"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 LaGuardia LGBTQIA+ community members and all allies are invited to a Pride celebration on the LaGuardia Greenway, which is located on a block of 29th Street, stretching from Skillman Avenue to 47th Avenue, next to the LaGuardia campus. The event, scheduled from 12 noon to 4 p.m., June 5, is open to LaGuardia students, faculty, staff, and the New York City community. The event will feature refreshments, karaoke, performances, a fashion show, tie-dying (first 50 participants get a free white shirt, or bring your own!), a photobooth, button making, trivia, games, and more! Learn about community resources for sexual assault awareness, condoms and pregnancy tests, HIV/AIDS testing, and gender affirming name changes. The event is being organized by the LaGuardia Community College President’s Office, Casa de las Américas, the Queer and Fierce (Queer AF) Student Club, and the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. No RSVP is required. To learn about other Pride events scheduled throughout June CLICK HERE. | |
LaGuardia PTA Students Achieve 100% Pass Rate for 2nd Year in a Row – Best in State! | |
LaGuardia's Physical Therapist Assistant Program (Health Sciences) students achieved a 100% pass rate on the national PTA licensing exam for the second year in a row. This outperforms the national average first-time pass-rate of 80% and makes LaGuardia’s PTA the top performing program in New York State. Notably, LaGuardia has one of the largest PTA programs – routinely graduating between 60-65 students; other NYS programs graduate 34 students on average. According to Clarence Chan, PT, DPT, professor and director of LaGuardia’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program (Health Sciences), these results are “especially significant considering those were challenging years for PTA programs around the country. They are a testament to the hard work of the students and the commitment of the PTA faculty.” Congratulations to Dr. Chan and the entire PTA program of students, faculty, and staff! | |
Three LaGuardia students won seed money for their business ideas, from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Everyday Entrepreneur Program (EEP). Bruno Pinto, Accounting major, pictured in middle, was awarded $2,000 for his idea to important wine from his home country of Chile and host wine education events. Destineé Barnett, Business Administration major, pictured at right, was awarded $1,500 for her proposed venture aimed at improving hair care education and services. And Skye Gill, 23, Nursing major, pictured at left, was awarded $750 for her concept of a handheld device that could assist in the recommendation of hair care solutions. The EEP program was run through a partnership between NACCE and Continuing Education, led by Erika Correa, Business Services Department Director, and Hector Molina-Casillas, Business Advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at LaGuardia. Several 10KSB representatives and alumni judged a pitch competition on April 24. Congratulations to Bruno, Destineé, and Skye. | |
LaGuardia Students Celebrate at the Annual CUNY Queens Lavender Graduation | | |
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LaGuardia graduating students took part in the 2024 CUNY Queens Lavender Graduation, hosted at York College on Friday, May 24. The students included Keys Kamui Rigual, Computer Science; Lily Reyes, Accounting; Jesse Valdez, Culinary Management and Nutrition; and Liam Cordova, Industrial Design. The Lavender Graduation is an annual celebration for LGBTQIA+ undergraduate and graduate students and their allies at CUNY Law School, LaGuardia Community College, Queens College, Queensborough Community College, and York College. Students were presented with certificates and lavender honor cords, mingled with members of the LGBTQIA+ community from the CUNY campuses in Queens, and heard inspiring words from NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, New York State Assembly Members Khaleel Anderson and Jennifer Rajkumar, and City Council Member Shekar Krishnan, along with representatives of other local elected officials, and faculty and staff leaders from the five campuses. The event was supported by the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium, in partnership with the New York City Council, Queens College, LaGuardia Community College, and Vishnick McGovern Milizio, Attorneys at Law. | |
