MCNY will honor NYC Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and NYC Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch for their Continued Commitment to Positive Change in Our Communities

June 1, 2023 – Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) announced Adrienne E. Adams, New York City Council Speaker and Jessica Tisch, New York City Commissioner of Sanitation as speakers and recipients of honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees on June 17, 2023, at 1:00 pm at the Jacob Javits Convention Center for its 46th Commencement ceremony.

“The MCNY Community is honored to welcome Speaker Adams and Commissioner Tisch,” said MCNY President, Joanne Passaro, “Their work over many decades continues to advance excellence, equity and social justice across our communities.” 

Elected in January 2022 by her colleagues, Adrienne E. Adams leads the most diverse and the first women-majority Council in NYC’s history as its first-ever African American Speaker. Speaker Adams is the first woman to represent District 28, which encompasses the Queens neighborhoods of Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village, and South Ozone Park.

Through her leadership and ongoing commitment to social justice, the NYC Council is establishing legislation and financial support to address longstanding inequities in women’s health care, maternal health care for women of color, support for underserved victims of crime and the working conditions of NYC’s workforce.

Commissioner Jessica Tisch is a lifelong New Yorker, appointed in 2022 to lead the New York City Department of Sanitation, following over a decade of experience transforming government agencies to work more efficiently and effectively for New Yorkers. As Commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), she has reoriented the nation’s largest municipal waste agency around cleanliness, regularly cleaning over 1,500 areas in every community previously ignored for decades.

Commissioner Tisch began her career in City service with a dozen years at the NYPD, including several as Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology. She and her team built the Domain Awareness System, the City’s groundbreaking counterterrorism camera network, implemented the body camera program, and developed the service that allows New Yorkers to text 911.

MCNY will honor the Council Speaker and Commissioner for their efforts that both personally and professionally align with the College’s mission to promote social justice and encourage positive change in workplaces and communities. MCNY graduates pursue careers in public administration and public service, human services, business, education, emergency management, financial services, city and state government, healthcare, and media. They go on to do great things; improve existing non-profits and start new ones; lead government agencies, corporations, and first-responder teams; they are socially responsible, contributing members of our global community who give back—while getting ahead. Their commitment to Purpose-Centered Education has positioned them to lead positive change and work toward a better and more equitable world.

MCNY Press Contact: Tina Georgiou tgeorgiou@mcny.edu 212-343-1234 ext. 2626

About Metropolitan College of New York
For almost 60 years, MCNY has been serving highly motivated adult learners and has produced over 12,000 graduates; a vibrant network of professionals engaged in improving our world and striving for excellence. MCNY is a not-for-profit, accredited, private college committed to providing a superior, experientially-based education that fosters personal and professional development, promotes social justice, and encourages positive change in workplaces and communities. MCNY campuses are located in the Financial District at 60 West Street, New York, NY 10006 and in the Bronx at 463 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10455. For more information visit mcny.edu or call 212-343-1234.