Hostos Community College: Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change, transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. Hostos serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, and a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "student success coach" program, which partners students with individualized guidance, is emblematic of the premier emphasis on student support and services.
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and 2 certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (HCAC) is one of the pre-eminent Latino arts centers of the northeast. The HCAC has distinguished itself for showcasing traditional art forms as well as emerging and internationally renowned artists.
Hostos Team
Associate Professor and Biology; Unit Coordinator
Dr. Trachman has been in the Natural Sciences Department at Hostos Community College since 2004 where she has taught several biology courses and has served as the Biology Unit Coordinator for the last 8 years. She also had taught an Infectious Diseases course at a local medical school for 20 years and other microbiology-related courses at other NYC universities. In recent years, she has become interested in pedagogical research and has also become an environmental activist. Dr. Trachman holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from NYU’s Sackler Institute of Biomedical Sciences. As a post-doctoral fellow, she performed research in the areas of microbiology, immunopharmacology and environmental medicine (cancer biology).
Assistant Professor, Physical Sciences Unit
Dr. Ivanova’s research background is in biophysics, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology. Major topics of interest in her research include bacteriophages, HIV research, and mechanisms of cell signaling. She is particularly interested in pedagogical research. She teaches physics, chemistry, organic chemistry and environmental science courses at Hostos Community College. Dr. Ivanova graduated from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia with a PhD in Biology and Biophysics.
ASAP Program Advisor
Ms. Jourdain has been part of Hostos since 2001. First, she started as a tutor at the HALC, Hostos Academic Learning Center. Eventually, Ms. Jourdain was promoted to continue working there as administrative staff, coordinating all the logistics such as workshops, tutors’ schedules, and timesheets. In 2008, Ms. Jourdain started working for ASAP, Accelerated Study in Associate Programs as an Academic Advisor, and promoted as the ASAP Program Specialist. Her main focus is to coordinate and guide STEM students in collaboration with the STEM resources in the college to facilitate students’ academic journey at Hostos.
Dual Degree Advising Specialist
Karla Contreras worked as a Dual Degree Advising Coordinator before joining ASAP at Hostos. Karla completed a Bachelor degree in International Business in Ecuador. Then, she moved to New York and got a second bachelor degree in Business Administration and a Master degree in Business Management/Human Resources at Lehman College.