Career readiness in education refers to curriculum and lessons that prepare students to enter the workforce. This includes ensuring students have transferable knowledge, skills, and attributes to support students’ future careers. On May 8, LaGuardia hosted more than 200 students, staff, and faculty who gathered for its Inaugural "Level Up" Career Success Summit, designed to offer resources and guidance for career readiness. As part of the Summit, a Career Success Carousel, offered students an opportunity to collect information about resource providers on campus dedicated to career readiness, including LaGuardia CARES, the Center for Career and Professional Development, LaGuardia Student Success Mentors, and CUNY EDGE. | |
LaGuardia Students Participate in CUNY Undergraduate Research Celebration Day at John Jay | |
CUNY held its second annual Undergraduate Research Celebration Day on May 24 at John Jay College. Sixteen LaGuardia students presented their faculty-mentored research projects. The projects represented a variety of research topics and disciplines. These inspiring projects were presented by Johnny Ceballos (Dr. Midas Tsai, Natural Sciences), Pauline Felize, Ansha Kahn, Adriana Rampershad, & Gamze Alken (Dr. Lara Beaty, Social Sciences), Aakash Gurung (Dr. Malgorzata Marciniak, MEC), Timothy Halley (Dr. Praveen Khethavath, MEC), Rebecca Kane (Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, Natural Sciences), Nang Kham Hsi Liang (Dr. Na Xu, Natural Sciences), Jiale Lin (Dr. Tao Chen, MEC), Khalid Mabchour (Dr. Daniel Capic, Natural Sciences), Manuela Portugal, Rahnuma Janoshi & Keven Nguyen (Dr. Lara Beaty, Social Sciences), Amena Shamia (Dr. Claudette Davis, Natural Sciences) and Marina Zazian (Dr. Lucie Mingla, MEC). Amena Shamia, Biology major, won a best poster award at the event. | |
LaGuardia Hosts Faculty and Staff Research and Scholarship Showcase | |
The LaGuardia Research Committee invites the college community to the Faculty and Staff Research and Scholarship Showcase, taking place from 3 to 5 p.m. today in the Atrium, located on the first floor of the E-Building. The event features collaborative research projects, scholarly activities, and creative works from LaGuardia faculty and staff. This is the first time this event is being presented in this format to honor the work by faculty and staff. “We have all departments represented at this event,” said Dr. Rejitha Nair, Associate Director of Assessment and Research, HRPP Coordinator and Research Integrity Officer (RIO) and Co-Chair, CUNY Assessment Council. “We also have books that faculty have published in the past year. The reason we wanted to do this event this way is because we wanted to make this inclusive. Research does not get enough attention and we have so much here at LaGuardia.” Click here to view the online booklet of staff and faculty research and scholarship. | |
Closing Sessions: Friday, May 31 | | |
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Save the date for Spring Closing Sessions on Friday, May 31. President Kenneth Adams will give end-of-term remarks as Spring Session I winds down. He will also share updates on the 2029 Strategic Plan and other college news. Join in-person at 10 a.m. in the Little Theater, or stream live on YouTube. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided.
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It’s Not Too Late to Make Your Voice Heard: Join our Strategic Planning Efforts! | |
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Strategic Planning activities continue! If you haven’t yet, please make your opinions known by filling important pillar surveys, including:
Additionally, a Teaching and Learning panel discussion will take place June 4 from 4 to 5 p.m. Learn about goals proposed by the team and several strategies that address these goals at LaGuardia and other institutions, including professional development in ESOL, Guided Pathways to career and transfer, and the Shared Equity Leadership framework. Panelists include Drs. David Housel (CLIP), Eric Hofmann (Academic Affairs), and Milena Cuellar (MEC).Those who attend will have an opportunity to give feedback on the proposed goals and make recommendations for strategies to include in the plan.
Keep an eye out for additional Strategic Planning events, as well as surveys from Career Success and Facilities & Resources.
