Community members and local leaders gathered on Thursday, Aug. 28, for the Investiture Reception of York College President Dr. Claudia V. Schrader. The reception, which also raised funds for the college’s One York Emergency Relief Fund, was held at the Hyatt Regency JFK Airport, located at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd.
From January 2024 to May 2025, Schrader served as the interim president of CUNY York College before she was officially named as the president in April and appointed in May.
Schrader has previously served as a leader within the CUNY system. She was the former president of Kingsborough Community College, which she said put her in a unique position to address the needs of York College. Schrader is also a former Queens resident, having lived in Cambria Heights and Kew Gardens.
She said that during her time as the interim president, she understood that the position wasn’t something that she could take for granted.
“I wanted to really address issues that were low-hanging fruit,” she said. Schrader said some of the issues she tackled during her interim presidency included the lack of marketing of the college and advertising of the programs, as well as enrollment rates.
Schrader added that she was and still is committed to upgrading facilities at York College, including existing common spaces, and building connections with students to hear their feedback on what they want to see on their campus.
Now that Schrader has assumed her role as president, she said she looks forward to executing her five-year plan to revitalize York College. Her plans include continuing the vision of former York College president Marcia Keizs to build an academic village and conference center for the college.
“I really want to put that back on the floor, because we need space. Our dreams, our goals, and our aspirations can’t fit in the campus we have now. We want to add programs,” she said.
Additionally, Schrader said another priority is increasing enrollment through a number of initiatives, including new degree programs and expanding online programming.
In the meantime, Schrader has already fulfilled one of her goals related to student life. The college is already working on beautifying its existing buildings with new paint, furniture, and technology upgrades.
Schrader highlighted that she accomplished a major goal of reopening the York College cafeteria at the end of August, which had been closed since 2019.
“ We got it open within seven months. New furniture, completely refurbished inside, and so now it’s open and these students can go on campus, sit in the cafeteria, socialize,” she said. “Cafeterias are an important part of a student’s experience on a college campus, so we’re really happy about it.”
Schrader said she is thankful for the support of her staff and student body in realizing her plans for York College’s future.
“ I just feel very fortunate to be in a role where there’s work to be done, and I know that I’m gonna get it done. It may take a while because problems didn’t occur overnight, so they’re not going to be solved overnight. But I think I have a willing faculty, a student, a staff body that will help that work happen,” she said.
She added that for many students, York College offers something that no other college has.
“ There’s students who leave other communities that come to us and say well I tried this, but it’s too big. No one really seems to pay attention. I couldn’t make friends. And then they come to York, and it’s there. There are students who didn’t want to come to York, and then they come, and then they say this is the best decision they’ve ever made,” she said.
Throughout the evening, faculty, staff, and students shared their praise of Schrader.
“ She’s got huge experience in CUNY. When she came in, she hit the ground running. She’s been making some amazing changes. Not only is the way that the campus looks, it’s brighter, more welcoming, there are better facilities, but also in the vision that she has for the college,” said Derrick Brazil, provost and vice president of academic affairs.
“ One of the things that’s really impressed me is her relationship with the students,” Brazil added. “Everything that she does is student-centered, and the way she makes sure that’s the case is she goes out and talks to the students.”
