To the Hostos Community:
On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appointed Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis as President of Eugenio María de Hostos Community College. Dr. Cocco De Filippis returned to Hostos on August 1, 2020, as Interim President after a hugely successful twelve-year tenure as President of Naugatuck Valley Community College in Connecticut.
“It is an honor for CUNY to officially name the eminent Daisy Cocco De Filippis as president of Hostos Community College,”
said Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, who served as Hostos president from 2009-2014
. “Dr. Cocco De Filippis is, indeed, legendary. She has been recognized for her efforts over decades as a key education leader — and for her historic scholarship in Dominican Studies. Her research has enlightened us in regard to the Dominican community, its strong women, its emblematic history and its contributions to the world, our country, our city — and to the University. Dr. Cocco De Filippis’ work also speaks to CUNY’s key promise to provide students with the opportunity to succeed on a level playing field. With her skill, her diligence, and her heart, she has made this success a reality for so many and will, of course, continue to do so.”
Dr. Cocco De Filippis returned at a crucial period in the College’s history. The global pandemic, which has wrought substantial changes in academia as it has elsewhere, presented major challenges.
Under her leadership, Hostos completed the transition to distance learning set out by her predecessor, former Hostos President David Gómez. She engaged the College in numerous virtual college-wide gatherings, including Middle States Commission of Higher Education Open Forums, the Black at Hostos and AAPI Town Halls. Dr. Cocco De Filippis established the Hostos Community College Advisory Council in the Fall 2020 with the goal of connecting business, government, and cultural leaders to support student advancement and career paths in higher education degrees.
In addition, she created
Veladas Hostosianas | Hostos Culture Talks, a monthly meeting space for the College community to participate in discussions on topics of human interest. Dr. Cocco De Filippis also launched
El Semanario Hostosiano/The Hostos Weekly, a communication vehicle designed to unite the Colleges multiple voices.
These and many other initiatives, approaches, and strategies mark Dr. Cocco De Filippis as a groundbreaking figure in the educational world.
“It is an honor to serve our beloved Hostos Community College as its next President. I am grateful for the vote of confidence of Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez; the CUNY Board of Trustees; the Honorable William Thompson, Chair; and the Honorable Mayra Linares, Chair of the Search Committee,” said Dr. Cocco De Filippis of her appointment. “I am also grateful to all my colleagues and students who supported me during this time. We have worked diligently through a pandemic year using,
manos a la obra/all hands-on-deck as our motto to support our students. We did not stop providing a high-quality education delivered with hope, care and understanding. The future of Hostos, with its promise of our collective health and engagement, is bright. Together, the Hostos family and I, will continue to collaborate with generosity and diligent engagement with our students and the communities we serve.”
Dr. Cocco De Filippis holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Queens College and a Ph.D. in Spanish language and a Master of Philosophy in Spanish literature from the CUNY Graduate Center. She spent the first 20 years of her academic career at CUNY’s York College, starting as an adjunct lecturer, rising to tenured professor of Spanish. She also served as York’s Chair of the Faculty Caucus and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Dr. Cocco De Filippis served at Hostos Community College as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs from 2002 to 2008 and is the first Dominican woman to serve as President of a CUNY college.
“I am delighted to welcome back Dr. Cocco De Filippis, a dear friend and colleague of many years. She is a force to be reckoned with in the best possible way. I look forward to seeing the great things we as a College will accomplish for our students and the South Bronx community with Daisy at the helm,” remarked Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance and Interim Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management Esther Rodríguez-Chardavoyne.
About Eugenio María de Hostos Community College of The City University of New York
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and 2 certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (HCAC) is one of the pre-eminent Latino arts centers of the northeast. The HCAC has distinguished itself for showcasing traditional art forms as well as emerging and internationally renowned artists.
Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change, transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. Hostos serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, and a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "student success coach" program, which partners students with individualized guidance, is emblematic of the premier emphasis on student support and services.
Hostos Community College is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university serving more than 500,000 students at 25 colleges.
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