Dennis Torres is a two-time Iraq combat veteran with eight years of service within the Selective Marine Corps Reserve, specializing within the communications field. During his time in the corps, he earned a BA in Labor Studies from Hofstra University, and an MA in Industrial Psychology from Adelphi University.
Since completing his service, Dennis spent two-and-a-half years as a Veterans Specialist with New York City’s Workforce1 – Veteran Priority1 program, specializing in assisting veterans and their spouses find employment.
After gaining invaluable skills with Workforce1, he searched for an organization that would grant him the opportunity to give back to fellow veterans. CUNY-Queens College has made that dream come true while permitting him to use what he learned from his master’s degree. Striving to assist veterans, military personnel, and dependents in pursuing their academic and civilian careers, he has brought ambition and energy to the campus, spurring growth in the Veterans Support Office.
Dennis is a proud uncle of eight nieces and nephews and enjoys playing indoor soccer, and cycling.
School Certifying Official
We are proud to announce that Carlos Garzon, a U.S. Army Veteran, has joined our Veterans Support Services (VSS) team. Carlos holds a Master of Arts degree in Computer Science from Queens College and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Digital Marketing at Baruch College.
Over the past two years, Carlos has provided invaluable support to VSS in various capacities, including administrative duties, data processing for military and government platforms, and offering guidance to Queens College students on their benefits with exceptional quality service. Having utilized his benefits, Carlos was inspired to seek an opportunity to give back to his fellow veterans, which CUNY-Queens College has enabled him to do while using the knowledge gained from his master’s degree.
Carlos’s passion for technology and video games is commendable. He is enthusiastic about helping veterans, military personnel, and dependents achieve their academic and civilian career aspirations. Carlos’s fresh ideas and energy have brought the Veterans Support Office new momentum.
Carlos believes in the power of motivation, perseverance, and seeking assistance when needed. He encourages all veterans and students to stay motivated and keep going, reminding them that numerous resources are available and there is always time to achieve their goals. We are thrilled to have Carlos on our team at VSS.
Veterans Academic Advisor
Alexandra Venezian, US Army brat. She currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from East Stroudsburg University, Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY New Paltz, and is completing her PhD in Organizational Leadership from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Alexandra has worked for CUNY for over 12 years in multiple capacities and several locations. She began her career as a Career and Academic Advisor at Kingsborough Community College and moved into the Director of Military and Veterans’ Services/School Certifying Official (2011-2016). Alexandra relocated to Queensborough Community College as the Director or Military and Veterans Services/School Certifying Official (2016-2022). She currently offers advisement services for the VSS students and is working on the Joint Service Transcript evaluation procedures and policies.
Alexandra is a proud mother of 3 children, 18 chickens, and a dog. She enjoys spending her time outdoors, staying physically active, and taking on new projects to reuse/recycle/repurpose.
Alexandra is very passionate about the military and veteran population and hopes to always be able to provide a service to benefit these men and women.
Jason Tang – PROVE SOCIAL WORK INTERN
Jason Tang is a PROVE Intern and a first-year student in the clinical social work Master’s program at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Jason received his BA in Psychology with a minor in Economics and Education at SUNY Binghamton University.
During University, he worked at a student run helpline called SEEK and also volunteered at the Crisis Text Line. After graduation, Jason got his yoga teacher certification and worked as a Flexologist at StretchLab, focused on the holistic well-being of his clients. He believes in meeting each individual where they are and values creating a judgment free space in his practice. Jason is thrilled to start his social work journey at Queens College, and he is excited to support the Veterans Support Services Team.
Sitara Rambaran – PROVE SOCIAL WORK INTERN
Sitara Rambaran is a PROVE Intern and a first-year Masters of Social Work student at Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hofstra University. For the past year, Sitara has worked as an administrative assistant at a Mental Health Clinic in Huntington, NY.
She emphasizes the importance of being able to hold a safe space for others to share their stories, and believes in leading with compassion and openness in her practice. As the dependent of a Navy Veteran, she has diverse life experiences that contribute to her approach as a social worker. She is honored to be a part of the Military and Veterans Support Services Team this year, and to learn from and serve student veterans, military personnel, and their families.