Annual Hunger Banquet Raises Awareness about Global Hunger, Poverty, and Injustice November 1, 2018
 LaGuardia's Health Sciences Department hosted its 3rd annual Hunger Banquet yesterday, bringing attention to issues of hunger and food insecurity in New York City and around the world.
Attendees participated in an interactive, role-playing exercise where each person was randomly assigned to one of three tables: high-income, middle class, or low-income, and were served meals in accordance with the socioeconomic level of each table.
LaGuardia theater students table led participants through a guided conversation about the struggles of poverty, global hunger, and potential action steps to address the problem.
Following the Hunger Banquet, a Food Day Fair was held in the E-Atrium, featuring delicious and nutritious food that was prepared and served by students from LaGuardia's new program, Nutrition and Culinary Management. Fair attendees also shopped at a farmer’s market stand, played games, and more.
A Food Drive was held at both the Hunger Banquet and the Food Day Fair. Non-perishable food items were collected for distribution through LaGuardia's on-campus food pantry.
Click here to watch a NY1 News story about the event.
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Education Center Opens at LaGuardia Community CollegeDecember 5th, 2018
A ribbon cutting was held on Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 to mark the opening of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Education Center at LaGuardia Community College. Pictured from left to right: Roy Castro, CEO of the D.M. Ice Cream Corporation in Long Island City and a 10,000 Small Businesses graduate, Goldman Sachs Chairman Lloyd Blankfein, LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow, President and CEO of Empire State Development and Commissioner of the New York State Department of Economic Development Howard Zemsky, and LaGuardia Community College Vice President of Administration & Finance Shahir Erfan.
New York State, under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s leadership, awarded LaGuardia Community College $5 million to build the new center.
The 10,000-ft2 brand-new space is a venue for 10,000 Small Businesses trainings, lectures, alumni events, and more.
The 10,000 Small Businesses program launched in 2010 as a partnership between LaGuardia Community College and Goldman Sachs to support and help local entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and create jobs. Often described as a “mini-MBA,” 10,000 Small Businesses provides training in business development, capital building, contract negation, systems management, and more. Immediate and sustained business growth for the alumni of the program have resulted. To date, the program at LaGuardia Community College has helped more than 830 business owners. Based on this success, Goldman Sachs expanded the program. Today, it’s served nearly 8,000 small businesses across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
For more, visit http://www.LaGuardia.edu/10KSB.
For more about the new Education Center, click here.
For media coverage of the ribbon cutting, click on the links below:
• NY1
• Queens Latino (in Spanish)
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### Licensing Announcement of Faculty Development Model Pioneered by LaGuardia Community College FoundationExclusive agreement enables national implementation of the foundation’s research-based faculty development model, including technology-enabled personalized coaching, communities of practice and pedagogical analyticsOctober 30, 2018
Faculty Guild, an educational services and technology organization focused on improving student outcomes through purposeful teaching, today announced that it has exclusively licensed the research, methodology and assets of the Global Skills for College Completion (GSCC) project, led by the LaGuardia Community College Foundation. LaGuardia Community College is one of 24 institutions within The City University of New York.
“For years, we’ve seen a wide range of college and university investments in important student success initiatives. What has been underrepresented, however, is the voice of the faculty — those with the most frequent and closest contact with students,” said David Yaskin, CEO of Faculty Guild. “By authentically engaging faculty in evidence-based, purposeful teaching, we have an opportunity to get to the heart of student success in a way not previously considered. We are honored to build on LaGuardia’s impressive work — scaling their approaches to serve the diverse needs of higher education.” Yaskin is the founder and former CEO of Starfish Retention Solutions, now part of Hobsons.
Founded in 2009 under the leadership of Dr. Gail Mellow, president of LaGuardia Community College, and with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Kresge Foundation, GSCC began as a research project to demonstrate that higher education teaching matters and that pedagogy is a determining factor in student success and completion. Changes in student achievement in the tested cohorts of both full-time and part-time faculty were promising, affecting retention and pass rates with differences ranging from 4 percent to 8 percent improvement. The results of the work are documented in the book Taking College Teaching Seriously: Pedagogy Matters!
