SPRING 2013
THE LIBI LOG
www.libi.edu
Dear Members of the LIBI Community,
As fireworks, cookouts, and family gatherings mark another anniversary of Independence Day, I would like to take the opportunity to thank members of the LIBI family who serve, or have served, in the armed forces of our great nation. My gratitude for the bravery and courage of those currently in active service is especially compounded as I tune into CNN to watch the unfolding struggles of the Egyptian and the Syrian people against oppression and tyranny. Watching the reports of bloody struggles for basic human rights reminds me that the fundamental ideas that form the American nation were also hard-fought and bloody and continue to require the selfless sacrifices of thousands of men and women in uniform to maintain. This reality is particularly poignant as I receive news that several of our students in the Coast Guard have already had to, and some may need to, suspend their studies because they are being called to serve. On behalf of our entire community, I wish these brave young men and women a safe deployment and a speedy return.
General Colt served as an infantry and intelligence adviser in South Vietnam from May 1968 to May 1969, earning the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge for his leadership in combat. "General Colt", as he is referred to by the community, is responsible for writing and overseeing the set-up of our Homeland Security program. The program began in April of 2010, and quickly became a point of great pride for the Flushing campus. His expertise and great pragmatism have made the program a popular choice among the students and have attracted an incredibly qualified and impressive group of faculty from all branches of the armed forces, special operations, and law enforcement. We are grateful to General Colt for the contributions he has made to the college and wish him and his wife, Dottie, all the best as they relocate to warmer days in Florida. As I mentioned in the beginning of my letter, July 4th is always a time of great pride and triumph for Americans, but this year I hope we can take a few moments to reflect on the significance of this day. I wish all of you and your loved ones a happy and safe summer!
Speaking of those who have bravely served our nation, it is with a heavy heart that I announce that Richard S. Colt, retired major general of the U.S. Army, will be leaving his position as LIBI's Director Emeritus of the Homeland Security and Security Management Department at the end of July.
Respect Works By Jhonatan Aybar
As an educational institution, LIBI has always promoted respect among our students, faculty and staff. Our policies and educational campaigns reflect the arduous efforts of the institution to promote an environment of well-being for its students and employees. Thus, throughout April, the Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Student Success Center and the Campus Information and Visitor Services Department decided to wear the words: “Respect Works” for the cause. Here, at LIBI, we believe that we are more than just a college. Indeed, we are a factory of exemplary men and women. Our promise to the community is not only to shape our members’ academic backgrounds, but also to form exceptional individuals with high civic and moral values.
Warm regards, Monica W. Foote President
ABK Commack Campus By Sheila Baldwin
When you hear the words integrity and excellence, what comes to mind? Here at the Commack Campus, we associate those two words with the recent inductees to the Alpha Beta Kappa Gamma of New York Chapter National Honor Society. These students displayed hard work and perseverance in order to achieve a GPA of 3.75 or higher and a grade no lower than a B in the very challenging Court Reporting Program. The induction ceremony was held on June 6, 2013 at the Sheraton Long Island Hotel. This special event was attended by the families and friends of the inductees as well as the Faculty and staff from the Commack Campus. We are proud to honor these students who have excelled in the program and have met the exacting standards necessary to become a member of this prestigious honor society. Congratulations Commack inductees: Kaitlyn Bessette GinaMarie DeMarco Alicia DiCicco Erica Jones
Tina Rivera Gabriella Sakk Anthony Salerno Monica Saparito
FLUSHING LIBRARY National Library Week by Adriana Arguelles
LIBI Library celebrated National Library Week with a plethora of activities. April is the Sexual Assault Awareness Month and as part of the National Library Week activities, Lorena Kourousias of Violence Intervention Program, Inc. Queens - Non Residential Program Coordinator Assistant visited the campus and talked with our students regarding domestic violence and the problem of sexual assault. The workshop was very informative and helpful. We want to thank Ms. Kourousias and Ms. Zoraya Asturizaga (LIBI alumni) who helped to coordinate the event. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Professor Shirley Le for her support.
