Senate Resolution No. 4951

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING Selena T. Rodgers Ph.D. upon the
occasion of her designation for special recognition
by the Master of Social Work Program at CUNY York
College on May 18, 2018

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
the distinguished careers of those outstanding educational leaders,
whose dedication and achievements have been instrumental in developing
character and academic excellence in the young people of New York State;
and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Selena T. Rodgers Ph.D. upon the occasion of her designation for
special recognition by the Master of Social Work Program at CUNY York
College; this auspicious occasion will be celebrated at the Program's
Launch Party on Friday, May 18, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Selena T. Rodgers earned her master's degree in Social Work
from Syracuse University and her Ph.D. from Adelphi University; and

WHEREAS, For over three decades, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has lived in
Queens, New York, where she served as a licensed clinical social worker
(LCSWR) for over 10 years; in this role, she provided culturally
competent, mental health services for adolescents with experiences of
violence and sexual trauma, and as an administrator at Safe Horizon,
Inc., the largest victim-assistance agency in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers began her long and distinguished
career as an adjunct social work assistant professor with CUNY over 16
years ago; she then led the college's Baccalaureate Social Work Field
Education Program until 2016, when she earned tenure and was promoted to
associate professor; and

WHEREAS, When Dr. Selena T. Rodgers was named Founding Director and
Chief Administrator of the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at City
University of New York (CUNY) York College during the 2017-2018 academic
year, she made "herstory," becoming the first African American woman to
lead the first graduate social work program in Queens, New York, within
the City University of New York; and

WHEREAS, Established over 50 years ago, York College is a senior
college of CUNY; the MSW Program at the college upholds the legacy
established by Hunter College School of Social Work over 60 years ago
and continued by Lehman College and College of Staten Island; and

WHEREAS, Through Dr. Selena T. Rodgers' vision, the MSW program has
pledged to meet community needs and growing labor demands and equip
urban health scholars with the tools to soar and transform their lives;
and

WHEREAS, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has extensively researched
posttraumatic growth in adults with various trauma-stressor experiences,

vicarious trauma in social work scholars and practitioners and
historical trauma in African American women; she has published in
refereed journals and other scholarly platforms with emphasis on
structural oppression through an intersectional lens; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers is the founding editor
of "York College Social Work Field Education Signature Pedagogy"
E-Newsletter, which highlights progressive trends in field education,
scholar policy, and the profession; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated to the social work profession, Dr. Selena T.
Rodgers has served as an Editorial Board member for AFFILIA Journal,
PSC-CUNY Grievance Counselor at York College, and faculty advisor for
the S.W.E.E.T. Club for over 12 years; furthermore, she was a reviewer
for the CUNY Research Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Since 1992, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has been a member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first sorority for black
college-educated women, and was the founding MSW faculty advisor for Chi
Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work which was
established in 2018; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to her community, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has
conducted numerous workshops on mentoring and leadership and implemented
mentoring opportunities for student scholars at the Rochdale Village
Technology Learning Center; and

WHEREAS, She has worked on Queens District Attorney's Richard A.
Brown's Star (Straight Talk About Risks) Track anti-violence program in
Far Rockaway, Queens to combat gun violence, drugs and gang violence;
Dr. Rodgers has also led various mentoring initiatives for CUNY York
and international communities; and

WHEREAS, For her steadfast and unremitting commitment to her
profession and her community, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has been the
recipient of numerous awards and accolades from her home campus, CUNY,
community organizations, national associations, and a host of Queens
elected officials; and

WHEREAS, Throughout Dr. Selena T. Rodgers' tenure at CUNY York
College, she has strived to strengthen global relations; she has served
as a United States Delegate for South Korea, and participated in the
inaugural CSWE sponsored Delegation to Havana, Cuba; and

WHEREAS, As a United States Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor
at Free International University (ULIM), Dr. Selena T. Rodgers was
instrumental in developing a MSW program in Chisinau, Republic of
Moldova in Eastern Europe; served as guest lecturer at Vaal Triangle
Campus, North-West University, Vanderbijpark, in South Africa; taught at
Mission Grandbois in L'Atribonite Marchand Dessalines, Haiti; and was an
expert evaluator for Romanian and United States Fulbright Commissions;
and

WHEREAS, Educators like Dr. Selena T. Rodgers have provided a
tremendous service to the future of our State and Nation, inspiring
generations of young people in their educational journeys and ensuring
their success in their future years; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Selena T. Rodgers has clearly had an enduring impact on
the youth of CUNY York College, as well as on the community-at-large,
and accordingly merits recognition and applause for her impressive
dedication to others; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those individuals who work to support our proud tradition of
public education by providing their skills and talents to our schools;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Selena T. Rodgers Ph.D. upon the occasion of her designation for
special recognition by the Master of Social Work Program at CUNY York
College; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Selena T. Rodgers Ph.D.