“Improving teaching is not just about exposing faculty to evidence-based practices — those are widely documented in many pedagogy books and a variety of prescriptive curriculum programs. The hard part in faculty development is getting faculty and their institutions to embrace a growth mind-set of continuous improvement — and to stick with it. This takes regular practice, time and community,” said Dr. Mellow. “The model we developed, that Faculty Guild is now bringing to scale, was designed by faculty for faculty. It leverages the latest thinking in adult learning theory to engage faculty in a way that is immediate and important while preserving their privacy and independence. We are excited Faculty Guild will continue this important work in a way that will benefit the students our foundation serves, for years to come.”
The model was developed over six years with the support of hundreds of faculty members from dozens of institutions. The project, including the refinement of 20 evidence-based instructional practices, was evaluated by Stanford Research Institute. The model consists of placing faculty members in small, online teaching circles of their peers where they each journal (in a highly structured format) about a weekly classroom activity, connect that work to any of the 20 evidence-based instructional practices, and participate in peer-to-peer analysis and feedback using appreciative inquiry.
Inspired by this work, Faculty Guild provides a software platform that powers a national network of facilitators and faculty members as they work together to explore evidence-based teaching practices. Specifically, Faculty Guild offers full-time and part-time faculty members, as well as graduate assistants, two-term fellowships. Part-time faculty members receive an honorarium from Faculty Guild at the completion of each term.
“We are excited to be a founding partner institution with Faculty Guild. The work is promising and aligns nicely with our commitment to supporting faculty as they seek to make a difference in the lives of our students,” said Dr. David A. Vanko, interim provost of Towson University. “We have a cohort of faculty participating now — leveraging the model originally developed by the work of GSCC. Our faculty members are appreciating the opportunity to spend time reflecting on their work, connecting it in a natural way to evidence-based instructional practices and getting to see and learn from their peers across the country.” Towson University is one of more than 35 institutions, including four- and two-year institutions, that have joined Faculty Guild.
Going forward, Dr. Mellow and other project staff will serve as advisors to the company. In addition, the LaGuardia Community College Foundation will receive an ownership interest in Faculty Guild to support the foundation’s mission of helping students succeed.
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About Faculty Guild
Faculty Guild believes purposeful teaching is vital to student success. We offer a multi-term fellowship where faculty members bolster their existing teaching practices. Fellows learn by reflecting on their own teaching — not from disconnected, general guidance. Additionally, their institutions receive aggregated, non-identified data to measure return on investment. Our approach has been tested by hundreds of faculty members and is based on more than six years of research, originally led by Dr. Gail Mellow. For more information, please call 844-776-3374 or visit www.facultyguild.org.
LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Community College has receives a $1.5M grant to expand capacity of our on-campus daycare, the Early Childhood Learning Center October 23, 2018
LaGuardia Community College has been awarded a four-year $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will enable the college to expand support for student-parents.
The grant, from the federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, will enable the College to increase the number of children served by LaGuardia’s on-campus subsidized daycare, the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC), by 20 percent—from 219 to upwards of 263 children. As well, the ECLC is establishing a program to address the emotional and mental health of parents, and providing subsidies for the lowest income student-parents.
“I could not imagine dropping off my son somewhere, and then coming to LaGuardia,” said LaGuardia student Tracy Mingo, a 35-year-old single mom. “Here, it’s a one-stop shop. Knowing my son is nearby gives me so much comfort.”
The grant is part of nearly $6 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to six CUNY campuses, including LaGuardia, to support on-campus child care centers.
Read a CUNY press release about the grants.
Read an amNY article about the new funding.
• • • •
LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### How to Select a College?Start by looking at a college’s record of lifting students from poverty to opportunity October 9, 2018
Borough, neighborhood, subway accessibility, cost, academic programs, student life, and graduation rates are some of the key factors New Yorkers consider when choosing a college.
Stanford University’s Center on Poverty and Inequality has developed a new method of assessing colleges—looking at how well a college helped students whose parents were in the bottom 20 percent of income levels reach the top 20 percent for individual earnings—named the College Mobility Report Cards.
