BMCC-Baruch College Business Academy Propels Students on Academic and Career Paths

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) Business Administration majors can now gain access to academic, career and transfer services, accelerating their goals through the BMCC-Baruch College Business Academy.

The Academy provides dual enrollment in both BMCC and Baruch, and supports a seamless transfer for students who first earn an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Business Administration at BMCC, then a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business.

Along the way, students work in small cohorts with dedicated advisors and benefit from priority registration, cross-campus activities at Baruch including career panels and networking events, peer mentoring and access to the Bridge to Baruch (B2B) program, which supports transfer students.

In the long run, the Academy will impact the diversity of students transferring to a four year college and related employment pipelines.

According to Mahatapa Palit, Chair of the BMCC Business Management department, in Fall 2019, 27 percent of students enrolled in BMCC’s Business Administration program and seven percent in Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business were Black.

“Consultation with colleagues at BMCC and review of data suggest that our Business majors in these groups who aspire to attend Baruch often do not do so because of perceived obstacles and lack of confidence in their success. The BMCC-Baruch Business Academy narrows these gaps with a well-defined and guaranteed path to matriculation from BMCC to Baruch,” says Chair Palit.

She adds that to support students in the BMCC-Baruch College Business Academy, the two institutions will share student performance data and work collaboratively on interventions to guide students back on track with their studies. Faculty from both BMCC and Baruch College will collaborate on reviewing curricular changes, bridge programs and more.

According to BMCC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Erwin J. Wong, the Academy builds on the momentum of the BMCC strategic plan, which has at its core a commitment to equity and aligns with the University’s goal to improve student retention, persistence, graduation and, for community college graduates, successful transfer and baccalaureate degree completion.

“We know that many of our business degree students want to transfer to Baruch, so like our successful partnership with the BMCC/John Jay Justice Academy — which is a model for other colleges and mirrored nationally — the Business Academy will create a cohort experience for our students that will increase their likelihood of success at Baruch,” says Provost Wong. “They will receive dedicated advisement, wrap-around support services and peer mentoring to facilitate their transition to Baruch. Our expectation is that the program will improve student retention, graduation — and ultimately access to a successful career.”