Law Day by Adriana Arguelles
On May 1, 2013, LIBI celebrated Law Day. Brendan Keane, Associated Program Director, helped us to contact Detective O’Donnell from Precinct 109 who joined in the LIBI celebration. Detective O’Donnell explained the importance of law and why we need to respect it if we expect equality for all. “Realizing the dream, equality for all” was the theme that the American Bar Association selected for 2013 as a human and civil rights tribute in America. Additionally, a book display was organized in the library, student lounge, and Annex building.
Asian American Pacific Heritage Month by Adriana Arguelles
Behind the Bookmobile Day there is a story filled with magic, charm and tenacity. During the 1850’s in Cumbria, England, the first collection of books began this wonderful journey. A horse-drawn wagon library made the first delivery. This was a source of inspiration for Mary Lemist Ticomb, librarian in Washington County, Maryland. Her goal was to serve rural communities and create a horse-drawn wagon library. Literature books and variety of collections were delivered. In 1912, the first motorized library was created and traveled to rural areas, schools and seniors centers. The idea has been adapted in other countries and cultures where donkeys, elephants, and camels have replaced the horse as the main transporter. The arrival of these animals in the different villages continues to create a magical atmosphere that is always met with excitement and anticipation. LIBI library joined this celebration bringing different resources to the student lounge of the Annex building where a variety of resources recently acquired were promoted.
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The Transcontinental Rail Road, the system that connected the east and west coast with a single rail line, was concluded on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers were Chinese. On May 7, 1843, Mr. Manjiro Nakanohama, the first Japanese immigrant, arrived in the United States. Therefore, May was chosen to honor the contributions of millions of Asian Pacific Islanders to the story of United States. The Asia Society is an organization where education, arts, business and culture converge. On May 23, 2013, Mr. Jose Santana’s class visited “Patronage and Power” exhibition organized by this Association. In the lobby, Ms. Ingrid Krinke was ready to lead the group on this journey that allowed students to discover all the splendor of Pala, Chola and Khmer Imperial Patrons, Western and Eastern Zhou Elites, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties. It was exciting when the students discovered some ceramics from their hometown such as Jingdezhen. Jose Santana, Associated Director of the Business Department/Freshman Seminar professor, Cristian Marcu, the Academic Success Center Coordinator, and librarian Adriana Arguelles participated in this fantastic trip.
The White House Easter Egg Roll: 135 years of tradition By Adriana Arguelles Since the1870’s, people from Washington have joined the White House in an Eastern Monday celebration. The tradition emerged with the President Rutherford B. Hayes and his first lady on the South Lawn of the White House; with the passage of time, the tradition grew and expanded. This year, 35,000 people from all states attended the 135th Egg Roll party. In addition to the egg roll, games, sports, and cooking demonstrations, talks on healthy eating habits have been incorporated throughout in an initiative of the First Lady Michelle Obama. 2013 saw the start of another tradition: in addition to the signatures of the President and the First Lady, the First Dog paw print “Bob” was included. LIBI joined this party through an exhibition showcasing the collection of 2013, 2011, 2010 and 2009 souvenir eggs.
COMMACK LIBRARY
HOLLYWOOD GOES TO COURT By Terry Canavan The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters and broadcast captioners, marked the week of February 17-23 as National Court Reporting and Captioning Week. This awareness week pulled together a nationwide effort to highlight the contributions of stenographic court reporters and captioners to society and to showcase the career opportunities that exist in the court reporting and captioning fields. As fate would have it, it was also the Academy Awards week, so in this mashable world, the library combined the two celebrations into one, and the LIBI Commack Campus celebrated the week by encouraging students to watch notable courtroom drama Hollywood movies.
