Commencement 2021 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 2PM Division of Humanities and the Arts THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK Respice. Adspice. Prospice. “Look to the past. Examine the present. Look to the future.” OUR MISSION The City College of New York, the flagship college of The City University of New York, is a comprehensive teaching, research, and service institution dedicated to accessibility and excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. Requiring demonstrated potential for admission and a high level of accomplishment for graduation, the College provides a diverse student body with opportunities to achieve academically, creatively, and professionally in the liberal arts and sciences and in professional fields, such as engineering, education, architecture, and biomedical education. The College is committed to fostering student-centered education and advancing knowledge through scholarly research. As a public university with public purposes, it also seeks to contribute to the cultural, social, and economic life of New York. 2 ABOUT THE DIVISION OF HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS At the City College of New York, the Division of Humanities and the Arts encourages students to expand their experience, find their focus, and pursue their passion. Its undergraduate students engage in courses that explore the study of Music, Theatre, Film, Literature, Creative Writing, Art, Advertising, Graphic Design, History, Philosophy, Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, Black Studies, Journalism, Jewish Studies, and Asian Studies at one of the most historic campuses in New York City. Graduate students connect with diverse faculty who teach courses for specialized programs in Art, Art Education, Museum Studies, Literature, Creative Writing, Language and Literacy, Media Arts Production (film and video), History, Music, Branding and Integrated Communications, and Spanish. After earning their degrees, they pursue careers in publishing, media production, advertising, education, and doctoral programs. Notable graduates of Humanities and the Arts include Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle; Oscar Hijuelos, Pulitzer Prize recipient and author of The Mambo Kings; novelist Walter Mosely; acclaimed screenwriter Ernest Lehman; Mario Puzo, author and screenwriter of The Godfather; and actor Luis Guzman. “Open the doors to all. Let the children of the rich and the poor take their seats together and know of no distinction save that of industry, good conduct, and intellect.” Townsend Harris Founder, 1847 3 June 2nd Program Division of Humanities and the Arts Presiding: Dean Erec R. Koch, Ph.D. Deputy Dean Renata K. Miller, Ph.D. • “Lavender, My Lavender” written by Walter R. Johnson & Elias Lieberman Class of 1903 Piano by Michael Holober, Professor of Music Vocals by Nathan Ferraz, BM Jazz, 2022 • Congratulations from Deans, Chairs, and Program Directors • Words from the Provost Tony Liss, Ph. D. • Words from the President Vincent G. Boudreau, Ph.D. • Procession of student photos 4 Humanities and the Arts Divisional Awards The Sydney & Helen Jacoff Scholarship Marcello Aguayo Lance Parker William Louis Vasiladiotis Sophia Yip The Blanche Mason Starkweather Award Maricarmen Canales Moreno Department of Art The Eggers Award–Achievement Medal of the Art Alumni Heba Saad Holly T. Popper Art Scholarship Award Loretta Violante Provost’s Prize in Art Martha Guillorn James R. Steers Prize in Art David Enriquez Black Studies Program Academic Achievement Award (Black Studies Minor) Jasmine Rodriguez Harry Belafonte Social Justice Essay Award Yacelyn Soriano Wilfred Cartey Award for Africana Creative Excellence Shanell Naylor Marshariki Chaney Award for Excellence and Service Lance Parker 5 William Hallett Greene Award (Black Studies Major) Johnette Cornell Edward Scobie Award for Africana Social Science Elijah J. Nuñez Spotlight Award for Black Excellence Doris Prester Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures The Bertley Award in French Elizabeth Otoo Certificate of Academic Achievement in Arabic Shiffa Arif Masud Billah Thanjila Hussain Zachary Rosman Aneesah Saeed Abdurashid Sharofitdinov Certificate of Academic Achievement Asian Studies Yingxian Tan Certificate of Academic Achievement in French Angala Ange Atoumou Nathali Cepeda Janiel Colon Nathaniel Garner Jonathan Luzincourt Fall Sokhna Mouminatou Vanessa O’Neill Certificate of Academic Achievement in Italian Yesenia Bonilla Nerylsa Dijol 6 Certificate of Academic Achievement in Portuguese Lohana Arozarena Sabrina Espinal Md Foysal Librada Montero Hanley Rachel Silva Certificate of Academic Achievement in Spanish Clara Garcia Beltran Sharmin Doha Rocio Lezcano Vargas Eliamaria Martinez Melanie Matonte Loyda Perez Downer Language Prize