FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2/18/15
Contact: Zim Ezumah, Widmeyer Communication
(202) 884-7333
zim.ezumah@widmeyer.com
CUNY Honors New York Urban League’s Rice with Educational Leadership Award
Urban League continues push for STEM education for underserved kids
NEW YORK, NY – New York Urban League (NYUL) CEO Arva Rice was honored on Saturday, Feb. 14, with
the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Educational Leadership Award at the New York State Association
of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators Luncheon. Rice was recognized for her continued efforts of promoting
college access and STEM education for underrepresented students.
On Monday, Feb. 16, NYUL released A Parent’s Guide to STEM, a resource developed in collaboration with
U.S. News STEM Solutions. The guide aims to support parents seeking more information on STEM
education programs, initiatives, high schools and college prep in New York City. The guide is available for
order on the NYUL website: http://www.nyul.org/ , being previously available as a special insert in New
York Daily News’ Sunday newspaper. The guide was made possible with the support of Time Warner Cable,
Henry Luce Foundation, Google/Tide Foundation, News Corp, L’Oreal USA and NYC Council Member Inez E.
Dickens.
“African Americans make up 11 percent of both college students and the general workforce. However, they
only comprise 7 percent of all STEM bachelor’s degree holders, and only 6 percent of STEM employees,”
said Rice. “Resources, like our Parent’s Guide to STEM, are an important part for our support of our young
people in science and mathematics and ensure they are college and career ready," said Arva Rice.
Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations at the City University of New York (CUNY),
said that Rice’s award shows her commitment to serving the young people of New York City.
“Chancellor Milliken honored Arva with the CUNY Educational Leadership Award for her exemplary
dedication to improving educational, social, economic conditions and opportunities for disadvantaged New
York students,“ said Hershenson.
In addition to NYUL’s release of the guide, the organization announced it will partner with Time Warner
Cable, CUNY and the New York Daily News to host a panel discussion, Ensuring a Diverse Flow in the STEM
Pipeline, on successful models for engaging black students in STEM.
The panel will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10:00 a.m., at the Baisley Powell Elebash Recital Hall at the
Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Featured speakers include Commissioner Bill Chong,
Department of Youth and Community Development; Bill Holiber, President and CEO, New York Daily News;
Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations at CUNY; Jim Gordon, Group Vice President,
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Corporate Brand and Reputation at Time Warner Cable; along with parents and students who will discuss
opportunities to engage Black K-12 students in STEM education.
New York Daily News education reporter Ben Chapman will moderate the discussion, which will be
available to view immediately following the event via the New York Daily News website:
www.nydailynews.com/.
"STEM education is critical to ensure that we build a workforce to meet the growing demand for these
skills," said Bill Holiber, President and CEO of the New York Daily News. "We are proud to partner with the
NYUL and CUNY to serve as a resource for NYC families, providing access to the highest quality STEM
information, opening doors to fruitful careers in this burgeoning field."
"Working toward diversity in STEM professions is an important part of our city's future success,” said Rice.
NYUL works with a variety of community and corporate sponsors such as Time Warner Cable, which has
supported STEM initiatives through its Connect a Million Minds initiative.
“Connect a Million Minds helps confront America’s declining proficiency in STEM, which puts our children
at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. Our partners, like the New York Urban League,
are leading the way in addressing the ‘inspiration gap’ for our underrepresented youth, inspiring them to
become the problem solvers of tomorrow,” said Jim Gordon, Group Vice President, Corporate Brand and
Reputation.
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About the New York Urban League
The New York Urban League was founded by a group of prominent New Yorkers concerned with the poor
state of blacks migrating to New York City from the south. From its inception, it provided employment and
connections for migrating blacks bridging the adjustment from the agricultural/rural life to the industrial
urban center. Each decade following, “The League” provided critical services such as emergency aid for the
unemployed during the Great Depression; formed the Committee for Interracial Voluntary Hospitals to
provide care and work in local hospitals; negotiated the opening of employment for blacks in the airline,
brewing, and baking industries; created “Street Academies” which became a national model for high school
students; published the first State of Black New York report; and created its signature events including
Frederick Douglas Dinner, Whitney M. Young Jr. Classic, and Champion of Diversity Breakfast, among many
other milestones. Visit www.nyul.org for additional information.
About the New York Daily News
With 2 million readers in New York, and 42 million national unique visitors online each month, the Daily
News is the most widely read tabloid in the city and one of America's fastest-growing web sites. Covering
breaking news, politics, sports, entertainment, celebrity, lifestyle, opinion, business and health, the New
York Daily News delivers up-to-the-minute reporting, rich photography and compelling video to readers of
its print newspaper, industry-leading website, tablet apps, and iPhone, Blackberry and Android e-editions.
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The New York Daily News has won 10 Pulitzer Prize Awards for excellence in journalism. In 2013, it was
awarded four New York State Associated Press Association awards and took the Associated Press Sports
Editors award’s “Triple Crown” as well as first place in the Investigative category across all circulation
categories. In addition to its news operations, the New York Daily News runs Daily News Digital Solutions
Digital Solutions, a networked provider of digital services for SMBs, and the Innovation Lab, an initiative
aimed at engaging with the thriving New York startup community. The Daily News Innovation Lab hosts a
fully integrated startup development program to boost media-focused digital companies and sponsors “a
“Conversations” event series, facilitating discussion on the changing new media landscape.