Kylee Pastore Asirvatham
From academic research to artistic triumphs and civic leadership, students in the Division of Humanities and the Arts at City College of New York demonstrated exceptional talent, commitment, and impact throughout the 2024–2025 academic year. The accomplishments below represent just a sampling of the significant contributions H&A students made on campus, in New York City, and beyond.
Amir Granderson (History/Black Studies)
As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Amir participated in the prestigious Stanford-CUNY Summer Research Institute for the Humanities, conducting research with Stanford faculty and developing advanced methods in humanities scholarship.
Allan Romero (History)
Allan joined the Leadership Alliance Summer Research Program at Columbia University and presented his work at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium in Hartford, CT.
Alvaro Martins (Black Studies)
As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Alvaro conducted an ORCA research project titled Operation Move-In: A Tenant’s History under the mentorship of Professor Emmanuel Lachaud.
Devin Mehra (Philosophy)
Devin participated in the University of New Mexico’s MMUF Summer Program, focusing on research and academic writing skills, and took part in field trips exploring Native American culture in New Mexico.
Gregory McEvoy (History)
Gregory conducted archival research at the Hoover Library and Archives, collecting revolutionary letters, secret police reports, and other primary source materials related to political resistance.
Heaven Peoples (Black Studies)
As her practicum project, Heaven led the planning of the 55th anniversary commemoration of the 1969 CCNY Student Takeover. She curated a full-day event honoring Black student activism, featuring panels, films, tributes, and a poetry slam.
Jessica Gniedziejko (Advertising & Public Relations)
Jessica represented Team USA in the Pan-American FISU Games and won a gold medal in Taekwondo. She was the only woman on her team to place first.
Karina Verna (Theatre)
Karina was awarded the Elyse L. Nass Endowed Scholarship Fund Award in recognition of her contributions to the Theatre Department.
Kaitlyn Murphy (English)
As a City College Fellow, Kaitlyn completed an ORCA research project titled Human Truths and Fearful Lessons: Subversion, Abjection, and Hauntology in Latin American and Latinx Literature, mentored by Professor Amir Kamal.
Kristy (Kit) Lee (Comparative Literature)
Kit conducted archival research at Yale and Harvard, focusing on propaganda and missionary narratives from the Chinese Civil War. She also interned with The Century Foundation, where her article on labor rights in home care was published in November 2024.
Layla Ayoub (Advertising & Public Relations)
Layla, President of CCNY’s PRSSA chapter, was named the PRSA-NY Art Stevens CCNY Scholar and received a $5,000 scholarship. She helped lead the Building Bridges Career Fair & Networking Mixer, attended by over 150 people.
Liam Lynch (History)
Liam participated in the Stanford-CUNY Summer Research Institute for the Humanities, where he collaborated with Stanford faculty and developed research methods in the humanities.
Michael Navas (History)
Michael conducted archival research over the summer on interracial marriage at the Library of Congress, American University, and Georgetown University.
Micaela Lue (Black Studies)
Micaela coordinated volunteers and managed day-of logistics for the 55th anniversary of the 1969 CCNY Student Takeover. She promoted the event, organized student support, and ensured it ran smoothly at the Maysles Documentary Center.
Ridwan Rahman (History)
Ridwan participated in the Leadership Alliance Summer Research Program at Columbia and presented his paper Medieval Maritime Bengal and the Indian Ocean at the national symposium.
Roberto Ruiz (History)
Roberto also attended the Stanford-CUNY Summer Research Institute for the Humanities, engaging in collaborative research and developing advanced academic skills.
Sachem Torres (History/Philosophy)
At the University of Chicago’s MMUF Summer Program, Sachem researched Ballroom and the Harlem Renaissance: Examples of Masonic Masquerades from 1883 to 1937. He also explored Chicago’s museums and worked closely with faculty mentors.
Simon Mogul (Music, Jazz M.M.)
Simon recorded his debut jazz album Simon Says with Grammy-nominated artist Curtis Lundy. He has toured internationally and performed with jazz legends such as Matt Wilson and Arturo O’Farrill.
These stories capture just a fraction of the passion, intellect, and leadership our students bring to their fields. Whether through scholarly research, artistic creation, athletic distinction, or social advocacy, H&A students are enriching the world around them. We celebrate their success and look forward to what they will accomplish next!