Hostos Community College hosted its third Annual Student Symposium on Monday, April 28, showcasing the work of nearly 130 students and highlighting the impact of mentorship on academic and professional growth.
The event offered students a chance to present their research and creative projects in a professional conference-style setting, providing valuable early-career experience. By participating, students gained confidence, strengthened their communication skills, and took important steps toward future academic and career success.
The event began with Hostos Community College President Daisy Cocco De Filippis expressing her gratitude to those who helped make the symposium possible—a sentiment echoed by Provost Shiang-Kwei Wang and Dean of Academic Affairs Andrea Fabrizio.
Dean Andrea Fabrizio then introduced keynote speaker Dr. Kendall Queen, a Robotics Software Engineer at Asylon Robotics, who offered words of inspiration to attendees before the student presentations began. In his address, Dr. Queen shared his family’s journey—from his grandparents’ work as sharecroppers to his own path toward earning a Ph.D. and becoming a roboticist.
He reflected on how that legacy shaped his perspective, emphasizing that each generation builds upon the sacrifices and resilience of those who came before. Dr. Queen encouraged students to recognize their place in a broader narrative, reminding them that their education, ambitions, and achievements are part of an ongoing trajectory fueled by perseverance and purpose.
“You, all of you in this room, are standing on the shoulders of your bloodline,” Dr. Queen said. “Each person before you has done their part so that you may see further than they ever could, enabling you to dream bigger because your perspective is unique. You are their hope and the promise of a brighter future for this country. More importantly, you carry the power to make a difference.”
While he acknowledged that many students face a lot of challenges and pressure in their academic and career pursuits, Dr. Queen encouraged them to work hard to overcome it, as their educational and training pursuits are critical to making their occupational aspirations a reality. This effort can also impact future generations.
Dr. Queen concluded his address by reminding those on hand that this event is meant to be a celebration of their diligence, commitment and hard work, as well as an opportunity to grow in confidence, meet new people and support friends.
Student presenters from a wide range of disciplines at Hostos shared their work during concurrent sessions that showcased their deepening knowledge and emerging expertise. Covering topics in STEM, health sciences, game design, education, literature, and beyond, students presented capstone projects and original research on subjects such as implicit bias in artificial intelligence, kidney structure and function, and malaria. Others took a more personal approach, offering powerful essays and original poetry that reflected their individual experiences and creative expression.
An interactive STEM poster session took place in the college’s main gym during the symposium, where Hostos students and alumni showcased their projects and engaged in thoughtful discussions about their findings. Alongside fellow presenters, faculty mentors and other members of the Hostos community attended the session to learn more and support the students’ work.
The presenters were grateful for the opportunity to share their research with their peers. Hostos students Egli Gjuzi and Anthony Gonzalez went over the work they did for their poster on the discovery of BACE-1 inhibitors to help treat Alzheimer’s disease. Gjuzi said that researching for the project with Physical Sciences Unit Professor Dr. Yoel Rodriguez helped him better understand the disease. Gonzalez expressed optimism that the presentation could inspire others to engage in research as well.
Another student, Maya Jean, presented research diving into the explicit bias in the Black Box of AI with co-presenters Jay Alvarez, Gloria Amankwah, Jonathan Luna and Jorge Sanz. According to Jean, the symposium gave her a great opportunity to gain knowledge, experience and professionalism.
Hostos Alumna Susan Hu discussed what went into putting together her research, titled “A Collection of Ground Spiders at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).” She said she shared her work with faculty mentor and Biology Unit Professor Dr. Vladimir Ovtcharenko. Hu credited this work with giving her a deeper interest in entomology and biology. She also said that being able to present her findings has made her a more confident public speaker.
The event was also enjoyable for students who were not presenting. Hostos student Sarah Tilda said many of the poster presentations piqued her interest and helped her better understand the concepts they covered.
The symposium concluded with concurrent sessions that featured presentations on more topics, ranging from early college experience, Latinx psychology and therapy, the social influence of Christianity and Islam in America and much more.
This year’s Hostos Student Symposium was made possible thanks in large part to Ms. Mackenzie Scott’s Gift: President’s Initiatives, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Student Symposium Advisory Committee, and support from the college’s CUNY ASAP, CSTEP/STEP, CUNY Explorers and CUNY Early College programs.
