MLC Staff
Meet the staff of the Modern Language Center!
Manager
Manny: I am the Manager of the Modern Language Center. I am a John Jay Graduate with a BS in Forensic Science/Criminalistics. I also have an MSEd in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College. My education and different positions at JJAY have provided me with the opportunity to discover and learn so many things. The most important lesson I learned is that learning is constructive, and it starts with changing your mindset. Success is achieved through holistic learning. This focuses on - how we absorb information, building our emotional intelligence, and our process for making our learning engagement all work. Success hinges on reflection, which is at the core of being a mastery-oriented learner.
Tutors
Carmelita: I am a first generation Mexican American. I’m an alumnus of John Jay College, and one of the Spanish tutors for the Modern Language Center, supporting all levels. I graduated from John Jay with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Spanish. My hope is it continue my studies and obtain a language certification to add to my skillset, which will provide a greater opportunity for me in the interpretation and investigative career fields. My learning strategies are utilizing the open-ended method of questioning as well as emphasizing the importance of the question “why?"
Ghada: Hello, everyone. I’m the Arabic and French tutor at the MLC. I have been tutoring for the past 5 years and I definitely enjoy doing it. I enjoy every aspect of it from meeting new students, seeing them improve and progress throughout the semester, and observing their skills grow as they become more confident learning a foreign language.
Jiamin: I am from mainland China, but I grew up in NYC. I speak both Chinese and Japanese. I learned Chinese through watching Asian drama shows. Utilizing the subtitles is how I learned simplified and traditional Chinese characters. I started to study Japanese in high school and continued learning the language in college. Currently, I work at Modern Language Center as the Chinese and Japanese tutor. Each tutoring session is conducted with a personalized approach. Starting with understanding the student’s unique needs. This helps create a learning process focused on retaining information and developing critical thinking skills. I always encourage students to practice their language skills using repetition to support memorizing concepts.
Maria: Holds a Ph.D. in German literature. She teaches literature and composition/rhetoric courses in the English Department and tutors German at all levels at the Modern Language Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice-CUNY. Her research interests include contemporary German-language minority literature; intersections of politics and aesthetics in the work of radical women of color, Black feminism, and the modern Black German movement; and pedagogy in literature and composition/rhetoric classrooms. As an adjunct professor, Maria works toward dismantling white, colonial and ethnonationalist power structures, and fiercely advocates BIPoC students and faculty of color in contingent positions in higher education.
Erika: Hola, ¿Qué tal? I am a John Jay alumnus with a Criminology major, Psychology minor and Spanish Translation and Interpretation Certificate. I am one of the Spanish tutors at The Modern Language Center. I really like to tutor students in Spanish because when people learn my native language they are also learning the culture. This is exciting to me because it allows me to share more of who I am and where I come from. I always encourage my tutees to come and speak to me in Spanish to practice their pronunciation and to increase their communication with other Spanish speakers. I strongly believe in the use of open-ended questions because it allows the student to process what they are learning and reflect on information already learned.
Liza: I am Middle Eastern (Yemen). I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Information Security and a minor in Homeland Security and Cybercrime. My goal for the future is to work as a Cloud Engineer for Amazon, Google, Apple, or Microsoft. I am currently working as an Arabic Tutor in the Modern Language Center. The tutoring strategy I use in my sessions is questioning techniques to help students make connections between what they know and what they don't know.
Shane: I am the Italian tutor at the MLC. The joy of having been teaching languages, creative writing and literature for nearly 8 years comes from a rich academic background which includes teaching Italian language courses in the Romance and Modern Languages Departments at Hunter, Baruch, and now, John Jay Colleges in New York City as well as earning an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University. During that period, I received a Word for Word literary translation fellowship and partnered in an exchange program with Scuola Holden Writing Academy in Torino providing me the opportunity to work with the extraordinary, Italian translator and interpreter, Michael F. Moore before moving to Italy to participate in a full-immersion language scholarship at the Università per Stranieri in Perugia, Umbria. My prior experiences include teaching creative writing at Columbia University, Kingsborough College, and Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning High School in Brooklyn. My other honors include the Riggio Honors: Writing and Democracy fellowship from the New School University where I earned my BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences. I am currently a PhD candidate in the Comparative Literature department at The Graduate Center, CUNY in New York City.
Luis: I am one of the Spanish tutors at the MLC. I am a New York-based scholar and writer pursuing a PhD in Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Cultures at the CUNY Graduate Center. My interests revolve around Mexican literature and cinema, archives, feminism, masculinities, violence, and neoliberalism. I split my time between parenting my 4-year-old son, Leo, writing my dissertation, teaching Spanish and Portuguese languages, and wrapping up a book of tales. My current obsession is improving my times to run the 2025 NYC Marathon.
Receptionists
Sherley: I am a junior at John Jay College, majoring in Forensic Science with a focus on criminalistics and molecular biology. I was born and raised in the South Bronx, but my parents are from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. I work as a receptionist at the Modern Language Center. My customer service strategy is centered around creating a comfortable and safe environment where students feel welcomed to ask questions.
Victor: Hey! Soy de la República Dominicana. I'm currently in my second year at John Jay, diving into the world of Spanish literature and doing a certificate for translation and interpretation. You can find me working as a receptionist at The Modern Language Center. ¡Me encanta charlar! If you ever have a question, ¡aquí estoy para ayudar! Patience is the key to everything.
Yateshwari: Hi there! I major in Political Science and later plan to add Forensic Accounting as a minor. I live in Queens, NY. I’m a driven and accomplished professional with a passion for the business industry with a unique blend of creative and analytical talents. I believe that providing exceptional customer service leads to positive organizational outcomes through effective communication.
Olami: Hi everyone! I am a current sophomore studying political science with a minor in Law at John Jay. In the MLC I work as a front desk receptionist and believe that having patience is the best customer service quality to have because you are able to show customers you are there to support them.
Bianca: Hi guys! I am from the Dominican Republic. I am a transfer student from BMCC, where I got my associate’s degree in accounting. Currently, I am a junior at John Jay College majoring in Fraud Examination and Financial Forensics and becoming a Certified Spanish Legal Interpreter and Translator. I enjoy helping others and love creating a good customer service experience for people. If you need help or have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.
Lizeth: Hi everyone, I was born in Colombia and moved to NYC when I was 9yrs old. I am a transfer student from Hunter college, I am majoring in criminology with a minor in biology. I am a receptionist at the Modern Language Center where I love creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. If you have any questions we are here to help.
Megan: Hey! I am Puerto Rican and was raised in the South Bronx. I am currently a sophomore at John Jay. I was a forensic science major but now I am currently a Criminal Justice major. I work as a receptionist at the Modern Language Center where I hope to make everyone feel welcomed and safe.