Kylee Pastore Asirvatham
From award-winning artists and published authors to educators and filmmakers, alumni of the Division of Humanities and the Arts continue to demonstrate the power of a CCNY education. This year’s highlights showcase bold accomplishments across disciplines, industries, and continents.
Andy Mineo (BFA Sonic Arts ’11)
Hip-hop artist and producer Andy Mineo earned two RIAA Platinum certifications for Coming in Hot and You Can’t Stop Me, each surpassing one million units sold.
Benjamin Kruse (BFA Sonic Arts ’14)
Benjamin served as a sound designer for Seeds, the winner of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury Prize.
Dan Pugach (MM Jazz Performance ’11)
Dan Pugach won a GRAMMY® Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for Bianca Reimagined: Paws and Persistence. The album features CCNY jazz student Nitzan Gavrieli (piano) and instructor Pete McCann (guitar).
Dario Mohr (MFA Studio Art ’19)
Dario participated in an international panel discussion at Studio 23 Montebello Design Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Happy Planting Day Ceremony.
Houngan Collin Edouard (BFA Music, Classical Voice ’16)
A 2024 Emerging Scholars’ Fund recipient from the Haitian Studies Association, Collin is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at Yale and teaches at the University of Bridgeport. His work focuses on expanding access to global music education.
Kai Mora (BA/MA History ’23)
Kai published an essay in The Republic and contributed biographies to The Met’s Flight Into Egypt exhibition catalogue, which spotlights African American artists engaging with ancient Egypt.
Lorena Valencia (MFA Film ’22)
Lorena’s short film Breaking the Silence won a New York Emmy Award for Public Service Announcement – Spanish, produced for the National Alliance on Mental Illness of NYC.
Nicole Treska (MFA Creative Writing ’10)
Nicole’s memoir Wonderland was released by Simon & Schuster in July 2024. The work explores themes of addiction, family, and resilience.
René Cordero (BA History ’14, MMUF)
René was a featured panelist at the 2025 CUNY Conference on Undergraduate Research, sharing insights on mentorship, research, and post-graduate academic pathways.
Sharlene Cruz (BA Theatre ’17)
Sharlene brought her film In the Summers to the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and continues to build a strong presence in independent film.
Victor Almanzar (BA Theatre ’12)
Victor received the 2024 Townsend Harris Medal for his acclaimed acting career. A CCNY Theatre graduate and veteran, he’s appeared in Between Riverside and Crazy, Homeland, and Empire, bringing heart and humanity to every role.
Wendyliz Martinez (BA Black Studies & English ’16)
Wendyliz earned her Ph.D. from Penn State and is now an ACLS Leading Edge Fellow at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, where she works on digital humanities initiatives.
Zahra Banyamerian (MA Art History ’22)
Zahra was named Program Officer at the Vilcek Foundation, where she oversees key arts and humanities prize programs.
These alumni show that the pursuit of knowledge and creative expression doesn’t end at graduation—it expands. Whether publishing, performing, curating, or advocating, our graduates are shaping their fields and communities with purpose and originality!