Over the years, Dr. Marianne Pita’s commitment to our students has deepened, they share stories of their own courage on the long road to Bronx Community College. In turn, Dr. Pita sharpened her practice, refined her teaching technique so her students get both the rigor and the compassion they need to excel.

Her ESL students read widely, three books with themes that students find relevant each semester. The reading serves both as a model and an inspiration. They develop fluency in reading and writing by the sheer pace of work.

Because the topics that Dr. Pita ask them to write about are connected to the reading and their own lives, students have no trouble writing for a two-hour class. In these workshops, Dr. Pita conference with students, zero in on grammatical, syntactical and organizational problems. Because they care about their compositions, they look forward to these conferences.

After twenty-four years, Dr. Pita feel as engaged as ever.