Paul Jaijairam Honored with Inaugural “Full Circle” Award

More than 80 BCC employees who are also alumni gathered in the Gould Memorial Library rotunda for a special luncheon celebrating achievement, connection, and community. President Larry D. Johnson, Jr. acknowledged the dual alumni-employee role each of them plays and expressed gratitude for their ongoing commitment to the College community.

At the heart of the event was Professor Paul Jaijairam, Class of ’89, who received the inaugural “Full Circle” Award – a recognition of his 33 years of dedicated service to BCC’s Department of Business & Information Systems and lifelong commitment to helping students succeed.

Jaijairam’s journey began at BCC, where he once tutored in the same department in which he now teaches. He often reminds his students, “I started where you are now – at Bronx Community College – and it changed my life. What you choose to do here has the power to change yours too.”

The award was especially meaningful to him, surrounded by colleagues, family, and even former students. “This is a very proud, heartfelt moment – to receive this award and to be here among so many alumni, including people who were once my students,” he said.

Jaijairam met his beloved wife at BCC in 1988, found mentors who guided him through academic and personal challenges, and overcame his fear of public speaking through BCC’s business and communication courses. He credits the College for shaping both his confidence and his career.

What makes his teaching impactful, he said, is the real-world experience he brings to the classroom after two decades in corporate America. “Before returning to BCC as a professor, I spent 20 years in corporate roles – as a financial controller, an auditor, and a director at Citigroup. That diverse world experience is something I carry with me to help prepare my students for what they’ll face beyond BCC,” he explained.

For Jaijairam, BCC is more than a workplace – It’s home. “BCC is my second family,” he said. Receiving the “Full Circle” Award reflects exactly that: a life that has come full circle, grounded in service to the place where it all began.