In June at Borough of Manhattan Community College’s (BMCC/CUNY) 61st Commencement at Barclays Center, Erick Portes, Kiana Dwarka, and Serigne Niasse, the first cohort of graduates from the BMCC CUNY Unlimited program, earned a CUNY Unlimited Credential. The three-year comprehensive transition program expands access to the college experience for students with intellectual disabilities, providing skills for employment through internships, self-advocacy education, and immersion in all the activities that a college campus has to offer.
“Just being there and being with other students with disabilities and also the regular graduates was a huge blessing for me,” said Portes, who recalled the joy-filled electricity in the arena that day. “The experience itself was a wonder to behold and I feel very fortunate.”
CUNY Unlimited is run through a partnership with the Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MRHEP) at AHRC New York City, a unit of The Arc New York. BMCC has partnered with MRHEP since 2015, but the current version launched in 2023 when it was officially designated as a certified Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP). CUNY provides access for students, while AHRC NYC provides support services. In addition to BMCC, Hostos Community College and Queensborough Community College offer the program.
The program is designed to prepare its students for their next steps in adulthood, including employment, through participation in academic courses, campus life, work experiences, and an independent living and self-advocacy curriculum.
