"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. | | National First-Generation College Day, observed annually on November 8, recognizes and elevates the resilience and determination of students, alumni, faculty, and staff who are the first in their families to attend and graduate from college. It was launched in 2017 by the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the Center for First-generation Student Success, and is timed to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. LaGuardia is proud to offer numerous resources and services to support first-generation college students, who are forging their own paths in higher education, often without the guidance of family members who have navigated college themselves. Among the first-generation students finding success at LaGuardia is Andres Felipe Parada Hernandez, 22, who moved to New York City from Colombia three years ago to pursue a college degree in the U.S. He began his journey at LaGuardia through the CUNY Language Immersion Program and enrolled as a Philosophy student in Spring 2025. He’s found a second home at Casa de las Américas, where he receives peer mentorship through CREAR Futuros. Laura Cuautla, 19, is a first-semester Secondary Education student who moved to the U.S. from Mexico at age four. She balances school with part-time work as a medical assistant. Cuautla, who aspires to become a high school English teacher, enjoys studying or relaxing in LaGuardia’s courtyards and library. She plans to visit The Writing Center for help polishing essays and appreciates the guidance she’s received from her ASAP advisor. Read more about Andres, Laura, and two additional first-generation LaGuardia students here. | | On Monday, October 27, under a crisp, clear sky, the fall harvest was underway at LaGuardia’s Finca La Florecita, the college’s urban farm. Students in the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program hand-harvested autumn crops such as lettuce, kale, spinach, and carrots, while planting for the winter season ahead. Ninety-five percent of the harvest would go to LaGuardia CARES. Since March, Finca La Florecita has produced more than 3,000 pounds of fresh food, with 500 pounds harvested this fall alone. The program is part of LaGuardia’s Environmental Science program, co-directed by Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan. Read about four students involved in the harvest—their career aspirations and favorite recipes they’ve cooked with produce from La Finca. | | Students, faculty, and staff participated in the Seventh Annual Hunger Banquet yesterday, an event that gave students the opportunity to explore global food insecurity and food justice through guided discussion and role play. Organized by LaGuardia's Nutrition and Culinary Management program, this immersive event challenged participants to consider the inequalities in food access both locally and around the world. Lunch was served to the first 100 attendees. Following the banquet, the Food Day Fair celebrated community, wellness, and sustainability with hands-on activities and educational booths from programs across the college. | | LaGuardia Students Attend National HACU Conference in Denver | | This past weekend, November 1–3, five LaGuardia students—Ashley Alayo, Juan Arboleda, Nataly Briones, Alexandra Garcia, and Sandra O'Hara—attended the 39th Annual Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Conference in Denver, Colorado, thanks to generous support from USDA. Garcia and O’Hara are Casa Ambassadors, while Alayo, Arboleda, and Briones are CREAR Futuros mentors. At the conference, the students joined peers and professionals from across the country to explore leadership development, career pathways, and strategies for strengthening Hispanic-Serving Institutions. “Our students engaged meaningfully with national conversations on equity and education; it was an enriching experience,” said Nedelka Sotelo, Casa’s manager. Sandra O’Hara, a Spanish-English Translation major, reflected: “HACU reminded us that our voices matter. We returned with a renewed sense of purpose.” During the event, CUNY Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez was inducted into HACU’s Hall of Champions. The photo above shows (from left to right): Nataly Briones, Alexandra Garcia, Juan Arboleda, Sandra O'Hara, and Nedelka Sotelo. | | | | The LaGuardia Community College Theater Program, Humanities Department, and LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) present Bryna Turner’s At the Wedding, with five performances—including a free dress rehearsal—running from November 19 and November 23. Staged in LPAC’s Little Theater, the production features students from LaGuardia’s Theater program under the direction of Theater Professor James Ryan (JR) Caldwell. At the Wedding is a hilarious 75-minute dramedy about loneliness, estrangement, and a slow-burn romance with what it means to be in love—and to be alive. Through main character Carlo's painful yet humorous journey, Turner explores the raw ache of heartbreak and the complexities of queer identity in spaces not designed for her. Performances are: Wednesday, November 19: Open Dress Rehearsal at 5 p.m. (Free; reserve here); Thursday, November 20: 7 p.m.; Friday, November 21: 7 p.m.; Saturday, November 22: 7 p.m.; Sunday, November 23: 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person for general admission and $8 per person for students. Each ticket includes a $2 convenience fee. Purchase tickets here. | | Faculty and Staff Invited to "New Front Door" Planning Forum, November 21 | | On November 21, from 9 to 11 a.m., LaGuardia faculty and staff are invited to participate in "New Front Door: Expanding and Improving Students' First-Year Experience," a planning forum that will focus on ways to help new LaGuardia students get their college career off on a strong start. New Front Door is an initiative that builds on the First Year Experience (FYE) by adding new milestones to a student's first year, re-working/ strengthening original FYE milestones, and developing ways to ensure that a greater percentage of students complete them in a timely manner. The planning forum will take place in Room E-500; participants will also receive breakfast, light refreshments, and LaGuardia swag. To attend, please RSVP to Jessica Mendoza at jmendoza@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | Students Encouraged to Enter T-Shirt Design Contest | | |
