Community Board 12 Recognizes 2009/2010 Dyckman Scholars

Columbia College senior Iliana Feliz with her parents

On January 26th, Community Board 12 recognized the local Columbia College students who are the recipients of the Dyckman Institute Fund scholarship for the 2009/2010 academic year.  This year’s winners are freshman Jason Tejada, sophomore Christopher Davidson, junior Patricia Rojas, and senior Iliana Feliz. The Dyckman scholarship provides financial support to outstanding undergraduate students living in the Upper Manhattan neighborhoods of Washington Heights and Inwood.  In the current academic year, approximately 20 students from these neighborhoods benefit from almost $700,000 in need-based scholarships to attend Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.              

After a short video presentation about the Dyckman Institute Fund Scholarship and attending Columbia, the members of the board had a chance to hear from Ms. Feliz, who was accompanied by her parents, Jose and Domingo Feliz.  She spoke about how experiences at Columbia and what the scholarship has meant to her and her family, noting that without the financial aid package she received from Columbia she would not have been able to attend and receive such a wonderful and valuable education.  Unfortunately, the other three recipients were not able to attend.  Board President Pamela Palenque-North congratulated Ms. Feliz and said that, “Community Board 12 salutes each scholar on their commitment to excellence and academic achievement.  We are proud to have these students serve as role models for the children and youth of our Washington Heights and Inwood community.” 

One of 300 individual need-based scholarships available to Columbia students, this program’s origins can be traced to founding father Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton’s widow, Eliza, donated the building and land for the Hamilton Free School — the first school in Washington Heights — in 1818. In 1860, the school became the Dyckman Library, the first free public library in Upper Manhattan. In the early 1920’s the library became the Dyckman Institute, which operated both a museum devoted to local archaeology in Inwood Hill Park and a publishing house. In 1943, the trustees of the institute decided to dissolve it and to establish a scholarship fund at Columbia for students from Washington Heights and Inwood.

Dean Goldman Speaks to the Washington Heights/Inwood Chamber of Commerce

Dean Goldman and Chamber of Commerce President and Coogan's owner Peter Walsh speak to members of the Washington Heights/Inwood Chamber of Commerce

On January 28th, Dean Goldman addressed over 40 small business owners during the Washington Heights/Inwood Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast.  The Chamber’s membership includes many small businesses from Northern Manhattan, many of the area’s larger institutions like Isabella Geriatric Center and Yeshiva University.  CUMC and New York Presbyterian Hospital are members as well.  The meeting was hosted at Coogan’s Restaurant by Peter Walsh, current Chair of the Chamber and co-owner of the restaurant, welcomed Dean Goldman.  Local elected officials were also in attendance, including newly elected New York City Coucilman Ydanis Rodriguez who also addressed the members.

Dean Goldman took a few minutes to talk about Columbia University Medical Center, focusing on it’s the three missions – research, education, and patient care – and highlighting some the Medical Center’s strengths in each of these areas.  He highlighted the work of all four schools and the partnership with New York Presbyterian. 

The Dean’s comments then turned towards his commitment to the community and how CUMC works with its neighbors to make the area a better place to live, work, study, and heal.  He said that going forward he was hoping to create a better, more inviting, campus atmosphere.  Specifically he discussed the need to upgrade the 168th subway station, creating a campus like atmosphere along the Haven corridor and an overall healthier and safer community for patients, student, employees and visitors.  Dean Goldman also made a pitch to members of the Chamber to ask them to support funding for the National Institutes of Health, noting how important NIH funding is for advancing health and science, and for the overall strength of CUMC and the local economy.

Be a FUNDgiver!

Click on the brochure and support the Medical Center Neighborhood Fund.

Neighborhood Fund Donation Form

Research Means Hope

Support Funding for the

National Institutes of Health