2015
THE LIBI LOG
2015 2ND QUARTER - SPRING EDITION Dear LIBI Community After the brutal winter and absence of spring, I hope you have found moments in your demanding schedules to enjoy some of the intermittent sunshine!
Much has occurred in current events since my last quarterly communication to the community. Very little of it, however, has been positive or inspirational. News reports have been dominated by the Greek financial crisis, which I believe a college community should study closely, if only due to the great insight the turmoil gives into our own political and economic system. Incidentally, late last month, my family and I enjoyed a few wonderful days in the Greek Islands as well as in Athens and the mainland; the hospitality there—even amid a crisis—is world class and we encountered, as we always do there, an incredible, friendly, tourist-oriented culture. Aside from a resounding endorsement of a visit to Greece, I would encourage the entire LIBI community to pay close attention to the events unfolding, whether one is interested in politics, economics, finance, history, journalism or even esoteric subjects such as game theory. The events playing out in the “Birthplace of Democracy” are both fascinating and highly educational. My family and I saw, first hand, the realities of life on the ground in Greece during the final days of June and leading into the historic referendum held on July 5. Minor inconveniences such as an ATM line toward the end of the trip were more than offset by the incredible benefits of such a trip, and our inconveniences as tourists, it should be underscored, are nothing compared to the real issues facing the Greek people. Those lines of pensioners at the ATMs and the withdrawal limits were real, and we encountered the beginning of those lines firsthand: while the issues discussed on TV are often seen as macroeconomic, and literally foreign to us, the people on TV, we must remember, are retirees, grandparents, individuals, and a clear solution seems to elude some well-educated minds. The historic and well-intentioned integration of 27 nations into a common currency is being tested, as are political, social, and philosophical ideologies. Interestingly, last month marked the 800th anniversary of one of the founding documents of the Western World. The Magna Carta (Latin for “Great Charter”), issued in England in 1215, is a document fundamental to the relationship between the individual and the government. Here, in a country that is established as an offspring of that thought, government serves people, not the reverse, by definition. Over half a millennium later, the document served as a basis for our own Constitution, and has served as a fundamental backdrop in a society in which rights are granted by an authority greater than government and government exists to serve, not rule, the individual. The Magna Carta, far from a quaint piece of parchment hammered out by a group of noblemen to rein in a tyrant, served to set the American system in motion. This is a system in which the individual is sacred and the government is merely a tool for protecting that sanctity.
Many of you, as immigrants, left countries where the government is sacred, where speech is suppressed, where religion is either established or illegal, where crowds are not allowed to gather, where people are arrested and never tried, where property is routinely taken by the government. These countries, in many cases, do these things in the name of “order” and “safety”. Those English barons 800 years ago were subject to the same capricious government in the form of King John; they said “no more”. Governments nominally “for the people” and “for equality” have, in the past 50 years, sent tanks to suppress students peacefully protesting, as in 1968 in my native Warsaw, and in Prague, in 1989 in China ( June also represents the 26th anniversary of the Tienamin Square tragedy). An insidious suppression of the people, allegedly to protect the people, leads to censorship of the people (try “googling” about that Tienamin event in that event’s country). Some of these countries, on the surface, seem very much like our own: big, gleaming, air conditioned cities, filled with Ferraris, rise where deserts once prohibited movement. In some of these places, young girls will never drive a car, let alone vote. Ben Franklin, a hero in my household (and, among so many accomplishments, the founder of an Ivy League college), captured it best when he said “Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” I hope you will ponder these thoughts as you enjoy a wonderful day at the beach or a day of gardening!
Warm regards,
Monica W. Foote President
LIBRARY BLACK HISTORY MONTH By Adriana Arguelles
At LIBI we had an enthusiastic celebration to recognize the heritage, accomplishments, and history of African Americans. It involved different activities during the month of February. An extraordinary presentation by Mr. Frank Leone (Peace through Progress) and Mr. Oster Bryan about the Free African Society, where Professor Bryan explained the society’s background, founders’ and leaders’ biographies and contributions. It was interesting and informative. Mr. Bryan was very thorough, and the connection with the audience was incredible. A Hip – Hop performance made by talented students Jude Dorvilus and Roger Yu was part of our celebration. Their lyrics connected with the listener on a very tangible level. Professor Gregorio Velez wowed the crowd with his performance of “Unforgettable”.
Mansa Gory and his band took us to a musical journey through African-American history. The performance was extraordinary and well-constructed. Through music, and a vibrant presentation, he created an emotional environment to which the audience strongly reacted.
Mr. Gory serves as the Director of Bands at Columbus and Hamilton Elementary School in Mount Vernon, New York. He strives to use music to unify communities for higher achievement. I would like to give very special thanks to the Events Committee members, and all faculty and staff for their support.
UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES @ YOUR LIBRARY: NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK By Adriana Arguelles
The Patron Appreciation Day is one of the best library events. It was a great time to honor our patrons and let them know how important they are. The library welcomed Ms. Jasmine Downer’s class, and everybody enjoyed refreshments and took a library tour. Our regular patrons who visited the library had a pleasant time as well.
Banned Books took the library during this celebration. “Unlimited possibilities”, our theme for this week, refers to the unlimited resources at our library here at LIBI. We exhibited banned books that are part of our collection, explaining to patrons why and when these books were banned. It was interesting to see some patrons’ reactions when they learned that books like Gone with Wind by Margaret Mitchell, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald were on the list. The banned best sellers, some Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winners, fiction and non-fiction, as well as ESL books were part of Book Mobile Day. They were part of the journey within the LIBI campus. Patrons were able to touch, smell, feel and take these treasured books home.
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“Poetry may seek to tell a story, enact a drama, convey ideas, offer vivid, unique description or express our inward spiritual, emotional, or psychological states. Yet, poetry pays particularly close attention to words themselves: their sounds, textures, patterns, and meanings. It takes special pleasure in focusing on the verbal music inherent in language.”(Dan Rifenburg. What is Poetry?) The focus of verbal music was illustrated during our Poetry Day celebration. It was a wonderful connection between poets and the audience. Students and Faculty enjoyed poems by Professors Fred Jacobs and Frank Leone. For the first time since we started Poetry Day, student Ziming Feng-Lucy participated by reading her poems in English and Chinese. Besides our wonderful presentations, students learned about poetry and were encouraged to write their own poetry. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Leone, Ms. Ziming Feng-Lucy, and all faculty and students that attended this magnificent celebration.
