Borough-wide
Cheers to Brooklyn brawler Amanda Serrano. She scored an impressive six-round knockout over Argentine boxer Maria “Tily” Maderna from Buenos Aires to wear the golden World Boxing Organization World Lightweight belt. The bout took place at the Argentine Boxing Federation Stadium in August.
Our boxing babe, formerly a Featherweight and Super Featherweight World champion, dominated the fight with a rapid one-two punch that sent Maderna to the mat. In the sixth round, she connected a very solid right hook that sent her opponent down for the count.
Amanda told Standing O, “I promised my people in Puerto Rico and Brooklyn another world title. Hard training and patience are the keys to success.”
In 2011 Amanda became the first female boxer in International Boxing Federation history to win the Super Featherweight world title, in 2013 she captured the Featherweight Universal Boxing Federation and Women’s International Boxing Association world titles, and in 2014 she wears the gold in the lightweight division.
She now adds the coveted Standing O title to her list of achievements.
Welcome and ben venutti
Standing O is putting out the welcome mat for Winston Von Engel, the new Brooklyn director of City Planning. Our pal Carlos Scissura, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce let us know of the appointment and added his congratulations stating, “There is no one more qualified for this position, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with him to make Brooklyn even better!”
Carlos added that Winston has nearly three decades of experience and was an excellent choice for the director of the Brooklyn offices. “I have known him for years and we have worked together on countless projects across the borough, from Coney Island to Downtown Brooklyn to Bay Ridge.”
Standing O wishes Winston a very long and successful tenure.
Fort Greene
It’s speechifying
Congratulations to the speech language pathology graduate program at Long Island University for being ranked number one in a national survey by GraduatePrograms.com. The rankings encompass ratings and reviews posted by more than 60,000 graduate students.
LIU president Dr. Kimberly Cline said, “It is significant that being ranked number one is based on peer-to-peer data. Our speech program emphasizes small classes, close interaction and comprehensive preparation for a successful career within this in-demand field.”
The program at LIU focuses on advancing the study of human communication sciences and disorders within a culturally and linguistically diverse society.
And if Brooklyn is anything, it’s linguistically diverse.
Dr. Nelson Moses, chairman of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders explained, “We have a student-driven program that leads to greater career opportunities and our faculty takes on a mentoring role, working closely with students and their clients.”
Long Island University — Brooklyn
[1 University Plaza at Willoughby Street in Fort Greene, (718) 488–1000].
Bay Ridge
Going for the gold
Kudos to the students in Xaverians’ middle school program, Genesis, and in the high school. The groups joined forces to Go Gold and raise awareness of pediatric cancer. The “Go Gold” effort was spearheaded by Camille Orichio Loccisano, mother of Frankie Loccisano, a member of Xaverian’s class of 2008 who succumbed to the disease in 2007. Camille runs Frankie’s Mission, an organization dedicated to helping families affected by childhood cancer.
Student Leadership Council members cut more than 400 yards of gold ribbon and worked with high schoolers to hang the ribbons around the exterior of the school The gold ribbons acted as reminders of all those affected by the disease and especially to the family of Frankie Loccisano.
Xaverian High School and Middle School [7100 Shore Rd. at 71st Street in Bay Ridge, (718) 836–7100].
