By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn’s historic Medgar
Evers College (MEC), celebrating
over five decades of advancing
knowledge, social justice
and excellence, becomes the
first City University of New
York (CUNY) campus to offer
a cannabis minor degree program.
The college said in a statement
on Wednesday that students
can now enroll in “Introduction
to the World of Cannabis,”
a prerequisite course
for many of the other cannabis
courses in this degree
program.
In following semesters, students
can choose four courses
from any of the 13 newly-developed
courses to earn a cannabis
degree minor in one of
four different tracks.
“These courses provide educational
opportunities not only
to MEC students but to all
students at the other 24 CUNY
campuses via e-permits,” the
statement said.
“Exemplifying its core mission
to provide educational
workforce development and
opportunities for economic
expansion, MEC’s cannabis
minor and forthcoming adult
education program will feature
the skill-building instructional
support needed to foster new
cannabis leaders in the areas
of testing, cultivation, business
and health,” it added.
“As a botanist, I’m particularly
Caribbean Life, S 18 EPTEMBER 10-16, 2021
pleased to see that
the institution that I’ve been
selected to lead is on the cutting
edge of providing educational
opportunities to learn
about the many beneficial uses
of plants, such as cannabis, and
to provide the training necessary
for our students to be
able to compete for burgeoning
opportunities in this new
industry,” said MEC President,
Dr. Patricia Ramsey.
“Education is a key step in
raising awareness of the nonrecreational
benefits of plants,
such as cannabis,” she added.
“Often times, communities
of color are the last to benefit
from emerging economic
opportunities.
“The science faculty and the
business faculty collaborated in
developing the minor in cannabis
education; thus, exposing
the students to the science,
health, technical and business
aspects of this new industry,”
Dr. Ramsey continued.
Coinciding with New York
State’s recent adult-use cannabis
legalization, MEC said
the program seeks to engage
degree and non-degree students,
faculty and staff, advocacy
groups and community
members, including the formerly
incarcerated and those
transitioning from the legacy
market.
“The program can serve as
a resource for policy-makers
through its diverse instructors
and partnerships and support
with organizations, multi-state
operators, and state license
holders, including the cannabis
leadership organization
Women Grow; the iconic Cookies
cannabis brand, the Webber
Wild Impact Fund, led by
five-time NBA All-Star, 2021
Basketball Hall of Fame Chris
Webber; medical dispensary
giant Columbia Care, influential
Cannabis Advisory Group,
and NYC community-focused
foundation Gotham Gives,” the
statement said.
Gia Morón, president of
Women Grow, said “the significance
of a cannabis minor
MEC President, Dr. Patricia Ramsey. Photo by Nelson A. King
at Medgar Evers College is not
lost upon those familiar with
the legacy of its namesake who
fought for civil rights.
“We believe this program
and future cannabis programs
at MEC will serve as a model
for other institutions of higher
learning that can respond to
socio-economic shifts through
programming centered on
community needs,” she said.
“Too often, colleges located
in neighborhoods that once
served as the battlegrounds in
the failed war on drugs are
denied access to pivotal opportunities.
Ganja education comes to MEC
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