Juan shares CUNY Arts Partnerships, Staff Spotlight Mel Chiluisa, and our first Winter Social
To our wonderful community of students and supporters!
We are coming upon the end of midterm season, and for the past month, we have been so impressed with how hard our students have worked, both independently and alongside their tutors, to write those papers and pass those exams that will bring them closer to their graduation goals. Spring Break, for many of us, is right around the corner!
In the second edition of At the Table’s quarterly newsletter, we'll share ways that students can spend their spring breaks delving into NYC’s cultural scene through CUNY’s Arts Partnership program. We'll also shine a spotlight on one of our very first tutors, Melanie Chiluisa, who graciously shares her insights on being part of the At the Table family. Lastly, we'll revisit the speech delivered by our Executive Director Michael Zink during our Winter Social event in January, where many of our staff and supporters came together in a powerful act of community-building.
There's so much more to come, so make sure you watch this space!
NYS Education and Training Voucher Program
The Education and Training Voucher Program has increased its maximum age eligibility to include all students under the age of 26. If you previously received ETV, are in college, and are 25 or younger, sign up here by May 1st to get ETV for Spring 2024: NYS Education and Training Voucher Program.
Make the most of Spring Break with Free & Discounted CUNY Arts Tickets
Despite the weather being a bit, err, unpredictable, I bet that you can feel it in the air, right? Spring has officially sprung! So now that most of you have powered through midterms, the next big thing on the horizon is Spring Recess in April. Catch your breath and take in some sun… we want to make sure you come back refreshed and ready to tackle finals and graduation season head-on!
I've been involved with the CUNY system for a good while now, and I've always advocated for breaking down systemic barriers to educational and cultural resources. Many like-minded faculty and staff have come together across campuses to create partnerships between CUNY and various cultural institutions across the city, granting CUNY students discounted or even free access through CUNY Arts Partnerships!
Some of my favorite spots that current students can take advantage of include Jazz at Lincoln Center, which hosts specially curated events just for CUNY students throughout the season and may even bring events directly to your campus - make sure to register for the student ticket program. There's also the iconic Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where students from all 25 campuses enjoy free admission, and The Shed, which as part of their Ticket Access program offers free gallery access for children/teens 18 and under, CUNY students, and NYCHA residents. If you've never seen it before, part of the building moves to accommodate different kinds of events!
For those of you feeling adventurous enough to share your stories with a live audience, I highly recommend checking out the Moth Story Lab. It's a fantastic free 5-week virtual workshop program where CUNY and SUNY students, both undergrad and graduate, can master the art of true, personal storytelling. Make sure to sign up to find out when they're taking applications for the Fall - here.
For the complete list of cultural partners offering special access for CUNY students, be sure to visit this link: CUNY Arts Partnerships.
Staff Spotlight: Melanie Chiluisa
Melanie is one of the very tutors that joined At the Table!
Before joining the team, Melanie was a Tutor for Reading Town Sunnyside in Queens where she worked with students in preschool and elementary school.
She enjoys volunteering for organizations, such as Literacy Partners, that provide Adult Literacy classes to immigrant and non-native English speakers.
“What separates At the Table from other programs is that we work together with students to reach academic access, but we work harder to have students see their own value and potential. We see our students as whole people and don’t define their value using GPAs, their academic history, or other random metrics.
For the past three years as an At the Table tutor, I’ve come to appreciate the unique opportunity the organization has given us to build strong personal relationships with students. I’ve had the pleasure of building relationships with students that transcend a weekly tutoring session and that have built on my role as their tutor. On some days, I’m someone they turn to when they are having a rough time, and on other days, I am the cheerleader celebrating all their successes.”
The 2024 Winter Social
We held our Winter Social in January, hoping that it would be our biggest event - ever! We exceeded our expectations with both attendance and donations, with over 60 people joining us and over $12,000 raised. We were honored to have a Chief Deputy from the NYC Public Advocate's office in attendance, and proud to partner with City Beet Kitchens, a program of Project Renewal that provides culinary training for homeless and low-income New Yorkers, to cater the event.
In his remarks at the Winter Social, our Executive Director, Michael Zink, challenged the approach of some nonprofits that claim high college success rates, but do so by selecting students they believe are already set up for success based on factors like family support and high GPA’s, advocating instead for programs that are open to everyone in the community being served. For members of our community who could not make it in person, or even for those who just want to hear Mike's speech again, watch the video here, or read the transcript here.
On behalf of the tutors and staff, thank you all again for sharing our vision of a world where our students are embraced fully as humans with a wondrous range of potential and powerful outcomes.