The analysis showed that LaGuardia Community College/CUNY (“LaGuardia”) is among the top one percent among the 604 two-year colleges nationwide with the greatest success in lifting the poorest students into jobs where they earn good wages and create better lives for themselves and their families.
“Stanford University’s College Mobility Report Cards should be the starting point for considering where to go to college, especially for those from poor families,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “With our track record of boosting students from living in unstable housing and struggling to put food on the table, to being able to rent an apartment and not worrying about where their next meal will come from, New Yorkers, should put LaGuardia Community College at the top of their college list.”
Rony Estevez, age 25, is an example of LaGuardia’s potential to boost student-mobility. Born in the US to parents from the Dominican Republic, he grew up in public housing in Brooklyn. After high school, Rony studied for a year at a college upstate, before moving back to be closer to family and enrolling at LaGuardia.
Needing a job to help pay for living expenses, First Big Break, LaGuardia’s Honors Internship Program, helped him secure a paid internship in accounting, his major. Rony thrived in the internship, at Creative Business Inc., where its president and founder, Jeanne Hardy, asked Rony to stay on full-time. Rony recently celebrated his third anniversary at the company, where he's now a full-time staff accountant earning $55,000/yr. He and his fiancé, Stacey Baez, RN, recently bought a house together, and are looking forward to their wedding early next year. And Rony is on his way to earning his bachelor's in accounting at Brooklyn College.
“Rony’s story is an example of what we’ve long seen among our students—our graduates not only improve their lives, but lift up their entire family for generations to come,” said President Mellow.
LaGuardia, a member of The City University of New York (CUNY), is the only CUNY two-year college in Queens to make the nationwide top five list for student mobility. LaGuardia is ranked No. 5, and Borough of Manhattan Community College is No. 3.
Nine of CUNY’s four-year colleges were among the top 15 spots on the nationwide senior college list: Baruch College, No. 1; City College, No. 2; Lehman College, No. 3; John Jay, No. 5; City Tech, No. 7; Brooklyn College, No. 8; Hunter College, No. 10; Queens College, No. 11; and York College, No. 15.
“Many of our majors have transfer agreements with CUNY four-year colleges—streamlining the process for a LaGuardia graduate to transfer to Baruch or another CUNY four-year—another reason why LaGuardia should be a top choice for New Yorkers, especially Queens residents,” said President Mellow.
For more, click here to read a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article about college mobility report cards.
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Selected as Training Prep Site for Cyber Bootcamp in City’s Bold New Cybersecurity InitiativeOctober 2, 2018
LaGuardia Community College (“LaGuardia”) is joining Cyber NYC, an initiative led by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to make the City a center for combatting cyber threats.
In a press announcement issued today, NYCEDC describes Cyber NYC as a plan to “transform New York City into a global leader of cybersecurity innovation and talent to combat one of the world’s greatest threats.”
Cyber NYC is expected to help spawn 10,000 good-paying jobs in the coming decade, providing an inlet to many New Yorkers from non-traditional backgrounds, particularly those from low-income families or who are otherwise disadvantaged.
LaGuardia is the only community college specifically named as a program partner in Cyber NYC; additional higher education partners include Columbia University, NYU, Cornell Tech, and the CUNY system (of which LaGuardia is a part). LaGuardia has one of the largest tech training programs in the New York metropolitan region.
“Cyber NYC is an important investment by the City of New York as it provides a route into the well-paying, in-demand field of cybersecurity for all New Yorkers—enabling them to make better lives for themselves and their families,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “With our experience training the next generation of tech professionals—more than 3,500 New Yorkers come through our technology programs each year—our bridge programs prepare students for high-intensity careers in the ever-changing world of work. As every industry continues to plan for a defense against cyber-attack, I am proud that students trained at LaGuardia will play a role in safeguarding data, privacy, and digital assets in New York City, and beyond.”
Having been selected to help facilitate the Cyber Bootcamp, LaGuardia will collaborate with software development school Fullstack Academy, which will lead an intensive boot camp in industry-specific cybersecurity competencies.
Adults with minimal familiarity with cybersecurity will be placed in a six-week preparatory course at LaGuardia, where participants will learn the basics of industry software and terminology, before continuing onto the Fullstack boot camp.
The Cyber Bootcamp will place over 1,000 students in jobs that have an average starting salary of $65,000 over the first three years of the program.
Those interested in applying for the Cyber Bootcamp, should visit www.LaGuardia.edu/CyberNYC, or click here to learn more about the cyber boot camp at Fullstack Academy.
To read NYCEDC’s full press announcement about Cyber NYC, click here.
To read a press announcement about the major role that The City University of New York (CUNY) will play in Cyber NYC, click here.
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About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC's mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City's competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City's many opportunities. To learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives, follow its Facebook or Twitter feeds, or visit its blog.
About Fullstack Academy
Fullstack Academy is an award-winning, immersive coding school based in New York City. Backed by Y Combinator, co-founders David Yang and Nimit Maru leveraged their experience at Yahoo, Gilt Groupe, and Bloomspot (acquired by JP Morgan Chase in 2011) to create an elite program centered on fullstack JavaScript and emerging technologies. Fullstack Academy graduates enjoy excellent outcomes, with alumni working at startups as well as technology leaders, including Google, Amazon and Facebook. In 2016, Fullstack Academy launched Grace Hopper Program, the first all-women coding bootcamp in New York City, and the first in the country to offer a deferred tuition model. In 2018, Fullstack partnered with New York City to launch Fullstack Cyber Academy, an elite cybersecurity bootcamp. Visit https://www.fullstackacademy.com/ to learn more.
About LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Community College Appoints Nireata D. Seals, Ed.D. as Vice President of Student Affairs October 2, 2018 
After a nationwide search, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY (“LaGuardia”) has appointed Nireata D. Seals, Ed.D. as vice president of Student Affairs.
In her role, Dr. Seals directs the essential student services for the nearly 20,000 students pursuing their associate’s degrees at LaGuardia, including registration, enrollment, financial aid, disability services, transfer, and career planning and placement.
As well, she oversees LaGuardia’s robust services designed to help the college’s primarily low-income student population stay on track and graduate. These include an on-campus food pantry, health services, and subsidized daycare (for student-parents). Each year, hundreds of LaGuardia students—in both our associate’s degree programs and continuing education programs—access these services.
“Dr. Seals is a transformational leader who has a deep understanding of the demands on our busy students, and what they need to stay on track to graduation,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow.
For the past 25 years, Dr. Seals has led a distinguished career in student services, beginning with directing campus activities at the College of New Rochelle and as resident hall manager at New York University. Next, she held positions at Queensborough Community College and Hunter College. She joined LaGuardia in 2015 as assistant dean for enrollment services, and was appointed associate dean for student access and achievement in 2016.
“Nireata has an amazing ability to see the student experience from the macro level,” said LaGuardia Community College Provost Paul Arcario, Ed.D. “She wants our students to have positive experiences here, and fosters a culture where student-facing staff go above and beyond.”
“My job is to help students remove barriers to their success,” said Dr. Seals. “They’re juggling work, family, and classes—and often spend several hours commuting between their daily responsibilities. When students are on-campus, they need to access what they need as easily as possible—accordingly, we’re adding more evening hours to campus services to better serve working students. Anything to help our students get to their next step in their journey.”
Under her leadership, the U.S. Department of Education awarded to LaGuardia a four-year $1.5 million grant to support student-parents. The grant, from the federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, will enable LaGuardia to increase the number of children served by LaGuardia’s on-campus subsidized daycare, the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC), from 219 to upwards of 263 children. As well, the ECLC is establishing a program to address the emotional and mental health of parents, and providing subsidies for the lowest income student-parents.
For students like single mom Tracy Mingo, age 35, being able to send her child to universal pre-k at LaGuardia’s ECLC was an enormous boon: “I could not imagine dropping off my son somewhere, and then coming to LaGuardia. Here it’s a one stop shop. Knowing my son is nearby gives me so much comfort.”
Dr. Seals earned her doctorate of education in executive leadership from Saint John Fisher College in Rochester, NY; her masters in student personnel administration from New York University; and her bachelors in behavioral science/social work from Concordia University (formally Christ College Irvine) in Irvine, Calif.
Dr. Seal succeeds Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., who was appointed president of Rockland Community College in July 2017.
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Community College Appoints Mark C. Healy, former CEO of AST Financial Group, as Vice President of Continuing EducationFrom cargo truck driver to CEO and now LaGuardia vice president—LaGuardia graduate Healy credits the College with putting him on his career path
Healy’s vision for Continuing Education is to address the educational aspirations of the professionals moving into Long Island City, to strengthen & grow existing continuing education programs, & to leverage the New York State Opportunity Zone Program to support new businesses moving into Western Queens
September 26, 2018
After a nationwide search, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY (“LaGuardia”) has named business leader Mark C. Healy (LaGuardia Class of 1983) as vice president of Continuing Education, which serves 30,000 New Yorkers seeking high-quality, affordable, and short-term pathways to advancing their careers, education and businesses.
Healy brings more than 35 years of experience in business and financial services, including serving as president and CEO of AST Financial Group. He has held senior positions at National Financial Services/ Fidelity Investments, and TD Securities. Most recently, he was owner and president of BGBY Investments, LLC, a wealth management practice.
“Throughout his career, Mark has shown an astounding ability to lead and manage large and growing teams of people. He combines this extensive experience with a deep and enduring commitment to LaGuardia and our mission,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow.
Healy graduated from LaGuardia in 1983 with an associate degree in accounting.
“I credit LaGuardia with much of my professional success,” said Healy. “It’s where I learned how to merge my street smarts with my acquired accounting expertise, and where I met faculty who helped me establish a career on Wall Street—mentorship that was vital as I didn’t have professional role models in my personal life.”
Healy and his four siblings grew up with limited means in Jamaica, Queens. Their mother struggled to make ends meet after Healy’s father died suddenly when he was 10 years old. After high school, he took a job driving cargo trucks at Kennedy Airport. However, after a year he decided that he needed to go to college, and enrolled at LaGuardia because of its affordable tuition and opportunities for paid internships. After graduating from LaGuardia, he earned his bachelor’s in public accounting from LIU Post (as it is currently named), and then started his highly successful career in finance.
When Healy speaks with students, he shares the family hardships that led him to LaGuardia: “I want students to know that I understand what they’re going through, and encourage them to stay in college and graduate so they can have a better future. I’m thrilled to be in this new role supporting our adult-learners on their journeys to improving their lives and careers.”
LaGuardia’s Continuing Education Division serves adults who need to finish high school, immigrants wanting to improve their English language skills, professionals seeking new skills, and entrepreneurs working to grow their businesses. Robust certificate and professional development offerings include healthcare education and training, the largest English language-learning program in New York City, and career skills training.
Innovative partnerships with New York employers and governmental agencies help shape and support these programs—helping underemployed and unemployed New Yorkers find pathways to steady work, and supporting small businesses. As example, a partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, supported by NYC’s Department of Small Business Services, trains New Yorkers for medical billing jobs at Weill Cornell and other health care institutions. In addition, the College’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program has helped hundreds of New York entrepreneurs create jobs, secure loans, and negotiate new contracts.
“My goals are to both sustain our vital education and training programs, while addressing the educational aspirations of the professionals moving to Western Queens,” said Healy. “Another key goal is supporting efforts to draw businesses to our community, through the Opportunity Zone community development program—increasing opportunities for jobs and internships for our students.” (Click here for a map reflecting the census tracks in Queens that have been designated part of the New York State Opportunity Zone Program.)
Since 2013, Healy has been a member of the LaGuardia Community College Foundation, including as board chair (2016-2018)—spearheading efforts to provide financial support for students. Each year, the Foundation gives out nearly $2 million in scholarships and emergency financial support to the College’s primarily low-income and new-immigrant students. In 2015, Healy established a scholarship fund to help students pay their tuition and other college expenses.
For his dedication to LaGuardia, the College Foundation honored Healy with the 2014 Innovative Leadership Award. To watch a video of his acceptance of the award, click here.
Healy takes the reins from Jane E. Schulman, who stepped down last month as vice president of continuing education.
To learn more about LaGuardia’s Continuing Education division, click here.
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Community College Graduates Win Investment From 2018 CUNY Startup Accelerator Luis Medina Triana and Christian Robinson selected for their platform, Perfectus.io, designed to connect startup ventures with students seeking professional experienceJuly 5, 2018
Christian Robinson to the left & Luis Medina Triana to the right
CUNY Startups assists students in launching their own ventures, through a four-month program that helps teams go from idea to pilot to launch. After successfully taking an early stage idea to a well-defined launch plan, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY graduates, Luis Medina Triana and Christian Robinson, were recently selected for a $4,500 grant towards their startup, a platform called Perfectus.io, which enables startups to find talent to staff-up their ventures. They describe it on their website as, “A unique platform that matches startups with the right level of experience, interest, and compensation.”
"As an entrepreneur myself, I know firsthand how important CUNY Startups is to young entrepreneurs,” said CUNY Startups Manager of Marketing & Partnerships Faith Fraser. “Many founders come to us with just an idea and over the course of four months are able to accomplish so much. Luis and Christian are a great example of that.”
“The initiative that Luis and Christian showed in bringing their idea to CUNY Startups is commendable. Being a part of the CUNY system affords our students with many meaningful opportunities, like those at CUNY Startups. We encourage all our students to take advantage of these opportunities to expand their learning, connect with experts in their fields of interest, and find support for future ventures,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “With the grant Luis and Christian are receiving towards their platform, combined with their education, and commitment to innovation, they’re primed to make a significant mark on NYC’s tech ecosystem.”
Robinson describes how they drew from their own experience working on startups as inspiration: “I was on several startup teams that fell apart when we weren’t able to find people with the right skillsets to fill much-needed roles; it was especially hard to find people outside my major area to work with us — we just didn’t know enough people.”
They decided to address this gap with a new platform.
“Startups don’t often have the resources to pay a recruiter $10,000; they may only have just enough money to post a position on a job board or to ask around. As a result, they end up getting a small pool of applicants,” said Medina Triana. “Startups also need a process that is streamlined and easy to use – because they need workers NOW, yet lack the time to go through hundreds of resumes.”
“The platform also works for students because it helps them find good positions quickly – and many are eager to start working asap,” said Robinson.
Medina Triana and Robinson plan to put their CUNY Startups winnings towards building the platform. They also recently won the Capital One Innovation Challenge for their customer research work on their project. Currently, they’re working with two clients on a trial basis.
Medina Triana (class of 2013) and Robinson (class of 2018), both age 26, met at a reception celebrating the opening of Cornell Tech — quickly bonding over a shared desire to start their own businesses. They decided to form a partnership and seek opportunities together.
“Our original startup idea was a peer to peer matching system — helping students connect with other students to work together,” said Medina Triana. "However, we pivoted our idea to create a sustainable business model helping startups find the right fit for their team and helping students gain experience in roles that fit their passions."
“As entrepreneurs, we decided to focus on startups as they’re such an exciting area,” said Robinson. “We know how eager many students are for any experience they can add to their resume and build their professional experience.”
Medina Triana, who was born and raised in Colombia, earned a bachelor’s in digital marketing from Baruch College. He recently earned a professional certificate from TechHire, LaGuardia’s coding boot camp program, and currently works as a member of LaGuardia’s webmaster team.
Robinson, age 26, is a graduate of LaGuardia’s President’s Society — Tech, a professional development program for students interested in working in tech, and is currently working towards a bachelor’s in business administration at Medgar Evers College. He currently works as a client engagement specialist at iTell.io, a tech startup working out of NYDesigns, a startup incubator space located on the LaGuardia campus.
For more information about LaGuardia's suite of tech education and training programs, please contact Seema Shah, Director of Tech and Innovation at TechPartnerships@lagcc.cuny.edu
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.
