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. | | |
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Thank you to everyone that attended last week’s Town Hall. This event was the first Town Hall held fully in person, and the first in which I was joined by Provost Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado. I am grateful to the many colleagues that submitted and asked questions on topics including the budget, enrollment, retention and graduation, Middle States, and more. My thanks as always to Dr. Rochell Isaac, chair of the Faculty Council, for moderating the questions. If you missed it, the recording is available on YouTube. | | |
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Sunny Skies and Big Crowds for LaGuardia Community Run
Hundreds of participants came out for the inaugural LaGuardia Community Run on Saturday, October 22 in Long Island City. Around 7:30 a.m. runners and walkers started arriving to check-in and receive their race bib and commemorative t-shirt. Music Performance major Erik Blanca-Ladino sang the National Anthem, and then the racers were off! Volunteers cheered the racers along the route to Hunters Point South and back. After all racers crossed the finish line, awards were distributed to the top three male and female finishers overall, and in several age groups (see full results). Throughout the morning, participants checked out tables from more than 20 community vendors. Special thanks to race sponsors, Body Hack Physical Therapy and Dr. Richard K. Lieberman of the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, to our community partners, and to the NYPD.
View photo gallery.
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LaGuardia Community College Honored by Building Skills New York
LaGuardia Community College was honored last week by Building Skills NY (BSNY) for helping BSNY advance their mission of Building Skills and Building Futures. BSNY is a non-profit construction workforce development organization connecting underemployed and unemployed New Yorkers to construction training and job opportunities throughout New York City. Accepting on LaGuardia’s behalf, President Kenneth Adams said “Building Skills NY has been a critical partner with our college. Together we are training the next generation of plumbers, electricians and HVAC techs ready to rebuild our communities following the COVID-19 pandemic and to help transition our communities to clean energy.”
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President Adams Testifies at NYC Council Committee on Higher Education and Economic Development
On Thursday, October 20 President Kenneth Adams testified in front of the New York City Council’s Committee on Higher Education and Economic Development. He discussed the work that LaGuardia’s Adult and Continuing Education Division is doing in adult education courses and certificate programs, highlighting partnerships with employers which are essential in helping to develop and teach high-demand skills and competencies. This approach results in LaGuardia’s students not only finishing the programs but also being gainfully employed. President Adams also spoke about the LaGuardia Community College Foundation’s ACE Scholarship that supports low-income New Yorkers in non-credit workforce training, in programs such as pharm tech and plumbing.
Pictured: Lauren Andersen, University Associate Provost for Careers and Industry Partnerships (CUNY); Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Chair of NYC Council Higher Education Committee; Council Member Amanda Farias, Chair of NYC Council Economic Development Committee; Jane MacKillop, Dean of School of Continuing and Professional Studies at Lehman College; Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College.
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More than 80 LaGuardia Students Hired by the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives
On October 20 the Human Resources Department and the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives collaborated on a mass onboarding event to hire 83 students to work on various archives projects during FY 2022-23. The Archives Fellows are from different majors and will be mentored by LaGuardia faculty to work on the following projects:
- CUNY LGBTQ Consortium Queens Pride Parade t-shirt design (Liena Vayzman and Sarada Rauch)
- The 1986 Gay Rights curriculum (Poppy Slocum)
- The 1986 Gay Rights Peer Reviewed article (Nichole Shippen)
- LaGuardia LGBTQ Film Festival (Jason Schafer)
- The 1986 Gay Rights Photographers (Maureen Drennan)
- The Life Sciences Parks project (Preethi Radhakrishnan)
- LGBTQ Wikipedia articles (Ann Matsuuchi, Ximena Gallardo, and Natalie Willens)
- Documenting and archiving the cleaning of Dutch Kills basin (Sarah Durand)
- Theatre in Queens parks (Stephanie Sertich)
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Melissa Cucalon is an Ecuadorian student majoring in Journalism, with experience as a Spanish language Interpreter and as an assistant producer in broadcast television. She recently started working for LaGuardia Community College as a member of the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Peer Advisor Academy (with the English Department) and as public relations intern with the Division of Communications & External Affairs. In addition, she is doing a marketing internship with the Long Island Partnership through the Elmezzi Career Fellows Program. After she graduates from LaGuardia (expected June’23), she plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies. She hopes to combine her Hispanic Heritage pride with her passion for storytelling into a career telling the untold stories of Latin-American immigrants. | |
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Government & Business Expo welcomes MTA Executive
Business Services at LaGuardia Community College is hosting its annual Government and Business Expo on Friday, November 4th at NYDesigns on the campus of the college. Small businesses and MWBE’s will have the chance to meet with prime contractors and government agency representatives to explore immediate contract opportunities. Interested attendees or exhibitors are encouraged to learn more.
