"Campus Update" is a weekly e-newsletter published by LaGuardia's Division of Communications and External Affairs to provide news and information to the college community. | |
The Division of Communications and External Affairs offers various additional resources to help you share news with the campus, including an event calendar, photography, graphic design, and more. | |
LaGuardia Community College/CUNY is providing access to higher education to new New Yorkers who dream of earning a college degree or workforce training to secure good jobs. In recent years, the LaGuardia Community College Foundation has given financial support exceeding $4 million to 3,000 students each year. With the Friedman Fund for new New Yorkers, LaGuardia will now be able to commit a larger sum to students of any U.S. non-citizen status. The Friedman Fund for new New Yorkers is generously funded with a $1,500,000 commitment from the Friedman Family. The Friedman Family is headed by a vibrant couple who carved out significant New York careers. They are familiar with the diverse mosaic of New York City and understand the connections between education, aspiration, achievement and a stronger city and region. | |
KPMG Executives Share Personal Career Paths with Students | |
On October 16, LaGuardia hosted a panel with KPMG about career opportunities in financial services in front of an audience comprised of accounting classes and the President’ Society. The session began with welcome remarks from President Kenneth Adams, and the group discussion was led by KPMG Managing Director Vicki Anslyn. Participants included KPMG executives Louise Santacruz, Erik Lange, Leo Miranda, Joseph Gulino, and Ashley Broome. In addition to speaking about various career paths, several participants shared that they are CUNY alumni themselves. The event was presented through the organization’s Reaching New Heights initiative—a grant award which helps Career Start participants prepare for college-level math, explore academic majors and begin planning their careers. | |
LaGuardia’s Theater Program presents Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad, November 19-23, at LPAC’s Little Theater. This modern adaptation of Sophocles’ Electra is a bilingual play in English and Spanish, set in an East LA barrio, reinterpreting the classic Greek tragedy through a contemporary lens. Electricidad tells the story of a young girl in a period of intense mourning following the murder of her father, the leader of a powerful gang, by his wife, Clemencia. The show is directed by Theater Professor Stefanie Sertich. LaGuardia Theater alumnus, Julio Trinidad, a professional actor, screenwriter and theater artist, is collaborating with Professor Sertich as the show’s cultural competency director. Seven performances are scheduled from Tuesday, November 19 through Saturday, November 23. There is no charge for the open dress rehearsal on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m.; reserve tickets here. To purchase tickets for the remaining shows, click here. Tickets are $10 per person or $8 per person for students (with promo code STUDENTS), plus a $2 convenience fee. | |
Casa de las Américas (La Casa) wrapped up Hispanic Heritage Month today with a festive block party on the LaGuardia Community Greenway. Attendees enjoyed an array of Latin American cuisine and participated in various games held at the event. The block party also featured a highly anticipated performance by Tambacum, a traditional music group from Golfo de Tribuga, Colombia. For more information about upcoming events and programs organized by La Casa, contact casa@lagcc.cuny.edu. If you missed the block party this afternoon and would like to attend future programming on the Greenway you still have time: there's one more event scheduled to take place on the Greenway this year! The final Greenway event of the year, the Halloween Harvest Fest, will take place on October 31 from 12 to 4 p.m. Learn more about that event below. | |
Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the final event scheduled to take place on the LaGuardia Community Greenway this year: the Halloween Harvest Fest. The Halloween Harvest Fest marks the end of this year's programming on the Greenway, and it will feature several spook-tacular festivities such as trick or treating, DIY Halloween crafts, a costume contest, and a Thriller flash mob. The event will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Nayelli Valencia Turrent at nvalenciaturrent@lagcc.cuny.edu. | |
The LaGuardia Community Run is making its way back to Long Island City this fall for the third time. Please note the change of date—the LaGuardia Community Run will now be taking place on October 20. If you have already registered and are unable to participate on the newly scheduled date, check your inbox for a message from elitefeats on obtaining a refund; refund requests must be made by end-of-day on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. The run will begin at 9 a.m. near the C Building, at the intersection of 29th Street and 47th Avenue. Many thanks to Boyce Technologies, Inc. for once again becoming a principal sponsor of this event. Proceeds from the LaGuardia Community 5K Run support the new Community Health and Wellness department. Registration for the LaGuardia Community Run is now open to participants ages 7 or older. Volunteers are also welcome. | |
Finca La Florecita Urban Farm Opening Ceremony to Take Place October 30 | |
The LaGuardia community is invited to celebrate the opening of Finca la Florecita (Spanish for "Little Flower Farm"), LaGuardia's urban farm on October 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. The opening ceremony is an exciting development for LaGuardia's Sustainable Urban Agriculture program — on May 15, 10 students built raised garden beds and made plans for filling and planting the beds with seedlings that they have been growing in indoor labs. The farm is located behind the college’s C-Building, on 47th Avenue between 29th and 30th Streets. | |
Faculty Lunch Series with President Adams: Register Today | | |
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Faculty are invited to RSVP for Lunch with President Kenneth Adams, as part of an on-going series of meet ups with the community. There is no formal agenda, just a chance to catch up and share your LaGuardia story with the President. Please RSVP; space is limited. All events are held on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. The first event will be November 20; additional dates continue into 2025. | |
Sign Up to Add a Professional Headshot to Your Faculty Profile | |
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LaGuardia’s Communications and External Affairs Division is hosting a series of “Photo Days” for faculty and staff who need to update their professional headshots! Your headshot can be used for a variety of purposes, and adds a personal touch to your Faculty Profile on the LaGuardia website. The Photo Days are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Room E-509. Book your timeslot here for one of the following dates:
- October 23
- November 13
- December 11
For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471.
