"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. | | On Tuesday evening, LaGuardia Community College, in partnership with the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), celebrated the conclusion of National Workforce Development Month with a graduation ceremony for Cohort 14 of the Healthcare Finance and Operations Training program. This tuition-free program is designed for low-income New Yorkers who hold a high school diploma or equivalent and are interested in pursuing non-clinical careers within New York City’s leading hospital systems. Cohort 14 was the largest in the program’s nearly decade-long history, which boasts a job placement rate of nearly 90%. Many graduates are parents or homemakers who overcame significant challenges, such as limited access to childcare, to complete the program. The Healthcare Finance and Operations Training Program, along with the NCLEX-RN for English Language Learners (ELL) initiative, part of LaGuardia’s NYC Welcome Back Center, reflects the shared commitment of SBS and LaGuardia to expanding access to well-paying jobs in fast-growing industries like healthcare, regardless of education and economic background. | | | | As a proud Hispanic-serving institution—where 46% of students identify as Hispanic—LaGuardia is honoring Latino and Hispanic culture, history, and contributions with a series of events throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. Programming is led by Casa de las Américas, which has a mission to celebrate and support Latinx, Latin American, and Caribbean culture, education, and community engagement. Serendipitously, La Casa’s new director, Lorenley Báez, joined LaGuardia on September 15, the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. | | La Casa kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with an artist talk and installation by Puerto Rican-born visual artist Diógenes Ballester. Then, on September 17, La Casa hosted an Open House celebration, Kermesse en la Plaza, which was an afternoon filled with live music, delicious food, and a joyful atmosphere filled with rich cultural traditions, such as a norteño dance performance. The month-long celebration will conclude on Wednesday, October 15, with a community-wide Hispanic Heritage Celebration on the LaGuardia Community Greenway from 1 to 4 p.m. It will feature music, games, food, and information about campus and local resources. | | Save the Date: President’s Fall Report on October 3 | | | | President Kenneth Adams will present the Fall Report on Friday, October 3 at 1 p.m. in the Little Theater. During the presentation, The presentation will feature updates from the college’s divisions and actions underway toward LaGuardia’s Strategic Plan goals. Those unable to attend in person can watch the President's remarks live on Youtube. | | Runners, walkers, and neighbors are invited to join the Fourth Annual LaGuardia Community Run, a 5K race on Sunday, October 19, 2025. The USATF-certified course goes from LaGuardia to the LIC Waterfront and back. The start and finish will be on the LaGuardia Community Greenway, 29th Street between Skillman and 47th Avenues—now home to New York City’s largest street mural, designed by LaGuardia Fine Arts student Fernanda Contreras. Fernanda’s mural, Keep It Movin’!!, was selected through a public vote from 29 entries, receiving over 2,500 votes from students, faculty, staff, and Queens community members. The design features colorful walking signals that celebrate New York City’s walkability (and run-ability!) and highlights the five subway lines—7, G, E, F, and R/N/W—that connect Long Island City to the rest of the city. Race proceeds will support Finca La Florecita, LaGuardia’s urban farm, which provides fresh produce to the college’s food pantry, operated by LaGuardia CARES, and cultivates the next generation of Urban STEM agricultural leaders. The farm offers educational and career pathways in agriculture, soil science, food justice, and urban ecosystem enhancement. | | | ACCES-Pre-Employment Transition Services (ETS) Program Offers Help for Students | | | | The New York State Education Department (NYSED), on behalf of its Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), is providing support to LaGuardia to provide pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities over the next 3 years. ACCES-VR assists individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and to support independent living through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development. Individuals who are eligible for ACCES-VR must have a medically documented physical, cognitive and/or behavioral health impairment that prevents or significantly affects their ability to prepare, enter, engage, retain, or advance in their employment. Services include: Job Exploration Counseling; Work-Based Learning Experience; Counseling on Opportunities for Enrollment in Comprehensive Transition or Post-secondary Educational Programs; Workplace Readiness Training to Develop Social Skills and Independent Living; and Instruction in Self-Advocacy. Learn more. | | Office of Compliance and Diversity Introduces New eCharge Training Program for Search and Recruitment | | The Office of Compliance and Diversity is making the charge process easier, faster, and more convenient with a series of new self-paced online training modules—no more scheduling hour-long