A message from the Executive Director

Winter/Spring 2022

Greetings from the Berkeley College Foundation!

I am taking this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Executive Director, a role I am both extremely honored and excited to be serving in. Since its inception in 2015, the BCF has awarded $112,000 in scholarship money to 35 students, opened two campus food pantries (one in Newark, the other in New York City), and initiated a discounted MTA MetroCard program to defray the cost of transportation expenses for Berkeley Students commuting to and from the New York City campus. This much needed assistance to our Berkeley College students is made possible by our sponsors, the Berkeley College community, and individual donors. The adage “every dollar counts” is a statement that could not be more genuine and could not happen without the support of each and every one of you.

I’ve had the privilege of speaking with my two predecessors, Dario Cortez, Ph.D. and Dipexa Gandhi, Ph.D., who were very generous in sharing their respective experiences, advice, and vison for the BCF mission. In addition, the Berkeley College Foundation is fortunate to have such a dedicated and committed group of BCF Board of Directors members, including BCF Board Member Kevin Luing and BCF Staff Member and my manager, Michael Iris. It is my goal to expand and grow upon the success of this organization and seek out additional opportunities to benefit our students.

The scholarship application for the ’22-’23 academic school year is now open and can be found on the Scholarship page on our website. We are in the midst of preparing for the BCF’s 5th Annual Golf Outing on June 8th and the registration can be found on the Events page on our website. This event, which is held at the beautiful Crystal Springs resort, is the largest fundraiser for the BCF and by all accounts, is very lively and engaging. It is our sincere hope the 2022 Golf Outing will be our best ever.

We welcome ideas, thoughts, and suggestions for the BCF and please feel free to send your comments to info@berkeleycollegefoundation.org. Thank you for your time and support and I look forward to a productive, meaningful, and impactful year for the Berkeley College Foundation.

Sincerely,

Ellen Zitis