COMMACK CAREER SERVICES
BANDS FOR A PROMISE By Kim DelleCamelie Drunk driving is a tragedy that can affect anyone at any time. No one understands this more than Linda Gambardella, whose husband, Dan, was killed by a drunk driver on the Wantagh State Parkway in the early morning hours on April 30, 2011, on his commute to work. Dan and his co-worker, Larry Scuteri, were sideswiped by a minivan driven by a drunk driver. The car they were driving became airborne and stuck a tree, killing them both instantly. Dan left behind two young children and his wife, Linda. Linda’s life was turned upside down by a decision by the drunk driver, Oscar Ramirez. Oscar decided to get behind the wheel of his car intoxicated. Now, Linda has made it her mission to prevent others from making the same poor decision. She has started a charity entitled “A Band for a Promise.” She has created a bracelet that she distributes to anyone who would like one. There is one catch: In order to receive a free bracelet, the recipient has to agree to make the simple promise to drive sober. The bands have the words “Make the right choice. Drive sober for Dan.” The production and shipping of the bands are funded entirely by donations from local businesses. On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, Linda visited LIBI Commack to share her message with the students and faculty. Her presentation was moving and inspiring, and there was not a dry eye in the classroom by the end of the presentation. Each person in attendance received a band and pledged to drive sober. Because of the generosity of LIBI students, faculty, and staff, we were able to give Linda a donation that would cover the cost for an additional 400 bands to be distributed so she could continue to share her message.
The films were introduced to the students a la Robert Osborne on Turner Movie Classics. The students not only received a plot synopsis but also information about the movie as it related to film history, the key scenes to watch for, and the important legal themes that the movie explored. While watching their selected movies, the students were able to practice during the courtroom or deposition scenes. Being smarter now about legal procedures, our court reporting students noticed and remarked upon the nuances of the court reporter’s tasks in the movie and how close the portrayal was to reality. The student-selected movies were The Rainmaker, Anatomy of a Murder, Runaway Jury, Twelve Angry Men and The Conspirator, which was fitting because it was also President’s Day that week. Some students enjoyed the stories so much they also borrowed the book that the movies were based upon. In addition, the Cultural Arts Committee wanted to know the favorite courtroom drama among our court reporting students. The students were able to write their own selection on a blank ballot and place it in the ballot box. At the end of the week, the entries were tallied and the results were posted in the cafeteria. As it turns out, our students have a diverse taste in film because it was a tie between the comedy “My Cousin Vinny” and the military drama “A Few Good Men.” From the Favorite Movie ballots, one name was picked to win tickets to the play “Witness for the Prosecution,” which was performed on the stage of the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2013. The winner was Kristin Szulflada, who was truly happy to win the ticket and attend the show. All of the students who watched the movies were encouraged, inspired, and energized when the movie was over and enjoyed this fun way to practice and socialize with their fellow students.
To request a band or for more information about “A Band for a Promise,” you can visit Linda on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ABandForAPromise.
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FLUSHING CAREER SERVICES Volunteer Program
ABK Induction Ceremony 2013
By Ashley Guo
By David Kablan
The in-house Volunteer Program started in April 2013. The goal is to assist students in obtaining office experience and to help them meet the Career Service Unit graduation requirement. Yin Zhu Jin (Wendy) volunteers in the Career Service Department. Yong Sook Song volunteers in the Library. San Huang and Virginia Pazmino volunteer at the Front Desk. “Through volunteer work, I have learned to recognize that in the workplace, I have to dress and behave professionally and always come prepared to fit in the work environment. I have to practice strong communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills in order to achieve organizational goals as a team. I appreciate LIBI for providing this opportunity to me.” Wendy. “I can build confidence through the volunteer work and I appreciate the opportunity.” Virginia. We hope more students will take advantage of the Volunteer Program so they can obtain experience and fulfill a graduation requirement.
