Nestled in the vibrant landscape of New York's South Bronx, Hostos Community College stands as a beacon of opportunity and progress. Guided by the vision of President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Hostos boasts a team of visionary leaders who have implemented a myriad of innovative and culturally enriching initiatives. Professors Marcelo Viana Neto (Game Design), Kathleen Ronca (Nursing), Yoel Rodríguez (Natural Sciences), and Felix Arocho, Director of the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (HCAC), are at the forefront of providing a holistic academic experience to a diverse student body.

Building on this foundation, Professor Marcelo Viana Neto's guidance brings the digital realms of game design to life. His innovative approach to education, particularly through the student-run game development studio Other Possible Games, has created a fertile ground for student creativity and professional development.

His initiatives have provided students with real-world experience and exposure but have also brought the program into the limelight, attracting media attention (News 12, BronxTimes, and Diálogo Abierto) and showcasing the tangible skills developed by students. Neto's commitment to sustainable and human-focused game development has set a new benchmark for educational programs, marrying the worlds of academic rigor and industry relevance in a uniquely impactful way.

Viana Neto leading a discussion in class.

“The studio and these students have enriched the program by elevating the quality of work produced in our classes and serving as a tangible goal. Other Possible Games, for example, serves as a lab for practicing a human-focused and sustainable game development approach, emphasizing process, work-life balance, and fair pay, which should be the goal for Hostos students,” said Viana Neto.

Graduate Manny Vivas found a second chance at defining his career path in the internship.

Manny found his passion for game design at Hostos.

“I love this. I worked a couple of jobs prior to coming here. I did some things in communications and social media after getting my journalism bachelor. But I had always been interested in computers and computer stuff and how they worked. At the time, I looked for Computer Science programs, and during my research, I found the Game Design program here,” he said. “I knew that I liked games but had no idea such a program existed… I didn’t even know about Hostos, but I applied. I simply quit my job, and learned how to make games.”

For his part, alumnus Luis López, who is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Game and Interactive Media Design at New York University, reached his highest potential at the program.  “I didn’t realize this was a field I could work in. I didn’t have a portfolio, but Hostos gave me my first chance. I learned so much about many things, especially coding. It’s just fascinating, and I want to keep doing it.”

Luis López is now pursuing his bachelor’s degree at NYU.

For her part, Kathleen Ronca, head of the Nursing Department, has been instrumental in leveraging a significant grant to catapult the nursing program into a new era of academic rigor and practical preparedness. With a thoughtful investment of $15,000 from CUNY’s University Dean for Health and Human Services Dr. Patricia Simino-Boyce, Ronca initiated a groundbreaking academic preparation program through the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI).

“This initiative has profoundly impacted students' preparedness for the nursing profession, enhancing their academic skills and setting a solid foundation for their careers through testing preparation,” shared Ronca, who is looking for ways to extend the program's benefits to include pre-nursing students.

The College’s Nursing programs consistently rank among the best in New York State.
In the Academic Year 2022-2023, thirty-nine (39) completed their degree successfully.

Under her leadership, the Nursing students have earned positions at top-notch medical institutions, such as Bronx Care and Montefiore. Currently, she plans to offer those opportunities to the College's Licensed Practical Nursing students in hopes of having more Hostos graduates serve at the best healthcare spaces in the city. “If you go to any of our Bronx Hospitals, you will have a good chance of being greeted by a Hostos Nursing graduate who is also a community member.”

The story of innovation and student empowerment continues with Dr. Yoel Rodríguez, whose leadership across several key STEM initiatives has nurtured a vibrant community of young scientists and engineers.

 

Rodríguez during 2023 Hostos Research Day at the Hostos Research Center, a space that he helped envision at the College.

Rodríguez's work, characterized by a blend of rigorous academic support, mentorship, and professional development, has opened doors for students to explore the frontiers of science and technology. The success stories of students like José Keppis, who have thrived under Rodríguez's guidance, underscore the transformative impact of these programs.

Keppis' journey from enrolling in the Hostos Engineering Academic Talent (HEAT) program to participating in professional engineering conferences and beyond exemplifies the profound influence of dedicated mentorship and academic support on student outcomes.

"The Heat Program was the first academic program I was ever involved in. I remember joining College with the intent of gaining more opportunities than my high school diploma offered. And after being assigned to a mentor like Dr. Rodríguez, I was able to find opportunities that led me to that path with an emphasis on going beyond,” he said. “The HEAT mentor meetings have identified markers for improvement and celebration of growth. If it was not for HEAT, I wouldn’t have been able to even attend a professional engineering conference to interact with mid-career engineers and discuss how their responsibilities differ based on academic experience."

José Keppis has participated in multiple College- and CUNY-wide initiatives.

With the support of Rodríguez, Keppis has benefitted from several opportunities available to him, such as the Black Male Initiative (BMI), the CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP), and the Strengthening Physics Achievement via Research and Collaboration (SPARC) initiative.

“The BMI introduced me to the tutors that have saved me from facing steep learning curves in my demanding classes; the CRSP has provided me with a cohort of students who share similar academic goals as me and a network of scientists for potential collaboration, and SPARC has given me the opportunity of sharing my knowledge with a greater audience,” he added.

In addition to our robust science and healthcare programs, Hostos is also known and respected as the premier hub for the arts in the community. Felix Arocho, Director of the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, is at the heart of Hostos's cultural and artistic vibrancy. Arocho's leadership has turned HCAC into a nexus of cultural exploration, celebration, and learning, reflecting the diverse heritages of the South Bronx community. The Center was also highlighted by BronxNet’s Diálogo Abierto, in an episode dedicated entirely to the HCAC, as one of the last remaining bastions of Latino culture in the region.

Arocho's efforts to make the arts accessible are evident in HCAC's approach to event pricing and community engagement. With ticket prices set at a student-friendly $5 and numerous events free of charge, HCAC has seen an uptick in attendance and engagement from students, faculty, and staff. "Many professors, for example, attend our events with their students," Arocho recounts, highlighting the educational impact of these programs. “The strategic decision to open the gallery on Saturdays and to provide complimentary tickets to students and local schools has broadened the reach of our programming, ensuring that the arts are accessible to all.”

Félix Arocho during a recent interview for BronxNet’s “Diálogo Abierto.”

HCAC's success in engaging the student body and the community was notably evident in the Annual Lunar New Year Celebration presentation, which attracted nearly 500 attendees.

Looking ahead, HCAC has an exciting lineup of events that promise to enrich the cultural landscape of Hostos and the surrounding community. Among the many events to be announced officially to the community are the celebration of the 2024 Asian American Pacific Islanders Heritage Month in May, performances by acclaimed artists and groups like TweetBoogie and Bobby Sanabria, and a Juneteenth commemoration. The Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos is currently presenting "I Stood My Ground," an exhibition featuring nine artists who provide insights into narratives intertwining emotions and memories, employing an array of materials, including magnet flakes, concrete, clay, and more, alongside intimate storytelling. It will be up until May 1.

The collective efforts of Ronca, Neto, Rodríguez, and Arocho paint a picture of Hostos as a place of boundless opportunity, where education transcends the confines of textbooks and classrooms. It is a place where nursing students are prepared for the challenges of healthcare, where game design protegés create with purpose and passion, aspiring scientists and engineers are nurtured and celebrated, and the arts flourish as a testament to the richness of human experience.

Together, these leaders and their programs embody the essence of Hostos: a commitment to excellence, innovation, and the belief that education is the most powerful tool for change. In the South Bronx, facing down all challenges, Hostos continues to transform lives.