WOMEN CONNECTED: SUCCESS STORIES By Adriana Arguelles
The National Women’s History Project, an organization that has been praising women for 35 years, honoring and paying tribute to all women who have fought for their rights and who, one way or another, have contributed to the prosperity of their gender and society, invited us” this past Women’s History Month to “integrate the diverse and compelling stories of women’s lives into a colorful tapestry highlighting the intricacies and interconnection of these stories.” At first thought, it may seem that making such connections is a tough project to undertake, but it was quite exciting to find people who connected with each other based on their personal experiences, their professional pursuits, or other similarities.
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If you ever feel fear about anything that you want to do in life, firmly learn to have faith and to believe in your abilities to achieve your goals. Life is full of challenges and ultimately, it is about how you handle these challenges that will help you develop and grow as a person. - San Huang
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I thank LIBI for helping me to build confidence to engage in a professional field. I have come a long way. - Qiang Chen
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For LIBI’s Women’s History Month Celebration, three students shared their dreams, struggles, and mistakes, and how they managed to become successful like other women who have made history in the business, political, journalistic, and artistic fields. Qiang Chen, a LIBI alumna, graduated with an associate’s degree in accounting in 2010 and continued her education at St. Joseph’s College where she received her bachelor’s degree in accounting. Qiang Chen was connected to the American politician, Fiona Ma, as they both earned a bachelor’s in accounting.
Fiona Ma has worked her way up to being famously known as an American politician and a certified public accountant. Qiu Mei Zhang, a currently enrolled LIBI student, moved abroad ten years ago from Fujian, China. Qiu Mei is studying accounting, with dreams of becoming a CPA (certified public accountant) in the future. She was connected with Delilah L. Beasley, a historian and newspaper columnist, who was the first African-American woman to be published in a major newspaper, and the first author to present the history of African-Americans in early California. The connection they shared was a strong sense of responsibility and duty towards caring for their families. Both worked many jobs, which eventually led them to becoming successful professionals. Yet another connection made was between Fran Drescher, a wellknown actress, famous for her role in the television sitcom The Nanny, who was connected to the noted Delilah Beasley as they have both taken on the profession as writers. Not many people know that Fran is a writer, as well as a producer and comedian.
Our last connection was San Huang, a LIBI alumna, who graduated in 2012 and Gladys Tantaquidgeon. San dropped out of high school when she was 17 and started working as a nail technician. The fears she had for her future moved San to make a change in her life; she decided to go back to college to look for new opportunities and experiences. Successful, San graduated from LIBI, and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Mercy College. Gladys Tantaquidgeon, Mohegan Medicine Woman, anthropologist, and Tribal Elder, took a break from school, just as San did, but was able to reach impactful heights upon continuing her education. Gladys Tantaquidgeon only completed grade school and, at the age of 20, she started her study of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. I’d like to thank our students for sharing with us their stories with us, as well as Emely Payano, member of the Special Events Committee and the Academic Success Center Coordinator, for her help with this terrific project; it couldn’t have been better.
I am honored to share my experience, and I hope I can be a positive influence to my friends as well as to the people who care about me. - Qiu Mei Zhang
LAW DAY
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LIBI COMMACK By Terry Canavan
On May 1st the United States officially recognizes Law Day. It is meant to reflect on the role of law in the foundation of the country and to recognize its importance for society. Loyalty Day also falls on the same day as Law Day. This is a special day for people to reaffirm their loyalty to the United States and to recognize the heritage of American freedom. As the campus that supports the Court Reporting program, we at Commack consider Law Day to be significant. Each year the American Bar Association selects a theme to highlight an aspect of the rule of law and how it affects our daily lives. This year, Law Day celebrated the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the “Great Charter of Liberties.” The Magna Carta was sealed in 1215, and it has become the symbol of the rule of law and an inspiration for many basic rights including due process, trial by jury, and the right to travel.
To create an awareness on campus about Law Day and the Magna Carta, students were taught facts about the Magna Carta in the dictation material read to them in their court reporting speed-building classes, and, during their breaks, watched a series of videos that examine the Criminal Justice System in the United States, such as “The History of American Criminal Justice,” “The Criminal Court Process and Procedure,” “Order in the Court: An Inside View of the Criminal Justice System,” and the students’ favorite “Forensic Science in Action.” Students were also encouraged to read the display in the main hall, which included the timeline of the Magna Carta. While the Magna Carta is the cornerstone of English liberty, law, and democracy, our students like to think of it as the document that created the need for court reporters.
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LIBI NYC
LIBI NYC LIBRARY NEWS By Shelby Schwartz
Since the beginning of 2015, the library here at LIBI NYC has held many exciting events for the entire school community. In the beginning of February we held our Lunar New Year celebration. This event was fun for everyone, and students had the opportunity to bring in delicious cultural foods to celebrate the New Year with their peers.
More recently, the library celebrated National Poetry Month. National Poetry Month is celebrated throughout the country in April of each year. To bring recognition to this wonderful celebration, we held our “Poets Among Us” poetry readings here at the NYC library. Mr. D. Mickel and Ms. Peggy Tartt are faculty members who read from their published books of poetry. This was both an educational and entertaining experience for the students and faculty here at LIBI NYC. Following the captivating poetry readings, students had the chance to ask Mr. Mickel and Ms. Tartt thought-provoking questions about poetry and writing in their everyday lives. To wrap up our National Poetry Month events here at LIBI NYC, Mr. Eugene Ritchie and I held a Haiku Writing workshop at the end of the month of April. A Haiku is a simplistic style of poetry, known for being made up of three lines and only 17 syllables. The students were given the fun opportunity to write their own Haiku poetry. This workshop was a success! The students were very enthusiastic about writing their own Haikus. Mr. Ritchie and I helped the students with their poetry writing by answering questions and further instructing them in the art of the Haiku poem. By the end of the workshop, the students had each composed one or more of their own Haikus.
The LIBI NYC Library is always adding new and interesting items to our collection. Most recently, we have added some great new titles to both our Faculty and General collections. New titles added to the Faculty collection include:
National Poetry Month at LIBI NYC.
New Fiction books added to our collection include:
All the light we cannot see: a novel, by Anthony Doerr.
The girl on the train, by Paula Hawkins.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs.
The following items added to our collection are exciting, new books which have recently been made into feature films and/or television shows:
Paths to learning : teaching for engagement in college, by Barbara F. Tobolowsky, editor.
Five dimensions of quality : a common sense guide to accreditation and accountability, by Linda Suskie.
Missoula, by Paul L. Gaston; by Jon Krakauer.
World War Z : an oral history of the zombie war, by Max Brooks.
The maze runner, by James Dashner.
Outlander : a novel, by Diana Gabaldon.
The first-year seminar : designing, implementing, and assessing courses to support student learning & success, by James E. Groccia & Mary Stuart Hunter.
Talk about writing : the tutoring strategies of experienced writing center tutors, by Jo Mackiewicz & Isabelle Kramer Thompson.
