New Non-Credit Programs Transform the Bronx’s Educational Culture

Brooke DellaRocco Staff Writer

Manhattan College is now offering a variety of new non-credit programs through The School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Beginning this semester, these programs are open to both students and the general public in order to expand the professional reaches and connections of Manhattan College.

Non-credit programs allow all to explore new possibilities to prepare themselves for a career. Community members can earn certifications that are beneficial outside of the school but do not count as credit toward a degree at MC.

Edgar Zavala, director of the non-credit programs office, constructed a portfolio of non-credit program offerings by dividing them into three types of audiences: Profession- al Development, NYC is Your Classroom, and K-12 Programs.

Professional Development programs allow students to get involved with their interests and further their learning. With over 150 Professional Development programs and new programs being added every semester, there are many opportunities for every person.

Under the Professional Development category, the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification is being launched after two years of development.

“In order to be more professional, they can be licensed and they can get their CFP and become a Certified Financial Planner. That gives them credibility and trust in people like you, like your parents and grandparents,” Zavala said.

Another certification recently launched under professional development programs is Intellectual Property. Intellectual Property surrounds the subject of developing materials, content and knowing how to protect your property from trademarks and copyrights. Developed by an adjunct in SCPS, Intellectual Property will further prepare students for work outside the classroom.

Tahiya Azad, an advertiser for non-credit programs spoke about the benefit of the certifications.

“Some people don’t like to take a degree for a long time. Four weeks is fine or two months, six months. So people are finding this helpful,” Azad said.

Zavala also talked about the third new program, consisting of nine courses all developed and taught in Spanish.

“I dare to say, we are one of the few, if not only, higher education institutions in the United States and probably even the tri-state area that actually offer

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Students were given the option of Jasper, Lee or Chrysostom Hall and were assigned rooms based on a lottery system.

Chayse Martino, a sophomore psychology major at MC, explained that this move was difficult for her as she is originally from Florida and her parents could not come to school to assist with transporting her things across campus.

Martino’s roommate Michaela Sully, a sophomore sound studies and communication major, explained that her parents had planned to help her move out but needed more notice about the timeframe to account for their travel plans.

Sully explained that while they were appreciative of the assistance provided by Residence Life, the boxes they were given were not big enough to hold everything.

“We had to wait outside of Res Life for so long to get the boxes,” Sully said. “No one was there and the RAs didn’t really seem like they were given much information about it either.”

Therefore, the two were left transporting all their belongings alone at night and in the rain. The pair said this was made more difficult as there is no direct route from Horan Hall to Jasper Hall that does not require the use of several stairs.

As a result, the students had to leave the confines of campus, walk around the school and up the hill to Jasper pushing a wobbly cart.

“We couldn’t even get the bins through the back doors of Jasper so we had to unpack all of our stuff into the hallway and use the elevator, trip by trip,” Martino said.

This had to be done by the pair twice before all their items were in their new dorm.

While there was some unavoidable stress in the moving process, having more transparency throughout the process would have allowed for a smoother transition, Sully explained.

“I don’t know if they just didn’t know how it was going to happen themselves or if they just didn’t tell us, but nobody even really knew anything until it was like okay, ‘we gotta go now,’” Sully said.

Amaya Behsman, a sophomore English and communication major, was unaware of how the process of having movers would work.

“I didn’t sign up for movers because I was kind of confused at the time because they sent the email out during finals week so I wasn’t really paying attention,” Behsman said. “I did not understand it was free, so I was not ready in time. I was leaving Saturday morning and you had to have all of your stuff packed up during the week in order for the movers to come. How will I have all my stuff packed up while I am also taking finals? So I did not end up doing the movers, I had to move all my own stuff up the stairs.”

Conor Boardman, a sophomore marketing major and friend of Behsman, returned

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