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LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES | |
LaGuardia & Wagner Archives Hosts Fellowship Introduction Session | |
On Oct. 16, President Kenneth Adams stopped by to visit with the staff of LaGuardia & Wagner Archives, who spent the afternoon onboarding the new cohort of students who are participating in six different LGBTQ+ Fellowship opportunities. | |
Student Success Mentor Program and Student Parent Initiative Host Event to Support Student Parents | |
On October 9, the Student Success Mentor Program and the Student Parent Initiative hosted “Parenting and Academics: Thriving in College,” an event that empowered student parents and aimed to enhance their overall college experience by focusing on practical advice, shared experiences, and community support. “Parenting and Academics: Thriving in College” began with a showing of the short film “My Mom Has a Bookbag,” by Estefany Gonzaga, followed by a panel discussion on how to balance academics and parenting. The event also served as a space for student parents to connect with one another and to learn about support programs like the CUNY Fatherhood Academy, the Student Parent Club, and more. Later on in the evening, attendees had the opportunity to participate in various breakout sessions on topics like balancing schoolwork and parenting, networking, and psychological well-being. | |
EHCPS Hosts Free Screening of Seth Fein’s Between Neighborhoods Documentary on Saturday, October 19 | |
Seth Fein, an adjunct lecturer of Film and Television (Humanities), will screen his Queens-focused documentary, Between Neighborhoods, on Saturday, October 19, at 4 p.m., followed by a Q&A. The free event will take place at the historic Elmhurst Baptist Church, located at 87-37 Whitney Avenue. in Queens. Fein will present a reboot of his film, originally produced in 2016, which centers on the Unisphere in honor of its 60th anniversary. This iconic structure was commissioned by former NYC Parks and Recreation Commissioner Robert Moses for the 1964 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Fein explores how the histories of immigration and imperialism have intertwined around the Unisphere in Queens since the last New York World’s Fair. He draws connections between the neoliberal/nationalist era of Donald Trump and the authoritarian liberal legacy of Robert Moses. The screening is hosted by the Elmhurst History and Cemetery Preservation Society (EHCPS), as part of its 2024 Lecture Series Refreshments will be served. RSVP requested. | |
Environmental Science Student Visits India Thanks to Sponsorship from GEL and CUNY | |
The Office of Global and Experiential Learning (GEL) is proud to share study abroad highlights from Joianne Bittle, an Environmental Science student at LaGuardia Community College. Thanks to sponsorship from the GEL office and a CUNY grant sponsored program, Joianne traveled throughout India from August 2 to 20, where she engaged in sustainability and cross-cultural diplomatic activities in Mumbai, New Delhi and Odisha. Other activities included visiting the Taj Mahal; engaging in yoga and meditation activities, installing a solar powered weather station; using mobile backpack weather stations to monitor local weather and converting plastic into diesel fuel. | |
Students looking for enrollment services support can now access virtual office hours every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Virtual One Stop takes place on Zoom and allows students to drop in and meet with staff from the Admissions, International Student Services, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Student Information Center, Transfer Credit Evaluation and Testing offices. | |
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LaGuardia’s SYEP Receives NYC Funding for Work, Learn and Grow Program for Eighth Year | | |
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The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development has selected LaGuardia for the Work, Learn and Grow (WLG) program for 2024-2025, marking its eighth consecutive year of funding. This program, an extension of the Summer Youth Employment Program, will serve approximately 108 students from October 1 and March 24, 2025. | |
WLG offers NYC youth (ages 16-20) from select high schools a chance to boost work-readiness skills, explore careers, receive academic support, and earn college credits. Students attend six weeks of classes and workshops at LaGuardia and Kingsborough Community College, followed by paid internships with community organizations and businesses. They work up to 12 hours per week during school and up to 21 hours during school breaks, earning $16/hr., increasing to $16.50/hr. in January 2025. | |
Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | |
- MoneyBoss financial literacy workshops for students are back for the Fall semester and will be IN PERSON! Our next workshop is on October 10. To register, and find out more information, visit our MoneyBoss website.
