News from LaGuardia Community College |
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By now you’ve heard me talk about the importance of non-tuition financial aid—and the fact that for many LaGuardia students tuition is not the only challenge. LaGuardia costs $2,400 per semester plus fees. For many full-time, low-income students, government financial aid (federal Pell grants and New York State TAP awards) often covers most or all of their tuition. (For part-time students and those without New York State residency it’s another story.) No, the problem is the out-of-pocket cost of college. Think textbooks, supplies, transportation, laptop, internet, exam fees, lunch. Include helping to pay for rent and food at home and pretty soon you come up short for the MetroCard. No surprise then that our new LaGuardia Merit Scholarships have been a big hit. This fall—thanks to generous donors like The Donald and Barbara Zucker Family Foundation—we’ve given $500 mini-grants to 1,000 new and returning students in need. It makes a big difference. Now, we need to gear up for the spring semester and do it again. I am trying to raise another $500,000. Please send me a note if you can help. Thank you.
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NYS Award for Data Analytics Academy |
LaGuardia’s Data Analytics Academy was recognized earlier this month by the Continuing Education Association of New York. The program received the 2021 James C. Hall Jr. Exemplary Non-Credit Program Award, which honors innovative non-credit workforce training programs that are models for other colleges to pursue. LaGuardia's program was made possible by a U.S. Department of Labor initiative designed to provide incumbent workers with tech training to help them advance in their careers. Outcomes from the Data Analytics Academy were solid—of 100 participants, 43 advanced to new positions, and a majority of the remaining 57 obtained the skills they need to keep their current jobs.
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Leading LGBTQ+ Museum Showcases Virtual Exhibition about LaGuardia Students |
The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, which is recognized around the world for elevating LGBTQ+ artists and themes, is hosting a digital exhibition created by a group of LaGuardia faculty, staff, and students. We Are Kind of More: Gen Z Reframes Gender and Sexuality features interviews with students from LaGuardia’s Straight and Gay Alliance, who were photographed by our Commercial Photography students. Originally titled Shades of the Rainbow, the exhibition first opened on the LaGuardia campus in 2019 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Faculty from our Commercial Photography Program and the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives curated the show. Big thanks to the New York City Council and Councilmember Daniel Dromm, whose donation of his personal documents inspired the Archives’ LGBTQ+ Collection, which explores the social and political activism of New York’s LGBTQ+ community with a special emphasis on Queens.
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LaGuardia Partners with Mastercard to Meet Demand for Cyber Experts |
ICYMI, Inside Higher Ed recently featured our new collaboration with Mastercard to train the next generation of cybersecurity experts. Ten LaGuardia students pursuing AAS degrees in Network Administration & Information Security will be selected to work alongside Mastercard cyber sleuths as paid, part-time apprentices. The program gives our students exposure to rewarding jobs and careers at a Fortune 500 company. What’s more—we’re hoping that some of the LaGuardia apprentices get offered full-time gigs. Our collaboration with Mastercard was initiated by the New York Jobs CEO Council, which is led by my friend and predecessor, President Emeritus Dr. Gail O. Mellow.
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Photography Series by LaGuardia Professor Featured in The Atlantic
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On November 11, 2021, Veterans Day, a veteran-focused photography series by LaGuardia Professor Maureen Drennan was published in The Atlantic. LaGuardia commercial photography students benefit from instruction by industry professionals like Professor Drennan. Her work documenting forgotten and underappreciated places in our communities has been published in additional major news outlets, including The New York Times, and featured in exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery and other museums.
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Live Music Returns to Campus |
Our Music Performance faculty recently produced their Fall 2021 Sampler Concert showcasing the range and depth of LaGuardia faculty talent. After more than 18 months of pre-recorded and Zoom performances, our colleagues were thrilled to be able to perform live in front of faculty, staff, and students here on campus. The concert was livestreamed on Facebook, where one member of the virtual audience posted that she felt like she was back in a cabaret. Bravo!
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LaGuardia to Compete for 2023 Aspen Prize |
The Aspen Institute named LaGuardia one of 150 institutions nationwide eligible to compete for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The Aspen Prize is the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance in community colleges. The winning institution will be announced in late spring 2023 following an intensive data and practice review process, and will receive up to $1 million.
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