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LaGuardia's 52nd graduating class will celebrate their graduation on the Queens College Quad on June 21. Faculty and staff interested in attending and supporting graduating students can learn more about the upcoming Commencement festivities here. If you'd like to attend this year's ceremony, please RSVP here. | |
Faculty and Staff Must Complete Compliance Trainings by May 31 | |
Faculty and staff at LaGuardia have until Friday, May 31 to complete their Workplace Violence Prevention training, Employee Sexual Prevention & Response Course (ESPARC), and (if applicable) Gender-Based Violence Training (GBVT). All faculty and staff must complete the Workplace Violence Prevention training and ESPARC; GBVT is required for all HR and staff with direct reports. To complete compliance training, sign into your CUNY Blackboard account and navigate to My Organizations. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions regarding the training, please do not hesitate to contact your campus compliance administrator for assistance. | |
LaGuardia Invites College Community to Honor Faculty and Staff for Years of Service, May 30 | | |
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LaGuardia Community College will host a ceremony and reception on May 30 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the years of service by its faculty and staff. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to cheer and show appreciation! The ceremony is scheduled in the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Mainstage theater and will honor more than 120 faculty and staff who are celebrating 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 years of service with the college. Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College and Provost and Dr. Billie Gastic-Rosado, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, will present each year’s cohorts with the certificate and pins. | |
LaGuardia’s Sustainability Council Conducts Annual Planting | |
On May 24, LaGuardia’s Sustainability Council conducted its 2024 Planting Day in the college’s courtyards. The plantings, which included impatiens and perennial flowers, were done through a collaboration with the Building & Grounds staff, the Sustainability Council, and ASAP students: Tamima Rahman, Devin Singh, Maetcha Louis, and Shaquya Hammond. | |
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Electrical Power Shutdown Scheduled on June 1
Please be advised that the C-Building electric power is scheduled for a shutdown on Saturday, June 1st from 6 pm to approximately midnight. During the shutdown, the C-building will operate on emergency power only. This power outage test is required to confirm emergency power systems’ compliance as required by Law. Critical IT infrastructure, hosted in the C bldg., will be transferred to emergency power, as well as the Veterinary Technology lab suite, fire safety systems, emergency lighting and exit signs. Please be aware that power will be shut down to all other building areas. Please contact Ken Campanelli or Shahir Erfan if there are any questions or concerns.
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LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES | |
A Look Back at the First Queens Pride, 31 Years Later | |
To celebrate 31 years of the Queens Pride parade, we have a truly remarkable photo to share with you! We know them now as a former New York City Council Member and former New York State Senator, respectively, but at the first ever Queens Pride in 1993, Jimmy Van Bramer was an undergraduate student at St. John’s University, and Tom Duane had been a councilmember for only a year. In the shadow of Julio Rivera’s murder and the AIDS crisis, these two groundbreaking queer leaders shared a kiss with pride and hope for the future. Here’s to 31 more years of Queen’s Pride and beyond! Reach out to us if you’d like to learn more about the queer history of Queens and the Queens Pride parade through our LGBTQ Collection! | |
LaGuardia Students, Faculty and Staff Invited to Join Queens Pride Parade | |
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LaGuardia students, faculty and staff are invited to join the LGBTQI+ Consortium in the 2024 Queens Pride Parade! All marchers will receive the 2024 commemorative Queens Pride t-shirt designed by the CUNY LGBTQI+ Consortium Fellows from LaGuardia’s Fine Arts Program: Alexandra Rivera, Neha Dhew, Jino Dority, and Richie Fievre (contributor). The students were mentored by Professors Liena Vayzman, and Sarada Rauch. Those who would like to march with the consortium on Sunday, June 2 can RSVP here.
Pictured above: The design for the front and back of this year's Queens Pride t-shirt.
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LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | |
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) is honored to host a performance from Cultural Forces, a profound cultural initiative by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as part of their US tour. This event will take place today at 5:30 p.m. in the Little Theater at LPAC. Cultural Forces brings together a group of talented musicians who have experienced the harsh realities of war firsthand. Through their music and personal stories, they aim to showcase the resilience of the Ukrainian people and foster understanding and unity among diverse communities. Admission is free; RSVP here to reserve seats for the performance. | |
Faculty Selected for Special Roles at Commencement 2024 | |
LaGuardia will be celebrating its 52nd Graduating Class on Friday, June 21 with its Commencement ceremony at Queens College. During the ceremony, two faculty members will be serving in special roles. Dr. Sultan Jenkins, Natural Sciences, will serve as Grand Marshal and Dr. Miguelina Rodriguez, Social Sciences, will serve as Faculty Banner Carrier. To learn more about Commencement details click here. | | |
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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. | |
Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | | |
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- Not sure what to read for fun next? Let the LaGuardia Librarians make some recommendations (for you or your child). Complete this form and a LaGuardia librarian will email you a list of five titles (from our collection, and within CUNY and SUNY) we think you might enjoy borrowing and reading.
