"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. | | The Division of Communications and External Affairs offers various additional resources to help you share news with the campus, including an event calendar, photography, graphic design, and more. | | Four LaGuardia Animal Sciences students have been awarded scholarships covering tuition, housing, meals, and fees to pursue bachelor’s degrees at Rutgers University. The scholars—Abigail Arteaga, Angelina Dominguez, Ailis Fernandez, and Ashley Hernandez—began their Fall 2025 semester classes at Rutgers on September 2. They will pursue Bachelor of Science degrees in Animal Science, with options in Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Companion Animal Science, Equine and Production Animal Science, and Laboratory Animal Science. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) through the Next Generation (NEXTGEN) initiative, the scholarships are part of the USDA-NIFA-supported Animal Science Discovery (ANSCID) program, which builds a structured pathway from NYC high schools to LaGuardia and Rutgers for careers in animal science and related fields. “The Animal Sciences track is one of the first of its kind at CUNY and is growing quickly, creating unique opportunities for urban students to pursue careers in veterinary medicine, biomedical research, wildlife science, and companion animal science,” said Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, director of LaGuardia’s Environmental Science Program and principal investigator of ANSCID. “It has been such a joy to teach Abigail, Ailis, Ashley, and Angelina in my Animal Behavior and Ethics as well as Integrative Physiology classes. They are truly extraordinary students. I have watched them grow, mature, and challenge themselves during their time at LaGuardia, and I am so excited to see them continue to shine at Rutgers.” | | Incoming Freshmen Kick Off School Year at New Student Orientation | | On September 3, incoming Red Hawks attended New Student Orientation. The orientation featured a full day of activities to help introduce new students to life at LaGuardia. Students attended a general presentation in the Main Stage Theater in the morning before breaking out into departmental sessions throughout the afternoon. LaGuardia also hosted a Resources Fair Block Party and Campus Tours on the LaGuardia Community Greenway. The event included a live DJ, games, and the opportunity for new students to meet with staff from various areas of the college including Campus Life, Student Financial Services, Veterans Services, Health Services, LaGuardia CARES, Student Success Mentors, and the Wellness Center to name a few. Another New Student Orientation session will take place on September 5. | | Opening Sessions is Today | | | | Opening Sessions 2025, Learning Beyond the Classroom: Expanding Opportunities Through Experiential and Work-Based Learning, is taking place today. This year’s Opening Sessions features a keynote address from Angie Kamath, Dean of the New York University School of Professional Studies. Breakout sessions will explore subthemes such as “Enhancing Learning Through Practice,” “Aligning with LaGuardia’s New Education Plan,” “Expanding Experiential and Work-Based Learning,” and “Fostering Participation and Civic Responsibility.” Previous issues of this newsletter incorrectly identified the event's organizers; Opening Sessions was led by Jasmine Edwards and Christine Pardo. We regret the error. | | Campus Update is Moving to Thursdays | | Beginning September 2025, Campus Update will be published on Thursdays. Going forward, submissions will be due by Tuesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for that week’s newsletter. Our student newsletter, Red Hawk Round-Up, will continue to be issued on Thursdays and resumes weekly publication on September 4. | | | Faculty Invited to Attend Brightspace Day, September 8 | | | | |
LaGuardia will start using Brightspace in Fall 2025. To help faculty get used to the new platform, LaGuardia is hosting Brightspace Day on September 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brightspace Day will feature a series of different workshops on how to get started in and make the most of the new platform. Click here to view the full lineup of workshops taking place, or register to attend here.
Ongoing trainings are also available, and a full schedule can be found here. For more information, visit LaGuardia's Brightspace webpage or email the transition team at BrightspaceTeam@lagcc.cuny.edu.
