AllianceBernstein Champions Queensborough Programs that Support Black and Latinx Men
Up to 100 Black and Latinx students will benefit this year from academic, mentoring, and peer connection programs following a $30,000 donation to Queensborough Community College from global investment management and research firm AllianceBernstein (AB), a longtime contributor to the College.
“At AB, we feel that a diverse, connected, and collaborative culture contributes to success and prepares us for the future,” said AllianceBernstein President and CEO Seth Bernstein.
“We believe that Queensborough shares these values, which is why we are honored to support the College, and its Black Male Initiative (BMI) and Men Achieving and Leading in Excellence and Success (MALES) programs.”
The Black Male Initiative is a City University of New York development program focused on increasing matriculation, retention, and graduation rates of underrepresented students, particularly men of color. BMI and MALES increase, encourage, and support the inclusion and academic success of African, African American/Black, Caribbean, Latino/Hispanic males, and other underrepresented students.
AB’s support will enable Queensborough to increase staffing of mentors and coaches to support up to 100 students in 2021/22. In June 2020, Queensborough had served a record 80 BMI/MALES students.
“But that has fallen by half this fall to 40. Remote learning, loss of employment, social isolation, health and other issues related to the pandemic disproportionally affected young Black and Latinx men,” said Queensborough President, Dr. Christine Mangino.
The new funding will help sustain students, return others to their studies, and provide scaffolding that will help them succeed through to graduation, according to Queensborough BMI/MALES Director William Duque.
“We have always been committed to increasing access to higher education and broadening the opportunities for Black and Latinx young men to complete their degrees at Queensborough. The AB grant and support from President Mangino will take our program to the next level to reach more students for a bigger impact on their success,” said Mr. Duque.
AB has supported Queensborough’s QCC Fund, Inc. since 2007.
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Contact:
Michael Donahue or Alice Doyle
