Macaulay Honors at Queens College is part of the Office of Honors and Scholarships at Queens College. We are also one of 8 Macaulay campuses across CUNY.

Leadership

Taruna Sadhoo
Director of Honors and Scholarships and Macaulay Honors College at Queens College
Taruna.Sadhoo@qc.cuny.edu

Biography coming soon. Get to know Director Sadhoo in this interview from The Knight News, Queens College’s student-run newspaper.

A Queens College alumna and advocate for the transformative power of education, Ms. Sadhoo brings a wealth of experience, including her international work in Guyana, China, and Ethiopia, and her role with UNICEF USA raising awareness for global issues. She previously served as Director of Experiential Education at Queens College, overseeing programs such as CUNY Career Launch and CUNY Service Corps, which prepared her to lead honors and scholarships initiatives. Ms. Sadhoo credits the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship and her internship with Save the Children in Ethiopia as pivotal to her career, fueling her commitment to amplifying marginalized voices and expanding educational access. As an immigrant from Guyana, her journey inspires her mission to empower students, promote diversity, and increase scholarship opportunities, guided by her belief that education is a gateway to transformation. Renowned for her dedication, she has already made a positive impression, with students praising her advocacy and leadership, and she looks forward to advancing community outreach and enhancing academic programs at Queens College.

Support Staff

Say hello to the support staff by visiting the Macaulay office, Honors Hall Room 19, or email macaulay@qc.cuny.edu.

Diana Jang
College Assistant

Advisors

Macaulay Advisors are your first and best resource. We provide academic advising from first-year orientation, to choosing your major, to preparing for graduation. We are also happy to answer questions large and small, and point you towards additional help as needed. Our goal is not only to help you succeed in meeting basic requirements, but to help you thrive and prepare for your next steps.

Advising Appointments

All advising appointments will be made using QC Navigate.

Make an advising appointment with Navdip Hans
Join Navdip Hans on Zoom
Walk-ins: Mon 10-11am, Wed 2-3pm, Thu 10-11am (REMOTE), Fri 10-11am

Make an advising appointment with Varinia Grannum
Join Varinia Grannum on Zoom
Walk-ins: Tues 3-4pm, Wed 10-11am, Thurs 3-4pm, Fri 11-12pm (REMOTE)

Advisor Bios

Navdip Hans

Senior Academic Advisor
navdip.hans@qc.cuny.edu

Navdip Hans is a first-generation New Yorker from Queens. He earned his B.A. in Economics at Queens College, followed by an M.A. in Political Science from the CUNY Graduate Center. Prior to joining Macaulay Honors College, Navdip worked at Harlem Children’s Zone Inc. as a college advisor, advocating for students and helping them navigate higher education. This experience provided him with a solid foundation to further assist students during his tenure at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College and LaGuardia Community College. He subsequently served at SUNY Farmingdale State College as an academic advisor. Navdip is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and experience while leveraging his relationships to make sure his students are on the path to achieving their goals and finding their success. Outside of work, he enjoys existing, spending time with his family, reading a lot of science fiction, and playing niche real-time strategy games.

Varinia Grannum

Senior Academic Advisor
varinia.grannum@qc.cuny.edu

Varinia Grannum brings a wealth of experience and a strong record of helping learners create a path to success. She greatly enjoys getting to know each student’s background and interests and providing them with the tools and support they need to achieve their goals. Varinia began her career as a Program Officer at the Institute of International Education, advising international students in the Fulbright program. She then spent eight years as Assistant Dean of Pre-Health and STEM Advising at Hofstra University. Most recently, she was Director of Student Success and Medical School Admissions Advisor at Medical School Headquarters, guiding applicants through the competitive medical school process.

A Queens native and daughter of Dominican immigrants, Varinia is extremely proud of her Hispanic heritage and NYC upbringing that has shaped who she is. In her free time she enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, stargazing with her telescope, and reading anything in the horror genre. An 80’s kid with incessant 80’s nostalgia, her favorite book is Stephen King’s The Shining and her favorite movie is The Neverending Story. Varinia holds an MSEd in Counseling from Hofstra University and a B.A. in Psychology from The City College of New York.

Advising Expectations

What exactly do advisors do? What can you expect from an advising appointment? What do you need to do to prepare for an appointment?

