York College News: Record NYCFC Gift, Leadership Updates, Student Advocacy, Research Wins & Upcoming Conferences (July 14, 2025)

Good afternoon, York College community. Today is Monday, July 14, 2025, and here are the latest updates from our campus. Currently, it's mostly cloudy with a temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. As the day progresses, expect intermittent clouds with temperatures reaching up to 84 degrees. There's a chance of thunderstorms around 4 PM and again at 7 PM, so keep an umbrella handy if you're heading out later. Earlier this year, York College played a pivotal role in Student Empowerment Day 2025, a statewide event advocating for increased funding for disability services in higher education. The event gathered students, advocates, and policymakers to push for a $4.1 million increase in the state operating budget to enhance disability services across CUNY. York's strong presence was noted, with multiple attendees highlighting its engagement and leadership during the event. In a significant development, New York City FC announced a $7.5 million philanthropic gift to York College. This pledge, beginning with $2 million available immediately, will fund health and wellness, athletics, and other programs. This represents York College’s largest philanthropic gift since its founding and underscores the importance of strengthening the academic programs and services offered at York. York’s Cardinals were front and center at the 2025 CUNY Neurodiversity Conference held at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Led by Charmaine Townsell, students from the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities delivered a powerful and deeply personal presentation, showcasing the leadership, insight, and advocacy of York students. Their session encouraged all CUNY students who identify as disabled to register with their campus disability services offices and take full advantage of available accommodations. York College excelled at the CUNY Celebration of Undergraduate Research 2025, showcasing impressive research by students. Notably, Dinah Mensah Attipoe, an Aviation Management graduate, won the research poster contest with her project titled “The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Transform the Aviation Industry.” Her faculty advisors were Professor Billy Metallinos and Professor Selena Rodgers. On April 30, York College hosted York EmpowerED: Bridging the Gap from High School to College. The event supported students with IEPs and 504 plans as they prepared for the transition to college, blending early outreach, practical resources, and meaningful student engagement. Over 160 students, families, educators, and college professionals gathered, with more than 100 high school students in attendance, many visiting a college campus for the first time. The City University of New York has officially appointed Claudia Schrader as the eighth president of York College, cementing the interim role she has held since January 2024. The CUNY Board of Trustees approved her appointment on April 15, with the post becoming effective May 1. President Schrader brings more than two decades of higher education experience to her new role. In May, the Finance, Higher Education, and Government Operations Committee of New York City convened to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget, focusing on critical funding and infrastructure issues within the CUNY system. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the $30 million allocated for addressing groundwater flooding at York College. Officials clarified that this funding is a reallocation from existing projects rather than new investment. Looking ahead, York College is set to host the International Conference on Business, Management, Economics, and Information Systems (ICBMEIS-2025). The conference will take place at the Department of Business and Economics, York College / CUNY, located at 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica, New York. For those traveling, the venue is a 15-20 minute drive from John F. Kennedy International Airport and 40-50 minutes from LaGuardia Airport. That's all for today's update. Stay safe, stay informed, and remember, at York College, your future takes flight.