Dr. Said Bouftass is an artist and professor from Morocco.
Said Bouftass, PhD, Professor of Fine Arts at the Institut Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Tetouan in Morocco, is co-founder, with Khaldoune Bencheikh, of Phenomorphology of the Human Body Atelier (PHB Atelier), an educational service that specializes in the teaching of theory and practice of the phenomenological drawing of the human body.
Dr. Bouftass will present “Phenomorphology of the Human Body,” on Tuesday March 21 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm in the Center for the Arts (1P-120), Recital Hall.
According to Mouniart.com, Dr. Bouftass is, “The greatest specialist in artistic anatomy in Morocco. Born in Casablanca (Morocco) on December 21, 1963, from a family originally from Izbi, near Tafraout, is a visual artist, a researcher at INBA in Tétouan, a graduate of ENSBA Of Paris, and doctor of aesthetics and art history at the Paris-VIII Saint-Denis University.”
“Professor Bouftass uses blackboard drawing as a way to demonstrate the anatomy of the human body, so his work combines anatomy and artistic pedagogy. It is really amazing what he does,” commented Vivian Incera, PhD, Professor of Physics and Dean of Science and Technology. “This is an outstanding example of the mutual benefits of the sciences and the arts, a message I believe in firmly,” Incera noted.
The event is sponsored by the Division of Science and Technology and the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Ruth Powers Silverberg, EdD, was featured in several news clips for her work with the Above Ground Railroad. Watch one video in the piece “In Trump Strongholds, An Effort Is Underway to Keep Immigrants Safe” on NBC News.com.
Silverberg, who is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Studies at the College of Staten Island (CSI), is also shown in videos on NY1 with Jen Balis and Alicia Isasi-Endress, two group members who are Silverbergs’ former students and graduates of the CSI Leadership Program.
Silverberg was also featured in an Associated Press (AP) News article. The piece, “Where Trump won in NYC, residents allay immigrants’ fears” by Claudia Torrens, details the efforts of Silverberg and her family, along with other New York City residents, to support Latino immigrants.
Read the full story and view the video of Silverberg, her family, and the Torres family in their home on AP News.com.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – The College of Staten Island men’s basketball team completed their perfect run through CUNYAC competition with a come-from-behind CUNYAC Final Championship, defeating City College of New York by a 77-66 count at CCNY’s Nat Holman Gymnasium in New York. For the Dolphins it was their 14thCUNYAC title and their first since the 2012-13 season, and insured the 21-6 Dolphins a berth into the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament beginning next week.
The 11-point win certainly didn’t come easy, as the Dolphins found themselves down by a sizable chunk of the first half, ultimately trailing by w basket at the break. Before that the lead changed hands six times through the opening six minutes. A lay-up by Robbie Dionosio gave CCNY a modest 7-4 edge, but later, a lay-up by Kevon Murphy and a three by CSI’s Robert Rossiter gave CSI back the lead, 13-9. Consecutive three’s by Mark Richards and David Solano scored CCNY the lead again.
Khaleeq Baum added another inside power drive to give CSI a 19-18 lead with inside of 10 to play in the first half, but the Dolphins then hit a major bump in the road, turning the ball over an unprecedented six straight times over the next four minutes, and the Beavers used it to motor off a 10-0 run, giving them a 28-19 lead, prompting a CSI timeout. The Dolphins responded well from there, going on a 12-3 tear to force a 31-31 tie. Robert Rossiter added four points in the run and EdinBracic connected on a pair before CCNY hit on free-throws by Mark Richards to end the first half, 35-33, in the Beavers‘ favor.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vzF3txB1Q[/youtube]Much like the first stanza, the second followed a familiar script, as the teams traded shots and strong defensive play, flip-flopping the lead five times in the first seven minutes. Then CCNY had its cold turn from the floor, going 0-9 from the floor with two turnovers in a seven minute stretch, and the Dolphins took full advantage. Two Frank Schettino free-throws gave CSI a 46-44 lead, and then Murphy added three-straight lay-ups to balloon the lead. After another Beavers miss, Bracic canned a three, getting CSI up 55-44.
