September 6, 2024
At Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY), non-traditional college students are a valued part of the campus community. Identified as students who are 25 years or older, have dependent children, have had an interruption in their college education or are military veterans, non-traditional students bring valuable life experiences and perspectives to classroom discussions.
In a sense, faculty and staff who continue their higher education midcareer are also non-traditional students and set an important example.
“When our faculty and staff engage in career development or pursue additional degrees, it sends a validating message to students, many of whom have returned to college after spending time in the workforce, themselves,” says Gulen H. Zubizarreta, Executive Director of Human Resources.
“It also deepens what an employee can provide in their role at the College and inspires colleagues to take that leap to the next step in their own professional growth.”
The slogan ‘Start Here Go Anywhere’ applies to the whole BMCC community, not just the students

Staff members who recently completed their doctoral studies include Ashtian Holmes, Director of the BMCC Urban Male Leadership Academy (UMLA), who was awarded a Doctor of Education, Administration and Supervision (Ed.D.) at St. John’s University in Queens, New York in 2024.
“My pursuit of the doctorate was driven by my passion for education and my commitment to supporting underrepresented student groups in higher education,” says Dr. Holmes.
“I felt the degree provided the tools, insight and skillset needed to ensure that I can make a larger impact in my leadership, practice and ability to advocate for students.”
He adds that the decision to take on the goal of earning a doctoral degree was not made alone.
“I was encouraged by many of my colleagues at BMCC who believed in me and pushed me to take my education to the next level. In particular, my former supervisor Dr. Michael Gillespie (retired dean, BMCC) was massively influential in my decision to pursue the doctorate. I believe our college’s motto: ‘Start Here Go Anywhere’ applies to the whole community, not just the students!”
Dr. Holmes speaks highly of the St. John’s program, which has graduated other groups of BMCC staff and faculty, including those who completed their doctoral degree in 2022.
“From day one I was connected to outstanding professors and mentors, and the classes took a deep dive into the most critical issues facing higher education. It was a truly rewarding experience that I would highly recommend to others,” he says.
“The program challenges you to be your best while supporting you through the finish line. Furthermore, the program uses a cohort model, so you develop a strong bond with your classmates and support each other through the coursework.”
“There is little research on formerly incarcerated Black male students who attend community colleges, so I looked to fill that gap with my study.”
Dr. Holmes’ doctoral dissertation, which won the Dr. Gene Geyser Outstanding Dissertation Award, is titled “The Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Black Male Students at a Northeast Community College.”
He explains that it is a qualitative study that seeks to understand the experiences of formerly incarcerated Black male students and the unique barriers they encounter while navigating community colleges.
“The United States imprisons more people than any country in the world, and Black men are disproportionately overrepresented in the United States criminal legal system,” says Dr. Holmes.
At the same time, he explains, Black men are underrepresented in higher education and community college are the most accessible—and most utilized—institutions for formerly incarcerated students.
“However, there is little research on formerly incarcerated Black male students who attend community colleges, so I looked to fill that gap with my study,” he says.
An overall goal of his research was to produce findings to help higher education institutions craft more equitable policies, programming and practices, as well as to improve the enrollment, retention and success rates of students of who have been impacted by the criminal legal system.
“The best piece of advice I could give is to ensure you have a strong support system.”

In advising other staff who are considering the pursuit of a further degree, Dr. Holmes says, “The best piece of advice I could give is to ensure you have a strong support system. For me it was my wife, my kids, my parents and my incredible colleagues at BMCC that helped me to stay on track.”
He adds that “taking on a doctorate is a huge exercise in patience, time management and mental fortitude, and doing it alone could be overwhelming. Fortunately, I was part of an amazing doctoral cohort that included several of my BMCC colleagues. We kept each other motivated and supported each other through challenging times.”
Another BMCC staff member who earned a degree later in their career is Dr. Sanjay Ramdath, Vice President of Enrollment Management.
Dr. Ramdath earned a Doctorate of Education in Community College Leadership at New Jersey City University in 2023, and wrote the dissertation, “Exploring the Effectiveness of a Supplemental Instruction Support Program at a Community College: First-Generation Student Participation and Course Completion Rates.”
Dr. Harry Mars, Director of Student Activities in the BMCC Office of Student Affairs, earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) at St. John’s University in 2022.
His dissertation was titled, “The Impact of Participation in Co-Curricular Activities on Academic Performance and Retention Utilizing Data Collected for the Co-Curricular Transcript.”

The purpose of his research study was to determine how participation in co-curricular activities impacts student academic performance and retention at an urban community college.
At BMCC, many of the events supported by Student Activities are eligible for inclusion in a student’s co-curricular transcript, which accompanies their official transcript when they graduate from BMCC and can set them apart from other students applying to a competitive bachelor’s degree program.
As Dr. Mars explains, his dissertation study used archived data to make quantitative analyses of the impact of participation in co-curricular activities on GPA scores and one-semester retention.
In a post-Covid higher education environment, Dr. Mars’ insights contribute to the institution’s overall perspective on how to rebuild enrollment, retention and graduation rates.
Earning additional degrees expands knowledge and professional intelligence
Now that a couple years have passed since he crossed the stage at St. John’s to receive his doctorate, Dr. Mars reflects on that experience and how it has impacted his role at BMCC.
“I found that the coursework expanded my knowledge of the academic enterprise and had an immediate impact on my professional intelligence in my current role,” he says.
“Selecting, researching and writing a dissertation is a great opportunity to contribute to the research and have a professional impact on higher education. I encourage seasoned professionals to accept the challenge to obtain a terminal degree and to become poised to become part of the future leadership in higher education.”
For information on the St. John’s Doctor of Education in Administration and Supervision program, please contact (Queens Campus) Dr. Catherine DiMartino, Chair and Associate Professor of Education Administrative and Instructive Leadership, dimartic@stjohns.edu, or (Long Island Graduate Center, LIGC) Dr. Anthony J. Annunziato, Director of LIGC and Clinical Associate Professor, annunzia@stjohns.edu.
For information on the New Jersey City University (NJCU) Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolf College of Education, visit here.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
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Staff members who recently completed their doctoral studies include Ashtian Holmes, Director of the BMCC Urban Male Leadership Academy (UMLA) and Dr. Sanjay Ramdath, Vice President of Enrollment Management
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Earlier cohorts of doctoral graduates include Dr. Harry Mars, Director of Student Activities, who encourages seasoned professionals to accept the challenge to obtain additional degrees
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“When our faculty and staff engage in career development or pursue additional degrees, it sends a validating message to students, many of whom have returned to college after spending time in the workforce, themselves,” says Gulen H. Zubizarreta, Executive Director of Human Resources