Class of 2025 Salutatorian Steven Lakhter
Steven Lakhter has been named the Class of 2025 salutatorian
Liberal arts major Steven Lakhter has been named KCC’s Class of 2025 salutatorian
Steven Lakhter
Liberal Arts Major
Class of 2025 Salutatorian
Kingsborough Community College student Steven Lakhter has been named the Class of 2025 salutatorian, graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a resume full of academic and leadership involvement.
Lakhter, who grew up in Bensonhurst and now lives in Sheepshead Bay, said enrolling at Kingsborough was one of the best decisions of his life. “I decided KCC was the best fit for me in many ways,” he said. “I have never regretted this decision and wish I’d made it as soon as I finished high school.”
His path to graduation started in 2017, when he first volunteered at the Brighton Beach Library. That led him to the Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MRHEP) at Kingsborough, a non-degree initiative that helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities take college classes and experience campus life. For Lakhter, who is on the autism spectrum, it was a game-changer. “MRHEP inspired me to return to KCC as a matriculated student,” he said.
Since then, Lakhter has taken full advantage of what Kingsborough has to offer. He joined the Honors Program, became a member of Phi Theta Kappa, was elected to the Student Government Association as a senator, took part in the Students Unlimited Club and the Recreation Club, and competed on the tennis team—despite being told he was too old or inexperienced for sports. “With every serve and every match, I proved that passion and perseverance were what mattered most,” he said.
Lakhter said he owes much of his success to showing up, participating in class, and taking advantage of resources like Access-Ability Services, which helped him with accommodations such as extra time on exams. “In spring 2023 I had a math final that was online for two hours, but it took me three hours and 10 minutes,” he said. “Without the extra time, I wouldn’t have been able to finish it.”
He also credits social events and the Men’s Resource Center with helping him build friendships and develop stronger communication skills. “I finally was able to create proper social circles and improve my social health by significant margins,” he said. “What I really like most about KCC are the friendly students and staff. I feel like this is an amazing home. I wish I could actually live here—even though there are no dormitories.”
The liberal arts major plans to continue his education after graduation, earning a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s in library science. His long-term goal is to become a librarian—and maybe one day teach a course on disability history at Kingsborough as a professor.
“This experience has changed my life he said. “Thank you, KCC.”
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