Higher education accreditation : how it’s changing, why it must, by Paul L. Gaston; foreword by Eduardo M. Ochoa.
The monuments men : Allied heros, Nazi thieves, and the greatest treasure hunt in history, by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter.
Gone girl : a novel, by Gillian Flynn.
The wolf of Wall Street, by Jordan Belfort.
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STUDENT LIFE LIBI NYC
MOVIE EXPERIENCE By Linda K. Buncom
Answer the following question. What makes a great movie experience? It’s not the popcorn. It’s not the candy or soda. It’s the people with whom you watch the movie. On Saturday, December 20, 2014, the LIBI-NYC Retention Committee hosted a movie event for students, their families, and the faculty. We gathered at the AMC Empire 25 for a half hour meet and greet before seeing the Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 3D, early that morning. We had the pleasure of meeting the students’ husbands and wives, children, siblings, and loved ones. Everyone chatted about school, their lives outside of school, vacation plans, and, of course, the Hobbit.
The excitement came to a head when the doors to the auditorium opened for seating. A quiet hush took over the theater as the movie began. During the movie, the audience (72 LIBI-NYC students, families, and faculty) laughed, screamed, and ducked for cover as flying debris and dragons jumped out of the screen at us. Thunderous applause erupted at the end of the movie for those heroes who saved the day. We said our goodbyes and wished each other a happy holiday season and prosperous New Year.
Now that is what makes a good movie a great movie experience. See you at the movies!
HEY!!! WHAT ABOUT US? ANIMALS NEED HELP TOO!
LIBI COMMACK
By Frances Magarelli and Sheila Baldwin
The Youth Group of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Lake Ronkonkoma hosted a fundraiser for the Double D Bar Ranch located in Manorville, New York, which is home to more than 450 animals. These animals were either abandoned or abused, or their prior owners were simply unable to keep them. It is a sanctuary for all kinds of animals, including, but not limited to, bulls, cows, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and many others. The cost of caring for these animals reaches as high as $3,000 per week. The Double D Bar Ranch needs donations of all types: food, towels, paper towels, blankets, bales of hay, or simply your time if you can donate that. When St. Mary’s Youth Group reached out to the community for help, the Commack Campus of the Long Island Business Institute joined forces with them and hosted its spring fundraiser to help the Double D Bar Ranch.
As always, the students, faculty, and staff at LIBI Commack stepped up to the plate donating bags of food, cat litter, and plenty of towels and comforters. Tickets were also sold so that anyone who was unable to shop for food items could also donate by purchasing a “piece of the ranch” ticket, which brought in over $200. To add some levity to this fundraiser, our very own Sheila Baldwin, Commack’s administrative assistant, made some ingenious and thought-provoking signs to place around the campus, which the
students had a great time figuring out. Although the posters and signs were lighthearted in nature, the need for donations was not and still remains a vital need to this sanctuary. Thanks to everyone at LIBI Commack who were not sheepish about trotting down to donate to a clucking good cause!
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CBCS EXAM AT LIBI By Earl O’Brien, LIBI Flushing Student
Hello, LIBI Students,
THE TEST ENTAILS:
The (CBCS) Certified Billing and Coding Specialist examination is being offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Students who pass the exam have demonstrated that they meet national standards for entry-level medical billing and coding. This exam can be taken before or after graduation. However, if you take it after completing Advanced Coding and Insurance & Billing courses, you will be better prepared. For registration to take this exam, you must see Ms. Crimi, the Director of the Medical Department. In addition, you can prepare yourself for this exam in the LIBI Student Medical Club. The CBCS exam has 120 questions and lasts approximately two hours. The benefit of taking the test is that it gives students the opportunity not only of becoming a certified biller, but to continue their education and earn a higher certification. Just as Long Island Business Institute offers CSU credits in order for the students to graduate, NHA requires ten credits to maintain certification. Note that the results arrive two weeks after completion of the CBS test.
COLLEGE PROFESSORS LAUNCH BOOK CLUB By Yvad Billings - Readers Bureau, Fellow
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Regulatory compliance, and identification of appropriate documentation required for release of patient information.
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Billing audit against medical documentation to prevent fraud and abuse.
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Identification of major laws, regulations, and administrative agencies relevant to medical billing.
Once you fully understand the basic concepts and techniques regarding medical terminology, CPT coding (basic and advanced), and insurance billing procedure, you will have the confidence to pass this test, knowing that you have strived to achieve and even exceed all limitations. Never allow anything to rob you of the confidence that you can and will succeed in all you do.
A HOSPITALITY HELLO By Jarnee Johnson, LIBI Flushing Student & Hospitality Club President
Book clubs are gaining popularity in the U.S. as more and more people are viewing this as a means of not only connecting with people who share similar interests in the reading of books, but also as a channel for networking and building relationships. Consequently, book clubs are now being formed online as well as through face-to-face meetings at various locations.
One of the latest clubs to be launched is The Professors Book Club. The club was started by a group of professors from Long Island Business Institute.
“We believe that this is a positive move not only to foster relationships among colleagues but also to create interest in reading,” said Professor Davy Desmond, convener of the book club. “We started the club because we recognize that reading and sharing is the best practice in building a solid knowledge base.” He said that the goals of the club are: 1. To expand members’ literary experience by: b. Reading quality works written by different authors. c. Reading a selection of titles within a wide genre that covers new and classical fiction, mysteries, inspirational works, and romances, as well as biographies and autobiographies. 2. To introduce members to new authors while continuing to read works by established authors. 3. To provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas, opinions, and stimulating discussions.
“The response from professors is encouraging, and many of them have suggested networking with other colleges for the mutual sharing of knowledge and classroom experience,” Professor Davy also said. He stated further that the club will meet on a monthly basis at the Rose Tea House in Flushing, Queens.
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Hello, LIBI students, staff, and faculty, My name is Jarnee Johnson, president of the Hospitality Club. I’m happy to announce that the new Hospitality Club has officially been approved and welcomes anyone to join. The Hospitality Club was founded in April 2015 and was put in place to educate students about the hospitality industry. It is our duty to bring new, exciting events to LIBI. Currently, the Hospitality Club is looking to fill the following positions: • Vice President - Cover for the president in his/her absence, assist the president in major club events, e.g., visiting vendors, annual club events • Treasurer - Control the club’s money, its collection and disbursement
Joining the Hospitality Club is a great way to gain knowledge and experience and to create important contacts. If you are interested in becoming a member, please feel free to walk in at our next meeting. Meetings are held every other Thursday from 12pm-1pm in Room 309. We look forward seeing you all at our next Club meeting.