LaGuardia students are encouraged to enter a T-shirt design contest centered around the catchphrase "LaGuardia: Built for Love." Designs should reflect the pride, diversity, and spirit of the LaGuardia community. Submissions will be accepted through November 21; students, faculty, and staff will be invited to vote on their favorite designs. The top three winners will receive the following prizes:
- First Place: $50 gift card, LaGuardia goodie bag, and design placed on a T-shirt
- Second Place: $25 gift card and LaGuardia goodie bag
- Third Place: $15 gift card and LaGuardia goodie bag
For more information and to submit a design, students can visit this webpage.
| | Staff invited to Lunch with the President | | | | Staff are invited to RSVP for Lunch with President Kenneth Adams on Wednesday November 19 at 1 p.m. This is part of an on-going series of meet ups with the community. There is no formal agenda, just a chance to catch up and share your LaGuardia story with the President. Please RSVP; space is limited. | | Reminder of LaGuardia CARES Services | | If you know a student in need of food, LaGuardia CARES can help. The on-campus food pantry is open Monday through Friday in Room C-235, where students can receive free groceries. If students have other unmet needs, please encourage them to visit LaGuardia CARES' webpage to apply for emergency assistance. CARES is here to help ensure students have the resources they need. Donations are also accepted. For more information, call (718) 483-5135 or email LaGuardiaCARES@lagcc.cuny.edu. CUNY students may also receive assistance from any CUNY campus food pantry. Click here for a list of locations. | | | Join the Black Empowerment Summit Planning Committee | | | | Help organize the upcoming Black Empowerment Summit in spring 2026 by joining the Planning Committee. Committee members help shape the summit theme, sessions, and speakers; coordinate logistics, marketing, and day-of support; and collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to make the event a success. Committee members will attend scheduled meetings and participate in at least one sub-committee. We’d love for you to join us! Contact Rachel Romain at rcharles@lagcc.cuny.edu by Friday, November 14 to sign up. | | The CUNY LGBTQI+ Council and the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium will hold CUNY’s fourth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) Vigil at the CUNY Graduate Center’s Segal Theatre on November 21. This is a day to both uplift our community and remember and honor those whose lives were lost as a result of anti-transgender bigotry and violence, especially for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming folks of color. Dr. Allie Brashears, Director of the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium and LGBTQ+ programming for the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. To attend, reserve your spot for free here. | | | Sign Up to Add a Professional Headshot to Your Faculty Profile | | | | |
LaGuardia’s Communications and External Affairs Division is hosting a series of “Photo Days” for faculty and staff who need to update their professional headshots! Your headshot can be used for a variety of purposes and adds a personal touch to your Faculty Profile on the LaGuardia website. Book your timeslot here for one of the following dates:
For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471.
| | The FY2026 Tax Levy September 30, 2025 Operating Budgets by department are available for viewing. | | | Queens Borough President's Office Donates Clothing to LaGuardia CARES | | On November 6, Vanessa Ordonez, Director of Immigrant Affairs from the office of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, visited LaGuardia Community College to deliver 20 boxes of clothing to support LaGuardia CARES Rhonda Mouton, Director of LaGuardia Cares and Claudia Chan, Deputy Director of Government Affairs were present to receive the donation. We are grateful for the continued support of Queens Borough President's team and their commitment in making sure our students have the resources necessary to succeed. | | Queens Residents Invited to Virtual Information Session on Community Boards, hosted by the Office of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards | | |
In January 2026, the Queens Borough President will open applications for Community Boards. If you are interested in getting involved and making a difference in your neighborhood, join this presentation on topics such as:
- What is a Community Board: Roles and Responsibilities
- Composition of a Community Board: Appointed Members and Hired Staff
- What a typical Community Board looks like
- How to Apply
- Q&A
Below are the details to attend the workshop:
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Date: November 13, 2025
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Time: 8:05 to 8:35 p.m.
