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Wednesday, April 15, 2026
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From College Orientation to Careers: Lehman Programs Take Top Honors
Bascillia Toussaint and Navisha Maharaj (center) with their award certificates and staff of the Career Exploration & Development Center
April 15, 2026
The Career Exploration and Development Center at Lehman helps students map their future, sometimes even before they even declare a major. Now, two of the Center's programs have taken top honors at the 2026 Annual Career Services Association at CUNY Conference, where Senior Director Bascillia Toussaint and Associate Director Navisha Maharaj placed first and second in the “Campus, Employer & Community Engagement” category.
The award-winning initiatives reflect Lehman’s ongoing commitment to connecting students with meaningful career pathways and breaking down barriers that many CUNY students face in connecting academic study to meaningful careers, Toussaint said.
The first-place award recognized “Own Your Future: Career Readiness for Every Student,” a career-focused orientation workshop designed to meet students at the very start of their college journey. The program addresses issues including career paths, earnings potential, and labor market realities, and is especially beneficial to first-generation and nontraditional college students with minimal access to outside career guidance or professional networks.
Developed in collaboration with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and Campus Life, the workshop is now part of the new student orientation offered each academic term.
“By centering career development as a lifelong process and integrating academic, personal, and labor market knowledge early, these programs help ensure that every Lehman student can own their future beyond graduation,” said Toussaint.
The second-place award honored the Broadway League and Lehman College Career Pathway Program, launched in Fall 2025 to expand awareness of theater careers beyond performance.
“The purpose of this event was to share opportunities in Theater that were not performance-based roles,” said Maharaj, who organized the event. “Many students are unaware of the non-performance career paths within the field including roles in production management, marketing, public relations, social media, and producing.”
“This program spotlighted the importance of collaboration between Lehman and industry partners who are committed to mentorship and workforce diversity,” she added.
The program engaged 64 students and alumni from multiple majors, connecting them directly with industry professionals, including a Lehman alum. In a follow-up survey, more than 95% of participants highlighted networking as one of the most valuable aspects, reporting greater confidence and clarity about their career options.
"Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful because it highlights the importance of creating access to career education and opportunities for students,” Maharaj said.