Borough of Manhattan Community College and Baruch College Launch Business Academy to Ensure Academic and Career Success
Increases diversity of students completing associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business Produces talent needed for today’s innovation economyOctober 19, 2022
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) President Anthony E. Munroe (left) and Baruch College President S. David Wu (right) held a signing ceremony on October 19 to celebrate the launch of the BMCC-Baruch Business Academy, which provides a seamless pathway for transfer students to obtain their associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business to propel their professional careers.
New York, NY, October 19, 2022 — Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) President Anthony E. Munroe and Baruch College President S. David Wu held a signing ceremony on October 19 to celebrate the launch of the BMCC-Baruch Business Academy, which provides a seamless pathway for transfer students to obtain their associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business to propel their professional careers.
The BMCC-Baruch Business Academy provides a structured and smooth path for students to transfer from BMCC to Baruch—two colleges within The City University of New York system.
Academy students in the Business Administration Associate of Science Degree program at BMCC are guaranteed admission to Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business, conditional on meeting academic criteria outlined in the agreement.
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “This partnership between BMCC and Baruch reflects CUNY’s commitment to making sure students in associate programs have a seamless transfer to bachelor’s degree programs within the University system. By working together, our campuses ensure that CUNY continues to be an engine of economic and social mobility by providing our students with clear pathways from community college to four-year colleges to career success.”
Wendy Hensel, CUNY Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, said, “The work that the BMCC-Baruch Business Academy is doing around seamless transfer reflects and advances CUNY’s legacy as the nation’s top engine of social mobility. This is what real diversity, equity, and inclusivity work looks like. This partnership’s positive impact on our students’ academic and personal success cannot be overstated.”
At the event, both CUNY presidents gave remarks touching on the historic nature of the agreement and the future benefits for students.
BMCC President Anthony Munroe said, “Together, BMCC and Baruch College are narrowing achievement gaps and creating a pipeline that will help infuse today’s highly competitive finance, IT and other industries with college graduates whose cultural fluency, academic achievement and drive will be a vital asset to their fields. We’re very excited about joining Baruch College in deepening the services and opportunities available to our BMCC graduates who transfer to the Zicklin School of Business.”
Baruch College President S. David Wu said, “At Baruch, we pride ourselves on our rich tradition of academic excellence, accessibility, and outcomes. The Business Academy is an important initiative in our overarching mission to make excellence accessible, to all students who are willing to work hard to attain a top-notch college degree.”
President Wu added, “Education is supposed to be an equalizer that helps all citizens overcome social, economic, and class barriers to success…As time will show, the Business Academy model will be a game changer for our students, and for society at large.”
Assembly Member and Chair of the Higher Education Committee Deborah Glick also gave remarks at the event, saying, “Today’s ceremony to formalize an articulation agreement between the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College and Borough of Manhattan Community College is an example of seamless pathways within the City University. This cross-campus arrangement benefits not only the students and their families, but the city itself. When our students can maximize their educational opportunities and reach their goals sooner it sets an example for others and encourages greater retention participation and completion. I applaud President Wu and President Munroe for their commitment to improving access for students and for encouraging other campuses to explore these types of agreements.”
A Joint Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At a time when the national six-year graduation rates among underrepresented minority students are low—28.8 percent for Black students and 37.1 percent for Latino students—the BMCC-Baruch Business Academy builds on the momentum of BMCC’s steadfast commitment to equity and is the latest example of Baruch’s ongoing efforts to advance economic opportunities for students, especially those in underserved communities.
According to BMCC, as of February 2022, 27 percent of students enrolled in BMCC’s Business Administration program are Black. While Baruch’s six-year graduation rates stand well above the national average—63 percent for Black students and 68 percent for Latino students as of 2020—the College aims to close the gap to its current overall six-year graduation rate of 74 percent, which is significantly higher than schools serving students from similar academic and economic backgrounds.
Dedicated Student Support at Heart of Partnership
Under the agreement, the two institutions will share student performance data and partner on interventions to keep students on track with their studies. BMCC and Baruch faculty will coordinate on curriculum design to ensure alignment between the degree programs.
Along the way, students will work with dedicated faculty and administrative support. They will benefit from priority registration for classes and cross-campus activities at Baruch –– including networking opportunities, mentoring from peers and professionals, and the Bridge to Baruch program that allows new transfer students of all majors to meet top Baruch employers and possibly obtain internships and jobs.
Upon graduating from Baruch, the Academy students will join two global alumni networks: nearly 85,000 BMCC alumni and 165,000 Baruch alumni.
Mahatapa Palit, Chair of the Business Administration Department at BMCC, said, “The majority of our Business Administration students transfer to the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College. By adopting a model where transfer students are intentionally supported from the day they join the Business Administration program at BMCC, the BMCC-Baruch Academy creates a seamless pathway for students to move to the Zicklin School of Business with focused advisement, academic support, peer mentoring, and cross-campus co-curricular activities. The Academy takes a good thing and makes it better.”
About Borough of Manhattan Community College
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is part of the City University of New York (CUNY), awarding associate degrees in more than 50 fields and ranked #1 among community colleges nationwide in granting associate degrees to minority students, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education. BMCC is a diverse teaching and learning community committed to advancing equity and the intellectual and personal growth of students. Visit www.bmcc.cuny.edu to learn more.
About Baruch College
Baruch College provides students with the skills, knowledge, and perspectives to pursue their aspirations in today’s global environment. Part of The City University of New York (CUNY), Baruch is also listed among the nation’s top public colleges for academic excellence, affordability, student success, and value. Its three schools educate more than 19,500 students who represent one of the most diverse college campuses in the country. Strong career and support services drive Baruch’s national recognition as an engine for social and economic mobility. Through executive education, international partnerships, public events, and arts programming, Baruch stands out as an intellectual and cultural resource for New York City and the world. baruch.cuny.edu
Media Contacts:
Suzanne Bronski, suzanne.bronski@baruch.cuny.edu
Lynn McGee, lmcgee@bmcc.cuny.edu
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