SHORT STORY: TOO? By Patrick Cottington
“You’re too fat.” Yeah, story of my life. Used to bother me when people said that, especially in school, especially middle school, like sixth and seventh grade. By the time I got to high school, I realized that I wasn’t that fat, not like 300 pounds and a huge belly hanging over my belt, nothing like that. I was, by most standards, a “husky” kid, as my mother would say. After high school I went to work with my dad doing road construction. It wasn’t so bad: six months on, six months off, with full benefits all year round, plus money’s good so I can’t really complain too much. Weight was still sort of an issue, but it didn’t really bother me too much; well, not until a few months ago. It was during lunch break, and I was talking to one of the guys on our crew, listening to him telling me how he met his wife through one of those online dating sites. Since he’s not winning any beauty contests any time soon, I figured if he can do it, I might as well give it a shot. That night, as I’m filling out the online form, I skip the weight and height part, which seems to be the norm with most of the people I talked to about this little venture, and I put in a picture where I don’t look so “husky.” And I wait. A couple of days later, I check… nothing; a week later -- nothing. I know that guys usually do the hunting, but I don’t have that kind of confidence yet, and after a few months, I’m pretty much off the online dating thing, checking it once every couple of weeks, mostly just out of curiosity…mostly. One Friday I come home from work feeling dirtier and more tired than usual and in need of something to boost me up. I fix myself two or three grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches, wash them down with an equal number of beers, and when I go through my semimonthly discouraging online dating routine, I freeze. A hit! I got a hit! Her name was Melba, and she left a small message saying she likes my profile. I’m cute (really?) and she’d love to set up a video chat. Naturally, I check her profile and I see that she’s cute too; looks to be a blonde, about my age, and she’s got these great big hazel eyes. I right away send her back a message telling her a video chat sounds good, and soon we have our first online date…then a second, and a third. Right from the beginning, I can see she’s almost perfect. We have similar likes and dislikes, laugh at the same stupid jokes and, we find out, we even went to the same middle school! But, eventually, I realize that the weight thing
will have to be addressed; so one night after a two-hour chat, I tell her the truth. “I’m fat,” I blurt out. “Better you should know now in case you want to actually meet.” Inside, I’m cringing, waiting for the response, but deep down, I’m ready for rejection. Practice makes perfect, they say. After a short pause, she smiles, almost laughs actually, and says, “Really? Like I couldn’t tell from that awful picture you posted on your profile. Listen, I contacted you because I like what you wrote -- well, that, and you ARE cute, especially when you’re confessing.” Well, that’s out of the way, which is good. Now comes problem number two. “So, are we going to meet up?” I ask, slightly uncomfortable, but getting used to this… flirting, I guess is what they call it. “Tomorrow night,” comes the immediate response. “Let’s meet at that little Italian place on Monroe Street. You know it?” “Pope wears a funny hat?” I ask, hoping she’s not Catholic, and if she is, hopefully she’s not devout, and if she is, hopefully she has a sense of humor. “Okay, then,” she says, laughing. “Guess we got us what is commonly referred to as a date there, mister”. “Well, okay,” I begin, suddenly running into a wall.
that she’s having a glass of Chianti and she’s fine. When I get to the restaurant, I get walked to our table by a swarthy waiter with questionable breath, who takes me to a nice table in a quiet corner next to a picture window. The rays from the streetlamp are coming through the window directly on her, accentuating her features as she’s sitting there, sipping her wine. Now I see that her hair isn’t blonde like I thought. It’s more like a light red, what you would call a strawberry blond, I guess, a color like the inside of a perfect peach. And she has freckles, cute freckles around her nose, but not too many, just enough to make her mysteriously pretty. I slowly walk toward her, watch her as she takes another sip of Chianti, looking around the room, scanning the area, obviously watching out for me with those big hazel eyes. Then she sees me and smiles, albeit it’s a curious smile, one I can’t put my finger on, but I’m on a roll here, and I remind myself, this is the moment. This is movie stuff and I feel like Tom Hanks walking toward Meg Ryan, ready to woo, ready to stud. I’m young, ambitious. Our eyes meet for a second. She looks at me for a beat, then slowly lowers her glass. For some odd reason, she’s looks at my feet, then my head, then my feet again. “Holy shit… you’re not… I’m…” she begins saying.
“Problem?” she asks.
“Melba” I finish her sentence in a suave tone, more in Charlton Heston mode now, feelin’ good, feelin’ fine…
“Actually, I hadn’t rehearsed beyond the pope thing and I’m not very good at improvising,” I quip.
“I’m… so sorry.”
“Well, I guess I’m going to have my hands full with you, but don’t be too clever. Girls don’t want to work too hard on a first date.”
Ah. And I suddenly realize what kind of smile that was. “Oh, honey, I’m really so, so sorry,” she says looking at me in a way I am way too familiar with; and out goes Charlton Heston and in comes the husky kid.
I laugh and promise I’ll take it easy on her, and we decide on seven o’clock. Later on, as I polish off a bag of Chips Ahoy, I pause for a second. Is this for real? The husky kid has a date? With a cute blonde? I celebrate with some loaded nachos, rewarding myself with extra cheese, then off go to bed; a perfect ending to a perfect day. The next night I decide to get to the restaurant early and get a nice table, but traffic is heavy, and I end up being 20 minutes late. I’m wearing size 40 pants, the smallest size I’ve ever squeezed into, but I feel good, nonetheless. I text Melba and apologize profusely for my lateness, and she assures me it’s not a problem,
“But I told you I was overweight,” I counter, trying hard not to whine. She tells me that’s not it at all. “Honestly, you look better than most of the guys I’ve hooked up with from that site,” she says with a small smile. “But…,” she continues as she picks up her purse and stands… and stands… and stands, until she’s towering more than a foot above me, and I suddenly feel like Sneezy being examined by Melba the Amazon Queen. “You’re just too short”.
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LIBI NYC CELEBRATES N
By Eugen
Three consecutive Thursdays in April featured poetry readings and a Haiku workshop at LIBI’s NYC Extension in celebration of National Poetry Month. Dubbed “Poets among Us,” the celebration was jointly sponsored by the LIBI Library and the Poetry Club. It featured readings from works by two Arts & Sciences faculty members, Mr. Darrel Mickel and Ms. Peggy Tartt.