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Location: Zoom (Meeting ID: 818 0135 9321; Passcode: 826416)
| | LAGUARDIA AND WAGNER ARCHIVES | | A Look Back on Election Day—84 Years Ago! | | We hope you had a great Election Day earlier this week. Did you do your civic duty and cast your vote on Tuesday, just like Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and his wife Marie did exactly 84 years ago? La Guardia was running against Kings County District Attorney William O'Dwyer that year, and was reelected to his third term in office! | | | LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | | On Sunday, November 9 at 5 p.m., Alien of Extraordinary, a powerful new dance theater work by acclaimed choreographer Sun Kim and her company, Sun Kim Dance Theatre, will be performed in LPAC’s Little Theater. Inspired by the complexities of the U.S. artist visa process, Alien of Extraordinary transforms bureaucracy into art, while unfolding the deeply human stories behind the “alien of extraordinary ability” (O-1) visa. Through street dance and theatre, Kim, a South Korean immigrant, reclaims language often used to marginalize and instead crafts a vivid portrait of resilience, belonging, and creative identity. Sun Kim is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and educator from South Korea, specializing in popping—a street dance form that fuses precision and storytelling. Kim has performed with Cirque du Soleil and on Broadway’s Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. She has collaborated with artists and brands including Madonna, Elton John, Nike, and Gap. Following the performance, LPAC Artistic Director Handan Ozbilgin will moderate a conversation with Sun Kim and an attorney specializing in the O-1 visa process. General admission is $20; student tickets are $10. A $2 convenience fee applies to each ticket. Purchase tickets here or visit the LPAC website. | | The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Rough Draft Festival, which will run from March 9–21, 2026. For over two decades, the festival has championed bold, original voices shaping the future of theater. Playwrights and theater-makers are invited to submit works-in-progress for development and public presentation at LPAC––one of New York City’s most dynamic incubators for new performance. Selected artists receive up to ten hours of rehearsal space prior to technical rehearsals, along with seven hours of tech time with LPAC’s professional crew. Each project will be awarded a development budget of up to $3,000, determined in consultation with LPAC staff. Artists will also benefit from marketing and press support, full venue services (including front-of-house and box-office staff), and a public presentation in LPAC’s professional performance spaces. Applications are open through November 20, 2025. Learn more about the festival and how to apply here. | | Honors Program Invites LaGuardia Community to “Fireside Chat” on November 12 | | Faculty, staff, and students alike are invited to the Honors Program’s upcoming “fireside chat” faculty talk on November 12 at 2:30 in Room E-146. This event aims to bring together faculty from the sciences and the humanities to talk about their research, writing and professional trajectory; the upcoming event will feature short talks from Professors Habiba Boumlik and and Roman Senkov. Dr. Boumlik will talk about the cinema of the Amazigh, the native people of North Africa; and in particular, how the Amazigh use cinema to challenge their marginalization, and to reclaim political power and social standing. Dr. Senkov will look at how careful experiments and calculations on nuclear systems can impact some of nature’s basic symmetries. Light refreshments will be served. | | Retrieve Your Blackboard Materials by December 15 | | | | |
Blackboard access will permanently end on December 18th across CUNY. We encourage faculty to retrieve any materials they would like to keep for their own teaching files (e.g., a personal export of your course package, specific files, or Collaborate recordings to keep outside institutional archives) by December 15.
The resources below were created by John Jay College to help faculty retrieve their materials before the deadline:
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To learn how to export course materials, read this guide. (Note: Once you export your course content in a Zip folder, you can opt in to store in OneDrive or Dropbox, both offered by CUNY). To see a walk-through, watch this video starting at minute 10:17.
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To learn how to download Collaborate recordings from your Blackboard courses, read this guide. To see a walk-through, watch this video starting at minute 22:15. (Note: Collaborate recordings are not included in course archives and should be saved to CUNY approved storage (e.g., Microsoft Office 365 and Dropbox) consistent with data/privacy requirements).
