Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) expanded international partnerships, strengthened educational ties, and advanced service abroad initiatives during the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, held June 14–18 at the Montego Bay Conference Center.
Throughout the conference, BMCC leadership, faculty, staff, and students participated in initiatives promoting education, health care, and global learning.
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BMCC President Dr. Anthony E. Munroe helped launch the College’s participation by joining education leaders from Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and the United States for a plenary session titled Building a Resilient Education System in Partnership with the Diaspora. Moderated by Dr. Kevin Brown, president of the University of Technology, Jamaica, the panel included Jamaica’s Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Sen. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon; Andrew Lee, CEO of eLearning Jamaica; and education consultant Kay Green.
Panelists explored how innovation, international collaboration, and strategic partnerships can improve educational outcomes, support student success, and prepare learners for a complex global workforce.
In the conference marketplace, AVP Michelle Hernandez and Director of Admissions and Outreach Jose Altamirano staffed a BMCC booth showcasing academic programs and services, while nursing students provided blood pressure and other health screenings for attendees.
The conference also created opportunities to formalize partnerships. BMCC signed a Letter of Intent with Jamaica’s National Education Trust (NET) to adopt two primary schools and support a special education program under NET’s Adopt-A-School framework.
Under the agreement, BMCC will collaborate with NET and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to implement medium- to long-term infrastructure and non-infrastructure interventions. These include school refurbishment, expanded learning resources, and teaching and learning initiatives aimed at strengthening student outcomes and institutional performance.
The partnership also includes support for a special education program located elsewhere in Jamaica, reinforcing a shared commitment to inclusive education and expanding services for students with the greatest needs. The parties are expected to convert the Letter of Intent into a Memorandum of Understanding within three months of signing.
The Letter of Intent was signed by NET Executive Director Latoya Harris Ghartey and Dr. Munroe and witnessed by Dr. Kasan Troupe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.
“We firmly believe in the transformative, life-changing power of education for all,” said Dr. Munroe. “This is just the beginning.”
The partnership marks a significant step in diaspora-led collaboration, focusing on inclusive, 21st-century learning environments.
The NET is a special-purpose agency of the education ministry, works to mobilize investment in Jamaica’s educational infrastructure.
During the conference, BMCC students toured two proposed Adopt-a-Clinic facilities—the Morant Bay Health Center and Windward Road Health Clinic—accompanied by Dr. Munroe, Vice President Karen Wilson-Stevenson, Vice President Dr. Sanjay Ramdath, and nursing faculty member Dr. Jacqueline Davis. The delegation explored Jamaica’s health care system and identified opportunities for future collaboration.
Under Dr. Davis’ guidance, nursing students observed clinical practices and participated in supervised, hands-on learning experiences alongside health care professionals, gaining insight into patient care, workforce development, and community health from a global perspective. These tours also helped identify new avenues for student learning, community engagement, and institutional partnerships. BMCC thanked Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York for facilitating the exchanges.
Service to the community remained central throughout the conference. Joined by Dr. Munroe and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Marva Craig, BMCC students, faculty, and staff participated in a Day of Service at Westwood High School, where they refreshed learning spaces, organized textbooks, labeled mattresses, donated laptops, and provided blood pressure screenings.
Through leadership, volunteerism, and international collaboration, BMCC participants strengthened cross-border relationships while gaining valuable professional and cultural experience beyond the classroom.
BMCC also recognized Christopher Benjamin, community relations officer at the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York, for his support in making the experience possible.