In his introduction of Professor Mickel, Eugene Ritchie, Chair, Arts & Sciences, said, “I liked him right away,” when he first interviewed the native New Yorker in 2012. “And I didn’t even know he was a poet until later.” Professor Mickel teaches psychology and other courses at the New York campus. He has dual Master of Arts degrees in Psychology and History, from Almeda University and Excelsior College, respectively. Professor Mickel is the author of seven poetry books, including Visions of Paradise (written in his “pen name” R. Michael), a collection of 101 poems from which he read. “I wanted to write about what I thought Paradise would be like based on places I have been to and places I have never been to,” he told the students. Later Professor Mickel said, “When I was younger, whenever I went out on a date, I would give the lady roses.” From “91-digital roses” he read:
The sight of red roses Over the interweaves The conditions passed out of sight highly intriguing being sent over the waves to another…1 “There’s a very sensuous sound, perhaps spirituality to Mr. Mickel’s poetry,” Ritchie observed. “I am not surprised, therefore, when Mr. Mickel cites the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda as an important influence.” This is evident in an excerpt of “49- if heaven could kiss”:
See your hands in a dream fluttering among tree branches reaching toward heaven to kiss it…1 The following Thursday, students heard a chapbook reading of Firestarters by Ms. Peggy Tartt, who teaches English and Literature at LIBI. It’s about a case from 1931 when nine African-American youths—the Scottsboro Boys -- were accused of raping two white women in the south. In a series of sonnets, including the title poem, Firestarters, Ms. Tartt told the tragic and shameful story of these youths’ arrest, treatment, and incarceration in a period when the Jim Crow-style “culture” was at its most vicious in Alabama and other
southern states. From the opening sonnet, Like a Rosary, Ms. Tartt read:
Beguiling mockingbirds called out As morning slid by with the speed Of a southern railroad freight train, Heading from Chattanooga to Memphis, With forty-two cars – boxcars, flatcars, gondola, tender and tank cars – hitched between the engine and caboose like a rosary. But no one was praying when fate stood up In the middle of gondola car #16…2 Ms. Tartt holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing with concentration in poetry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (made famous by another poet, Emily Dickinson, The Belle of Amherst). Tartt’s BA degree in English Literature is from Marymount Manhattan College here in New York. Ms. Tartt provided the students with a thorough briefing of the Scottsboro Boys’ case and made this observation: “You can only imagine the emotions, the disbelief, the arrogance of all the people involved.” She noted that she “…found out about it when I was 18 (another lifetime). It always stayed in the back of my mind. I wanted to find out how we who lived in America at that time could take the word of two women against the word of nine… We really had a state of racism in America at that time and tenor that was working against the word of the boys.” From Firestarters, the title poem, she read:
The South that spring was as hot as the tropics. At dusk, mosquitoes swarmed the lit porch lights Attached to the little houses bordering the train tracks… …Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, fast white girls, Rode the rails, drank gin, and spread themselves Out like parched landscape, did whatever they could To skirt the law.2 To conclude National Poetry Month at LIBI, a Haiku workshop was held in the library. Librarian Ms. Shelby Schwartz and Eugene Ritchie, spoke to the students about Haiku and Acrostic forms of poetry. “Haiku is a Japanese poem style, consisting of three lines and only 17 syllables,” explained Ms. Schwartz. “The first and last line of a Haiku contains five syllables, while the middle line has seven.”
The students immediately got down to writing their
LIBI NYC
NATIONAL POETRY MONTH
ne Ritchie
own Haiku poetry. Here is a sampling of the students’ Haiku writings:
BEACH
“This type of poem has a ‘secret’ word written vertically, using the first letter of each horizontal line of the poem,” noted Mr. Ritchie. Here are some acrostic poems written by students:
by Theresa Phipps
AUTHOR: Stacy Spivey
The sun kissed my skin Water crashed against the rocks Sand covered my toes.
HOPE
Today I wait to see your face. Often lonely and can’t wait. Together we will have such fun. Holding, swinging, having fun. Enjoy the time we have to spend. Doing what we love the most. Another day goes by to say, No more tears I will display. Can we meet across the way? Ending my dance with you today.
by Guo Cheng Liang
Falling in the dark I found a little hope here Now it’s still alive.
AUTHOR: Jasmin Santiago
STARS
Never let you go Every time you smile my heart feels pure as gold. Playing with your little fingers Hair as smooth as silk. Even when you start to cry I watch you very still. When it’s time to go to sleep, I begin to rock you oh so very softly.
by Zakiya Binzubai
Beautiful blinking Up in the sky high above Full moon was rising!
LEAF
by Eugene Ritchie
A wind-powered leaf scrapes the asphalt road like claws Its journey endless.
“This workshop was a success,” notes Ms. Schwartz. “The students were very enthusiastic about writing their own Haikus. We helped students with their Haiku poems, answered their questions, and individually instructed them in the art of this poetic form. “Yet another type of poetry the students learned was the acrostic poem.
Robert Frost once defined a poem as “…an idea caught in the act of dawning.” The great Mexican Poet-Diplomat, Octavio Paz, who won the 1990 Nobel Prize in Literature, simply described a poem as a song. He cautioned writers: “Song is neither discourse nor explanation.” But William Wordsworth’s take on poetry is more humanistic: Poetry, he said, is “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” “An idea…A song…powerful feelings – these are just three reasons we celebrate Poetry during the month of April,” Ritchie concludes.
1 2
Visions from Paradise. Copyright© 2011 by R. Michael. Excerpts reprinted with permission of the author. Excerpts from Firestarters Copyright ©2014 by Peggy Ann Tartt. Reprinted with permission of the author.
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SAFETY CORNER THE “R” WORD By Eugene Ritchie
Missoula Reveals the Human Side of Rape in All Its Ugliness When you hear or read about the “R” word – rape—you usually associate that crime with a stranger in a big city assaulting an innocent woman on her way home from work or visiting friends. But what if you were told that many rapes – perhaps the majority-- occur in small towns, among people who know each other, even people who study together on a college campus? You’d be shocked or at least concerned, wouldn’t you?
Well, you should be. Concerned are The U.S. Justice Department, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Education, and the majority of colleges, including LIBI, and universities nationwide. Sexual Assault and related incidents are crimes that colleges and universities must report under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). A new book, Missoula, by Jon Krakauer, author of the 1996 non-fiction book “Into the Wild” reveals the ugly, human side of rape and its severe consequences for victims and perpetrators alike. It’s about the death of the spirit of women who are violated sexually by someone familiar to them. Krakauer debunks the macho-inspired behavior of many men (and even some women), who deny that what happens between a man and a woman when protests are made – “No!”-- yet answered with force – is, in fact, rape. The book is set in Missoula, Montana—thus its title. The author notes at the beginning: “Rape is a much more common crime than most people realize, and women of college age are most frequently the victims.” Krakauer did his homework and introduces readers to two 2014 reports – one from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ),
the other from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
The latter is the more shocking as it reveals that some 2.5 million women “reported that they were raped in the 12 months preceding the survey.” Krakauer further points out that at least 80 percent of those who are sexually assaulted “…don’t report the crime to authorities.”