If you have any questions or if you need support, see the ‘On Campus Support’ section on the Brightspace website page. For more information regarding this, read CUNY’s full memo.
| | LaGuardia Community Invited to Health Career Event on November 13 | | The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), the Liberal Arts: Health Humanities program, and the Center for Teaching and Learning invite the college community to a health career event on November 13, 3-5pm, in Room E-500. The event features a panel of representatives from various health-related professions who will share real-life stories, insights, and practical advice. Panelists will also speak to the importance of humanities skills and perspectives in healthcare. Refreshments will be served. The collaborative organization of this event emerges from the CTL seminar Career Connected Learning, facilitated by Dr. Jason Hendrickson, Dr. Tameka Battle, and Dr. Ellen Quish. The event is funded by an MLA Pathways Step Grant, awarded to Drs. Christine Marks and Juline Koken for their project “Building Career-Informed Learning Opportunities for LaGuardia’s Health Humanities Students.” Students who attend the health career event will be able to sign up for career workshops held on December 4 and will receive stipends for workshop participation. For questions, please contact career@lagcc.cuny.edu or cmarks@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | | Brightspace Training Available | | | | |
A full schedule of ongoing Brightspace training can be found here. For technical questions, reach out to Brightspace Support:
- Office: B-127 (first floor of the B-Building)
- Phone: (718) 482-6121
- Email: LMS-support@lagcc.cuny.edu
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information and general questions, visit LaGuardia's Brightspace webpage or continue to reach out to the transition team at BrightspaceTeam@lagcc.cuny.edu.
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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
| | LaGuardia Staff Participate in Conference on Peer Mentorship at BMCC | | Estefany Gonzaga, Student Success Mentor Program Coordinator, and Rocio Reynoso, ASAP Career Specialist, recently participated as panelists at the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s Peer Mentoring in Action: Driving Student Success Conference held on October 30. Estefany and Rocio highlighted their respective programs in a breakout session titled “Mentee Engagement: When Dialogue Becomes Development.” ASAP Peer Mentor Jhoana Perez also had a chance to participate in a panel of peer mentors entitled “Mentorship in Their Own Words.” | | Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Hub Hosts “Empower You Kahoot” | | As part of a series of Kahoot-centered events on building safer relationships and community, the Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Hub will host an "Empower You Kahoot: Community Impacts, Community Supports" on November 11 from 1 to 2 p.m. on Zoom. This event is an opportunity to learn about how sexual violence impacts specific communities and explore the intersections of oppression and domestic violence. Attendees will also learn about organizations that can support their communities and peers through Kahoot. Click here to attend, or use the Meeting ID 896 5263 7080 and password 669973. | | | |
Basketball season is back! The mighty Red Hawks invite students, faculty and staff to cheer them on at the following upcoming games and events. Show your school spirit and support the Red Hawks—and if you can't make it out to see a game in person, home games will be streamed live on YouTube. Check the Athletics website for full schedules.
Women's Basketball
- 11/6, 6 p.m. vs. BMCC (double header)
- 11/11, 6 p.m. vs. Monroe Bronx University
For the first Women's Basketball game of the year on November 6, LaGuardia Athletics and the Women's Center and LGBTQ+ Hub have partnered up to give out CUNY swag bags to the first 50 attendees!
Men's Basketball
- 11/6, 8 p.m. vs. BMCC
- 11/8, 2 p.m. vs. Dutchess
| | | Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | | | |
- Can’t make it to the Writing Center in the B Building? Well, you’re in luck, because the Writing Center will be at the Library on Mondays for the rest of the semester! Check the schedule here.
- Need to get some writing done? Like to write with other people? Join us at the Library for 500 Words of Writing.
- Did you know the Library offers credit courses? Take our 1-credit LRC103- Internet Research Strategies or our 3-credit LBN105-InfoCity: Informed Citizens in the Information Age. Find out more information about these exciting research classes!
- Check out the Library’s Book of the Week!
