Over the past few weeks I have been sharing with you messages about our present crisis. At times it seemed as if there would never be good news to share. Thankfully, I am able to report that, in the midst of all of these challenges, we have good news to share.
It is with a combined sense of pride and honor that I join with Chancellor Matos Rodríguez in welcoming back a distinguished academician, skilled administrator and fearless advocate for the community college, our very own Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, as the interim President of Hostos Community College. While the City University can lay claim to her (having received her baccalaureate and one master’s degrees from Queens College, along with a second master’s and doctorate from the Graduate Center), those of us who know this dedicated champion of the community college know her best as past Provost and Chief Academic Officer right here at Hostos Community College.
Dr. De Filippis returns to Hostos after a hugely successful twelve-year tenure as President at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Connecticut. There, she brought the same dynamic leadership and passion she showed here at Hostos. Student outcomes showed major improvement, new programs were initiated and the institution was able to remain on sound fiscal footing during extremely challenging financial times. Under her stewardship, NVCC also garnered numerous awards including recognition by the Aspen Institute as one of the leading community colleges in the nation.
We are truly fortunate to have this proud daughter of the Dominican Republic, a nationally recognized educational leader, and someone I am privileged to call a friend, as our next President. I know you all join me in welcoming President De Filippis back home to the Bronx.
Let me now share with you a message from Dr. De Filippis:
Dear Colleagues and Students,
I am writing these brief words to (re)introduce myself and to tell you how much I am looking forward to coming back home to CUNY and Hostos Community College. It was with heart- filled gratitude that I accepted the Chancellor's invitation. I appreciate the Board of Trustees’ vote of confidence. For me, coming back to Hostos means assuming a sacred trust with joy.
Hostos President Dr. David Gómez has extended a warm welcome, and we will collaborate throughout the transition and after. There will be a time in the coming months to catch up and to begin to dream together of how we can continue to move toward a generous future for Hostos.
I read with great interest the 50th Anniversary Annual Report and was happy to recognize initiatives we began together and others that have emerged and thrived in the past decade. Each one was affirming Hostos' identity as an innovative and generous institution of higher learning. Hostos is living its mission, and its work would have made Don Eugenio María de Hostos very proud.
We will be communicating as I read and study the reports on the excellent work taking place at the College and planning documents for the Middle States Self-Study.
Thank you for welcoming me. It is my dearest wish to work with students and talented and innovative faculty and staff on the process of healing the communities we serve during and in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Mil gracias y bendiciones,
Daisy
Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.