Serrano Honors Fernandez's Tenure at Hostos

In a prepared statement Serrano said:

Every life stands for something, every life can be a metaphor for causes and movements bigger than any one of us.  When I think of your years of toil and struggle (and a great measure of joy, I’m sure) rebuilding Hostos, I can’t help but consider the broader effort still at hand to rebuild our borough in the wake of the pain and destruction of the 1970’s.  In some sense, one could not proceed without the other.  You have been instrumental in preparing our community for successful lives in a new South Bronx; your campus has become a vital hub of learning, the arts, and productive discourse between students, thinkers, and local leaders.  In a few short years, Hostos has been transformed into the public square of the South Bronx and that is an achievement in which you can take great pride.  Under your leadership, Hostos became an indispensable institution in our borough, whose success became our success.

In the years ahead, when our borough historians look back upon the last quarter century of life in The Bronx, I am certain that they will point to your tenure as President of Hostos Community College as a pivotal turning point.  I am proud to call myself your friend and a friend of Hostos.  Though I am saddened by your departure, I know that you will find your way to continue to serve.

On July 1, Dr. Fernandez will become a professor in the Urban Education Program at the City University of New York.