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"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.
"Campus Update" will be published every other week during the summer of 2025. Publication dates will be August 6 and August 20, after which the newsletter will resume weekly publication.
| | 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. | | LPAC will host Down-to Earth, a citywide celebration bringing world-class performances—including contemporary circuses, opera, and more—to parks, greenways, and cultural centers across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Presented by The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at The CUNY Graduate Center, all events are free and open to the public. On September 3, LPAC will be the site of In Via Publica: Performance and Public Assembly, a daylong symposium exploring how performance can activate civic space and community imagination. Featured events of the symposium will include an acrobatic performance from SenCirk Duo on the LaGuardia Community Greenway and a Senegalese circus show from Ancrage by Cirque SenCirk on the LPAC Mainstage. The day will culminate with the official launch of CUNY Stages, a new consortium of theater venues across CUNY campuses. Finally, on September 5, SANTÉ! by Cirque Kikasse (pictured above), a circus troupe from Québec, will perform on the LaGuardia Community Greenway. | | LaGuardia’s Purchasing Department Receives MWBE Champion Award | | On June 26, LaGuardia’s Purchasing Department was awarded with the CUNY MWBE (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises) Champion Award for generating the highest MWBE utilization (i.e., business dollars) of any CUNY campus. The Purchasing Department produced 69% of the total amount of MWBE utilization by all campuses. The award also recognizes the CUNY campus that has demonstrated exceptional dedication to fostering partnerships with and promoting economic opportunities for certified MWBEs. Tawanikka Smith, Director of Procurement and Contracts, received the award at the 2025 CUNY University-Wide Procurement Director’s Year-End Meeting and Seminar held at Baruch College. This is the second year in a row that the Purchasing Department has won the award, part of CUNY's broader Supplier Diversity Program, which aims to maximize MWBE participation in procurement and ensure fairness in contracting opportunities. For more information, visit CUNY’s Supplier Diversity and Inclusion. | | | Street Mural Installation in Progress | | The installation of the LaGuardia Community Greenway Street Mural on 29th Street is currently in progress. Please note that 29th Street near the college parking lot will be an active work site through August 15. We kindly ask all members of the LaGuardia community to be mindful of their footing, follow any posted signage, and exercise caution when entering and exiting the parking lot. Vehicle traffic is prohibited on 29th Street between 47th Avenue and Skillman Avenue during the installment period (July 23-August 15). Pedestrian access will remain available, though some detours or sidewalk modifications may be in place during the painting process to ensure public safety around the installation site. The mural, titled “Keep it Movin’!!” by LaGuardia Fine Arts major Fernanda Contreras, will bring vibrant energy and cultural enrichment to the LaGuardia Community Greenway. For information about the Street Mural Project, contact Dr. Manny Romero, Vice President for Communications and External Affairs at mlromero@lagcc.cuny.edu. Thank you for your support and cooperation as we bring this exciting project to life! | | Fall 2025 Opening Sessions: Save the Date | | | | Mark your calendars! Opening Sessions 2025, Learning Beyond the Classroom: Expanding Opportunities Through Experiential and Work-Based Learning, is scheduled for Thursday, September 4. This year’s Opening Sessions will feature 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.” Contact Jasmine Edwards at jaedwards@lagcc.cuny.edu and Christine Pardo at cpardo@lagcc.cuny.edu with any questions. | | CUNY Login MFA Now Available | | CUNY Login Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will soon be required whenever you use CUNY Login to access single sign-on applications such as CUNYfirst, Blackboard/Brightspace, DegreeWorks, Zoom and more. CUNY Login MFA is separate from the Microsoft MFA implementation required when using Microsoft 365 applications and services. The CUNY Login MFA implementation will occur in phases. Phase 1 for all staff and faculty teaching during Spring Session II occurred last week. Phase 2 for all remaining faculty members is planned for late August. To avoid delays in accessing CUNY apps when you need them, you are encouraged to set up your MFA account now. Click here to learn how to set up CUNY Login MFA. | | | Brightspace Training Available | | | | LaGuardia will start using Brightspace in Fall 2025. Ongoing training is available, and a full schedule can be found here. Students will start receiving communication about Brightspace before the end of the Spring term and in advance of the Fall. For more information, visit LaGuardia's Brightspace webpage or email the transition team at BrightspaceTeam@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | LaGuardia has relaunched its Alumni Association to empower all LaGuardia graduates through a strong network of support, resources, and opportunities. Membership in the LaGuardia Alumni Association is free and offers guidance and tools to help alumni navigate the professional world and fosters a spirit of community by encouraging alumni to give back through volunteer efforts that support current students and college initiatives. By signing up, alumni members will receive a monthly newsletter, which includes news and updates about their alma mater. LaGuardia alumni members can now receive their Alumni ID card which offers alumni access to campus services. To get their verification, please email alumni@lagcc.cuny.edu. LaGuardia alumni are encouraged to share their story at alumni@lagcc.cuny.edu. To volunteer and get involved, call the Communications and External Affairs Division at (718) 482-5583. Visit the Alumni Association page to learn more about your benefits and how to get involved. | | | College Closed on Fridays Through August 22 | | | | |
As a reminder, LaGuardia is participating in CUNY’s Summer Four-Day Workweek Program, which remains in effect through August 22. This mean campus will be closed on the following dates:
- August 8
- August 15
- August 22
The college will resume its regular workweek on August 25. Please keep the adjusted summer schedule in mind, and be sure to check individual office hours when seeking assistance from your colleagues in other departments and divisions.
