Manhattan Chamber and New York Business Leaders Congratulate Berkeley College on 90 Years of Empowering Students and Meeting Employer Needs
Monday, December 13, 2021
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
973-200-1099
KME@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Photo Caption: New York City officials celebrate the 90th anniversary of Berkeley College, including 85 years in New York, at a ceremony on December 9, 2021, at Berkeley College in Midtown Manhattan. The College received a proclamation from the New York State Assembly, signed by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. Pictured (L to R) are Michael J. Garner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Transit Authority, New York State; Jessica Walker, President and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce; Zac Hall, Senior Vice President for Programs, Food Bank for New York City; Linda Mauro, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in Midtown Manhattan; Bryan Santiago, 90th Anniversary Co-Chair and Chair and Security Analyst and Administrator, Information Systems, Berkeley College; Kevin L. Luing, Board Chairman, Berkeley College; Diane Recinos, EdD, Interim President of Berkeley College; Busie Matsiko-Andan, Board Trustee, Berkeley College; and Jeff Mejia, Berkeley College alumnus and Client Account Manager, PromoteIQ at Microsoft.
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New York City chambers, nonprofits and business leaders congratulated Berkeley College on its 90-year history of preparing students with the skills to excel in an evolving workforce during a ceremony held on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at its campus in Midtown Manhattan.
“One of Berkeley College’s greatest strengths in New York City has been its partnership with the business community in developing programs to meet employers’ needs and providing graduates with the knowledge and skills that corporations demand,” said Kevin L. Luing, Chairman, Berkeley College Board of Trustees.
Jessica Walker, President and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, echoed these sentiments. “Berkeley is such a big partner of ours because it is a college that continues to turn out top talent, folks that companies want to hire,” Walker said.
“Your institution is doing a great job of educating working people so they can get the skills they need to migrate into the Fortune 500 Capitol of the World,” said Michael Garner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Transit Authority, New York State.
Photo Caption: New York City officials celebrate the 90th anniversary of Berkeley College, including 85 years in New York, at a ceremony on December 9, 2021, at Berkeley College in Midtown Manhattan. Pictured are (top) Michael J. Garner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Transit Authority, New York State; (center row, L to R) Kevin L. Luing, Board Chairman, Berkeley College; Zac Hall, Senior Vice President for Programs, Food Bank for New York City; and Jessica Walker, President and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce; and (bottom row, L to R) Diane Recinos, EdD, Interim President of Berkeley College and Jeff Mejia, Berkeley College alumnus and Client Account Manager, PromoteIQ at Microsoft.
Berkeley College’s history in New York City dates back to 1936, when it opened its campus on the top floor of the Graybar Building, the landmark that connects to Grand Central Station. The College later moved to the Chrysler Building and then opened an annex at its current campus at 3 East 43rd Street in 1982. The College moved its operations there fully in 1985, with a second campus location added at 12 East 41st Street in 2008.
“The America of 2021 looks a lot different than the America of 1931, but our values as an institution remain the same,” said Diane Recinos, EdD, Interim President of Berkeley College. “Ours is a legacy of building a better future for each and every Berkeley College student.”
Since 1931, Berkeley College has offered free lifetime career placement assistance to its alumni, now 65,000 strong.
In commemorating its 85 years in New York, Berkeley College is accepting donations for the Food Bank for New York City throughout the month of December.
“Our work and partnering with you all is especially critical at this time where 1.6 million New Yorkers struggle to afford food across the city, many of whom are students,” said Zac Hall, Senior Vice President for Programs, Food Bank for New York City.
In February 2021, the Berkeley College Foundation opened a food pantry for Berkeley College students at the College’s Midtown Manhattan campus, one of only 25 college and university food pantries throughout the five boroughs in New York City.
“In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been a spike in campus hunger and we have partnered with many more colleges like Berkeley that offer these resources to stabilize students so they can learn and grow and change their lives for the better,” Hall added.
Jeff Mejia, Client Account Manager, PromoteIQ at Microsoft, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2017 and a Master of Business Administration in Management in 2019 from Berkeley College, shared his experiences as an athlete and student leader.
“When I look back I am grateful to Berkeley for providing the opportunity to get two degrees, but also the experience,” Mejia said.
Linda Pinsky, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in Midtown Manhattan, read a proclamation honoring the College’s anniversary from the New York State Assembly, signed by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.
“Education is one of the most powerful things in life. It is the platform that makes it possible to defeat all barriers,” said Bryan Santiago, 90th Anniversary Co-Chair and Chair and Security Analyst and Administrator, Information Systems, Berkeley College.
Additional anniversary ceremonies were held in September 2021 at Berkeley College’s New Jersey campuses in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park, NJ. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared September 28, 2021, as “Berkeley College 90th Anniversary Day,” recognizing the day the Berkeley School opened its doors in East Orange, NJ, as a premier school that prepared women for secretarial careers.
Berkeley College celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2021. The theme commemorating this milestone is “Empowering Lives for 90 Years!” Visit the 90th Anniversary webpage for more information.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers continuing education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in Midtown Manhattan, NY, and in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for eight consecutive years. U.S. News & World Report named Berkeley College (NJ) one of the Best Regional Colleges in the North in its 2022 edition of the Best Colleges Survey. In 2021 Berkeley College (NJ) was also recognized for the first time as a Top Performer on Social Mobility among colleges in the region. The website address is http://www.BerkeleyCollege.edu
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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