CCNY Alumni Organization Information

This institution has been around since 1853. We represent about 100,000 living alumni of CCNY. We have a long and rich history. Some of our members are Nobel Laureates, Captains of Industry and leaders of government. Here are some detail information about our organization.

CCNY was founded as a free public higher education institution in 1847. We are celebrating our 171 year.

- Mar. 2018

Note: This website is not associated with the CCNY Alumni Association. It is a private effort to provide some information and historical facts. The official website appears in the link below.

Dear readers, if you have any interesting facts about CCNY or personal stories, please submit it in the comment section below. I will include them in future updates.

The Alumni Association of the City College consist of 15 affiliate organizations or Special Interest Groups. I am a member of one, the Asian Alumni group. I joined the board in 2017. In addition, there are a dozen chapters spread out over the whole United States.

The main publication is the Alumnus magazine which is published three times a year.

The annual membership due is based on a sliding scale increasing in amount for older classes.

• $100 for 1946 - 2012 graduates
• $60 for 2013 - present graduates
• $25 for faculty and staff

Please join if you are a graduate of CCNY. Here is the link to register.

• The Annual Asian Lunar New Year Dinner - Winter
• The Annual Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner - Spring
• The Annual Alumni Dinner - Fall

• Townsend Harris Medal
• John H. Finley Medal
• Alumni Service Awards

In 1907, City College moved to its breathtaking Neo-Gothic campus designed by George Browne Post, the architect of the Stock Exchange, onto what was being called an acropolis, in the heart of Harlem and Hamilton Heights. Built from the Manhattan schist bedrock on which they perch, the buildings are replete with white terra cotta ornament and a rich array of delightful grotesques reflecting the academic disciplines originally housed within. Today, those buildings are landmarked, and the campus has expanded to 36 tree-lined acres, including state-of-the-art science buildings. Within the iconic Shepard Hall is CCNY's Great Hall, a jewel of Post's grand design built in the tradition of the great European univeristy, and one of the largest rooms in all of New York City.

LAVENDER, MY LAVENDER

Sturdy sons of City College,
Trusty hearts and mighty hands,
Rally where your streaming banner
With its dauntless emblem stands.
Send a cheer to Heaven Ringing,
Voicing in a fond acclaim.
Faith and pride in Alma Mater
And her never dying fame.

Lavender, my Lavender! Lavender, my Lavender!
On the field of life's endeavor
Bound by ties that naught can sever,
Hail we Alma Mater ever, Lavender, my Lavender!

Daughters wise of City College,
Join your voices in the song.
To the lusty cheers of brothers,
Add your effort clear and strong.
Send a hymn to Heaven Singing,
Filled with love and fond acclaim,
Faith and pride in Alma Mater
And her never dying fame

Lavender, my Lavender! Lavender, my Lavender!
On the field of life's endeavor
Bound by ties that naught can sever,
Hail we Alma Mater ever, Lavender, my Lavender!

Words by Elias Lieberman 1903
Music by Walter R. Johnson 1903

The former Adolph Lewisohn Stadium, now the site of the North Academic Center (1915)

In the early 1900s, after most of the Gothic campus had been built, CCNY President John H. Finley wanted the College to have a stadium because the existing facilities for the College's athletic teams were inadequate. New York City did not provide the money needed to build a stadium; however, the municipal government donated to the College two city blocks south of the campus which were open park land. Finley's wish for a stadium moved forward when in 1912 businessman and philanthropist Adolph Lewisohn expressed interest in financing construction of the stadium. Lewisohn donated $75,000 for the stadium's construction and Finley commissioned architect Arnold W. Brunner to design Lewisohn Stadium, which was influenced by Finley's memories of a small rock-hewn theatre in the Trastevere section of Rome.^[70]

Lewisohn Stadium was built as a 6,000-seat stadium, with thousands more seats available on the infield during concerts, and was dedicated on May 29, 1915, two years after Dr. Finley had left his post at the College and Dr. Sidney Edward Mezes had become CCNY's fourth president. The stadium's dedication was enhanced by a performance of "The Trojan Women", produced by Granville Barker and Lillian McCarthy. College graduation services were held in Lewisohn for many years, with the last graduation held in 1973 shortly before it was demolished. Also deep under the grandstand seats was the college rifle range. It was used by ROTC students for basic handling of firearms.

One of the rooms in the Stadium was also the Fencing room where many of us practiced in narrow strips and took lessons from Mestro Ed Lucia.

The Alumni Association is one way to help our Alma Mater. It is not the only way. Everyone can get involved. There are volunteer positions on the boards and on the coaching staff.

5/25/2018 - A week after publishing, this website is showing up in google search at number 20. Just search on CCNY Alumni Organization and my webpage appears on the second page of results. That is fantastic...