- Tabling in the Library! Check out which departments are coming to the Library on our Events & Workshops site.
- Students can borrow calculators, iPads, laptops and Chromebooks from our Media Help Desk on the second floor.
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LaGuardia Alumnus Elected President of Bronx County Bar Association | | |
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LaGuardia alumnus Sergio Villaverde, Esq. was recently elected President of the Bronx County Bar Association. With a distinguished career in the law and a deep commitment to serving the Bronx, Sergio brings a wealth of experience and dedication to this esteemed position. As President of the Bronx County Bar Association, Sergio is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and service. Sergio has served on Community Boards in the Bronx, led Bronx Youth Services, provided pro-bono assistance to domestic violence victims. Sergio is a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, LaGuardia Community College (A.A.), The City College of New York (B.A.), and Fordham Law School (J.D.). Sergio is a former NYC EMS EMT in the Bronx, retired from the NYPD-serving in the Bronx and served 32 years in the United Coast Guard Reserve retiring at the Rank of Commander. Sergio continues to serve the community as the statewide Judge Advocate for the NYS Naval Militia and leads the Law Offices of Sergio Villaverde, PLLC a community-based law practice. Sergio is a lifelong resident of the Bronx.
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HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES | |
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Pre-Retirement Seminar for Classified Staff, June 4
The University Benefits Office is presenting a pre-retirement seminar for classified staff that will provide information on verification of service, retiree health benefits, Medicare Part B, retirement counseling and more. The seminar is open to all classified staff. Please note other titles will not benefit from this seminar because some retirement benefits differ.
- Title: Pre-Retirement Seminar Classified Staff Health & Welfare
- Date/Time: June 4, 2024, 9 AM
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Join Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 894 0639 7897
- Passcode: 539412
For more information about all CUNY employee pre-retirement and other benefits programs, visit the University Benefits Office (UBO).
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New York Yankees Educators Appreciation Week — June 18-22
The New York Yankees are honoring all educators and their families/friends during their annual Educator’s Appreciation week! Every ticket purchased for any of the games on June 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 through this offer comes with a choice of either an exclusive Yankees lunch bag or tumbler cup co-branded with the Yankees’ Teacher Appreciation logo. $15 meal vouchers valid at any standing concession stand will also be included for the June 18, 19 and 20 games. For more info and to see all current offers, click here. For groups of 10 or more, suites, or season ticket packages please reach out to Ben Powell at (646) 977-8472.
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Professional Development Workshops: Spring 2024
- Navigating the New Environment of Remote Work
- Review of Federal employment laws that apply to remote workers. Keeping remote workers informed and involved. Technology needed for remote working. Employee responsibilities while remote working. How can we best support and promote work/life balance while working remotely.
- Wednesday, June 12 at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
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NYCCHR Free Professional Development Opportunities for You
The University Human Resources, Professional Development & Learning Office has free, upcoming professional development opportunities available to all employees. Employees will receive a meeting invitation with the link to the workshops the day before the session begins. The NYC Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) is offering two online workshops:
- Human Rights Law and Age Discrimination in Employment, Wednesday, May 29, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. The workshop provides information about age discrimination and protections under the City Human Rights Law for all workers. Examples of age discrimination in employment are discussed, as well as best practices for employers.
For more information and to register, please go to the workshop registration form.