- Our next MoneyBoss workshop, “Planning for College Transfer,” will be on Monday, November 10, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. It will be in-person, in room E-111. Register here.
| | Health Insurance Open Enrollment | |
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Meet with a TIAA Financial Consultant about Retirement
Register for a one-on-one session with a TIAA Financial Consultant to discuss your retirement planning on the following dates:
- Monday, November 24, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – E Building, E-407
- Monday, December 8, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – E Building, E-407
Register here.
| | LaGuardia Seeks to Fill Open Faculty and Staff Positions | | |
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 all LaGuardia openings, visit Employment Opportunities.
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Director of Office of Immigrant Student Success, closes November 13
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Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator, closes November 7
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Assistant Professor - Business and Technology, closes November 7
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Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, closes November 15
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Director of Fatherhood Academy and BMI, closes November 16
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Director of LaGuardia CARES (Student Life Director), closes November 16
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Student Athletics Program Specialist, closes November 16
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Work-Based Learning Specialist (Student Career Program Specialist), closes November 16
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Academic ASAP Program Director, closes November 22
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English Writing Center Manager (Academic Resource Center Manager), closes November 22
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Career Specialist - Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science, closes November 30
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Adjunct Lecturer - Theatre closes November 30
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IT Assistant (Part-Time) - Website/ Mobile Developer, open until filled
| | DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DoIT) | | Cybersecurity Awareness Training Now Live on Brightspace | | The 2025–26 LaGuardia Community College Cybersecurity Awareness Training course is now available on Brightspace. All faculty and staff must complete this mandatory, annual 40-minute training by April 1, 2026 to strengthen our cybersecurity defenses, and safeguard your own and university data. If you have any questions, contact Maritza Acero at macero@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Bonus: Understanding Phishing and Social Engineering | | |
Phishing and social engineering are two prevalent tactics used by attackers to manipulate individuals into disclosing sensitive information or engaging with malicious links.
What Is Phishing?
A cyberattack where attackers impersonate trusted entities such as university officials, IT support, or colleagues to trick you into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links.
Common Signs of Phishing Emails:
- Urgent or threatening language
- Unexpected attachments or links
- Requests for login credentials or financial information
- Heavy use of AI
What Is Social Engineering?
Manipulating people into giving up confidential information by phone calls, texts, or in-person tactics.
- A caller pretending to be from DoIT asking for your password
- Someone posing as a visiting scholar requesting access
- A message claiming to be from a recognizable company asking for payment
How You Can Stay Safe:
- Verify URLs
- Don’t open attachments
- Verify Requests
- Stay Informed: Take CUNY Cybersecurity Training
If you receive a suspicious email, please forward it to LAG SPAM.
Our emails and supporting information are available from the National Cyber Security Awareness Month page on the CUNY web site. For more information, refer to your IT Update email dated October 30. If you have any questions, please contact LaGuardia’s Information Security Manager Maritza Acero at informationsecurity@lagcc.cuny.edu.
| | LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | | |
CUNY-TV: Finca La Florecita, LaGuardia’s urban farm, yielded over 3,000 pounds of produce this summer, much of it distributed to those in need via LaGuardia CARES. The segment begins at 12:34 and features interviews with Chelsea Encababian, director of Sustainable Urban Agriculture, and Brendan Parker, a student farm crew member. The program was founded by Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, director of Environmental Science.
NEW YORK TIMES: Samson Bodapati, an adjunct professor [of Natural Sciences] at LaGuardia Community College and a resident of Jackson Heights, shared his thoughts on the Interborough Express (IBX)—a proposed 14-mile light rail line connecting Jackson Heights in Queens to Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
NEW YORK TIMES: Two LaGuardia students, Ameera John and Marlene Meyo, speak with New York Times reporters about what is on their minds as they plan for the future.
NEWSDAY: Jeff Weintraub, 77, professor (Humanities Department) and research analyst with LaGuardia Community College’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, is featured in an article about Strat-O-Matic, a baseball dice-and-board game created on Long Island. Weintraub has been commissioner of the East Meadow Strat-O-Matic Baseball League since 1979.
NEWSWEEK: Daryl Griffin, the student life manager of veteran services at LaGuardia is quoted in an article about the best and worst cities for veterans.
WALLET HUB: Daryl Griffin, Student Life Manager for Veteran Services, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, shares strategies veterans can use to ease the transition from active military duty to ordinary life.
NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS: Sun Kim, a South Korean choreographer, will present Alien of Extraordinary on Sunday, November 9 at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, through the CUNY Dance Initiative.
| | "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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