The Long Island Business Institute has been a member of the Gamma of New York Chapter of the Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society since 2009, so on Friday, May 3, 2013, Long Island Business Institute, Flushing Campus, held an induction ceremony for 20 of its exceptional students into the Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society. The inductees were recognized for their superior academic achievements. Students must follow strict guidelines in order to be eligible. Nominees must have completed at least 30 credits, have achieved a minimum of a 3.75 GPA, earned no grades lower than a B, and displayed exceptional character in the classroom. The ceremony was important not only for the students but for their families and friends as well. They provided the motivation and moral support that sustained the students to achieve exceptional goals, to go the extra mile, and to overcome hardships that may have seemed insurmountable to others. After the ceremony, the inductees and their friends and families were served some refreshments and were able to swap stories and take pictures to remember this milestone event. The Spring 2013 inductees for the Flushing Campus were the following: Ioannis D. Alexatos Veronica Macas Beatriz I. Cruz Mark A. de Vera Hui Chuan D. Hsieh Shuo Yan Sun David John Kablan
Yang Liu RuiFang Cao Jung Ae Park Hansraj Persaud Dina E. Rugerio Jong Hak Kim Wee Fei Wong
LIBI Homeland Security Job Fair By Sunny Choi On Tuesday, April 23, the Career Services Department and Professor Brendan Keane from the Homeland Security/Security Management Department collaborated on the job fair tailored to LIBI’s Homeland Security students. The goal was to introduce the Homeland students to high-profile security organizations and their hiring practices. The fair attracted many students who were eager to meet with representatives from the following organizations:
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• FDNY/EMT • NYPD • Clarks Investigation & Security Management • NY State Troopers • MSA Security • US Army
Jose C. Barera Rafael E. Molano Lijing Yang LinFeng Hu Ya Yan Kang Jong Hak Kim HongLi Zhang
Career Services Job Fair By Ashley Guo On Thursday, May 16, we held our Spring Job Fair. This was our largest job fair ever. Representatives from 35 different companies from public and private sectors joined us. Among the companies that attended were the FDNY, NYPD, EMT, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, NY Community Bank, Citi Bank, Macy’s, Top One Medical Billing and Management, Affinity Health Plan and Fidelis Care. Our students dressed to impress, with resumes in hand, and eager to network with business representatives. We had an average of 150 attendees, which included current and graduate students along with community members. We are looking forward to our fall job fair.
CULTURAL ARTS COMMITTEE
Radio City Backstage Tour By Jhonatan Aybar On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, the Cultural Arts Committee hosted a trip to Radio City Music Hall for a backstage tour, which included an interview with one of the Radio City Rockettes. A group of students, staff, and faculty had an amazing experience in the magnificent and luxurious auditorium where they were able to see some of the behind-the-scenes attractions the theater has to offer. The attendees also explored the theater, lounges, and corridors of the most iconic theater in New York City and were awed by the beautifully restored art-deco interiors and sunset-inspired auditorium.
Witness for the Prosecution By Karen Beresheim
On Friday, March 22nd, I went to see the play “Witness for the Prosecution.” It was my first experience at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, a beautiful theater with a historic and Broadway feel to it.
Career Services Units By Flora Quick In April 2013, the Career Services Department in conjunction with the LIBI Faculty started offering Career Service Units (CSUs). The goal is to present workshops, seminars, and lectures on topics that are educational for the students and at the same time students are meeting a graduation requirement. The topics that have been presented are resume writing, interviewing skills, soft skills and career success, time management, customer service, and goal setting.
Spring 2013 Student Conference By Flora Quick On Saturday, April 20, we held our Spring Student Conference. Students were provided with information about how to handle politics in the workplace, how to dress for a successful interview, and how to apply to become a law enforcement officer.
“Witness for the Prosecution” is an English courtroom drama based on a short story written by Agatha Christie. It is the story of Leonard Vole, a personable young man, who is accused of murdering a rich, older widow, Mrs. French. Mrs. French becomes quite smitten with the married Leonard Vole and makes him the main beneficiary of her will. Of course, this does not look good for Vole as he is a poor, out-of-work, struggling inventor. Strong circumstantial evidence all points to Vole as being the killer. However, the famous English attorney, Sir Wilfred, agrees to defend Vole and gets caught up in Vole’s and his wife’s tangled marital affairs. The trial has many twists and turns revealing many secrets and the ultimate twist at the end, which I will not spoil for you. When I had first heard that LIBI was selling tickets, I immediately thought of my father, who I knew loved the 1957 film version. I thought it would be a nice thing to do with my dad, so I asked him if he would like to go and he replied yes. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the play as well. The acting was wonderful. It always amazes me how truly talented people are. The actors were extremely professional and perfectly suited for their roles. It seemed like they really enjoyed playing their parts. I think I even enjoyed it more as a court reporting student. I mentally wrote the entire play, wishing I had my stenograph machine with me to see how I was doing. During intermission I spoke with several of my classmates who all said they were doing the exact same thing, and we all couldn’t stop, even if we tried. The play encompassed all aspects of being a great story. It combined suspense, drama, and comedy all in one. I highly recommend seeing this play if you should get the chance. I would like to thank the LIBI Cultural Committee for putting this event together for us, and I look forward to attending other events they have planned in the near future.
