MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
SPRING 2023: WELCOME!
Spring is a time of hope. It promises renewed vitality and vigor – and the College is buzzing with activity. Hostos has adjusted itself to the global pandemic and the “new normal” it created. In-person or virtually – or, more than likely, a hybrid of the two – students return to or begin their studies, intent on transforming themselves and their worlds.
There is much to be optimistic about at Hostos. In 2022 the College was selected as one of 10 finalists for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 Million prize is awarded every two years and is the nation’s signature recognition for America’s community colleges. The recipient of the Aspen Prize will be announced in the near future, but no matter who ultimately wins, being chosen as a finalist is a testament to the quality of the students, faculty, and staff of the College – and to the role Hostos plays in the life of the South Bronx.
We are grateful for Aspen Institute’s recognition. We are also grateful to philanthropist/author/ activist MacKenzie Scott who, a little less than two years ago, presented Hostos with a $15 million dollar gift. Ms. Scott’s awe-inspiring generosity is yet another sign that Hostos is on the right track. It says to us, “What you do matters.” We accept this with the greatest humility, because what matters to us is you.
The College has provided a path to a brighter future for its students since it was founded in 1968. Though our mission remains the same as it was over five decades ago – making affordable and high-quality higher education accessible for all who seek it – we have always looked for the most effective means of achieving that mission. When the pandemic shut our doors, Hostos quickly adapted to distance-learning. When it was possible to once again return to campus, we did so with the utmost care to protect the health and well-being of all who work, teach, and study here.
Hostos takes pride in its history and in its namesake: Don Eugenio María de Hostos, the Puerto Rican philosopher, educator, man of letters and fighter for the independence of Puerto Rico. The College arose from the vision and activism of many Puerto Rican, Latino, and other supporters who believed the South Bronx deserved its own community college. We are proud of the quality of teaching and learning at Hostos, and of our work with community agencies to promote educational, labor, economic and community development initiatives. To that end, we offer programs designed to promote engagement both on campus and in our communities.
The Hostos catalogue presents a rich offering of career and academic programs, including allied health sciences, digital design and animation, education, engineering, liberal arts and sciences, theater arts, and many other disciplines. Our talented and highly accomplished faculty, staff and administrators support the goals our students have set for themselves.
Whether this is your first day at Hostos or your final semester on the road to graduation, it is a supreme joy to welcome you to Hostos.
Your future starts here!
Sincerely,
Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
President