CCNY tried to paw into the lead, but the inside game proved too much as Baum then stepped in offensively, scoring three straight buckets of his own to expand CSI’s lead to a comfy 14-points with 7:13 left.
CSI would take another 14 point lead with 4:03 to go on a Schettino three, and from there, CCNY never got to within 9. CSI scored their last field goal with 1:34 left, going ahead by 12 before ultimately winning by the 77-66 count.
Baum led all scorers with 21 points and 11 rebounds and took the Tournament Most Valuable Player honor. Murphy added 20 points and 9 rebounds while Schettino added 11 points and six assists. Khalil Hamer and Mark Richards both topped CCNY with 16 points, with Richards besting the team with 9 rebounds.
For CSI the CUNYAC title was their 14th overall and the sixth for Head Coach Tony Petosa. It marked the third time the Dolphins finished a CUNYAC season undefeated during the regular season en route to a postseason championship (2012, 1989). It also marked the first time since 1983 that both CSI basketball teams took home CUNYAC Championships in the same year.
The Dolphins will now await the NCAA Selection Show webcast on Monday that will outline the tournament and who the Dolphins will play in the opening round of competition. More information will be released when the information becomes available.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team got up early, then weathered a frantic Brooklyn College surge to secure a 53-42 win over the top seeds at the Nat Holman Gymnasium in New York. It was the Dolphins’ first CUNYAC Championship since 2005 and their seventh overall. The 22-6 Dolphins will now await word on an NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament berth, announced on Monday.
Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net in the opening stanza of tonight’s game. Angelique Price, however, did not have trouble finding the net as she shot 50% from the floor and paced all scorers with eight points through 10 minutes of play. The nationally ranked defense of the Dolphins showed up in the first quarter and forced seven turnovers with three of them resulting in steals. The Dolphins were able to use their fast paced offense to weather the Bulldogs and the tired legs led to sloppy play by Brooklyn. BC starting point guard Karen Mak found herself in foul trouble early and had to sit out for a majority of the first half, tempering the Bulldogs attack.
Staten Island had a repeat of the first half in the second half, scoring 13 points while the Bulldogs managed to only tally eight to start things off. Price, who was hot in the first half, cooled off in the second half but when she cooled off Samantha Flecker found her groove. Flecker was shut out in the first quarter but poured in eight in the second on the back of a pair of three-point baskets. Throughout the first half the game would be tied three times and have the lead switched a total of three times. The Dolphins led in second chance points despite losing the battle on the boards, 26-23.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vzF3txB1Q[/youtube]Staten Island was able to hit their deep shots on a neutral court with relative ease whereas the Bulldogs struggled and went 0-4 from the line. Over the last three games, all of which were playoff games, the Dolphins held opponents to an average of 21 points at the half. Tonight was no different as they held the top-seeded Bulldogs to 18 at the half. Aiding in the solid defensive stand was Rosa Perone, who was able to keep Olivia Colbert and Maya Agee-Thomas in check while staying out of foul trouble. While the Dolphins were having success from behind the arc, they had their issues from the charity stripe as they went 0-4 from the line. The Dolphins were really able to jump out to their lead after Victoria Crea and Flecker sunk three’s to cushion their lead.
The Dolphins came out of the locker room after the half and picked up right where they left off in the first half. CUNYAC Player of the Year Christina Pasaturo drained a three to extend the Dolphins’ lead to 11 which caused Brooklyn to call a quick timeout to try and regroup and slow down the surging Dolphins. The Bulldogs were able to get Mak back on the court but the Dolphins had full momentum of the game and were really settling into the flow of Championship game. After coming out of timeout called by Brooklyn, Crea was able to slice through the lane and dish a pass out to Flecker who sank a corner three to give the Dolphins their largest lead of the night.