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LIBI On-site Recruitment
Small Business Club
By Sunny Choi
By Rocco Cappello
On Wednesday, June 12, Macy’s representatives conducted an on-site recruiting event for LIBI students who were interested in applying for part- time employment for the retail giant. Eighteen attendees applied for these positions and were delighted to be guided through the on-line application process by the very helpful and kind Macy’s representatives. All together, the event was a great success in that the recruiters departed with hard copies of our students’ resumes. In addition, because of the exciting atmosphere and the interest shown by our students, the recruiters are eager to return to LIBI for more on-site recruiting events.
Hershey Park By Jesus Chan
On Saturday, June 15, 2013, the Multicultural Club, which is spearheaded by Anna Venturino, hosted a one-day field trip to Hershey Park, Pennsylvania, which is approximately a 3 ½ hour ride by bus from New York City. Fifty-one students, faculty, and staff signed up for the trip. Hershey Park is one of the most popular theme parks and features more than 60 rides and a number of other attractions, including 10 exciting roller coasters. Another interesting feature is ZooAmerica, which is adjacent to the park. The trip culminated with a visit to Hershey’s Chocolate world – a chocolate lover’s delight! Kudos to Anna Venturino and the members of the Multicultural Club for a memorable trip which was enjoyed by one and all!
Summer Time Blues By Cristian Marcu The beginning of summer has definitely made itself known over the past few weeks. The air has gotten soggier and the mercury is threatening to burst out of thermometers. In fact, just a couple of measly degrees separated us from an official heat wave the other week. With the onset of sticky weather, it becomes more and more difficult to maintain the focus required by strenuous school work. The sirenlike call of the beach and the promise of a cooling dip into the ocean are hard to ignore. Thus, missing class and falling behind on studies becomes a reality with damaging consequences like low grades and possibly failed courses. So try to overcome the attraction of the coastal cooling breezes for a bit and come to the Academic Success Center instead. Though our place may not be sandy and the sound of crashing waves may not be part of the ambiance, we do offer an air-conditioned refuge from the heat. In addition, we have many tutors, who are glad to help you with your school work. Also, in the Academic Success Center you do not have to worry about sunburns or seagulls stealing your snacks. So stop by, cool down, and don’t let your studies slip away from you.
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The Small Business Club was started in 2003 by Carol Kotliar. I, Rocco Cappello, began assisting Ms. Kotliar in late 2007 and I took over as the Small Business Club faculty advisor in 2010 when Ms. Kotliar retired. One of the main functions of the Small Business Club is to educate our student volunteers on how to operate a small business by giving them experience running the day-to-day operations of a business. We accomplish this by operating the school store. Another function of the Small Business Club is to get the student volunteers to work with other students, learn how to deal with customers, keep track of inventory, order new merchandise, and, most importantly, meet new people and make new friends. The school store is located in the student area on the third floor of the main building. At the store, we sell school supplies, such as USB drives, notebooks, folders, binders, calculators, pens, pencils, paper, staplers, etc. All the profits go right back into purchasing new merchandise. When purchasing new merchandise, we shop around to get the best prices so we can pass them along to the students. Our student volunteers are rewarded for their services several ways. They receive my letters of recommendation, along with certificates of appreciation. We tried new and creative ways to raise money including bake sales. In the past, we have raised enough money from bake sales to buy the glass display counter for our products, the cash register, and the monitor which acts as a message board. Over the last several years, I have met many wonderful, hard- working, caring, and devoted students that volunteered for the Small Business Club. I am honored and privileged to be able to work with and help these students gain experience in a business setting. We are always looking for volunteers. Every semester we have several students graduate, and we need to replace them. If you are looking for a great experience, and you think you might be interested in joining the Small Business Club, come to one of our meetings on Wednesday’s at 12:00pm at the school store or e-mail Mr. Cappello at sbc@libi.edu.