Desir Aporte (Spanish) Gabriela Bruzzo (Italian) Angelina Coronado (Portuguese) Maysa Khedr (French) Jennifer Marquez Molano (Italian) Giselle Matos (Spanish) Charlotte McCann (Spanish) Adam Mouldi (French) Katherine Scardino (Spanish) Aspasia Tsampas (Italian) Rocio Lezcano Vargas (Spanish) Downer Tuition Grant Tomas Castellanos Nunez Charles G. Haberman Award in Latin Angelina Coronado Brittany Wood Isaias Lerner Memorial Scholarship Jonatan Melendez Ayala 7 The Theodore Litman Award Jacqueline Blyudoy (Italian) Vanessa Flores (French) The Pearson Prize in Spanish Daisy Pinos Michael and Irene Ross Hebrew Proficiency Award Samuel Nordlinger Loretta Rodriguez The Alberto Traldi Memorial Fund Award Jose Reynoso Ward Medal Gabriel Gjyla (Italian) Jessenia Laz (Italian) Department of English The Toni Cade Bambara Endowed Scholarship Sophia Yip The Undergraduate Children’s Writing Award Evangelyn Beltran Jerome Lowell DeJur Prize in Creative Writing, Fiction Nicholas Otte Jerome Lowell DeJur Prize in Creative Writing, Poetry Jaray Hunt Megan Skelly The Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing Katelyn Conroy The Edward C. & Ruth P. Mack Graduate Fellowship Sophia Yip 8 The David Markowitz Poetry Award Jonathan Mora The Richard Shephard Award for Excellence in Writing Samantha Diaz The Stark Award in Drama in Memory of Ross Alexander Evangelyn Beltran The Stark Award in Fiction in Honor of Henry R. Roth Evangelyn Beltran Rina DeFrancesco The Marilyn Sternglass Overall Merit Award Marcel Aguayo Jorge Velez Outstanding Teaching Award Jorge Velez The Teacher-Writer Award Megan Skelly Department of History The Paul Aaron Award Eric Fuentes Sandi E. Cooper Prize in History Kiran Baldeo Lance Parker The Colucci/Stoler History Scholarship Shanyce Richardson History Department Honors Shira Nabatian Oscar Lloyd Meyerson Medal Shira Nabatian 9 Selwyn Schapiro Memorial Award Kavin LaRose Judith S. Stein Prize Ricardo Colon-Medina Judith S. Stein Scholarship Shanyce Richardson Arthur Teidemann Award Pablo Aguilar Jewish Studies Program Isadore Goldstein Scholarship Charlotte McCann Michael & Irene Ross Scholarship Karen Baez Jacqueline Baum Kelsea Cohen Sophia Cieri Rebeca Gorodischer Alex Kolodiuk Primo Ledeboer Gill S.G Lehmann Frances Maysonet Ana Naumovska Henny Neustadt Dorena Pink Loretta Rodriguez Luisa Samayoa 10 Department of Media & Communication Arts Lynn Appelbaum Ad/PR All Star Scholars Francini Balbuena Ashley Gonzalez Michelle Hu MeiJun Lei Alexander McGuigan Nafiza Tarannum The Alan Boss Media Arts Production Scholarship Yasmeen Purvis BAFTA-NY Scholarships Hsuan-Wei Wu (DLT Entertainment) Malobe Sampson II (John F. Grist Documentary) Auralynn Rosario (Jeff Hunter Memorial) Mariel Iezzoni (Donald & Eleanor Taffner Trust) Beatrice and L. Richard Guylay Class of ‘34 Prize for Academic Achievement and Service to The Campus Brahmjot Kaur Aspasia Celia Tsampas Dot Giannone VMLY & R Scholar Sumiya Khan Herman Lew Scholar T’amore Rose Desmond Maxwell Scholarship Paul Bernabe Media Scholars Jennifer Castillo Fay Diamantopolous Tyler Drayton Ashantii Dunlop Jesse Gardner 11 Media Scholars (continued) Francis Grunseich Alexander Hernandez Mengting Hong Bryan Lezama Antonio Oliveros Ron Peretz Tannya Rodriguez Faiza Tariq Tia Tyrell Shannon White The Dr. David M. Milch Foundation Scholarships Jieun Lee Yasmeen Purvis Severine Reisp Ostrovsky Family Fund / Chantal Akerman Award Burak Orhun Baser Mariel Iezzoni Irving Rosenthal Award for Excellence in Journalism and Exceptional Promise and Service Nathanael Izzo Bert Saperstein Communication Scholarships Mariel Iezzoni Malobe Sampson II Art Stevens PRSA NY/CCNY Scholar Genesis Flores Department of Music The Sidney Zolot Award for Excellence in Music Elaina Watkins 12 Department of Philosophy Tamny Prize for Outstanding Graduate in Philosophy Brittany Wood Department of Theatre and Speech Seymour Peck Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement Margaret Ann Becker James Miller Seymour Peck Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Department William Pierce Bunch Seymour Peck Award for Outstanding Overall Achievement Emily Burstyn Seymour Peck Curtain Call Award Sydnae Hailey Anjana Heaven Jennifer Kulaya Jessica Lissaint Amanda Talero Jessica Toledo Bernie West Award for Contributions to the Department Annabelle Sue Weeks Doffin Stephan Monfort Lauren Viddler Bernie West Award for Excellence in Directing Solayna Coreas Josephine Harding Emily Kuper Jared Martino 13 Bernie West Award for Excellence in Performance Alex Gordon Giuliana Paoli-Asaro 14 2020-21 Humanities and the Arts Graduates Latin Honors: †Cum Laude — ††Magna Cum Laude — †††Summa Cum Laude Honors for June graduates are subject to final GPA tallies Phi Beta Kappa inductees are marked with an asterisk Joel Abreu† Santonyo Bangali Cristina L Acevedo Zahra