Professor Michele de Goeas-Malone to Receive CUNY Teaching Award in March
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (December 17, 2024) — The City University of New York (CUNY) is presenting a Teaching Award to LaGuardia Professor Michele de Goeas-Malone, for her achievement and commitment to advancing teaching excellence and student success.
CUNY will host a special reception on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at the CUNY Central Offices to recognize the professors who were selected at each of the CUNY campuses. The awards are being presented by the University Faculty Leadership Development Fellows, Office of Faculty Affairs.
Professor de Goeas-Malone, who is the Education Program Co-Director and a Lecturer at LaGuardia, was nominated by Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Arthur Lau, Chair of the Education and Language Acquisition (ELA) Department.
Professor de Goeas-Malone says earning this award is something she never expected, especially since academics were not a priority when she was younger.
“I dropped out in 3rd form in Trinidad, which is about grade 9th in America,” Professor de Goeas-Malone said. “When I was 18, I started working in New York as an au pair and my boss suggested that I get my GED, which I did. After getting my GED, she suggested that I apply to Queens College, CUNY. I somehow got in and as you can imagine I had to do a lot of remedial courses to do. I graduated from Queens with a BA in Linguistics and Speech Pathology and a minor in Sociology. After that I went on to get my MA in Linguistics from the CUNY Graduate Center.”
Professor de Goeas-Malone says having someone recognize her potential provided the encouragement she needed to return to school and earn her degrees.
“I was never good at school when I was younger and always felt that I did not fit in, and my grades reflected that too,” she said. “I guess having someone recognize or say that they thought that I was “smart enough” to do school motivated me. And, once I started seeing that I could do well in school, I started to enjoy the act of learning, which is something I hope to instill in my students.”
Dr. Gastic Rosado says Professor de Goeas-Malone has dedicated herself to helping students be successful at LaGuardia.
“Michele De Goeas-Malone is known for her engaging teaching style and ability to connect with students, fostering a supportive environment that inspires future educators,” said Dr. Gastic Rosado. “Her passion and dedication make her a standout recipient of this teaching award recognition.”
Dr. Arthur Lau also nominated Professor de Goeas-Malone for the Teaching Award and said she is deserving of this recognition.
“She is reflective in her practice and encourages students to integrate their real-world experience with academic concepts acquired in the classroom,” Dr. Lau said. “In her teaching in the Education Program, she strives to address and integrate the entire academic journey of a student majoring in education that starts in the First Year Seminar and culminates in capstone courses in language and literacy. She uses skillfully designed assignments that make the connections explicit for her students.”
Professor de Goeas-Malone says receiving this recognition is a motivator for continuing to do what she loves – teaching and helping students.“
I am deeply honored to receive this award and very grateful to Provost Rosado and Dr. Lau, the ELA department chair, for recognizing and nominating me for it,” said Professor de Goeas-Malone. “This award is a powerful reminder of why I love teaching and motivates me to continue providing the best possible learning experiences for our students. From high school dropout to receiving this recognition, what a ride.”
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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.
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