Missoula tells the true story of Allison Huguet and Cecilia Washburn’s search for justice after each was raped separately by different members of the “Grizzlies,” the Missoula-based University of Montana football team. The two cases might have been dismissed as “he said, she said” examples of the complicated interworking of men and women exploring each other’s body. Yet the book reveals a simple truth: “No means No,” which men many times interpret as “Yes,” when in media res, in the heat of the moment. Krakauer also discusses the severe psychological impact on rape victims, impacts that can last the rest of the victims’ lives. Interestingly, both cases involved alcohol and drugs, catalysts for perpetrators whose reasoning (and listening) are clouded and confused. In the two detailed cases, all four people –college students whose entire promising lives lie ahead – become victims -- two psychologically and two by way of long prison sentences.
Missoula, it must be warned, is raw, as the author lays out court testimonies, police interviews, and many of his own interviews in what is gripping reading. Available in the 408 Broadway and other LIBI libraries, Missoula is a must reading for all of us who spend significant time on campus. It’s a book that facilitates dialogue about a difficult and sensitive subject that affects us all.
U.S. AVIATION SECURITY SCREENING - GOES TO THE DOGS… By Prof. Paul J. Schmick
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – pledges that its chief strategy is aimed at prevention of an improvised explosive device (IED) from breaching TSA security checkpoints at all 450 U.S. airports, as the agency assertively seeks to identify the best human and technological assets to prevent such a calamity. As to visibility of forward-looking aviation security challenges, on August 21, 2013, outgoing FBI Director Robert Muller stated the terror scenario he fears most is an attack on an aircraft. While there has been a host of controversial TSA strategies to improve airport-security detection capabilities since TSA’s inception in 2001, TSA’s new evolving strategy seeks the widespread deployment of “Vapor Wake” canines, which are the most advanced canines to date, to identify not only stationary explosives, but also explosives on moving targets. Since the inception of the TSA, which emerged from the Aviation Transportation Security Act (ATSA Pub L. 107-70) and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001, this
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administration has pursued a host of technological and human-performance strategies with the intent of identifying an IED attempting to penetrate a TSA security checkpoint. Perhaps to serve as the chief partner in this pursuit, Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute (CDRI) was established in 1989 to research and
advance “canine olfaction.” The CDRI is the largest canine research facility in the U.S. and its associated Canine Detection Training Center, located in Auburn, Alabama, is the largest canine explosive-detection training program outside the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The Auburn University “Vapor Wake” canine program began developing the premise in 2005, with the first dogs being deployed in 2009. While a canine’s ability to detect faint scents and decipher human commands has been valued for a millennium, the CDRI’s “Vapor Wake” canines take basic detection skills and training a step further because they possess the adeptness to detect explosives worn or carried. Beginning initial research in 2000 and progressing over several years with the breeding of golden retrievers, the CDRI now produces canines “genetically-wired” for moving-IED recognition. As per published reports, the CDRI simulation testing has identified canines possessing the aptitude to detect hand-carried and body-worn explosive devices, perhaps serving as the ultimate security asset and deterrent for the TSA.
With the advent of regular clothing-borne bombs or small, hidden, easily carried explosive devices spreading around the globe, detecting explosives on a person or in what a person is carrying has become a global necessity. As identified in the 2009 failed plot by Umar Fa-
rouk Abdulmutallab, a/k/a the “Underwear Bomber,” Abdulmutallab attempted to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while onboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan. With such active threats and creative plots to attack global aviation, Auburn’s strategic advancement to breed canines with the ability to follow “Vapor Wake” in the air left behind a moving target several minutes after the object has left the area may serve as the ultimate deterrent and weapon for not only the U.S. and the TSA but global aviation partners. In the end, while the “Vapor Wake” canine shows promise to detect explosives on moving targets, with an average initial deployment cost of 237k for a single “Vapor Wake” canine and Explosive Canine Detection Handler (EDCH) and a 167k annual cost per team, the ultimate detection weapon comes with a steep price tag for the U.S. taxpayer and the TSA. However, due to their non-invasive screening capability and ability to be effective in high-capacity environments, along with bipartisan support in Congress, we should only expect further deployment of “Vapor Wake” canines – nationally. As of June 2014, the TSA had deployed 144 “Vapor Wake” canine teams to the largest U.S. Airports with the hope of expansion, even in the face of tightening TSA budgets year after year.
IN TIMES OF CHANGE By Jhonatan Aybar, LIBI Graduate - Class 2011 Executive Assistant to the President
The constant need for change in every aspect of our lives is a determining factor of our futures. Civilizations would have never progressed throughout the history if they had remained inert and unreceptive to new ideas. The beginning of any new world-wide age begins with CHANGE: acceptance for ideas, especially those that will definitely improve the lives of our citizens, and tolerance for what we do not understand, particularly when it will certainly contribute to the well-being of a community without harming others. As Walter Riso stated in his work “The Power of Flexible Thinking – The retardant cocktail: dogmatism, fundamentalism and obscurantism” – fundamentalism (the notion that the bases of beliefs are not open to discussion), and obscurantism (opposition to progress and diffusion of the “self-culture” – i.e., self-education – and others) are two philosophical positions resistant to change and associated with dogmatism. William Ellery Channing in his speech delivered in Boston in September of 1838 – stated that “in this nation the mass of the people are distinguished by possessing means of improvement, of self-culture, possessed nowhere else” and “Self-culture is intellectual. We cannot look into ourselves without discovering the intellectual principle, the power which thinks, reasons, and judges, the power of seeking and acquiring truth.”v
In the past few decades, we have seen an interest in understanding each other’s differences, and in advocating and supporting the causes that will improve people’s lives – OUR PEOPLE. We have witnessed the struggle of a community in the shadow, fighting for their rights and acceptance, and we have indeed listened. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community spoke up – and the nation heeded its petitions. The fight for their rights hasn’t ended, but they have certainly made progress, for gay marriage is now legal across the USA. We have seen a man of color win the presidential elections and step into the White House to lead this great nation – a nation of great people that have been fighting for equality for so long - and indeed, we have made great changes. We have demonstrated that we are not resistant to the exploration of
new horizons, and that we are willing to lead the great people of this nation to a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle. As an imperative priority, education has been the prime element in our efforts to attain our goals – so dare to think for yourself. We are all cognizant of our tolerance limits and how they are directly related to the principles of our culture, but fostering the dogmatist principles that obstruct our development, without questioning it, may certainly destroy lives. We are all different – of different ethnicities, cultures, religions, and beliefs. But we are all EQUAL – we are all HUMANS. And certainly, we are all born with one main purpose – to create and sustain LIFE. Not understanding the deeds of a community does not mean the deeds of that specific people are “wrong doings”. We do not need to accept others’ ideas to coexist with them peacefully. All it takes is TOLERANCE. Tolerance of their behavior and needs, and overall, respect for the choices of others. As a community, at Long Island Business Institute, we must all adhere to policies that promote equality and respect. However, as human beings, we should also rethink the need for guidelines to promote what everybody deserves, RESPECT – and I am certain that we all do.
