CREST at Events
2025 HSTAT’s Career, Internship, and Transition Services Spring Fair
Dr. Shakila Merchant, Director, CUNY CREST HIRES and Deputy Director, CUNY CREST, Mr. Cesar Ortiz, CREST Office Manager, Dr. Vartika Chandra Saman, CREST Research Scientist, and Ms. Srishti Tyagi, CREST Communication Manager represented the institute at the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology Career, Internship, and Transition Services Spring Fair on March 18, 2025. The team engaged with the students through its booth, informing them about the CUNY CREST HIRES, United Nations University Hub at CCNY- R-SIRUS, and the ESE program at CCNY. Several students, guidance counselors, parents, and faculty came to the booth and asked questions on ways to engage with the institute. It was a productive event! Events like this help us to connect and build strong relationships with NYC K12 communities. It also serves as a recruitment pipeline into our CREST Summer Outreach Programs and College-Readiness Programs such as HIRES and builds a strong pathway for incoming freshmen to CCNY/GSOE and other CUNY schools.
2025 Pre-College Engineering Day by Latin American Engineering Student Association Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineerings
CREST participated in the 2025 Pre-College Engineering Day by Latin American Engineering Student Association Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineerings on March 28, 2025. Mr. César Ortiz, CREST Office Manager and Dr. Liubov Kreminska, Associate Director for Program Administration and Advising of the ESE Degree Program at CCNY represented the institute at the event.
The event provided a platform to Latinx and other minority high school students to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields and college career opportunities. Through well organized lab tours, informative workshops, opportunity fair, and student activities, the event entailed a fun-filled and productive day of engagement for the high schoolers as they prepared to apply for colleges.
CREST facilitated the lab tours for the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Ocean and Coastal Optical Remote Sensing (ORS) Lab at CCNY at the Grove School of Engineering and also conducted outreach for CREST programs such as CUNY CREST HIRES, Summer Bridge, NOAA CESSRST II, and the ESE degree program at CCNY, through its booth.
Brooklyn Transition and College Access Center (TCAC) Fair
Dr. Shakila Merchant, Director, CUNY CREST HIRES and Deputy Director, CUNY CREST and Mr. Cesar Ortiz, CREST Office Manager represented the institute at the Brooklyn Transition and College Access Center (TCAC) Fair on April 11, 2025. TCAC empowers high school students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and their families by providing comprehensive support for successful transition from school to adult life. CUNY CREST team interacted with the participants and helped students learn about the CUNY CREST HIRES program and how it may be instrumental to helping them be prepared for college. In addition, they informed students of the other opportunities available within the CREST program umbrella such as the Summer Bridge, CESSRST II, and the ESE degree program at CCNY. Students were curious and asked questions. They also received flyers and goodies!
Several students, guidance counselors, parents, and faculty came to the institute’s booth. It was a productive event.
Career Day at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS)
Dr. Liubov Kreminska, Associate Director for Program Administration and Advising of the ESE Degree Program at CCNY represented the CREST Institute and the ESE degree program at the Career Day at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS) on May 1, 2025. She helped attendees learn about various opportunities the institute and the CCNY offers for academic and professional development. Students were curious to learn!
