has seen growth in activities relating to the month.
“The festivities at BMCC have been stepped up,” she said. “BMCC has a large African American faculty as well as a large African American student population. I’ve always commended BMCC.”
Realizing Importance
Foster-Tolbert likened Democratic Senator Barack Obama’s presidential run, and the mere opportunity to vote for any candidate, as examples of change over the years.
“It’s an incredible inspiration around Election Day to think about what my ancestors went through just to be able to go to that voting machine and pull that lever,” she said.
“That’s what inspires me to make sure that I take my rights seriously: it’s my responsibility to not squander the right that people who came before me fought and died for.”
Giving Thanks
A Harlem native, Foster-Tolbert serves on the Harlem Community Development Corporation’s Board of Directors where she helps to facilitate the redevelopment of the historic neighborhood.
Foster-Tolbert, who has been married for five years, also holds membership on the CUNY Board’s Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research, and the Standing Committee on Student Affairs and Special Programs.
And while she is an alumnus of Hofstra University and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, she is grateful for her time at BMCC.
“It always was a very comfortable environment at BMCC,” she said. “Everyone I worked with was great and the experience as a whole definitely helped me become a better person.”
