News from LaGuardia Community College |
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While most of us were fixing a second cup of coffee in our sweats on Saturday morning, Liz Iannotti was in the lobby of C-Building helping newly enrolled ESL students show proof of vaccination so they could go up to class. A blast of arctic air chased each student through the door, so Liz was wrapped in a heavy winter coat, class rosters close at hand. It was her third day playing greeter at TELC – The English Language Center – for the start of the winter term.
Liz has run ESL (English as a Second Language) programming at LaGuardia for twenty years, and has led the TELC for the last six, so this was a familiar drill. But on Saturday morning something exciting was happening: 732 students – immigrants from around the world seeking to make new lives for themselves here in New York – had registered for the winter term, a staggering 225% increase over last year. Notably, 78% of them had signed up for in-person classes, rejecting the online options Liz and her colleagues had scheduled.
Asked about the surge in enrollment, Liz explained that it was fueled by scholarships provided by the LaGuardia Foundation, since so many of our students come from households that lost jobs and income during the pandemic. Foundation Scholarships cover up to 80% of ESL tuition for low-income students, opening the doors of The English Language Center at LaGuardia to recent immigrants who need to learn to English and get a job. Thanks to those of you who have donated to the ESL Scholarships. Come meet Liz and her students anytime.
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From Long Island City to Lincoln Center |
As many of you know music is a big deal at LaGuardia. We’re that rare community college that offers an Associate degree in Music Performance, with conservatory-level training for student-musicians. No surprise, then, that we welcome opportunities for LaGuardia students to enjoy great performances at the city’s leading cultural institutions. Last month, as he has done for several years, Thomas Crawford, the founder and artistic director of the American Classical Orchestra, generously hosted LaGuardia students for an all-Mozart program at Alice Tully Hall. For many of the students, it was their first concert at Lincoln Center. And they were invited to the reception, too. Thank you, Maestro, for an evening they won’t forget. |
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Free Training for HVAC Techs |
Thanks to a partnership with Building Skills New York and Positive Workforce, LaGuardia is set to provide free, industry-recognized training for in-demand clean energy jobs. Classes start next month for 75 unemployed New Yorkers who want to become certified HVAC technicians. The New York State Energy & Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) is backing the program as part of Governor Hochul’s efforts to combat climate change by supporting transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
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Q: Top Associate Nursing Program in NYS?
A: LaGuardia Community College
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us the country’s going to need 1.1 million new Registered Nurses to avoid a national nursing shortage. We’re doing our part: LaGuardia continues to have the best Associate degree nursing program in the state. Last year, 98 percent of LaGuardia RN students passed the NCLEX–RN exam on their first attempt. This surpasses the pass rates for all the CUNY four-year colleges, as well as NYU and Columbia. And 100 percent of LaGuardia LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) students passed their first-time NCLEX–LPN exams as well. Big thanks and congratulations to our incredible Health Sciences faculty for their students’ continued success.
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It’s January. Time for a New Wall Calendar.
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The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives’ 2022 calendar, Grit and Glamour: LGBTQ+ Films Set in New York, honors films and filmmakers that illuminate the LGBTQ+ experience in NYC. Thanks to The New York City Council for again funding the Archives’ calendar, which explores a topic of historical significance to the city using material from our collections. Each month of the 2022 calendar explores a film, including several that LaGuardia faculty and alumni had a hand in producing. Put one on that fridge door today by downloading it via the link above. For a printed version, send us your address to warchives@lagcc.cuny.edu and note if you'd like it in English or Spanish. Refrigerator magnet not included.
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LaGuardia and Hostos Join Forces to Help Bronx and Queens Residents Get Back to Work |
Thanks to a generous grant from the New York Community Trust, LaGuardia is partnering with Hostos Community College/CUNY to launch a workforce training initiative for low-income residents of Queens and The Bronx whose lives have been upended by the pandemic. The NYC Accelerated Workforce Recovery Hub will prepare 400 students for jobs in high-growth sectors of the city’s post-Covid economy.
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Two police officers were shot in a Harlem apartment building on Friday, January 21. One, Jason Rivera, died shortly afterwards. He was 22. The second, Wilbert Mora, age 27, died Tuesday. Officer Mora graduated from LaGuardia in 2016 with a degree in Criminal Justice, and transferred to John Jay College. He joined the New York Police Department in 2018. LaGuardia graduates about 300 Criminal Justice majors a year. Many transfer to John Jay. Some become cops. Few die in the line of duty. On behalf of the LaGuardia community, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the faculty and staff that taught and supported Officer Mora, the NYPD, and his family and friends. Let us never forget his service and sacrifice. |
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