Teacher Appreciation Week By Sheila Baldwin The Faculty of Long Island Business Institute, Commack Campus, was celebrated during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10) on May 7th for their continuing excellence in the field of court reporting. Their support and leadership with the students at the LIBI Commack Campus is unequaled. The Faculty were all awarded Certificates of Appreciation and given a small token of our appreciation. Donuts, coffee, and homemade muffins were served. It was a short time of relaxation as future plans for the continuing endeavors of the LIBI Court Reporting Program were discussed. The Faculty at the LIBI Commack Campus is a source of pride to both students and staff alike. Thank you for giving your all every day!
Flemish Hospitality
Safety Corner
By Frank Leone
By Brendan Keane
On March 20, 2013, Professor Frank Leone of the English/ESL Department appeared at the American book launching for the novel Nights with Tito’s Grandson. Professor Leone had edited the translation from Flemish into American English, and late last year our distinguished librarian, Adriana Argüelles, organized a presentation here at LIBI to recognize its completion. Flanders (a region in Belgium, the language being Flemish, a variety of Dutch) is the home of Cecilia Haesendonck, the author, but the setting of the book is Yugoslavia during the communist era when Tito was its enigmatic and powerful leader. He died in 1980, and the Yugoslavian union subsequently slipped into civil wars and political disintegration. Today it is several separate nations.
The March 20th ceremony included interviews with Ms. Haesandonck, Professor Leone, and his co-editor Thomas Sulzer. Also in attendance, as Professor Leone’s special guests, were our own President Foote and her husband. This event took place at Flanders House, a cultural institute in the New York Times Building on Eighth Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets, which promotes and furthers Flemish arts and culture here in New York. Aside from the breathtaking view of a glorious skyline, there were also various samples of beer (a Belgian specialty) and Belgian hors d’oeuvres followed by a full dinner, compliments of the book’s author, at Da Tommaso on Ninth Avenue, also in Manhattan. Linguists, writers, cultural attachés and lovers of language and literature mingled to discuss the culture and history of the former Yugoslavia, as well as the joy of literature in general, all in the shadow of magnificent skyscrapers in our beautiful city. All in all, it was an evening of elegance and erudition. There are copies of the novel (a quick read) in our own library. Flanders figures prominently in European history, and its art is widely prized and justifiably famous. Some of it may be seen in the Frick Collection at 1 East 70th Street here in New York City. Frank Leone has been teaching ESL and English-language literature here at LIBI since 2001. Professor Leone expects to collaborate with Ms. Haesendonck on her next novel, Free Fall, a novel about the sub-prime derivatives collapse of Wall Street.
“If you see something, say something.” It is an expression you hear all the time. Where did this expression come from and how does it apply to our daily lives? The Metropolitan Transportation Authority came up with the promotion in 2002. The idea was a collective effort among city, state and federal governments to provide the riding public a way to assist the police and MTA employees as watchful partners, helping to ensure security within the transportation system. It became so popular the Department of Homeland Security started utilizing the phrase as part of educating all citizens of our country on the importance of their input regarding suspicious activity. Is there a way you can integrate the phrase into your daily lives? First, we have to understand what qualifies as suspicious. Factors such as race, ethnicity, national origin, or religious affiliation alone are not suspicious. For that reason, you should report only suspicious behavior and situations (e.g., an unattended backpack, strange vehicles parked in your area, an individual tampering with property, etc.) rather than beliefs, thoughts, ideas, or speech unrelated to criminal activity. If you observe something that may be suspicious or criminal, call your local police or 911 and provide the appropriate information.
The information you supply to the 911 operator will assist the appropriate responders. Provide as much detail as necessary. I recommend you give the 911 operator a SALUTE. S stands for size. Provide the number of people, their ages and physical descriptions. A is for activity or what the individuals are doing. L is for location, such as exact addresses or intersecting corners. U is for uniform or exactly what they are wearing. T is for time, meaning the duration of time the incident is occurring. E is for equipment, such as a weapon, vehicle make, color, or license plate. Hopefully, you will never have to call 911 for assistance. We live in a time when our safety rests not only with our public servants but in partnership with its citizens. “If you see something, say something” is successful only with input from the community it serves. Until next time. Stay safe.