Advising appointments may cover:

  • Academic planning for your next semester schedule.
  • Long-term academic planning for your college career.
  • Exploring post-graduation options such as graduate school, professional school, or employment.
  • Academic support and success strategies for your classes.
  • Exploring opportunities for study abroad, internships, or research, including applying for funding.
  • Thoughtful referrals to other resources at Macaulay or Queens College, as needed.

TIP
Familiarize yourself with scheduling and planning tools such as CUNYfirst Student Center, Schedule Builder, and DegreeWorks, and be prepared to access them during your advising appointment. Bring a printout, send your advisor an email attachment, or display it on your device. This will make your appointment more efficient and leave time to discuss what’s most important to you.

ADVISEE RESPONSIBILITIES

ADVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
INITIATE a purposeful relationship with your advisor and make appointments when necessary or when in need of assistance.BE INVOLVED in the advising process by being prepared to discuss your goals and educational plans during meetings: bring necessary materials.REVIEW resources such as DegreeWorks, Degree Program Maps and the Queens College Catalog each term and track your progress toward completing your graduation requirements.TAKE PRIMARY AND INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY for your educational plans and achievements. Understand and accept that you are ultimately responsible for your education and your own decisions.BE OPEN AND WILLING to consider recommendations from peer advisors, primary professional advisors, faculty advisors, and other mentors.ACTIVELY ENGAGE and progress to commit to and pursue an academic plan directed toward the completion of a degree from Queens College. Follow through on action plans developed in advising sessions.KEEP CURRENT on your academic progress in individual classes; knowing test and assignment dates and implement effective study strategies.SCHEDULE AND ATTEND appointments with your advisor each term; cancel appointments ahead of time if you cannot make them. BE ACCESSIBLE for meeting with advisees- either via appointment or walk-in hours, including in-person, and virtual advising.DEVELOP purposeful relationship with advisees and inform advisees of the nature of the advising relationship.CREATE an environment where mutual respect and trust allows students to define and develop realistic goals.ASSIST students in gaining decision making skills and in assuming responsibility for their educational plans and achievements.ASSIST students in understanding the purpose and goals of a Liberal Arts education and its effect on their lives and personal goals.UNDERSTAND and effectively communicate the curriculum, including Pathways requirements, Degree requirements, Honors requirements, and college policies and procedures.ENCOURAGE AND GUIDE students in identifying and pursuing resources to support academic success and holistic development as a student.ASSIST students in gaining decision-making, problem-solving, and self-assessment and evaluation skills.MAINTAIN privacy following Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations.

Community Shared Spaces

Queens College offers several public shared spaces for students to study:

  1. Macaulay Honors Lounge and Honors Hall Library Space: Designed for Macaulay Honors College students, the MHC Student Lounge (HH18) and Honors Hall Library space (HH22) provide a conducive environment for studying and collaboration.
  2. Freshman Honors Lounge: The Freshman Honors Lounge (HH16) at Queens College is a dedicated space within Honors Hall. This lounge offers a comfortable environment for studying and collaboration, fostering a sense of community among honors students.
  3. Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library:
    • Quiet Study Carrels: Located on levels 4 and 5, these individual study spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • Group Study Rooms: Rooms 445 and 446 are designated for group study sessions.
    • General Study Areas: All six levels of the library offer study areas throughout the semester.
  4. Queens College Learning Commons (QCLC):
    • Study Spaces: Located in Kiely Hall, rooms 131 and 144 provide collaborative and quiet study environments equipped with whiteboards.
    • Computer Labs and Printing: Available within the Learning Commons for student use.
  5. First Year Experience Study Space:
    • Honors Hall Room 5: Open to all students, this space offers ample seating and tables suitable for individual or group study sessions. A computer lab with internet access and printing services is also available.
  6. Campus Lounges:
    • Kiely Hall: Room 209A.
    • Science Building: First-floor main lobby area.
    • Klapper Hall: Fifth-floor mezzanine (to the right and left of the elevators).
    • Powdermaker Hall: Lounges on the first, second, and third floors across from the elevators.
    • Remsen Hall: Lounges on the first, second, and third floors (across from Labs 151, 251, and 351, respectively, and at the end of the 2nd and 3rd-floor corridors).
    • Queens Hall: First floor (in front of Room 135 and across from the library) and second floor (open area to the left of the elevator, off the central staircase).