| | CUNY Login MFA Has Begun – Set Up Your Account Now! | | CUNY Login Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) was implemented August 28. If you haven’t set up your account yet, you will be denied access to CUNY applications such as CUNYfirst, Blackboard/Brightspace, DegreeWorks, Zoom, and Dropbox. You are required to use CUNY Login MFA each time you use CUNY Login. CUNY Login MFA is separate from the Microsoft MFA implementation required when using Microsoft 365 applications. However, if you’re using the College’s VPN you already have a CUNY Login MFA and you do not have to set up another account. The authentication method for CUNY Login MFA is the Microsoft Authenticator App. Set up MFA for your account as soon as possible today to avoid being denied access to CUNY apps when you need them. To set up your MFA account now, use these instructions: Setting Up CUNY Login MFA Video Tutorial and Setting Up CUNY Login MFA - Quick Start Guide. If you have any questions or need assistance with CUNY Login MFA, please contact our HelpDesk by submitting an IT HelpDesk ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal, or by email at ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu, or call (718) 482-6134. | | | | | The FY2026 Tax Levy July 31, 2025 Operating Budgets by department are available for viewing. | | Please welcome Andrew Ronan, LaGuardia’s new Executive Director of the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. Andrew started August 2 and comes to us with extensive experience in arts and cultural programming in Queens. Reporting to Chief of Staff Nayelli Valencia Turrent, Andrew will guide LPAC’s programming and operations to strengthen college and community connections and ensure the Center’s long-term sustainability. Most recently, Andrew served as Vice President of Partnerships, Programming, and Events at the Hudson River Park Trust, where he helped transform the Park into a cultural destination by producing large-scale events, forging partnerships, and broadening community engagement. Before that, he directed the NYC Department of Transportation’s Public Space Programming Initiative, a multimillion-dollar effort that brought artists and performers into public plazas across the five boroughs. Andrew previously served as Chief of Staff to former City Council Member Daniel Dromm, and led audience development efforts at Queens Theatre. | | | Dr. Habiba Boumlik Participates in AATF Delegation to Côte d’Ivoire | | Dr. Habiba Boumlik, Education and Language Acquisition (ELA) professor, recently returned from a four-week intensive program with the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Through a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant, Dr. Boumlik was one of 14 selected participants to join a team of French teachers and curriculum writers at the University of San Pedro in Côte d'Ivoire in learning, studying, and developing K-16 French curricular units. The work focused on local storytellers, women entrepreneurs, linguistic and ethnic diversity, history and anthropology, music and dance, among other topics. The curriculum will be available to all French teachers through the AATF website. “This was an enriching experience both pedagogically and intellectually. It allowed me to interact with San Pedro scholars, participate in field trips, and engage with local people through interviews and visits while discovering the southern region of Côte d'Ivoire,” said Dr. Boumlik (pictured, second from right). | | LaGuardia Students Present Work at Queens College Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium | | The Queens College Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) held its annual symposium on August 22. About a dozen LaGuardia students participated in the symposium, showcasing projects supported by the Queens STEM Academy HSI-STEM grant. SURP is a comprehensive eight-week initiative designed to immerse undergraduate students in research experiences across various academic disciplines. Supported by dedicated faculty mentors, the program gives students an opportunity to develop research skills that will prepare them for academic pursuits and career paths in research-oriented fields. | | New Exhibition: Book of Going Forth by Dahlia Elsayed | | A collection of recent works by Professor Dahlia Elsayed will be on view at the Morgan Lehman Gallery beginning today. The solo exhibition, titled Book of Going Forth, features 29 paintings and a hand-knotted rug “forming a visual narrative that follows a female traveler’s passage through a fictional landscape.” An opening reception is planned for September 11. | | | | | |
Students looking for enrollment services support can now access virtual office hours every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Virtual One Stop takes place on Zoom and allows students to drop in and meet with staff from the following offices:
- Admissions
- International Student Services
- Registrar
- Student Financial Services
- Student Information Center
- Transfer Credit Evaluation
- Testing
| | Paramedic Program Holds Graduation Ceremony for Class 32 | | Nearly 30 students celebrated their completion of the Paramedic program at LaGuardia on August 28. At the ceremony last week, graduates and their families took in remarks from Edward Young, the Paramedic program coordinator, Dr. Philip Gimber, chairperson of the Health Sciences Department, and guest speaker Dr. Lorraine Giordano, Medical Director of the New York City Fire Department and LaGuardia. The group of students who graduated represent LaGuardia’s Paramedic Class 32. The class’s valedictorian and salutatorian were Lauren Park and Nicholas Maddolini, respectively. A handful of students received special awards: Ruth Mendoza received the Perseverance Award, Cesar Bojaca received the Sharpshooter Award, and Skills Mastery Awards were given to Victor M. Salas, Jeffrey Trunell, and Kendel Cofell. The students who successfully completed the program may now go on to take the New York City Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (NYC REMAC) paramedic certification exam. Congratulations to the new graduates! | | Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | |
- Classes start September 9, but the Library still has reduced hours through September 8. Check our Library Hours before you make the trip.