The need to promote the wellbeing of every human has not been as imperative as it is today, since we are aware that we are all connected in a global economy with an almost obsolete financial system (and please note that I am being moderate using the term “almost.”). We can find the greatness of every man and woman in their capacity to understand other’s point of view and their interest in self-culture. In the future, when it comes to a judgmental thought, please remember that a fundamentalism and obscurantism life-style profess the following: “I am owner of the truth, the bases of my principles are indestructible and the diffusion of updated information is dangerous for my own interest and the collective” – Walter Riso. Possessing the power of flexible thinking, is one the most important skills to adjust our lives nowadays in times of change.
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CAREER SERVICES HOMELAND SECURITY JOB FAIR 2015 By Je’nyce Gilmore
On March 28, 2015, Long Island Business Institute held the semi-annual Homeland Security Job Fair. The fair consisted of both private and public sector companies. Students “dressed to impress” worked hard, and had their résumés readily available. During the fair, the students obtained information about possible employment opportunities from each company.
Career Services works as a team to encourage and prepare students for such events, instilling in them the confidence they need to gain employment opportunities. They were eager to speak with employers and excited to learn of potential job and internship opportunities. July 2015 graduate Robert Vines was hired by FJC Security Service Inc. as the Director of Client Relations. He is an example of why our Job Fairs here at LIBI are so important. Companies in attendance: • • • • •
U.S. Customs Border Patrol U.S. Postal Inspector PA State Police NYPD FJC Security Service Inc.
• U.S. Army • U.S. Marines • North Shore Paramedic Supervisor • OEM
LIBI NYC
LIBI NYC SPRING JOB FAIR By Greg Batson, Career Service Coordinator
To the LIBI family, let it be known that on Thursday, April 23, 2015, LIBI NYC Extension Center’s Career Services Department hosted its first “Spring Job Fair.” In attendance were numerous employers from various sectors, e.g., NY Life, Fidelis Care, Citibank, E – World Travel & Tours Inc., NYPD/FDNY, and Victoria’s Secret, to name a few. Overall, the event was a tremendous success, an evaluation that stems from documentation of a large student body turnout. In addition, informal surveys of the visiting representatives revealed that a majority of the students not only engaged the employers via fruitful interactions, but showed gratitude for the realistic feedback that they elicited. This office will continue to offer our students many available resources to heighten their awareness of the competitive job market and of the tools that they must acquire to become successful.
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A WORLD OF OPPPORTUNITIES By Tishely Ortiz
The faculty and staff at Long Island Business Institute realize that an associate’s degree from our institute is only a stepping stone in the right direction for our students, and not the final step. It is our responsibility to provide LIBI students with the greatest resources possible to become the best versions of themselves in their professional, as well as in their personal lives. This is the main goal of Student Transfer events. February being a busy time for most colleges, our Spring 2015 Student Transfer Fair held February 25th, 2015, was a smaller one with only six schools attending. Yet that did not deter our students, with 50+ students in attendance for the event. Students who attended were able to gather information from the colleges of their choice regarding transfer credits, majors, student services and activities, and transcript evaluations.
With two new articulation agreements, we at LIBI hope to have our biggest transfer fair yet in the fall of 2015. We look forward to introducing our students to the representatives from those schools and gaining insight into how each school can benefit their particular interests and open a world of opportunities.
JUDGE KELLEY
LIBI COMMACK By Kim DelleCamelie
This semester, students from the interning class at the Commack Campus had the opportunity to meet face to face with Judge Chris Ann Kelley at the Suffolk County District Court in Central Islip, New York. Students from the interning class go to the courthouse each semester to learn the judicial process through observation of arraignments for domestic violence cases as well as others, and to become familiar with the building layout, and meet with various court personnel. Judge Kelley left her bench to meet with the students in the galley and welcome them into her courtroom. She stressed to the students how important it was for them to finish the program and become court reporters. The judge discussed the need for highly-skilled court reporters in courtrooms across the state to keep the judicial process moving forward. The judge also cited instances in which a digital recording device was used in place of a court reporter. The result was that when a crucial piece of testimony was re-played, the recording was indecipherable. Although the faculty often stresses these points to the students in class, having the students hear it firsthand from a judge really brought a new understanding to the students. We are so thankful to Judge Kelley for taking the time out of her busy schedule to meet with the students and answer their questions, and for being a strong advocate of the court reporting field.
LIBI NYC
NYC COLLEGE FAIR By Luci Acosta
On March 12, 2015, LIBI NYC extension held its first College Fair. Eight colleges that we currently hold articulations with attended, including Mercy College, Metropolitan College, Excelsior College, St. John’s University, SNHU, St. Francis College, Empire State College, and Berkeley College. Since education is the key to our success, I was so pleased to see the enthusiastic engagement between the students and the prospective schools’ staff.
We have recently partnered with two new schools – Dominican College and Manhattanville College, which we cannot wait to see in our upcoming Fall College Fair.
It was rewarding to see our students’ faces light up as they asked questions and received answers about the programs and the transfer processes. Career Services worked diligently to make this event a success. We had a surprising turnout of 113 students. All the colleges were pleased with our new location and the tremendous student turnout. We are looking forward to their return in the fall. LIBI NYC will continue to strive to shape the right tools that enable all future graduates to acclimate to the transition from a two-year college into a four-year school. We are working side by side to continue our relationships.
We look forward to continuing to be the liaison between our students and the fulfillment of their educational endeavors.