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From Student to Staff
Life after LIBI
By Mark de Vera
By Ebony Brown-Hazeleger , Commack Graduate
Every time we get on the bus or the subway, we see advertisements from colleges offering certificates in eight months, an associate’s in eighteen months, career change opportunities, lifetime job placement assistance, and, most of all, a better life. In today’s economy, two-year colleges have something to offer that traditional colleges and universities don’t have. They offer a front-loaded schedule that allows students to get their degree eight months faster, a small classroom environment that maximizes student-teacher interaction, and faculty members that either have retired or are still working in their respective industries. One of those two-year colleges is Long Island Business Institute. LIBI has been committed in providing the kind of education to students that public and private sectors are looking for. As LIBI stands by its commitments, it not only provides qualified individuals for the job market but also for itself. Students that graduate from LIBI find themselves employed by the same school that provided the education and training that they needed to compete in the labor market. Byron Jimenez graduated from LIBI in 2006. He started out at the front desk and was eventually promoted to Assistant Registrar. Seven years after graduating from LIBI, Byron serves as the Flushing Campus’s Registrar. Jhonatan Aybar, a 2011 graduate, started out as a Junior Career Service Advisor. Two years later, he is now the Executive Assistant to the President of LIBI.
When I enrolled at Long Island Business Institute in the summer of 2008, I never imagined that doing all the extra work while continuing in my full-time position at the time -- which was extremely ambitious – would lead me to graduate with honors and be appointed as an Official District Court Reporter for the Ward County District Court in Minot, North Dakota, in January of 2013. It took a lot of effort and dedication on my part because I was brave enough to make this decision on my own without knowing where I was heading. Although I started court reporting on the side while working my regular full-time job in New York, I made the decision to move to Miami to work as a freelance court reporter in the year of 2012, and that’s where I gained my full experience. It was not easy at first because there were some setbacks, but I refused to give up and give in to my fears because challenge and difficulties are a part of life, and I like a challenge. I’m grateful for my friends and family who encouraged me to take this chance. I kept holding on to my belief that opportunities don’t happen, you create them. What’s even better is that I am now happily married to the most wonderful man and his support really means a lot to me. LIBI made such a positive difference in my career path, and the encouragement that I received from the teachers gave me the hope that anything is possible. I am very fortunate to be hired in my current position, and I continue to look forward to where court reporting leads me. Challenges are inevitable. Getting back up, however, is a choice – Kevin Ngo.
Byron and Jhonatan are just two examples of graduating students that are now flourishing as effective members of the LIBI community. The other members are: Esmeralda Carval Class of 2012 Administrative Assistant Beatriz Cordero Class of 2006 Assistant Bursar Connie Zhang Class of 2009 Assitant Registrar Sunny Choi Class of 2013 Career Service Advisor Ashley Guo Class of 2009 Career Service Advisor Cynthia Liu Class of 2009 Financial Aid Advisor Sophia Kuo Class of 2012 Financial Aid Advisor Evelyn Jimenez Class of 2010 Financial Aid Advisor Marsha Willis Class of 2012 Junior Student Success Advisor Mark de Vera Class of 2013 Student Success Advisor and V.A. Assistant David Kablan Class of 2013 Student Success Center Assistant
718.939.5100
Queens Campus: 136-18
39 th
Avenue, Flushing
631.499.7100
New LIBI Faces In April Jay Cialone joined LIBI Commack as the new Director of Enrollment. Jay has worked in college admissions for 18 years. Working in profit and nonprofit, public and private, and two- and four-year institutions, Jay brings with him experience from many different backgrounds. He started in college admissions as a Student Admissions Counselor and moved up to Director at three different institutions. He has presented sessions at Potomac Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC) and has been a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Carolina’s Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO), and the Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (VACRAO). Jay has also owned a consulting and college advising company. He has worked at schools such as Dowling College, the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, and Coastal Carolina University. In the little free time he has, Jay enjoys reading, cooking, playing drums, and traveling.
L. I. Campus: 6500 Jericho Turnpike, Commack
Editors: F. Magarelli / e-Content: F. Leone / Art Director: Y. Yang Published By Long Island Business Institute