Down 41-23 the Bulldogs would catch fire and go on a 7-0 run to shrink the deficit to 11 with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter. With under 10 seconds remaining on the shot clock, Price would attempt a three-point shot only to get fouled and sent to the line. The scoring drought of the Dolphins would continue as Price would miss all three to make the Dolphins 0-for-7 from the line. Things began to unravel for the Dolphins as the third quarter started to come to a close as that 7-0 run from earlier extended to a 9-0 run. Perone picked up her fourth foul with two minutes remaining in the third quarter which sent her to the bench and send the Bulldogs to the line. Luckily for the Dolphins the Bulldogs couldn’t find success from the line. The final five minutes of the quarter the Dolphins went scoreless but were able to keep the Bulldogs at bay and maintain a 41-32 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
With the momentum on their side the Bulldogs chunked away at the Dolphins lead. Brooklyn was able to come all the way from down 18 to down just four points with 6:38 remaining. The Dolphins were stuck on an iceberg as they were scoreless for 9 minutes before Pasaturo was able to break their drought with a tough layup. With that basket, Pasaturo broke the single season scoring record (608) that was held by Courtney Aimetti in 2000-01. Up just four with 5:34 remaining, Crea found herself wide open from behind the arc and converted it to add to the Dolphins lead and put them up seven.
At 4:42 the Dolphins lost their big defender Perone when she was called for a fouled, knocking her out of the game. Jacquelyn Cali, who was also in foul trouble, subbed in for Perone. Both teams would go scoreless for a four minute stretch as both teams struggled to convert any of their shots. The Dolphins, holding the lead, with just over a minute remaining decided to use up all 30 seconds wisely before taking their shot. That was a tactic that would work nicely for the Dolphins as they Bulldogs were forced to foul and send the Dolphins to the line. After missing all of their free throws for 90% of the game, the Dolphins finally found their rhythm and finished with seven made free throws on the night.
After the Dolphins converted their free throws the Bulldogs came storming down the court and chucked up three’s only to have the rebounds fall into the Dolphins’ hands where they were able to hold the ball until the clock hit zero.
The win is the Dolphins’ first CUNYAC title since 2005 in a bout that saw the Dolphins and Bulldogs square off for the first time in the championship game. Christina Pasaturo (16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) was named CUNYAC Finals MVP while Angelique Price (14 points, 9 rebounds)was named to the CUNYAC All-Tournament Team. Samantha Flecker (11 points, 11 rebounds) collected another double-double in the win. Victoria Crea was an essential part to the Dolphins and collected 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The Dolphins will now await until Monday to see who they will face in the NCAA Division III Regional Round.
The Seventh Annual CSI Foundation Celestial Ball, in celebration of the College’s 60th Anniversary, raised record-breaking funds through generous donations from guests and sponsors, and matched last year’s record-breaking attendance. The money raised will be used to strengthen student support and advance faculty research, as well as help ensure that CSI’s greatest needs are met.
The black-tie optional event, chaired by CSI Foundation Board Secretary Marilyn Caselli, was held at the beautiful Richmond County Country Club.
As in past years, the Ball committee honored members of the CSI and Staten Island communities who have affected positive change. Each were awarded the President’s Medal by Gary Reichard, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affair. Recipients included Dr. Michael Kress ’69, ’75; Patrick McDermott; and Beatrice Victor. In addition, the Friends of CSI, represented by Carol Berardi, Norma D’Arrigo, and Anthony DeFazio, celebrated their 40th Anniversary of service to students and student support, and were awarded a proclamation from the President and Provost in recognition of their hard work and dedication.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ai38Ipew4M[/youtube]Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna began the evening’s program by acknowledging the event’s sponsors and the individuals who worked tirelessly to make the Ball a success. She also noted the contributions of the board members of the CSI Foundation and CSI Alumni Association, and underscored the importance of the College’s partnerships with the Island’s not-for-profit organizations. She concluded by summing up a main focus of the Ball, “The evening is all about you, our donors and you our honorees. Grounded in your generosity, we reach new heights.”
