In busy downtown Jamaica, around popular streets Guy R. Brewer Boulevard and Archer Avenue, stands Southeast Queens’ only college, York College of the City of New York.

But the school that is now a familiar part of the Jamaica landscape was not even always in Southeast Queens.

Established on October 24, 1966 as Alpha College, York opened its doors in the fall of 1967 in rented space at the Oakland Jewish Center in Bayside.

In May of 1968, the City University
of New York’s Board of Trustees determined Jamaica as the
permanent location of the college
after hearing presentations from representatives of various communities in Queens. The successful petitioners were a
coalition of business, community
and religious leaders advocating for Jamaica.

While York awaited its move to Jamaica, it relocated to temporary quarters on the Queensborough Community College campus. After three academic years at Queensborough, in September 1971, the College moved into a combination of rented and purchased properties in Jamaica. Since then the school has become one of the most important institutions for Southeast Queens’ economic improvement.

According to the college’s President Charles Kidd, "We have to educate the community to make the people able to take advantage of the many job opportunities out there, and we have to do it at a low tuition cost," he said.

Today, York College provides a broad baccalaureate curriculum, with emphasis on the liberal arts, the areas of business and health, and cooperative education.

College officials said they are dedicated to preparing York’s 6,500 enrolled students, many from the community, to succeed in a chosen discipline, acquire basic knowledge in the humanities, behavioral and natural sciences, and mathematics, think, speak and write clearly, critically, and effectively, develop technological literacy and skill, esteem research and scholarship for life-long learning, engage in public service, and enrich their communities.

To help with its mission of improving its surrounding community, York College maintains close liaison with many of the social, religious, governmental and business agencies of the community.

Earlier this month, over 800 York College students took a giant step into the future when the school celebrated graduation commencement ceremony. PRESS Photo by Ira Cohen

Last year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opened its Northeast Field Office and Regional Laboratory on the college campus after years of studies and planning by York officials, realtors, and government officials, most notably former Congressman Reverend Floyd Flake.

The 230,000-square-foot facility is the largest of its kind in the country conducting laboratory and pure reaserch.

According to Dilicia Granville, public affairs officer for the FDA branch, the administration and Kidd designed a Masters degree program in Bio-Engineering at the college, which will allow students to take advantage of the building’s state-of-the-art facility.

The facility provides students with opportunities to be involved with FDA researchers for independent research, course credit and linkages with scientists working on the forefront of their fields.

Younger students are also part of the strategy to make the facility’s presence known in the community. The FDA offers tours to teenaged students and conducts step by step testing in the lab for them to see the procedure. It is done in an effort to get the students interested in the sciences.

"We’re reaching out to the community in many ways," Granville said. "We’re going to all the libraries and offering workshops on women’s health issues and AIDS."

The agency’s public affairs office can be seen at various events throughout the community, Glanville said.

Another important institution located at York College is a Queens Public Television (QPTV) studio. The presence of this facility, complete with equipment and studio space, in Southeast Queens has meant people coming into the community to produce shows, notably the Democratic candidates for the 2001 borough president race who recently met at the college for a QPTV televised debate. It was their first debate of the campaign season.

Last year the college announced the creation of the York College Aviation Institute with a grant of $800,000 in start up funds from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersery. The institute, designed to be an innovative, state-of-the-art initiative, will provide an intensive four-year baccaulaureate program at the campus.

The presence of a QPTV studio at York now made Southeast Queens presence felt on local television. PRESS Photo by Uzo Akujuo

Kidd said of the program, "We are now able to develop educational and training programs that will prepare our community of students for aviation-related jobs. We are gratified that support from the Port Authority will further enhance our efforts to serve the education and economic development needs of Southeast Queens."

The college views the program as a crucial step in preparing students for careers in the multi-billion dollar aviation industry, which is Queens’ largest employer with JFK Airport in Jamaica and LaGuardia Airport in northern Queens.

Also last year, the college and mortgage financer Fannie Mae announced the creation of York College’s Mortgage Banking Program. The program, the first of its kind on the East Coast, will provide individuals the opportunity to gain access to the mortgage banking career field.

The creation of the program at York is primarily due to the college’s location within a community that is experiencing a vibrant community revitalization and home-building phase.

According to York Spokesperson Bill McCreary, the students have a strong vested interest in the well-being of their community and want to be in the forefront of policy making, housing finance and affordable housing development. "The addition of the mortgage banking specialization will prepare its students to play a leadership role in promoting community development in Southeast Queens," he said.

Another indispensable way that York College helps Southeast Queens’ economic growth is by providing space for many of the neighborhood’s important events, with its 1,500-seat auditorium, its 185-seat theatre and other meeting rooms of various sizes.

It is in the auditorium that The Code Foundation, last year, held its Queens 2000 celebration to remind Southeast Queens youngsters of the wages of violence and to promote education and economic independence in the community.

Also, last month, the school hosted the Congressional Black Caucus’ Housing Summit to help community residents become homeowners.