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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.
| | 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. | | Nataly Briones (Human Services: Mental Health), Kenny Lin (Liberal Arts: Political Science), and Mame Diarra Bousso Fall (Liberal Arts: Math & Science)—pictured above, from left to right—have been named 2025-26 Kaplan Leadership Scholars. Established in 2006, the Kaplan Leadership Program supports high-potential, low-income, and historically underrepresented students in completing their associate degrees and transferring to four-year institutions. Kaplan Scholars receive stipends, tutoring, academic advisement, leadership and career training, and other resources to help them achieve their goals. Briones, a first-generation college student and single mother of four, plans to pursue a career promoting health and wellness among diverse populations through culturally competent approaches, a mission inspired by her own 100-pound weight loss. Lin, who has volunteered for U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, aspires to work in government, ideally developing federal legislation to address the affordability crisis—either as an elected official or in a policy role. Bousso Fall, who moved to the U.S. from Senegal, plans to earn a medical degree and improve healthcare access in underserved communities. Read more about the scholars here. | | LaGuardia Closes out Fall I with Closing Sessions, Holiday Reception and Faculty Council Auction | As Fall I comes to a close, LaGuardia faculty and staff gathered together yesterday in the Little Theater for Closing Sessions, presented by President Kenneth Adams. In his presentation, President Adams highlighted several milestones and student and faculty achievements from throughout the year—highlights included three LaGuardia students receiving the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Transfer Scholarship, a $280,000 grant to preserve and share veterans’ histories at Cypress Hills National Cemetery, and the unveiling of the LaGuardia Community Greenway street mural. If you missed these and the many other milestones featured, a recording of Closing Sessions will be available on YouTube shortly. After the presentation, the LaGuardia community gathered in the E-Building Atrium for a seasonal tradition: the Faculty Council Auction and Plant Sale. A wide array of art, artifacts and baked goods were awarded to the highest bidders; the proceeds all benefit Faculty Council scholarships available to students. | | LaGuardia’s Education Program has received a 2025–26 Exemplary Program Award from the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP). The program is part of the college’s Education and Language Acquisition (ELA) Department and is led by Professor Caterina Almendral and Lecturer Michele A. de Goeas-Malone. The award recognizes outstanding community college teacher education programs that demonstrate innovation, impact, and excellence in preparing future educators. “This honor reflects the dedication and excellence of our entire Education Program—program directors Michele and Caterina, full-time and adjunct faculty, staff coordinating student fieldwork, and peer advisors,” said Dr. Arthur Lau, Professor and Chair of the ELA Department. “Our students benefit from the team’s tireless and year-round support.” LaGuardia’s Education Program serves almost 700 majors across four associate degree tracks—each requiring classroom observation or fieldwork in urban public schools, bridging theory and practice. Early Childhood (birth to grade two), Childhood Education (grades 1–6), Secondary Education (grades 7–12), and the Bilingual Child Program, which prepares heritage Spanish speakers to become bilingual teachers. | | Chelsea Marie Ortiz, a Radiologic Technology student at LaGuardia, was recently awarded a $2,500 scholarship by the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NYCHCC). Chelsea was recognized during the 20th Annual Hispanic Business Award Banquet and Scholarship Award Ceremony on December 5. The event honored successful individuals who have proven their commitment to upholding the integrity of the Hispanic community. These individuals advocate for economic development, higher education, and promote initiatives that continue to empower the Latino community and beyond. Chelsea, originally from Puerto Rico, currently has a 3.9 GPA. | | | Exploring Legal Futures: LaGuardia Students Visit Columbia Law School | | | | On December 4, students from the Paralegal Program, Presidents’ Society, Student Government Association, and the Law Society: Pre-Law League visited Columbia Law School, one of the nation’s premier legal institutions. In addition to touring the campus, the students attended a panel discussion with first-generation law students in their third year of studies, who shared their journeys, challenges, and strategies for success. “Their stories resonated deeply with our students, reinforcing that their aspirations are achievable and supported by a broader community committed to diversity and representation in the legal field,” said Andrea R. Irias, Esq., Associate Professor and Director of LaGuardia’s Paralegal Program. The visit was made possible thanks to Nkonye Iwerebon, Columbia Law School’s Associate Dean and Dean of Admission—and a valued member of LaGuardia’s Foundation Board of Directors. | | LaGuardia offers resources to support students, regardless of their immigration status. The college has published LaGuardia’s Know Your Rights webpage, which features a series of resources and general guidelines for interacting with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). Faculty and staff are encouraged to share this page with students so that they can be better informed. | | | | | Looking to buy LaGuardia merch this holiday season? Check out the CUNY Store’s online catalog of LaGuardia-branded gear and apparel. The CUNY Store features a wide range of items, including the ones pictured here, that you can purchase for yourself and loved ones, from hoodies to baseball caps and mugs. For larger orders of customized branded apparel intended for your department or office, please refer to the Branded Promotional Products Catalog here. | | Students will be able to access tutoring services through the Writing Center until the last day of finals week, December 19. The Writing Center, located in B-200, will be open Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and then 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the remainder of the semester. Students can make an appointment in Navigate or walk-in to check availability. Virtual tutoring sessions are also available. Please encourage your students to make use of the Writing Center's services as they close out the semester. | | | |
| Last month, LaGuardia’s Alumni Association published the first edition of its newsletter; if you know a LaGuardia alumnus who’d like to begin receiving it, encourage them to join the Alumni Association. The association was relaunched to empower 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. LaGuardia alumni members will receive an Alumni ID card which offers alumni access to campus services. To request an Alumni ID or to share an alumni story, please email alumni@lagcc.cuny.edu. To volunteer and get involved, call the Communications and External Affairs Division at (718) 482-5583. | | 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. Sign up for a timeslot during one of next year's photo days:
- January 13
- February 10
- March 17
- April 14
- May 5
Book your timeslot here. For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471.
| | | LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | | Celebrate the season at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center with a festive double feature! On Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m., enjoy a one-hour family-friendly performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker by the Joffrey Ballet School’s Children’s and Youth Ballet program, followed by a visit to Santa’s Toyland, a beloved LPAC tradition for over 20 years. Meet the dancers, snap photos with Santa, and let the kids leave with a special gift. Tickets: $30 General | $25 Faculty/Staff | $15 Students. Purchase tickets here or visit the LPAC website. | | LaGuardia Professor Commemorates Lives Lost to AIDS at Hoboken Ceremony | | On World AIDS Day (December 1), Dr. David S. Bimbi, Professor of Community Health and Wellness (CHW), delivered remarks during the City of Hoboken’s rededication of its handcrafted AIDS Memorial Ribbon at Hoboken City Hall. Originally created in 1995, the memorial was recently restored and expanded to honor 35 Hoboken residents who lost their lives to AIDS and AIDS-related complications. “Dr. Bimbi’s participation underscores LaGuardia’s ongoing commitment to public health education and advocacy, as well as the importance of remembering those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” said Dr. Nicolle Fernandes, CHW Department Chair. Dr. Bimbi is a member of the Hoboken Pride Committee. | | | | | |
The Natural Sciences Department is partnering with the Center for Career and Professional Development to recruit students for the Life Science Institute and Summer Internship Program. The Life Science Spring Institute at LaGuardia Community College is a training workshop series designed to equip STEM students with hands-on experiences in essential laboratory skills, data analysis tools (e.g., pipetting, microscopy, R, Python), and professional skills (scientific writing and effective presentation skills). Students will meet weekly during the spring for unpaid training workshops, followed by a paid summer internship with New York City life sciences employers. If you know a student who you think would be interested in the program, please encourage them to learn more and apply here.
| | 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.
Faculty are also encouraged to fill out this survey regarding their use of Brightspace. The insights and responses from this survey will inform the Brightspace Transition team’s plans for ongoing support.
| | Blackboard Access Ends Next Week; Retrieve Your 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.
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Students looking for enrollment services support can 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
Extended holiday hours will also be available on December 22, 23, 26, 29, 30 and January 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Regular hours will resume on January 9.
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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
- 12/11, 7 p.m. at Dutchess Community College
- 1/6, 6 p.m. at Bronx Community College
Men's Basketball
- 12/16, 7 p.m. at Nassau Community College
- 1/6, 8 p.m. at Bronx Community College
| | | 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. And if you need a study break, you're in luck: Puzzles are back at the Library!
- 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!
- Want to know when the Library is open? Check our calendar before you make the trip.
- Check out the Library’s Book of the Week!
| | New Process for Paper Paychecks | |
Effective immediately, a new process is being implemented regarding the handling of paper paychecks:
- Checks older than 30 days will be mailed back to the CUNY Central Office – Office of Payroll Administration (OPA).
- We currently have many outstanding checks dating back to August 2025.
- In compliance with Central Office requirements, all outstanding checks dated November 21, 2025, and earlier must be returned before the end of the year.
- The scheduled return date for these checks is December 19, 2025.
- If you believe that you have an outstanding check please visit the Office of Human Resources located at E-407, before Friday, December 19 to pick up your check.
| | Enjoy Holiday Savings with Working Advantage | | Make this holiday season unforgettable with exclusive savings on gifts, travel, and winter essentials. Click here and use your LaGuardia email or Company Code 971240428 to login. | | 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.
| | DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DoIT) | | Update Your CUNY Login Password Before It Expires | | CUNY/CIS has begun notifying users whose CUNY Login password is close to expiration; if you’ve received a notification that your password is about to expire, please change your password as soon as possible. Click here for an overview of how to change your CUNY Login password. If you are locked out of your account during the reset process, please be patient and wait up to 15 minutes for the automatic unlock feature to engage, and log in again. Do not call the DoIT HelpDesk. If you have further issues updating your password, please contact our HelpDesk at ITHelp@lagcc.cuny.edu, submit a HelpDesk ticket through the Faculty & Staff Portal, or call (718) 482-6134. | | 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. | | 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. Tuesday to be considered for publication on Thursday. |
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