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IT Update: Mandatory CUNY Cybersecurity Awareness Training Course
CUNY has announced that the 40-minute Cybersecurity Awareness training course, designed specifically for faculty and staff, is now mandatory annually, beginning this year. This course will help safeguard the security of our data against increasing cybersecurity risks, such as phishing attacks, spam, and hacked accounts, while providing best practices for safeguarding your data. You can view the course on Blackboard. All LaGuardia faculty and staff are required to take this course and we encourage you to take it as soon as possible to protect your own and the University's data. If you have any questions regarding the training, please contact Maritza Acero.
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Security Alert: Guard Against Increasing Phishing Email Attacks
There has been an increase in phishing attacks directed at CUNY from a variety of Gmail accounts. Most are of the familiar job scam variety which students are prone to acting on. CUNY/CIS teams are working with Microsoft to block these attacks, which are not “spammy” or “phishy” in nature so they aren’t automatically blocked by email security measures. CUNY/CIS urges all to guard against responding to potential phishing emails, as well as to communicate with colleagues and students to generate greater awareness about the scam increase.
Recommended User Actions Include:
- DO NOT reply to unexpected or unusual emails.
- DO NOT reply to emails with personal information or passwords.
- DO NOT click links or open attachments in unsolicited emails.
- DO read the CUNY Ransomware and Phishing Advisories.
- DO complete security awareness training at security.cuny.edu.
If you suspect you’ve received a suspicious or phishing email, please forward it to spam@lagcc.cuny.edu. Do not forward it to the LAG Information Technology Division or other group distribution lists or employees, including IT personnel. If you already responded to a phishing email, immediately contact our IT HelpDesk by submitting a ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal or by email at ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu, or call 718-482-6134. If you have questions, please contact LaGuardia's Information Security team.
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Fastest and Best Way to Get Technology Help
Whenever you have any technology-related problems—whether it’s with apps like CUNYfirst, Outlook, or the Faculty & Staff Portal, etc. or with any network services or computer equipment — the fastest and best way to get help is to contact the IT HelpDesk by opening a ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal, or by calling 718-482-6134.
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LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | |
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SCRIPPS NEWS: Shakur Burden, Human Services: Mental Health major, is featured in a story about the struggles and triumphs of student parents. Shakur is an aspiring social worker who grew up in foster care and group homes. He's raising his 6-year-old son, Syann in Staten Island. For Shakur, getting to school at LaGuardia required taking three subway trains and a ferry. He will graduate in June.
LIC POST: The Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens and New York Power Authority are collaborating with LaGuardia Community College to develop a new curriculum centered on urban farming and sustainable agricultural practices.
VERTICAL FARM DAILY: LaGuardia Community College students begin cultivation of new urban farm on campus.
CAMPUS NEWS NEW YORK: The new LaGuardia Urban Farm and Research Laboratory enables students to get involved in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research initiatives and will become a place where the college and Western Queens communities can enjoy time outdoors and participate in public events and workshops.
QUEENS GAZETTE: LaGuardia was recently awarded a $235,000 grant from the Gerstner Philanthropies Helping Hands program to support LaGuardia CARES (College Access for Retention and Economic Success), the college’s support services program offering students rental assistance, technology, utilities, clothing, and other emergency assistance.
PIX11 NEWS: The NCLEX-RN preparation for foreign-trained nurses training program assists people who work as nurses in their home countries in passing the New York State Registered Nurse exam. The program, offered at LaGuardia and Lehman College, helps immigrants to New York get financially-rewarding jobs.
EL DIARIO: LaGuardia offers English-language learners free test preparation for the National Council for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam, funded by NYC SBS. Passage of this exam is required to work as a Registered Nurse.
TELEMUNDO PHILADELPHIA: Dr. Camila Gelpí-Acosta, associate professor of Criminal Justice (Social Sciences), comments on the history of substance abuse in Puerto Rico and Latin America.
CAMPUS NEWS NEW YORK: How Juanita Herrera went from Bogotá, Colombia, to becoming a LaGuardia Community College student majoring in Music Recording Technology.
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"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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