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In our December issue, we introduced you to Arthur Dukes, the LaGuardia basketball star who is re-writing the college hoops record books, keeping up with his academic obligations, working at Target, and looking for a place to live. Last week Arthur was interviewed by NBC New York Channel 4. This thoughtful young man has some important things to say. You can view his interview (here).
Dr. Rhonda Mouton, Program Director of LaGuardia Cares, finds housing solutions for students like Arthur who are homeless. Last year she launched an initiative with Airbnb through which students stay in modest Airbnb rentals in Queens until they can find an affordable place to live. Airbnb has generously committed $150,000 to make this possible. (Big thanks to our friends at Airbnb.) Rhonda was able to get Arthur into an Airbnb, which has been key to his success. Her program caught the attention of a reporter looking for strategies to assist the growing number of homeless students in community colleges across the US. You can read that article (here).
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Congresswoman Velázquez Opens Hydroponic Research Lab at LaGuardia
Say what you will about congressional redistricting, in the last go-round LaGuardia had the good fortune to be reunited with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. (Rep. Velázquez, of Brooklyn, had previously been the college’s voice in Washington before a prior redistricting changed the Queens portion of her district.) On Tuesday she came to campus to celebrate the opening of our hydroponic research lab. Think delicious herbs, lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. growing in high-tech planters irrigated with nutrient-rich water and bathed in artificial, timer-controlled light. Rebecca Kane, a student majoring in Environmental Science – Sustainable Urban Agriculture, introduced the congresswoman to the lab. She and another student, Eithan David, made sure the congresswoman and this reporter enjoyed tasty samples of their abundant harvest. The lab is the result of our partnership with NY Sun Works, a community nonprofit that teaches sustainability and urban farming to young New Yorkers across the city. Last February, Congresswoman Velázquez secured $800,000 for NY Sun Works for the installation of hydroponic labs at 19 high schools and one community college. (Guess which one.) Shout-out to Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, Director of Environmental Science, and the driving force behind LaGuardia’s Sustainable Urban Agriculture program.
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Everybody Advances to Kennedy Center Region 1 Festival
None of us who were fortunate enough to see the Theater Program’s fall production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Tony-nominated Everybody were surprised when professors James Ryan (J.R.) Caldwell, Christopher Weston, and Stefanie Sertich announced that the show had been selected for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region 1 competition in New Britain, CT. Professor Caldwell explained that, “Being invited to perform at the KCACTF Region 1 is a huge honor for LaGuardia students and a testament to the hard work of both our students and our faculty. This is a major achievement for our students and faculty because this means their work has the potential to win national awards. This really speaks to the strength of our Theater Program, and to the dedication of both teachers and students.” Bravi.
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Author Javier Zamora Meets with Students, Reads from Solito
On December 6, Salvadoran poet Javier Zamora came to LaGuardia to read from his 2022 bestseller, “Solito”, and discuss it with students. After reading Zamora’s memoir last summer I’ve been encouraging everyone I meet who’s interested in migration and cares about the plight of the asylum-seekers recently arrived in New York to read it, too. Zamora describes, in vivid detail, his journey as a nine-year-old boy by foot, boat, bus, and truck, across El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico and, eventually, into the U.S. His moving and timely talk at LaGuardia was hosted by the Creative Writing Committee of the English Department and made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Be sure to read the book if you haven’t.
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Training NYCHA Residents for Jobs in “Green” Construction
Readers of this newsletter have grown accustomed to accounts of students who don’t square with the Hollywood version of the typical American college-goer. Indeed, community colleges are unique and vital institutions because they educate so many different kind of students: older adults that didn’t finish college on their first try, part-time degree-seekers who need to work to support their families, veterans who want to turn armed forces experiences into rewarding careers, recently arrived immigrants, workers in need of new skills, parents, students who have been incarcerated, precocious high-school kids on a fast track to college, and many more. According to some observers (including this one), in rising to meet the instructional challenges presented by such diverse student bodies community college faculty excel at pedagogical innovation and their colleges become experts in student support and college re-design. So, it will come as no surprise that we think LaGuardia will be strengthened by our affiliation with the New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) Clean Energy Academy. Through this partnership we provide hands-on training to residents of public housing (mostly women) to prepare them for jobs with construction firms that NYCHA hires for energy-efficiency retrofits and other upgrades to enhance the sustainability of its 2,400 buildings across NYC.
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Japan Entertainment Club Showcases New Year’s Traditions of East Asia
The student-run Japan Entertainment Club held its annual New Year’s Celebration on January 17, showcasing traditions and customs of East Asian countries for the college community. Hands-on activities representing Japan, China, and Korea included: Japanese mochi-pounding, calligraphy, and origami; Korean New Year’s games; and information about China’s Lunar New Year and Lion Dance traditions. “LaGuardia has a large Asian student population. Twenty-four percent of our students identify as Asian, and LaGuardia is a U.S. Department of Education-designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution,” explained Dr. Tomonori Nagano, professor of Japanese and faculty mentor for the Japan Entertainment Club. “Appreciation for Japanese culture and the traditions of other Asian countries has been growing in recent years among people of all backgrounds,” said Club President Tafarei Knight, 21, who wants to become a comic book writer, marrying his passions for creative writing (his major) and Japanese anime. “We were excited to showcase many of these traditions here today, and we appreciate all those who came and participated,” he added.
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President’s Society Alumni Share Tech Industry Insights
Alumni from LaGuardia's President’s Society gathered in our new space in Civic Hall at Union Square on the evening of January 10 to share insights with current students pursuing tech-oriented majors like computer science and engineering. The lively panel discussion was organized by Karen Dubinsky, founder and leader of the President’s Society. Karen coaxed the alumni speakers away from their jobs at KPMG, American Express, and Accenture. (She will tell you this is not hard to do, such is the fondness our alumni have for LaGuardia.) Thanks to Natalia Harrow, Lu Liu, Zakia Mahabub, Dan Rai, Katherine Sandoval, Samad Sunny Ahmed, Priya Thapa, and Unique Upreti for sharing their experiences. Everyone on the panel participated in President’s Society while at LaGuardia. They all completed their bachelor’s degrees at senior CUNY colleges. So far, two have gone on to earn their master’s degrees. More to follow.
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Thank You to Community Partners and Elected Officials for Supporting LaGuardia Students
On December 15 we hosted a Community Reception to thank local nonprofit organizations, businesses, and Queens elected officials for their ongoing support of LaGuardia students. We wanted them to know how grateful we are for the scholarships, paid internships, work-based learning experiences, and other generous support they provide. Internships, for example, help students link their classroom learning to the jobs and careers to which they aspire. It’s hard to visualize career success if you’ve never seen the workplace where it’s supposed to happen. Civil Engineering major Julian Poli described how he learned about engineering and the city’s infrastructure from LaGuardia employer-partner Rise Light & Power. He also thanked the Astoria-based utility for a scholarship that helped him stay in school.
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