- The Library will be open on Friday, October 11 from 9 a.m. - 4:50 p.m., closed on Saturday, October 12, and will re-open Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Check the Library hours before making the trip in.
- Free digital subscriptions to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are available to all students, staff, and faculty. Use your LaGuardia email to sign up.
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CUNY Central Shares Details on Cycle 56 of PSC-CUNY Research Award Program
CUNY Central has announced Cycle 56 of The Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY) Research Award Program. The PSC-CUNY Research Award Program was established as a major vehicle to encourage and support academically relevant research across all disciplines.
The Grants Proposal System is now open and accepting applications. The deadline to submit a PSC -CUNY Cycle 56 application is December 16, 2024. Three award types are available: Traditional A (up to $3,500), Traditional B ($3,600 to $6,000), and Enhanced ($6,500 to $12,000). Proposals must include original research or creative activities by the principal investigator (PI).
Training videos on the PSC CUNY Research Award Program application process are available through RFCUNY at the bottom of this page.
If you would like the grants team to review your proposal and budget before you submit and provide recommendations for revision, please share your proposal materials with them via email, Grants@lagcc.cuny.edu, by Monday, December 2.
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HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES | |
HR Hosts Benefits Fair, Offers Free Flu Shots | |
LaGuardia’s Human Resources held a Benefits Fair today in the E-Building Atrium. Attendees also had the opportunity to get a free flu shot at the fair. The fair served as an opportunity for LaGuardia employees to learn more about benefits available to them, and to speak directly with many attending vendors and organizations including EmblemHealth, Anthem, TRS, TIAA, PSC, Social Security Administration, MCU, Chubb/Combined, the Wellness Center, Costco, BJs, LaGuardia CARES and many more! For questions and additional information, please contact Bonnie Brown. | |
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Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Open Enrollment 2025
The FSA Open Enrollment Period is September 23 – November 8, 2024 for the effective date January 1, 2025. Employees can download forms to enroll and get information at Healthcare (HCFSA) and the Dependent Care Assistance (DeCAP) Flexible Spending Account programs. The first payroll deduction begins on the second paycheck in January 2025.
Current FSA participants must enroll annually and complete the 2025 enrollment form. After the FSA administrative office processes the employee’s HCFSA/DeCAP enrollment form, participants will receive a confirmation letter. Employees are encouraged to refer to the FSA website for updates to the HCFSA/DeCap program. For more information, view FSA Videos.
FSA forms must be submitted by the employee on/or by November 8, 2024 to NYC Employee Benefits Program.
Health Benefits Buy-out Waiver Program for 2025: The annual incentive payment for the 2025 Buy-out Waiver Program is $500 for waiving individual coverage and $1,000 for waiving family coverage (payments issued in June and December). Current active participants in the Buy-out Waiver Program will be automatically enrolled in the program for Plan year 2025. If a participant would like to withdraw from the program, they must complete the 2025 MSC Enrollment/Change Form in addition to completing the Health Benefits Application and submit them to Human Resources.
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National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Week 2: Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Activating MFA greatly reduces your chances of being hacked. Enable MFA on all accounts, particularly email, social media, and financial platforms. At CUNY, Microsoft MFA serves as an additional layer of cybersecurity protection when accessing your Microsoft Office 365 account and CUNY network resources.
MFA Resources:
MFA Facts and Figures are available here. If you have questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security team.
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IT Reminder: Complete Mandatory Cybersecurity Awareness Training | |
This is an important reminder to log in to Blackboard and complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Training course. You can find this course under the “Organizations” tab, along with the other essential annual training courses required for CUNY employees. This course was developed specifically for CUNY and covers phishing attacks, spam, and best practices for protecting your CUNY accounts and sensitive data. We encourage you to take it as soon as possible to protect the University's data, as well as your own. Your active involvement is crucial to our collective security efforts. If you have any questions regarding the training, please contact Maritza Acero. | |
LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | |
"Campus Update" is produced and published by the Communications and External Affairs Division. Faculty and staff who wish to submit items for publication can email CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday. |
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