Feb. 20, 2023 By Carlotta Mohamed
Congresswoman Grace Meng on Tuesday, Feb. 15 presented a check for more than $2 million in federal funding to Queens College that will benefit the institution’s School of Business and the Colden Auditorium of the Kupferberg Center for the Arts.
Queens College President Frank Wu thanked Meng at an event in the Faculty and Staff Lounge of the Student Union Building, where he was presented with an oversized check.
“We are enormously pleased to celebrate this generous support, secured thanks to the outstanding efforts of Congresswoman Grace Meng,” Wu said. “Through her incredible hard work and dedication, Colden Auditorium—which benefits both Queens College and the larger community we serve—will be made more accessible, affordable, and modern. The funds allocated to Queens College’s Small Business Development Initiative will strengthen partnerships between our recently established School of Business and local small businesses—as we keep in mind that it was Congresswoman Meng who obtained the original support to establish the college’s Small Business Development Center.”
After securing nearly $2 million in federal funding last year for Queens College’s WETLAB, Meng said she is proud to once again deliver another big check to the school.
“Queens College is an outstanding institution. It does an exceptional job serving our borough and preparing students for their futures. These crucial funds will help local small businesses grow while providing students with opportunities for hands-on experience in the business world,” Meng said. “This money will also ensure that Colden Auditorium has the tools it needs to better serve Queens residents. As New York’s senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’m thrilled to fight for Queens College, and I look forward to these projects benefiting the college and borough residents for years to come.”
Meng secured $1,465,856 for a Small Business Development Initiative in which the Business School will partner with the college’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The goals of the collaboration include strengthening partnerships between the recently established Business School and local companies by providing internship opportunities with those companies, expanding the college’s curriculum as part of the small business management certificate program, and encouraging employees of local small businesses to enhance their career growth by pursuing a Queens College degree.
The $750,000 that Meng secured for Colden Auditorium will enable KCA to remain competitive in a post-COVID world—where in-person hybrid programs are now the norm—by funding high-quality audiovisual production and live streaming capability.
The funding will also make possible the upgrade, replacement, and installation of new technical production systems so that they are compatible with theatrical industry standards, ensuring technical and safety compliance. These improvements will further the mission of the “Colden for Queens” program, designed to meet the needs of a larger and more diverse demographic, as well as Queens-based firms that promote popular performers from overseas.