Officials from CUNY Queens College, the Borough of Queens and Hillel recently dedicated the Queens College Hillel Multi-Media lab, a $430,000 project that will enable students of all backgrounds to document the diverse experiences of local residents and today’s generation of immigrants.

The Lab is made possible by gifts from New York City Councilman James Gennaro who contributed $305,000, a $50,000 grant for the lab from the offices of New York State Senator Toby Stavitsky, and a $75,000 grant from the New York State Office of Homeland Security. The dedication featured presentations from Councilman Gennaro, Queens College President James Muyskens and QC Hillel Board Member Ellen Koppelman.

When completed in 2012, the Lab will comprise 23 state-of-the-art PCs and Macs, photographic and video editing equipment, a recording studio as well as printers and monitors. The projecr is part of the Queens College Hillel’s “Center for Diversity” and will be used by all members of the Queens College student community.

The students will document the immigrant experiences of their fellow classmates through the “Queens Quilt Project” and will create genealogical presentations through “Queens: The New Ellis Island.”