Queens College President Frank H. Wu to Host Congresswoman Grace Meng at an Event in Recognition of the More Than $2.1 M in Federal Funding She Secured for College Business School Initiatives and Kupferberg Center for the Arts Upgrades
—College will thank Meng in photo op with oversized check; funding will support internships and expanded curriculum at the Business School, as well as critical renovations to Kupferberg Center for the Arts’ Colden Auditorium, the borough’s largest year-round performing arts venue—
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WHAT: Queens College President Frank H. Wu will host Congresswoman Grace Meng, New York’s senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, at an event recognizing her efforts on behalf of the college through which more than $2 million in federal funds were allocated to benefit its School of Business and Colden Auditorium of the Kupferberg Center for the Arts (KCA). Meng secured $1,465,856 for a Small Business Development Initiative in which the Business School will partner with the college’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Goals of the collaboration include strengthening partnerships between the recently established Business School and local companies by providing internship opportunities with those companies, expanding the college’s curriculum as part of the small business management certificate program, and encouraging employees of local small businesses to enhance their career growth by pursuing a Queens College degree.
The $750,000 that Meng secured for Colden Auditorium will enable KCA to remain competitive in a post-COVID world—where in-person hybrid programs are now the norm—by funding high-quality audiovisual production and live streaming capability. The funding will also make possible the upgrade, replacement, and installation of new technical production systems so that they are compatible with theatrical industry standards, ensuring technical and safety compliance. These improvements will further the mission of the “Colden for Queens” program, designed to meet the needs of a larger and more diverse demographic, as well as Queens-based firms that promote popular performers from overseas.
PHOTO OP: Group shot with Congresswoman Meng and an oversized check for the funding amount.
WHO: President Wu will host. Invited speakers are Congresswoman Meng; Sonya Smith, director, New York State Small Business Development Corporation; Kate Pechenkina, dean of the Schools of Social Science and Business; Jon Yanofsky, director, Kupferberg Center for the Arts; Rebecca Oppenheimer, student, Queens College School of Business; and Tulani Browne, alumna who graduated in 2018 with a BA in Drama, Theatre, and Dance and currently works at Colden Auditorium while pursuing an MFA in acting at CUNY’s Brooklyn College.
WHERE: Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367 | Student Union Building
Faculty and Staff Lounge, located opposite main entrance | Directions to Campus | Campus Map
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Background
Queens College President Frank H. Wu announced the new Queens College School of Business in March 2022. Established as part of the 2021–2026 Strategic Plan in response to the projected workforce demand for business professionals in New York City, the school was built on a suite of existing programs in accounting, economics, and finance, as well as actuarial studies, international business, and risk management. Its mission is to provide students with the skills needed to navigate the quickly evolving world of business through a curriculum that equips students with the technical expertise and fundamental knowledge needed to achieve a competitive advantage in various careers. Students are encouraged to seek a deep and broad familiarity with diverse cultures in preparation for roles as leaders in a global society.
Colden Auditorium—part of the Kupferberg Center for the Arts (KCA)—is the largest year-round performance venue in the borough and a major arts destination in Queens. It hosts events that appeal to and mirror the borough’s diverse communities. Operating since 1961, the 2,100-seat theater has been the site for KCA events featuring Billy Joel, David Bowie, Yo-Yo Ma, Gladys Knight, The Boston Pops, Jerry Seinfeld, Grupo Niche, and Deepak Chopra. The venue is also popular as a rental facility with an ethnically diverse range of local promoters who have presented performances by Argentinian duet Amanda and Diego, Israeli pop star Eden Ben Zaken, Iranian vocalist Googoosh, Colombian artist Ingrid Rosario, and Hong Kong singer Eason Chan. In addition, Colden Auditorium is a popular venue for graduation ceremonies celebrated by public and private organizations throughout the city.
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