Denise Giancinto

AA Science, BMCC; BA Psychology, Hunter College

Denise attended and graduated from BMCC with an associate degree in science. As a student of BMCC she was involved in varsity softball, basketball, and volleyball. After graduating her athletic interest continued, and she spent several years playing semi-professional softball and traveling within the U.S., playing in National Softball tournaments.

After years of playing sports she attended Hunter College as a part time student, majored in psychology, and worked full time as a counselor and director for a mental health community residential program. Raising a child as a single mom put her career and education on hold. She then started a small cleaning service business, which she still runs operates today.

Denise decided to return to Hunter College after 20 years with the aspiration of furthering her education and obtaining a bachelor’s degree. She is a recent graduate of Hunter, with a BA in psychology, and plans to go to graduate school for a master’s in social work. Her professional goal is to utilize her education and clinical skill to help others learn to develop and maintain a healthy, mindful way of living.

She has a daughter named Alyssa, who attended the New York Harbor School on Governors Island, and was an active member of the Billion Oyster Projection. This project lead Alyssa and her mom to the Library of Congress to bring awareness of global warming and its threat to New York City waterways. Alyssa is now 21 years old and a junior at SUNY Cobleskill, majoring in Biotechnology and minoring in Aquaculture. Together, they have been advocates for an expansion of public technology high schools, to prepare high school students for higher education job readiness.