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"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.

NEWS

Two Members of the Class of 2023, Erol and Fabiola Desire, are Partners in Life and Education 


Last week, husband and wife Erol Desire and Fabiola Bouquet Desire, celebrated earning their associate degrees in Human Services—Mental Health. They came to LaGuardia as part of their long-term goal to make a better life for themselves and their three children, ages 4, 10, and 12. Erol, 59, and his wife, Fabiola, 36, lost their jobs during the pandemic. Erol had worked as a cook, while Fabiola had worked as a nursing assistant at a nursing home. They noticed many people in their Brooklyn community were struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues because of turmoil caused by COVID-19, and decided to make career changes that would allow them to help. They decided to enroll at LaGuardia and together they successfully graduated with GPAs of 3.4. “Working together has kept us focused on the goal we want to accomplish,” said Erol, who emigrated from Haiti 29 years ago. Erol is transferring to Hunter College to pursue a bachelor’s in sociology. He plans to become a mental health counselor—a field he got a taste of while working on campus at LaGuardia’s Wellness Center. Specifically, he wants to work with individuals with drug and alcohol addiction. Fabiola, who also hails from Haiti, plans to make a career as a social worker and has already begun classes at York College towards a bachelor’s in social work. “We’re on track to make our six-year deadline,” said Erol. “I’ve been wanting to do this for 30 years. To me this is the beginning.”

Fallon Explores Light and Female Figure in “Layers of Identity” 



“Layers of Identity,” paintings by Camilla Fallon are on exhibition through August 9 in the Passage Gallery, located on the 5th floor of the E-Building. Fallon’s oil paintings explore the reflective interplay between light, form, and the female figure. They express the artist’s mastery in harnessing light’s diverse manifestations. Light, in its capacity to both illuminate and obfuscate, becomes an agent of revelation. Through obscured identities, closely cropped anatomy, fragmented shadows, and blinding light, the exhibition provokes contemplation of the multifaceted nature of identity and the enigmatic relations between light and self. This correlation assumes paramount importance, as Fallon deliberately reduces extraneous elements to accentuate the subject’s psychological impact. Fallon’s paints are a captivating exploration of the female figure as a vessel of express and the profound interdependence between light and design principles. Through the artist’s deft brushwork and intentional composition, the paintings beckon viewers to reflect on the multifaceted nature of “the gaze” and the transformative potential of light.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Website Migration Underway: Enhanced User Experience Coming Soon! 



We are excited to announce that laguardia.edu is currently undergoing a website migration to enhance your browsing experience. The Division of Communications and External Affairs have been working collaboratively with the Division of Information Technology on this transition to a new platform that will improve navigation, content management, and overall functionality. 


We understand the importance of accessible and up-to-date information, and our teams are actively addressing any issues that arise during this migration. Rest assured that we are actively monitoring the website's performance and making necessary adjustments to ensure a smooth transition.

 

While we strive to minimize disruptions, it is possible that you may encounter broken links or experience content moving to new pages after the migration is complete. We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for your patience. Our goal is to provide a more seamless and enjoyable browsing experience for everyone who visits LaGuardia’s new website. Please contact the Division of Communications and External Affairs with any questions.


Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. Stay tuned for further updates. 

LaGuardia CARES for You All Summer

 

All members of our community are welcome to access services provided through LaGuardia CARES. LaGuardia CARES offers a food pantry and clothing closet, as well as assistance in applying for public benefits, healthcare recertification, and access to legal services.

Open Monday– Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

The Writing Center is Open for Spring II 

 

Students seeking tutoring help with writing assignments are encouraged to make an appointment with the Writing Center! Appointments are available in-person in B-200 and via Zoom. Students can make an appointment on My LaGuardia; check the Writing Center webpage for additional details. 

MBJ Café Hours 


Monday

July 3

Tuesday

July 4

Wednesday

July 5

Thursday

July 6

Friday

July 7

C-Building Café

8:30 a.m.–

2 p.m.

Closed

8:30 a.m.–

2 p.m.

8:30 a.m.–

2 p.m.

Closed

E-Building Café

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

Closed

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

M-Building

Cafeteria

Closed

Closed

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

9 a.m.–

2 p.m.

GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY

LaGuardia Community College Attends Sunnyside Shines Annual Meeting 


On Thursday, June 22, LaGuardia Community College staff members attended the Sunnyside Shines Business Industrial Development (BID) Annual Meeting at the Sunnyside Community Service Center. Attendees from LaGuardia included Rosa Figueroa, Director of Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Evelyn Lowmark (Director of Administrative & Support Services), Margaret O'Sullivan (Events Office) and Claudia Chan (Deputy Director of External Affairs). At the event the team heard about the wealth of services that the Sunnyside BID provides to the community. Council Member Julie Won and Senator Michael Gianaris were also in attendance, along with NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Each shared information about their work, support and advocacy for small businesses in Western Queens and beyond. LaGuardia is proud to partner with Sunnyside Shines, led by Director Dirk McCall de Paloma, throughout the year for internship opportunities and to support small business owners in Sunnyside through our business services program. Additionally, Sunnyside Shines recently held their LGBTQ+ Business Convening at LaGuardia.


Pictured left to right: Claudia Chan (Deputy Director of External Affairs), NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Rosa Figueroa (Director of LaGuardia's SBDC)

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Peer Academy Application Deadline Extended 



The Peer Advisor Academy is recruiting current, successful LaGuardia students to provide academic planning guidance to fellow students. Peer Advisors are LaGuardia students who help students understand the College’s advisement process. Using their own student experiences, along with their established connections to departmental staff, Peer Advisors provide advising guidance by helping students with academic planning and digital tools, as well as introducing them to key campus and major-specific resources. Students can learn more and apply online through July 7. 

LIBRARY NEWS

Updates from LaGuardia’s Library


  • The Library will be closed Friday, June 30. We will reopen on Saturday, July at 10 a.m. 
  • Construction Update: The Courtyard Reading Room is now open! The second floor continues to only be accessible via the elevator. 
  • Did you get an A on your research paper during this academic year? Then submit it for the 42nd Annual Library Research Review Competition for the chance to win a prize! The deadline is July 8. Learn more.
  • Need to borrow an ipad, calculator, or laptop? Come to the Media Help Desk. 
  • We will have our next MoneyBoss workshop on Thursday, July 13, at 1 p.m., via zoom. Our guest speaker, Evelyn Carrasco of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), will discuss everything you need to start a small business. Register here

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Peer Mentors Needed 


BMEC & CREAR Futuros is hiring peer mentors for the 2023-24 academic year. Eligible students must: 

  • Have a GPA of at least 3.0 
  • Have completed at least 21 credits 
  • Be a current LaGuardia student for both Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 
  • Attend mandatory training in August 

Contact Valerie Recalde at VRecalde@lagcc.cuny.edu for more details on these paid opportunities. Application deadline is July 14. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

M365 Outlook Mailbox Hygiene 


One of the great benefits of the M365 Outlook cloud-based email system is everyone has a much larger mailbox – up to 100 times larger than the standard mailbox size. As large as it is, the mailbox still has a limit. If your mailbox reaches that limit, you will not be able to send or receive emails in Outlook, and IT will not be able to increase your mailbox size. 

To stay within Outlook mailbox size parameters and to increase your productivity, we strongly recommend that you practice good mailbox hygiene by doing the following: 

  • Review CUNY policies and guidelines regarding record retention so you know what emails you must keep and what you can delete. 
  • Use alternative platforms for messaging, such as Teams, to reduce volume. 
  • Delete or save file attachments in OneDrive or Dropbox, if needed. 
  • Set target dates to check your progress towards cleaning up and organizing your mailbox. 
  • Set aside time weekly to focus on organizing emails to keep and delete email. 
  • Archive older items you want to keep. You can create a separate Outlook Data File (.pst) that you can open from Outlook any time you need it. By default, Outlook automatically archives items at a regular interval. You can also archive items manually whenever you want. 
  • Empty the Deleted Items and Junk Email folders frequently to make sure you aren’t keeping messages you don’t need. 

LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES

CAMPUS NEWS: LaGuardia graduates over 2,000


QNS: LaGuardia celebrates Class of 2023 during commencement ceremony

EVENTS

Thursday, June 29 


Tuesday, July 4 

  • College Closed 

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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 Share a Story or send an email to CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday.