LaGuardia Community College Receives $300,000 Grant from Heckscher Foundation for New Pipeline to Degree Program
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (January 24, 2025) — LaGuardia Community College/CUNY has received a $300,000 grant from the Heckscher Foundation for Children to launch Pipeline to Degree. The new initiative aims to increase the number of students who complete workforce training and pre-college programs and then transition into the college to pursue associate degrees. Pipeline to Degree will have an emphasis on younger adults (ages 18 to 24).
Pipeline to Degree will create new educational pathways linking pre-college and non-degree workforce training programs to internships and associate degrees, leading to further education and good-paying jobs in students’ fields of interest. The program will offer customized outreach, advising, and support for Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) students, particularly younger adults (ages 18 to 24), those from low-income and first-generation backgrounds.
“We are grateful for this generous grant from the Heckscher Foundation, which will enable us to launch Pipeline to Degree. This program will encourage individuals who complete ACE programs to pursue associate degrees expanding their career opportunities and increasing lifetime earnings,” said Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College. “We want ACE students, particularly working adults, new immigrants, and first-generation college applicants, to see pre-college and workforce training program as gateways to college degrees.”
“Students in ACE programs have shown a motivation to improve their lives through higher education,” said Sunil B. Gupta, Vice President of LaGuardia’s ACE Division, the largest within the City University of New York (CUNY) system. “For first-generation students, immigrants and adult learners, enrolling in a college degree program may seem out of reach. Pipeline to Degree will create clear, supportive pathways to help ACE students navigate the college transfer process and access the support services available to them as LaGuardia students.”
In 2024, LaGuardia’s ACE served 11,400 New Yorkers in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), pre-college, and workforce training programs. These programs prepare individuals for the GED exam and college-level coursework and provide training for jobs in high-demand occupations like Cybersecurity, Central Service Technician, Electrical, and Plumbing.
Pipeline to Degree will offer tailored new student orientation, academic advisement, career and transfer counseling, and other support for ACE students transitioning into LaGuardia degree programs. Academic and career advising will align ACE students with academic programs matching their career interests and prior training. For instance, a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant student would be guided toward associate degrees offered by the college’s Health Sciences Department. Personalized sessions and workshops will help ensure academic momentum and degree completion for ACE students.
The program will employ current degree-seeking students as peer mentors to empower students with the tools, knowledge, and experience needed to achieve their goals as associate degree students. The mentors will conduct workshops, facilitate campus visits, and provide personalized support during the first several weeks of the semester, which research has shown to be crucial for first- generation college students.
Additionally, Pipeline to Degree staff and peer mentors will connect ACE students to college services, including Financial Aid, the LaGuardia Foundation (for scholarships), the Wellness Center (for counseling), the Early Childhood Learning Center (daycare services), Health Services, Tutoring, Career Services, and LaGuardia CARES (food pantry and emergency aid), and more. The goal is to increase ACE students’ awareness and use of these services.
Special attention will be given to ACE students who may be eligible for Credit for Prior Learning, which can reduce the number of credits needed for graduation and lower tuition costs. This is particularly beneficial for military veterans, adult learners with work experience, and immigrant students with overseas academic credentials.
“Many ACE non-credit programs are linked to credit programs through Credit for Prior Learning,” added Vice President Gupta. “Students awarded CPL get a head start with fewer credits required for graduation, shortened time-to-degree, and reduced tuition costs. By aligning pre-college programs, CPL, workforce training, stackable credentials, experiential learning, and associate degrees, the initiative creates pathways to high-demand jobs in NYC.”
To recruit students for Pipeline to Degree, LaGuardia will partner with local community-based organizations, such as those with credit articulations established with the Credit for Prior Learning Office, including Per Scholas, N-Power, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, and APEX Technical School, among others.
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution 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 advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
The Heckscher Foundation for Children uses venture philanthropy to fund innovative, results-driven programs and partnerships that level the playing field for underserved youth. Its grants focus primarily on education, including college access and persistence, workforce training and jobs access, and arts education that improves achievement in the classroom. Learn more at heckscherfoundation.org.
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