| | LaGuardia Participates in Annual Elmcor’s Summer Block Party Event | | |
For the third year in a row, LaGuardia participated in Elmcor's Annual Summer Block Party on Saturday, July 26. This year, two students from LaGuardia's Nutrition and Culinary Management program attended the event to talk about the program and their college experience. This is an effort of the college's Communications and External Affairs Division to build and maintain connections with Queens communities and community-based organizations, as well as to increase awareness of LaGuardia's various academic and workforce development programs. More than 30 community-based organizations participated in the event. Numerous residents of the Corona community attended the event and had an opportunity to learn more about LaGuardia.
Pictured above from left to right: Nelson J. Ravel Jr. CASAC-G, MI Trainer, ELMCOR, Luda Spajic (External Affairs), and Fatima Khalid, LaGuardia's Nutrition and Culinary Management Program student.
| | Dr. Karen Miller Elected to American Historical Association Council | | Dr. Karen Miller, professor of History and American Studies (Social Science) at LaGuardia and the CUNY Graduate Center, has been elected to the Council of the American Historical Association (AHA) — the largest professional organization for historians in the United States, with over 10,000 members worldwide. The AHA Council serves as the Association’s primary governing body. Dr. Miller will serve in the Teaching Division, one of three divisions (alongside Professional and Research) that guide the AHA’s mission to support historical scholarship, professional development, and public engagement. Her election reflects her deep commitment to advancing historical education and pedagogy. Founded in 1884 and incorporated by Congress in 1889, the AHA plays a vital role in promoting historical scholarship and emphasizing the importance of historical thinking in public life. We congratulate Dr. Miller on this prestigious recognition and look forward to the impact she will have in this national leadership role. | | | Current and Former College Discovery Students Enjoy Q&A with Alejandra Campoverdi, Author of Memoir First Gen | | Students in Dr. Kyoko Toyama and Elizabeth Anderson’s College Discovery spring seminars enjoyed reading Alejandra Campoverdi’s memoir First Gen as part of the coursework earlier this year. On July 23, current and former students in the CD program had the opportunity to attend a Q&A with the author in Midtown. Former College Discovery and Kaplan Honors student Ruth Carranza (‘20) invited Elizabeth and current College Discovery student Julie Leon to attend Campoverdi’s Q&A, which served as an opportunity to connect with Alejandra and reflect on the memoir and the experience of being a first-generation college student. “Campoverdi’s candid and moving memoir opens up meaningful dialogue around first-gen identity, mental health, family responsibility, and the complex process of self-definition making it a resonant and relevant text for many of our students,” Elizabeth says. The LaGuardia group also had a chance to share reflection essays on the book with Alejandra herself. | | | | |
Students looking for enrollment services support can now access virtual office hours every Thursday 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
| | Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | |
- Need a place to study? Please note our different Study Zones and be mindful of the noise levels in each area.
- Beginning August 11, we will have reduced hours during Intersession. Check our Library Hours before you make the trip.
- Not sure what to read for fun? Your Librarians are here to help you find out! Fill out this form.
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Gentle 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 Thursday. 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.
| | HR Office Renovation is Nearly Complete | | Due to office refurbishment, Human Resources has been temporarily located in E-405 for the summer. We are pleased to report that the mid-August completion date is on schedule, and we will be back to our previous location in E-407 by the end of the month. We look forward to serving your HR needs from our new space. | | LaGuardia Seeks to Fill Open Faculty and Staff Positions | | |
LaGuardia currently has several ongoing searches for new faculty and staff members. Current faculty and staff are welcome to share the opening 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 | | Smishing scams (also known as robotext scams) involve receiving unsolicited, automated text messages that impersonate a familiar business, government agency, or financial institution. Often, smishing scam texts try to capitalize on your fear, saying you could lose money if you don’t respond, or trick you into giving them your personal or financial information. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a warning that scammers are increasingly using text messages and has tips to stay safe. If you have any questions, please contact our IT HelpDesk at: ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | LAGUARDIA IN THE HEADLINES | | "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. Monday to be considered for publication on Wednesday. |
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