Congrats to President Dr. George Santiago!
November 2, 2010
•General, Patchogue, Bethpage, Queens, Online
• 0 Comments
Dr. Santiago expressed his commitment to diversity within educational institutions, describing his own academic track as the son of factory workers of Puerto Rican descent who were never schooled beyond the 5th grade.
In addition to launching the Hispanic Scholarship program at Briarcliffe College, Dr. Santiago creates alliances with Hispanic organizations to support the progress of Latinas enrolled at the college.
“We live in a country where the Hispanic unemployment rate is at 9.6% and where Hispanics are the least likely to complete a high school education, or to enter or complete college,” said Santiago. “Sadly, there are more Hispanics in our prison system that in our colleges’ residence halls.”
In 2010, Dr. Santiago was also recognized as a Top 50 Hispanic Leader by La Fiesta Radio and in 2009, he received the Hispanic Heritage Award from Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
He was personally cited as a “Hispanic Role Model” by the Suffolk County Office of Minority Affairs and recently, Briarcliffe College received a Governor’s Citation in recognition of public forums held at the college’s Patchogue campus following the 2008 attack and death of immigrant Marcelo Lucero.
La Fuerza Unida Executive Director Pascual Blanco(left) presents the Excellence in Education and Leadership Award to Dr. George Santiago, Jr.,(right) President of Briarcliffe College.