- Free digital subscriptions to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are available to all students, staff, and faculty. Use your LaGuardia email to sign up.
- We have copies of almost all textbooks in the Library available to check out for 2 hours (you can’t leave the Library, though). If we don’t have it, please let us know. If you can’t make it into the Library, you can request a chapter scan. Follow these directions to make a request.
- Need to borrow a Chromebook, iPad, calculator, or laptop? Stop by our Media Help Desk.
| | | HR Office Renovation is Finished | | We are ready to serve all of your HR needs from our sparkling new office space in E-407. Please take note that we are no longer operating out of E-405. | |
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Reminder About Paycheck Distribution Times
Please note that Human Resources has a firm policy of check distribution between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Room E-405, Monday through Friday. This ensures that critical staff are available when you arrive. If you can't make it during this window, please call us at (718) 482 5075 to make a special arrangement.
| | LaGuardia Seeks to Fill Open Faculty and Staff Positions | | |
LaGuardia currently has several searches for new faculty and staff members. Current faculty and staff are welcome to share the openings below with individuals who they believe may be a good fit for the role or apply for the positions themselves. For more openings, visit Employment Opportunities.
| | DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DoIT) | | Cybersecurity Tip: Protect Yourself Against Smishing Scams | | |
Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that affects everyone on campus. Colleges and universities are frequent targets of cyberattacks seeking access to personal, financial, and academic data. Protecting this information requires strong institutional safeguards and individual vigilance.
Staying Secure: Best Practices
- Use Strong, unique passwords: Avoid reusing the same password.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA effectively defends unauthorized access. Follow CUNY’s MFA policies.
- Be Alert to phishing attempts: Don’t click on links, open attachments or respond to emails from unfamiliar senders.
- Update devices regularly: Install security updates on all your devices as soon as they’re available.
DoIT’s Commitment
- DoIT actively protects our digital environment by:
- Conducting regular security updates, strengthening security systems and monitoring activity.
- Providing cybersecurity awareness training opportunities.
- Utilizing enhanced tools for data protection and secure collaboration.
- Applying quick response procedures in cases of suspected threats and reported incidents.
You Can Help
Cybersecurity depends on the actions of each individual. By staying alert, following best practices, and reporting anything suspicious, you’re helping safeguard your information and the broader LaGuardia community. If you encounter suspicious emails or unusual activity, please report them immediately to the IT HelpDesk at: ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu.
| | LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | | |
USA TODAY: How Dr. Rhonda Mouton, director of LaGuardia CARES, draws from her experience evacuating New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina when helping students in crisis.
QNS: Tabia Tarannum (LaGuardia'25, Biology), a Kaplan Leadership Scholar, is working towards her pre-med goals at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
NEW YORK TIMES: A photo of LaGuardia Community College is included in an article outlining the actual experiences of college students nationwide.
NEW YORK TIMES: The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College will host Down-to Earth, New York City’s first international festival celebrating multidisciplinary performance in public spaces, running August 29–September 7.
EL DIARIO NY: LaGuardia Community College's wind turbine technician and solar panel installation programs are recruiting participants. (Article in Spanish)
FINGERLAKES1.COM: On August 27, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the first group of graduates from PowerUp2030, a 10-week training program developed by LaGuardia and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), offering free technical training and support for clean energy businesses owned by minorities, women, and service-disabled veterans.
HOY DIARIO: The PowerUp2030 program, developed by NYPA and LaGuardia Community College, seeks to strengthen small and diverse businesses in the clean energy sector in New York by offering training and business opportunities. (Article in Spanish)
| | "Campus Update" is produced and published by the Communications and External Affairs Division. Faculty and staff who wish to submit items for publication can email CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday to be considered for publication on Thursday. |
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