Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
President,
Hostos Community College
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to the 2025 Fall Semester at Hostos Community College!
I am overjoyed that you have decided to begin – or continue – your educational journey with us. Hostos was founded in 1968 to provide students of the South Bronx with the knowledge and skills they need to create better futures for themselves and their communities.
This is entirely in keeping with the educational, social and political ideas of the man whose name the College bears: Don Eugenio María de Hostos (1839-1903), the Puerto Rican philosopher, educator, man of letters and fighter for the independence of Puerto Rico. His vision of a world in which freedom and equality were enjoyed by all hinged on his passionate belief in the power of education to transform and enlighten.
We share that belief; it is one of our bedrock principles. We will always fight, with love and dedication, to make sure that our students have access to high-quality and affordable secondary education.
Hostos is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and will always offer a home to all students, regardless of race, creed, color, country of origin, gender, or political opinion. All are welcome at Hostos, all are respected and valued. Tolerance, compassion, and civility are highly prized qualities here. Individually and collectively, we strive to embody them in our every word and deed. You’ll find we place a high priority on creating the kind of nurturing, supportive community that will help you derive the most from your time here.
I have always found the autumn to be a source of hope. Fresh starts are made, new endeavors are launched. We take control of our lives with renewed vigor. We can dream – and start turning those dreams into reality. As classes begin, I wish you a wonderful semester. Along with the excitement of learning, of working with your instructors and fellow students, I hope you’ll also feel joy – the deeply satisfying joy of discovering the ways to realize your vision of who and how you want to be in the world.
And so: Welcome to Hostos! You are now part of a long and distinguished group of students, one that stretches back almost sixty years.
I can’t wait to hear about your discoveries.
Sincerely,
Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.
President
About The President
Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis returned to Hostos Community College as President in August 2020 after serving as President of Naugatuck Valley Community College for twelve years. She also previously served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Hostos from 2002-2008.
President Cocco De Filippis has overseen an impressive array of programs and initiatives including a successful Middle States Evaluation to maintain the college’s accreditation; the creation of a new five-year Strategic Plan for 2023-2028; the awarding of a $15 million grant from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation, the largest charitable donation in Hostos history; the opening of a new Hostos Research Center; the college’s selection as a top ten finalist for the 2023 Aspen Community College Prize; successfully lobbied Congress for millions of dollars in Congressionally Directed Spending to support student programming; and receiving recognition from the U.S. Department of Education as one of just six recipients in its first-ever Postsecondary Success Recognition Program.
Dr. Cocco De Filippis holds a Ph.D. in Latin American Literature, an M. Phil in Spanish Literature from the Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York, an M.A. in Spanish Literature and a B.A. summa cum laude in Spanish and English literatures from Queens College, CUNY. A published author and literary critic, she is recognized internationally as a pioneer in the field of Dominican women studies and Dominican authors in the U.S. In 2016, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Humanities by the University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the oldest university in the Americas, in recognition of her contributions to Dominican, Caribbean and Dominican Diaspora literatures. She is the first woman of Dominican descent to be President of a CUNY school.
Dr. Cocco De Filippis has served on the board of multiple educational and community organizations, as well as Commissioner for the New England Commission for Higher Education.