CSI Foundation President Sam Farag emphasized the CSI Foundation’s critical role in securing philanthropic support for the College and built upon Osseiran-Hanna’s words to the donors by thanking the Ball’s attendees, emphasizing that the success of CSI and its students is dependent upon their generosity, now more than ever.
CSI President Dr. William Fritz began his remarks by discussing the legacy of the Celestial Ball, stating that the event “builds upon the legacy of the Starlight Ball, founded as the College’s premiere fundraising event by the Friends of CSI in 1978, which then morphed into the Starlight Cabaret. So in reality, we have been celebrating for at least 38 years!”
Dr. Fritz recognized past honorees and honorary degree recipients in the audience, as well as the hard work of the members of the College community, which helped to make the Ball a reality. He briefly discussed the upward trajectory of the College since its inception as Staten Island Community College in 1956, highlighting the many local and national accolades that CSI has received for the excellence and value of its programs, and the transformation effect on the student body.
The significance of academic excellence was a focal point of the comments provided by student speaker Steven Arriaga, a Linguistics and Spanish major with minors in French and Latin American Studies. A senior with the Verrazano School Honors Program, Steven compared his time in high school, from which, he admitted, he “barely graduated,” to his amazing success at CSI. Now, he is deeply involved in a number of organizations, is a Fulbright candidate, and plans attend graduate school upon graduation.
Steven, who is a recipient of the Clara & Arleigh B. Williamson and the Academy of Retired Professors scholarships, also expressed his gratitude to the College’s supporters, saying that they are responsible for his success. “You are part of the reason that there is no better university system in the country than the CUNY system. I repeat: there is NO better university system in this country than the CUNY system; the ambitions of CSI scholarship recipients are a testament to this truth. Thank you for allowing us to shine, for being the catalyst that allows us to endlessly achieve excellence.”
This year’s Ball included a silent auction, where attendees competed for prizes such as a whale and dolphin watching excursion for two onboard the American Princess or two tickets to see Kanye West at the Prudential Center, among many other exciting items and activities.
HONOREES
Michael Kress, PhD '69, '75
President’s Medal recipient Michael E. Kress, PhD, ’69, ’75
Dr. Michael E. Kress is the former Vice President for Information Technology and Economic Development at the College of Staten Island and former Executive Director of The City University of New York Interdisciplinary High-Performance Computing Center (IHPCC). He received his Doctorate from New York University. He is an alumnus of the College of Staten Island, holding an MA and BS from Richmond College.
His prominent CUNY career spans more than 45 years. As Vice President for Information Technology, he was responsible for developing campus technology strategies and providing leadership and direction with respect to the operation of campus technology systems, core business applications, voice and data networks, IT Security, and data center operations. He was also a member of the CUNY IT Steering Committee, and is a distinguished member of the CUNY Doctoral Faculty in Computer Science.
In his capacity as Executive Director of the CUNY IHPCC, he had oversight of the facility that provides the computational resources required by CUNY faculty, students, researchers, and their collaborators. Dr. Kress developed synergistic collaborations among researchers to bring together computational scientists and discipline experts to solve problems which rely on high speed computing and massive data sets. Some recent contributions include scientific visualization of real world and simulated data, including storm surge research in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, and traffic and transportation system modeling. In addition, Dr. Kress developed special techniques for teaching mathematics to blind students and instituted a system for text transcription for deaf students at CUNY.
Dr. Kress is the recipient of many National Science Foundation and other grants and has published extensively in the field of computational science, numerical analysis, educational technology, and transportation systems. In July 2014, with his leadership as principal investigator, a consortium of six CUNY institutions received a $15 million gubernatorial grant to launch a CUNY Center for Big Data Analytics and Visualization to develop big data analysis resources at multiple sites and workforce certificate programs that will capitalize on New York City’s growing strength as a national hub for technology-focused innovation.
