Farmingdale State College LIEOC Brings Global Art Project to Brentwood

Farmingdale State College’s Long Island Educational Opportunity Center (LIEOC) has created an inspirational event for the Brentwood community that will involve the town in a global art project in which Brentwood residents will write their life goals and aspirations on chalkboard "walls."

The event runs October 31 – November 10 at the LIEOC Brentwood location at 1090-A Suffolk Ave. Residents will have access to the “walls” days and evenings.

The project - "Before I die I want to..." - originated in New Orleans, where artist Candy Chang turned an abandoned house into a giant chalkboard, asking the fill-in-the-blank question. Dr. Elsa-Sofia Morote, Executive Director of LIEOC at the College, learned of the project and chose LIEOC's Brentwood location to host the first-ever event on Long Island.

Says Dr. Morote: "It's been proven that setting a goal has a powerful effect on how we see ourselves as people. Students embrace positive self-images."

Brentwood joins participants in more than 70 countries in which more than 2,000 "walls" have been created in more than 35 languages. The event coincides with the culturally diverse celebrations of Halloween, Day of the Dead and All Saints Day.

Following the Brentwood event, the "walls" will visit LIEOC in Hempstead (11/13 - 11/21), and Hooper Hall on the Farmingdale campus (11/27 - 12/8).

For more information contact:

Brentwood: Dr. MaryKate Brennan at [email protected] or 631-434-3740.

Hempstead: Darleyne Mayers at [email protected] or 516-489-8705.

Farmingdale: Charles Miranda at [email protected] or 631-420-2280.

The LIEOC prepares eligible members throughout Long Island to foster the academic and workforce-

development skills necessary to become self-sufficient, self-directed, empowered, and committed to excellence. They are provided a range of programs and services structured to adapt to the needs of adult learners. LIEOC faculty and staff practice collective leadership and shared responsibility to train students to become productive members of a diverse and global community.