Rep. Adriano Espaillat Receives 2021 Queens College President’s Medal
NEW YORK, NY – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement on receiving the 2021 Queens College President’s Medal, the highest administrative award designation from President Frank H. Wu:
"A special thank you to Queens College for allowing me to address students this afternoon as part of this year’s commencement, and it is truly an honor to receive this year’s Queens College President’s Medal—the college’s highest administrative honor – I receive it with great humility and gratefulness. Thank you to President Frank H. Wu and the distinguish leadership and faculty," said Rep. Espaillat. "To the 2021 graduates, congratulations on your momentous achievement. You have shown tremendous perseverance, resiliency and determination during this unprecedented time facing our community, and your shared goal to become more engaged comes at a time when your presence and your voice are needed the most."
"Congressmember Espaillat's inspiring life story and distinguished career prove what is possible with a Queens College education, exemplifying the college’s motto, 'We learn so that we may serve,' and I am happy to announce he will deliver the keynote at the college’s 97th Commencement on June 3, 2021, and be presented with the Queens College President’s Medal, the highest administrative award I am authorized to present. The entire Queens College community takes tremendous pride in all Congressmember Espaillat has achieved so far, and we look forward to his presentation at Commencement," said President Frank H. Wu.
Rep. Espaillat graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974. In 1979, he earned his B.S. in political science from Queens College, entering through the Percy E. Sutton SEEK Program as an undocumented immigrant; he later completed postgraduate courses in Public Administration at New York University and the Rutgers University Leadership for Urban Executives Institute. After receiving his diploma, he began applying his knowledge at nonprofit organizations that provided legal services to indigents, counseled families of crime victims, and fought substance abuse. He then entered elective office and became the first Dominican American member of the New York State Legislature, and through his leadership, helped pass a bill that allowed undocumented immigrants to attend CUNY and SUNY schools at in-state tuition rates. Espaillat served as a member of both the New York State Assembly and the State Senate, and was elected by colleagues as the chairperson of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus prior to his election to the United States House of Representatives.
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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his third term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities. He is also a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves as the Second Vice Chair and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where he serves as Deputy Whip. Representative Espaillat also currently serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.
Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov