By Phil Newman
Keizs, speaking to the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation's 38th annual meeting last week, said her proposal would include help from USFDA Northeast Regional Laboratory staff.”This program would combine the model of the CUNY honors program with the immense strength of both institutions,” Keizs said.The USFDA Northeast Lab is located on the York campus in Jamaica and collaboration between the school and federal agency also exists, with York students serving as interns in the lab and lab scientists teaching at York.”For our entering class of the Fall 2006, five exceptional students from the borough of Queens would be chosen for admission into this honors program,” Keizs said.”The criteria would be grade point average, SAT scores, high school recommendations and participation in a science project to be developed and judged jointly by York College faculty and the USFDA staff,” Keizs said.”My challenge, and that of my administration, will be to raise the funds from corporations, individual donors and foundations to support four years of tuition for these students, in addition to a stipend and a laptop computer.”Keizs said the program would result in a bachelor of science degree in natural sciences with a specialty in microbiology.Keizs, who took over as president of York last February, said her mission was to allow York “to exhibit the quality of other CUNY honors programs campuses, raise the profile of York as a venue for the best and brightest of New York City high school students, further collaboration between USFDA and York and become a pathway to attract recognition of the college and open doors to the overall donor community.”Reach contributing writer Phil Newman by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300 ext. 136.