Recently, he led The Willowbrook Mile collaboration among CSI, the Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Council, the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, and the Elizabeth Connelly Resource Center/Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
President’s Medal recipient Patrick F. McDermott
Patrick F. McDermott is the Managing Partner and co-founder of McDermott & Thomas Associates LLC, a firm specializing in employee benefit planning and insurance, financial planning, and estate planning. McDermott and Thomas Associates LLC has offices on Staten Island and Princeton, NJ. The firm is a Founding Partner of United Benefit Advisors, one of the nation’s largest privately held employee benefits advisory organizations with more than 1,300 experienced benefits professionals located in 140 offices across the country. UBA Members provide employee benefits consulting and brokerage services, and best-in-class products to more than 24,000 private corporations and public employers, managing nearly $10 billion annually in Employee Benefit expenditures on behalf of 1.6 million+ employees and their families.
Pat is a Director and Past President of the College of Staten Island Foundation, Trustee of the Northwell Health System (North Shore-LIJ Health System), Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Staten Island University Hospital, Chairman of the National Board of the American Parkinson Disease Association, a Trustee of Catholic Charities Community Services of the Archdiocese of New York, and a Director of the Staten Island Rotary Foundation.
As a member of the CSI Foundation Board, Pat has served the College of Staten Island community since 2000. His contributions, both financial and in service, have been invaluable to the advancement of both institutions. He has received numerous awards for service to the community including the United Hospital Fund Distinguished Trustee Award, the Meals on Wheels Louis R. Miller Community Service Award, the Staten Island CYO Community Service Award, CYO Archdiocesan Shining Stars Award, YMCA Distinguished Community Service Award, and is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.
Pat and his wife Susan have three children and five grandchildren and reside on Lighthouse Hill.
President’s Medal recipient Beatrice Victor
For most of her life, Beatrice Victor has dedicated herself to community service.
Born Beatrice Goldsmith in Worcester, MA, she became a Registered Nurse after graduating from high school, and immediately joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corp., serving in Bethesda, MD as an ensign. Most of her patients fought at Iwo Jima, and the ward for which she was responsible was inspected by President Truman.
After the war, she worked in a physician’s office, and attended evening classes at NYU to bolster her skills. She subsequently met and married her husband, Dr. Melvin Victor, and worked with him in his office until his death in 1977. She then served as a representative for Staten Island HIP.
Beyond her professional life, Ms. Victor became an advocate for people on Staten Island with brain damage, having a child of her own who experienced brain damage at birth. As a result of her efforts, one of the Island’s first group homes opened and she served as Executive Director for eight years. It is still providing excellent service to this population. In addition, she was instrumental in the creation of a diagnostic center at the Mental Health Society for the brain injured, which still provides services in the Borough as the Elizabeth Pouch Center for Special People. Ms. Victor also attended numerous rallies and took many trips to Albany to advocate on behalf of people with brain injuries.
Ms. Victor has also been a champion for seniors on the Island, working to establish SeniorNet to teach computer skills to seniors. She worked to open a classroom for this project at the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, serving as a teacher for ten years. She has also written the “As We Are” column in the Staten Island Advance, which addresses issues that are important to seniors.
The Friends of CSI
Celebrating 40 Years of Dedication and Service: The Friends of CSI
The Friends of CSI are celebrating their 40th anniversary, this year. The organization began in 1976 as a group of community members who support the College’s Mission and who promote and execute programs to involve the community in the educational and cultural activities of CSI. Most significantly, their efforts have assisted generations of students with scholarship support, making their dreams of a college degree accessible and affordable.
Over its four-decade existence the Friends have hosted an impressive list of fundraising events. They established the Starlight Ball, which was the predecessor to today’s Celestial Ball. Other events include dinner theaters, the International Festivals at the Sunnyside Campus, various musical events, and a trip to Sicily and Rome with the CSI Alumni Association.
In recent years, the Friends have sponsored an annual Literary Brunch event, which spotlights prominent authors and theirs works. This year’s Brunch featured CSI Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Gray Reichard, who discussed his latest published book, Deadlock and Disillusionment: American Politics since 1968.
Dr. Reichard’s presentation was followed by an audience discussion moderated by Professor Richard Flanagan, which included Tom Wrobleski from the Staten Island Advance, and Francis Barry, columnist on politics and U.S. domestic policy for Bloomberg View. It was a timely event, as it occurred shortly before the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.