#### LaGuardia Partner Energy Tech High School Celebrates GraduationJuly 2, 2018
Energy Tech High School, which trains graduates for in-demand jobs in the STEM field here in New York City, recently marked its second-ever graduating class. The school opened five years ago through a partnership between LaGuardia Community College, The City University of New York, National Grid, and Con Edison.
Energy Tech High School is part of a growing movement of grades 9-14 programs, where students can take college courses starting as early as the 10th grade, and can pursue an engineering-related associate degree free of charge.
Over half the members of Energy Tech’s Class of 2018 plan to continue their education at LaGuardia Community College to earn an associate degree in engineering or other majors.
“Congratulations to Energy Tech High School’s Class of 2018! The partnership between our college, CUNY, National Grid and Con Edison is clearly working,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “Our collaboration with Energy Tech and other high schools lets students get a head start on going to college, while also demystifying the whole process of applying to and attending college. This model has shown success and we are proud to have been a pioneer in integrating high school and college education. Graduates of Energy Tech have a bright future as we grapple with creating more sustainable and reliable energy sources.”
“Energy Tech has excelled within the Early College Initiative using two core tenets of the strategic framework guiding CUNY: supported transitions from high school to college, and the full partnership with National Grid and other employer partners providing formative work-based learning and mentoring experiences towards successful career options in the energy industry,” said Brian Donnelly, director of the CUNY Early College Initiative.
“Upon high school graduation, students of the Class of 2018 have already made great strides toward their college and career goals. We look forward to continuing to develop our students and alumni as leaders in the energy industry, STEM fields more broadly, and beyond,” said Hope Barter, founding principal of Energy Tech High School.
Ken Daly, chief operating officer of US Electric, National Grid, delivered the keynote address at the graduation, in which he encouraged the Class of 2018 to continue to accept the challenge as they pursue a unique pathway to careers in the energy industry and beyond. “Your individual successes will benefit society as a whole, when you succeed you are helping someone else,” he said.
As an Energy Tech industry partner, National Grid provides technical support to help shape curriculum, field trips to company learning centers and power plants, along with mentoring and internship opportunities.
This summer, Energy Tech will participate in National Grid’s “Engineering Our Future Pipeline Program,” a six-year preparatory experience for high school students pursuing four-year engineering degrees and careers at National Grid.
“We are thankful to National Grid for their continued partnership—preparing students to be competitive candidates for engineering pathways is complex and challenging — we could not provide this level of support without the unwavering dedication of our industry partners,” said Principal Barter.
“Energy Tech provides a unique opportunity for local New York City high school students to gain the specific STEM skills we need in our industry to meet the energy challenges ahead,” said Daly. “Our partnership with Energy Tech High School supports National Grid’s ‘Engineering Our Future’ initiative to build a highly skilled and diverse workforce. Congratulations to the class of 2018 — National Grid is delighted to help you prepare for productive technical careers in our local communities and support your development as future leaders in the energy industry.”
Energy Tech will celebrate its inaugural cohort of associate degree graduates in June 2019, while a small group of accelerated students is on track to earn their associate degrees in December 2018.
Ken Daly, COO, U.S. Electric, National Grid delivers the keynote address for Energy Tech High School’s Commencement Ceremony on June 22, 2018.
Moza Maryam walks across the stage as her name is being called.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company that supplies the energy for more than 20 million people through its networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain.
National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions. Read more about the innovative projects happening across our footprint in The Democratization of Energy, an eBook written by National Grid’s US president, Dean Seavers.
About Energy Tech
Energy Tech is an Early College Initiative (ECI) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) school serving grades 9-14, and focusing on building a skilled workforce for the fast-growing energy industry. The school opened in the fall of 2013 in Long Island City, Queens, and is being developed in partnership with The City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College, National Grid, and Con Edison. Energy Tech is preparing students for the demands of college and work, and for a range of competitive careers in engineering and technology in our local utility industry. In collaboration with local university and industry partners, Energy Tech provides students with the skills and understandings to earn a high school diploma, an associate’s degree, and to participate in a range of career readiness experiences over the course of a six-year program. Ultimately, students will leave Energy Tech as skilled candidates for jobs on a ladder of career growth in the field of energy, or competitive applicants for four-year colleges.
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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more
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