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LIBI STUDENT CONFERENCE By Je’nyce Gilmore
Here at the LIBI Flushing campus, we hold two student conferences a year for our students where they receive three Career Services Unit credits (a LIBI graduation requirement). Before each conference, each student must pay a $5 registration fee, which includes lunch. During our April conference, 60 students were in attendance, a larger crowd than expected. At the conference, the students gained insight from professionals, useful towards understanding their own professional and educational journeys. Our panelists included Kimberly Taylo, Associate Marketing Manager of Communications; Kendall William, Music Professor at Medgar Evers College; and Lilian Sun, Master of Arts Candidate at Columbia University. Regardless of which speaker the students connected with, each walked away inspired and motivated to continue their journey. Career Services worked hard to find speakers that our students would be able to relate to, and who would inspire confidence in their everyday lives. These conferences bring our students together in an informal environment where they can communicate on a social level, meet new peers, and work on their networking skills. Guest Speakers:
Kimberly Taylo “How to Effectively Utilize LinkedIn” Kendall Williams “Infusing your Passion into your Education & Career” Lilian Sun “Increasing Academic Productivity through Technology”
LIBI NYC
LIBI NYC SPRING STUDENT CONFERENCE By Greg Batson, Career Service Coordinator
On Saturday February 28th, 2015, LIBI NYC Extension Center held its first Spring Student Conference. This was a three-hour workshop that benefited our students with three Career Services Units (CSUs). They need ten (CSUs) in total before graduation. Seasoned veterans, with proven track records in their individual vocations or fields of expertise, presented an array of topics including “Customer Relationships,” “Effective Marketing and Closing Strategies,” and “Paving One’s Road To Success.” The guest speakers, who were evaluated via informal surveys by the attendees, received not only gratitude for their presentations, but overwhelming requests to be accessed as networking resources which were accepted without hesitation by all three. When asked what piqued their interests throughout the conference or appeared pertinent, a majority of the students (95%) expressed that each informational aspect offered by the speakers was poignant. Accordingly, the Career Services Department and the LIBI community wish to publicly thank the presenters, Gayle Naftaly, Ceja Javier, and Kimberly Taylo, respectively.
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LIBI FACES LIBI NEW FACES By Jhonatan Aybar, Executive Assistant to the President
Shelby Schwartz
Librarian at the NYC Extension Center
Shelby Schwartz joined LIBI as the Librarian at the NYC Extension Center in February. Ms. Schwartz graduated from Long Island University with a Master of Science in Library and Information Science and from Stony Brook University with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in English. Shelby has been working as a Librarian Assistant since September 2013 at Long Island University. Shelby is a very pro-active librarian. She is confident and always takes the time to learn about the research domain, its work processes, its specialties and peculiarities. She analyses the students’ needs, and learns what drives and concerns them prior to engaging with them. The LIBI NYC Center library has been undergoing a renovation process. This has been one of the biggest challenges facing Shelby here at LIBI. She is very responsive to the requests of our students and always available to discuss the library’s needs with the administration of the college. We are very confident that Shelby’s input to the library will be a very constructive enhancement to our library and information resources. Please help us welcome Shelby Schwartz to the community, and wish her a thriving career in her new position.
Perla Espinoza
Administrative Assistant to the Librarian - NYC Extension Center
Many of you in the LIBI NYC community have already met Perla Espinoza, the latest addition to our staff. Perla joined us as Administrative Assistant to the Librarian on January 12th. She has an Associate in Occupational Studies Degree in Office Technology from Professional Business College. Perla is wellknown by the LIBI NYC faculty as she was a student for many of them while studying at PBC. She was an outstanding student and also the salutatorian of PBC class of 2015. When I hear that good grades do not increase your possibilities to obtain better opportunities, I think of people like Perla. People that devote their time to study, to do the best they can. The community observes this and refers them for job opportunities that require extensive experience in the field, even when they do not have an expertise in the industry. Perla’s capability for quick learning and outstanding academic performance were the two characteristics that the academic administration took into consideration to hire her. Please join us in welcoming Perla Espinoza to the community. We wish her a thriving career in her new endeavors.
LIBI PROMOTIONS: MICHAEL TALARICO John Paredes
Campus Information & Visitor Services Team
We are pleased to introduce our new addition to the Campus Information and Visitor Services department (CIVS), John Paredes. John joined us in March as an Administrative Assistant at the Front Desk of the Main Building, Flushing Campus. He has an extensive background in customer service and the necessary charisma to interact effectively with customers. His approachable manner convinced us that he was a suitable candidate for the open position at the front desk. John graduated from College of Staten Island with an Associates of Sciences in Liberal Arts. Thank you for the gracious welcome each of you extended to him then, and please join us in wishing him a very thriving career at LIBI.
By Enos Cheung, Dean of Administration
Mr. MICHAEL TALARICO
Vice President of Enrollment Of The Long Island Business Institute
We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Mr. Michael Talarico to Vice President of Enrollment.
Mr. Talarico joined LIBI in September 2014 as the Director of Admissions at our NYC’s Center. Before joining LIBI, he worked in the field of college admissions for decades, and served in roles of Director/VP of admissions/marketing for more than fifteen years. In his new role, Mr. Talarico will travel among LIBI’s three locations, and will be in charge of all admissions/recruitment operation and marketing initiatives. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Talarico to his new post and congratulating him on the promotion.
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OPEN LETTER TO OUR READERSHIP
LIBI SHINING STAR: EMELY PAYANO
By Frank Leone - Editor
By Stacey Johnson
As an editor of our Log (and a novel you can find in our library: Nights with Tito’s Grandson) I give every article at least three readings, and amazingly an error sometimes slips by. This is a phenomenon that teachers often address when explaining to students the importance of proofreading, and the need for doing so more than once. In our minds, we know and, therefore, often see what is correct although it isn’t really on the page we are proofreading. This is similar to the mental process that enables us to correct subconsciously substandard grammar and variant pronunciations we hear. This ability enhances our comprehension. This same reflex, however, can hamper our ability to spot errors. This quarter’s LIBI star is Ms. Emely Payano.
Ms. Payano has been the Academic Success Coordinator at the Flushing campus since February 2014. Compassionate, enthusiastic, hard-working, tenacious and innovative are a few words I would use to describe Ms. Payano. In the last year, Ms. Payano has increased student usage of the academic success center by incorporating technology and providing excellent customer service. She has created a comfortable environment in the Academic Success Center that promotes motivation and confidence. She celebrates their successes and pushes them to become better students. Ms. Payano has become someone that the students rely on and trust through their academic struggles. As a student advocate, she goes above and beyond making sure that students receive what they need to succeed.
Since this paper is ours, all of ours, and even English teachers miss the mark (on the rarest occasions, of course), I thought it would be a good idea to invite the entire LIBI community to participate in the editing process. Practice your editing skills by “looking over my shoulder” so to speak. I will be pleased to hear from anyone who spots an error at libilog@libi.edu. This is regarding actual errors, not content, of course. The editor’s job is to remove obstacles to comprehension without altering the content or style of the author. It is not always such an easy job. See for yourself.
Ms. Payano is a great organizer, with a can-do attitude, and has been instrumental in duplicating the service vision of the ASC at the extension center in Manhattan. She embodies what it means to be a leader, a team player, and a role model. It has been a pleasure to watch the professional growth that has taken place in Ms. Payano over the last year and a half catapulting her into the realm of LIBI stars! Ms. Payano is an inspiration to our students and an overall asset to the LIBI community.
Thank you and congratulations!
LIBI LOG - Published on June 2015 Editors: Frank Leone Manager: Jhonatan Aybar Graphic Designer: Mika Lee
MANHATTAN
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QUEENS
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COMMACK
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