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Spring Awakening at The Little Theatre
Tickets are available for the Theatre Program's fall musical, “Spring Awakening,” a coming-of-age rock musical exploring the tumultuous journey from adolescence to adulthood as a group of teenagers in late-nineteenth century Germany grapple with the discovery of their sexuality. Content warning: includes depictions and discussion of sexual and familial violence and suicide. Showings will be held in the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center’s Little Theatre. $8 for students (students with financial issues will not be turned away) and $10 general. Show dates are:
- Wednesday, November 9 at 2:30 p.m. — Open Dress Rehearsal (reservation required)
- Thursday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, November 11 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, November 12 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
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Comprehensive Wellness Services Available to Students
The Wellness Center remains focused on supporting the mental health and well-being of the LaGuardia community. In addition to counseling services, this semester the Wellness Center is presenting a variety of workshops, trainings, and events. Students can access the CUNY Crisis Text Line 24/7 by texting “CUNY” to 741741. All New Yorkers can contact NYC to speak with a mental health counselor by calling 1-888-692-9355, or texting “WELL” to 65173. Faculty and staff are also reminded of the referral process for assisting students in distress and available trainings. Please visit https://www.laguardia.edu/wellnesscenter for additional information about Wellness Center services and resources.
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Faculty Spotlight: Tuli Chatterji
Dr. Tuli Chatterji, associate professor of English, is founding director of the LaGuardia Humanitarian Initiative, a platform to prepare students to become socially responsible global citizens. Each year, LHI leads LaGuardia on an inquiry of a global importance identified by the United Nations. This year, the focus is global food insecurity. Faculty incorporate LHI-developed curriculum, including classroom education and experiential learning projects, designed to teach students how to advocate for positive change for communities at home and across the world. Faculty interested in learning about LHI curriculum should contact Dr. Tuli Chatterji, Dr. Claudette Davis or Dr. Dana Trusso.
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LaGuardia Professor Selected to Attend CAORC-AIIS Seminar
Maria Savva, professor in Education and Language Acquisition, has won an award to attend the Council of American Overseas Research Centers - American Institute of Indian Studies (CAORC-AIIS) faculty development seminar from Jan. 1- 16, 2023 in India. Savva was selected for this highly competitive program from many applications from community college and MSI faculty from all around the United States. The two-week seminar will include visits to the Indian cities of Delhi, Jaipur, and Lucknow to understand the varying economic, cultural, social, and environmental pressures confronting emerging cities as more and more Indians migrate to urban areas in search of work and opportunity. Savva is the Program Director of our International Studies Option, and has collaborated with Professors Olga Aksakalova and Tuli Chatterji on COIL and LHI projects.
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Campus Life is dedicated to helping students foster relationships, explore co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, while developing their interpersonal skills. To achieve this goal, we need your help. We are seeking faculty and staff who are interested in mentoring the following student clubs and organizations:
- Creative Writing Club
- Tabletop Gaming Club
- Comedy Club
- Caribbean Association Club
- Health-Focused Club, formally known as “Safe Haven”
- Muslim Student Association (MSA)
This is a great opportunity if you are interested in helping students build confidence, gain insight, and cultivate leadership skills. Please contact campuslife@lagcc.cuny.edu if you are interested.
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GOOD NEWS FROM GRANTS DEVELOPMENT | |
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$3 Million Grant for Community Health Worker Training Addresses Health Disparities Exacerbated By Covid-19
LaGuardia Community College has been awarded a three-year $2,992,527 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to launch the Community Health Worker Talent Pipeline Initiative to train 255 new and incumbent Community Health Workers. The Initiative will focus on communities with the greatest need in Queens and throughout New York City, including public housing residents, English language learners, and communities of color from the highest poverty neighborhoods in NYC. LaGuardia was one of only nine institutions in New York State, and one of 83 nationwide selected for this funding, part of an effort to support and expand the community and public health workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, laid out in the American Rescue Plan. Students will receive full-tuition scholarships, as well as a total of $2,500 in stipends. Training includes courses in communication skills, health and wellness, and healthcare system navigation, followed by an internship or registered apprenticeship. Congratulations to PI Hannah Weinstock, senior director of workforce development for ACE, and Barbara (Bobbi) Hart, co-PI and project manager.
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HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL UPDATES | | |
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In Memoriam: Dr. Robert J. Durfey
Dr. Robert J. Durfey, Licensed Psychologist and Professor Emeritus, died on October 24, 2022. Bob made many major contributions to the Counseling Department in his 35+ years of service to LaGuardia students. He was LaGuardia’s first counselor for students with disabilities beginning in the early days of the college, and he was co-founder of the Honor Society and one of its two faculty leaders for 14 years. Services include: Wake: Tuesday, November 1; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home, 36-46 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. Funeral Mass: Wednesday, November 2; 9:45 a.m., at American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church, 79-43 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11364. Contributions in his honor are being accepted by the Sisters of Mercy.
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Time to Vote on Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8 and CUNY employees are reminded that Election Law Section 3-110 permits time off to vote.
- If you do not have 4 consecutive hours to vote, either from the opening of the polls to the beginning of your working shift, or between the end of your working shift and the closing of the polls, you may take up to 3 hours, without loss of pay, to allow you time to vote if you are a registered voter.
- You may take the time off at the beginning or end of your working shift, as your employer may designate, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
- You must notify your employer not less than 2 days, but not more than 10 days, before the day of the election you will take time off to vote.
Please see CUNY’s website for additional information.
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Admissions hosts a variety of in-person and virtual recruitment events for interested students. Please check out the Admissions calendar to learn more, and contact Shannon Lund, Director of Admissions to get involved. | |
Campus Update is produced and published by the Communications and External Affairs Division. Faculty and staff who wish to submit items for publication can Share a Story or send an email to CampusUpdate@lagcc.cuny.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday. |
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