Gathering in the Center for Performing Arts (from left to right) President William Fritz and the Head of Film, TV, and New Media at the French Embassy, Mathieu Fournet, and CSI students.
During the months of October and November 2016, the Department of Media Culture and the College of Staten Island presented the annual Tournées Film Festival.
With funding from the French-American Cultural Exchange in the Education and the Arts (FACE) organization and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States, students and Staten Island residents were given the opportunity to view recent and important films from France. A
long with films that explored the nation’s changing cultural landscape, the series presented Jules Dassin’s classic film noir, Riffifi (1955).
On November 17, the Film Festival concluded with a President’s reception and public screening of the student films, Simply Clarisse and L’été en suspens, a short film made by CSI students that chronicles eight New York students as they travel abroad in Tours, France. Against the backdrop of July 2016, socio-political themes pervade the group’s thoughts, discussions, and their creative art. The result is a cinema-vérité documentary that explores the impact of world events on the psyche of the American filmmakers as well as the French locals they meet.
This festival was made possible at the College of Staten Island by the Department of Media Culture, the Center for Global Engagement, the Department of World Languages and Literatures, the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Focus on Global Women and Girls Project, the LGBTQ Resource Center, and the Student Government.
Cultural Partners included Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., Centre National Du Cinema Et De L’Image Animee, the Franco-American Cultural Fund, the Florence Gould Foundation, and Highbrow Entertainment.
The offices of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, Dining Services, Center for the Arts, Public Safety, and Operational Services also contributed to the success of the film series.
To view the CSI student film L’ÉTÉ EN SUSPENS (A SUMMER PAUSED) shot on location in Tours, France, visit: frenchculture.org>.
According to frenchculture.org, “the film chronicles the month spent overseas; importantly, the film reveals the social-political themes that pervaded the group’s thoughts, discussions, and their creative art. The result is a cinema-verité documentary that explores the impact of world events on the psyche of the American filmmakers as well as the French locals they meet.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkFM2HENpVA[/youtube]The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and the City University of New York (CUNY) have announced a joint initiative that will support 50 foster care youth attending CUNY colleges this fall with academic and financial support. The new program, which is part of the Fostering College Success initiative, began this summer with New York Foundling providing tutoring and other supportive services to 40 foster care youth. The youth are now enrolled in academic programs at ten CUNY colleges across the city and are living on campus in the Queens College dormitory. An additional 11 students have enrolled at the College of Staten Island (CSI) and are residing on that campus.
“The College of Staten Island has embraced the motto of Opportunity and Challenge since 1956. Today we are humbled and honored to be a lead college with CUNY and New York City’s Administration for Children’s services in providing opportunities to this important and valued group of tomorrow’s leaders,” noted CSI President William J. Fritz.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb0b416WzUw[/youtube]The College of Staten Island (CSI) is partnering with nine other local groups, including community-based organizations and the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, on a new initiative called the Youth Workforce Initiative Network of Staten Island, also known as “Youth WINS.”
As approximately one in five young adults on Staten Island between the ages of 18 and 24 are out of school and out of work, this program aims to address this large-scale problem in the Borough. The out-of-school, out-of-work statistic rises to an acutely critical one in four on the North Shore, second in the City only to the Bronx. By working with potential employers, Youth WINS partners plan to recruit and educate hundreds of young adults over the next three years with the goal of connecting them to high-demand jobs. It will also provide dynamic programming, including mentorships and internships, for participants.
An all-day event, which took place at both the St. George Library and the CSI Technology Incubator nearby, showcased Youth WINS leadership including Chris Cruz Cullari, Executive Director of the Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development at CSI, as well as Linda Baran, President and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.
“Connecting young adults on Staten Island with support, education, and a career ladder will be just the beginning for students,” commented Cruz Cullari. “The young adults we serve through Youth WINS will become a part of the economic fabric of New York City, connecting them to a lifetime of opportunities.”