charge meetings. If you’re serving on a search committee, you can now complete your training from the comfort of your desk at your own pace. Separate eCharge Training modules are available for search committee members, committee chairs, and staff support. Search committee members will complete a quiz at the end of their training. To pass, they’ll need to score 80% or higher (i.e., four or more correct answers). Upon completion, members can notify the Office of Compliance and Diversity to confirm participation and that they have been charged for the academic year. Chairs and staff support should complete their assigned modules accordingly. If you have questions about the new training modules, contact the Office of Compliance and Diversity at ext. 5088. Visit the Office of Compliance and Diversity's webpage for additional resources and guides that you can reference. | | | Climb Together Training Available to Faculty, Staff, and Students | | | | This summer, more than 40 LaGuardia students participated in Climb Together’s social capital training, designed to help students learn how to build and foster meaningful relationships that will benefit them throughout their careers. Following this promising first round of trainings, Climb Together is returning to campus in October to offer training to students, faculty, and staff alike; on October 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., faculty and staff are invited to attend a session that will provide them with the tools needed to train students on Climb Together social capital content. Contact Joseph Micancin for more information or to sign up for the faculty and staff training. Two student training sessions will take place the following day, October 17 in the Poolside Cafe, one from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and another from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.—if you know a student who could benefit from the training, encourage them to sign up here by October 3. In addition to learning how to leverage their network, students who participate will also receive lunch, a $25 e-gift card, and a completion certificate. For questions, students can contact Joseph Micancin. | | LaGuardia CARES and CCPD Collecting Donations for Professional Clothing Drive | | To help students in need prepare for the Fall 2025 Job and Internship Fair, LaGuardia CARES and the Center for Career and Professional Development are collecting donations of gently used professional attire (suits, blazers, dress shirts, blouses, skirts, pants, ties, and accessories). Drop off donations at the LaGuardia CARES office in C-235 or the Center for Career and Professional Development in B-114, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations will be accepted until October 20; students will be able to pick up professional clothing during the Job Fair Prep Carnival Pop-Up Events on October 21 in the E-Building Atrium or October 22 and 23 in the C-Building Lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | | | 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.
| | CUNY Login MFA Is Live for All Users – Set Up Your Account Now! | | As of Monday, September 29, all students, faculty and staff are required to use MFA to access CUNY apps, e.g., CUNYfirst, Brightspace, DegreeWorks, Zoom, and Dropbox. To set up MFA, click here. 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. | | | Student Advocacy via Frontline Efforts (SAFE) Committe to Host “WTF?!” Workshop October 16 | | | | LaGuardia’s SAFE Committee will host a workshop for students to process thoughts, feelings, worries in the community, and highlight resources and tools to navigate forward on October 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in E-501. The “WTF?!” Workshop, named for the question many may find themselves asking in response to the uncertainty and chaos in the world today, will serve as a space to discuss this uncertainty with peers. The SAFE Committee effectuates responses to sociopolitical matters that impact LaGuardia’s student body, with the primary goal of facilitating programming and informational events or campaigns that support a number of student groups. Please encourage your students to attend the workshop; interested attendees can register 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:
- October 14
- November 11
- December 9
For more information contact Anastasia Figuera, photographer, Ext. 7471.
| | | Casa de las Américas Honored at Queens Borough President’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration | | |
To ring in Hispanic Heritage Month, Queens Borough President Donovan Richard hosted a celebration of Hispanic culture and heritage on Wednesday evening at the Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights. Co-sponsored by Assembly Members Catalina Cruz and Jessica González-Rojas, Metropolis Health, NALEO Educational Fund, The Renaissance Charter School, and Queens Hispanic Parade Inc., the event featured diverse cultural performances, guests of honor, music, and food from Rincon Melania and Los Mismos Amigos. LaGuardia’s very own Casa de las Américas was honored at the celebration for their work to provide comprehensive academic and career services to Latinx students.
Pictured above, from left to right: Jessica González-Rojas, Catalina Cruz, Casa de las Américas Director Lorenley Báez, and Donovan Richards.
| | LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | | LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC), in partnership with Unheard Voices Productions, presents Latin Lover, an evocative new play running October 9–11 in the Little Theater. Set to the pulse of salsa and accompanied by a live band, the story follows Raul and Mirasol as they navigate generational burdens and cultural expectations, exploring how identity and resilience emerge al compás del son. Nearly every principal of Latin Lover is an alumnus of LaGuardia’s award-winning Theater program—including playwright Ed Jr. Cardenas, who is making his New York stage debut, alongside director Randy Arbujo and producer Una Bharat. The production reflects LPAC’s commitment to nurturing distinctive theatrical voices from its own community. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission; recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets are $10 plus a $2 convenience fee, and are free for CUNY students, faculty, and staff with valid ID. Learn more and reserve tickets here. | | LPAC will host a special free screening of Between Neighborhoods, an award-winning documentary essay by Queens-based historian and filmmaker Seth Fein. Fein, founder of Seven Local Film, has taught at LaGuardia, Brooklyn College, Barnard, Columbia, and Yale. The screening will take place in LPAC’s Mainstage Theater at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 17, the 60th anniversary of the closing of the 1964–65 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. First released in 2017 and revised in 2024, the film contemplates the histories that orbit the park’s Unisphere, visualizing the interplay of past and present, imperialism and immigration, and global forces across eras—from Robert Moses to today’s political landscape. A post-screening conversation with Fein will follow. The event is free and open to the public; seating is first-come, first-served. Reserve tickets here. | | LaGuardia Students Explore USDA Beltsville Research Center | | Seventeen students from LaGuardia Community College’s Environmental Science and Nutrition & Culinary Management programs had an unforgettable learning experience at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) on Friday, September 19. Thanks to support from Hermina Gomez, USDA Liaison for Education Initiatives with the HSI National Program, and funding through the USDA NextGen grant awarded to Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan, Professors Chelsea Encababian and Dr. Nicolle Fernandez led the group in exploring the cutting edge of agricultural science. A highlight of the day was the visit to the Bee Research Laboratory, where a PhD student shared her personal story of starting her higher education journey at a community college in New Jersey. For LaGuardia students, this was a powerful reminder that their own paths could also lead to advanced research careers. “Trips like these are so important because they demonstrate the variety of career pathways our students can pursue. Seeing professionals in action helps students connect their coursework to real-world applications and envision themselves in those roles,” says Professor Encababian. | | Animal Science Discovery Program Faculty and Staff Present at USDA NextGen Project Directors Meeting in Kansas City | | Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan and Emad Nassar, together with Rutgers University faculty and staff members Dr. Aparna Zama and Terichi Bellinger, represented the Animal Science Discovery Program at the USDA NextGen Project Directors Meeting in Kansas City last month. The three-day meeting brought together grantees from 33 projects across 24 states for poster sessions, evaluator-focused tracks, and collaborative working groups aimed at strengthening agricultural education nationwide. The team presented a poster highlighting the program’s impact on expanding urban student access to careers and workforce training in agriculture and animal science, while also contributing to national conversations on evaluation, scaling, and sustainability that reaffirmed the critical role of community colleges in preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders. | | Professor Hugo Fernandez Continues on Sabbatical Road Trip | | Professor Hugo Fernandez and his colleague, the Berlin satirist, C.J. Hopkins embarked on a journey across the United States last month. Having crossed the Continental Divide three times, they're now headed for the Pacific Northwest and points south. Since beginning their road trip at Ground Zero in New York City, they've visited several towns across the nation, including Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Cincinnati, Chicago, Boulder and more. On September 30, they were featured on a local NPR affiliate in Ashland, Oregon, alongside Margaret Anna Alice, a local poet and blogger who organized events for them in the Ashland area. To hear their interview with radio show host Mike Green, click here. You can also follow along with their adventures on Substack. | | | | | |
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
| | Student-Parents, Faculty, and Staff Invited to “Grill and Chill” on October 22 | | The LaGuardia Student-Parent Initiative invites student-parents, faculty, and staff to Grill & Chill on Wednesday, October 22, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Poolside Café. Come enjoy a free barbecue, relax, and celebrate community with other student-parents, faculty, and staff allies. Highlights include raffle prizes, a photo booth to capture the fun, and resource tables designed to support student-parents. This is a free event, but registration is required; click here to register. For more information, please contact Dr. Koun Eum at keum@lagcc.cuny.edu. | | | LaGuardia Foundation ACE Scholarship Impact Report Available Now | | The LaGuardia Foundation ACE Scholarship Impact Report for FY 2025 is now available for viewing. Prepared by the Division of Adult and Continuing Education, the report showcases the far-reaching benefits of the LaGuardia Foundation ACE Scholarships for students, the college, and communities in New York City, filling the gap left by limited government financial aid for non-credit programs by offering scholarships in critical areas such as workforce training, GED preparation and ESL. It also highlights the Foundation’s mission to advance social and economic mobility, particularly for low-income, unemployed or underemployed individuals; adult learners without a high school diploma; and recent immigrants. Key highlights from the report include 2,986 applications received, 758 scholarships awarded, and more than $577,000 of the $600,000 in available funds utilized in FY 2025. The report also features compelling student impact stories, as well as information about administrative oversight, targeted outreach efforts and successful employer partnerships. Download the report here to learn more about the ACE Scholarship’s measurable impact on educational access and workforce readiness. | | Meet the Coaches: Charles ‘Keith’ Young, Head Coach, Women's Volleyball | | | | |
Coach Charles “Keith” Young brings decades of coaching experience to the LaGuardia Women’s Volleyball program. He began coaching girls’ basketball in 1999 at Bedford Academy High School and added volleyball in 2001. He also co-founded and coached with Mika Sports, a youth sports organization where he continues to mentor young athletes. Coach Keith returned to high school coaching in 2022 at Bella Charter School and became Head Coach of LaGuardia Women’s Volleyball in 2023. Known for his dedication and leadership, he emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and building champions both on and off the court. His goal is to guide LaGuardia to a championship while fostering strong, disciplined athletes.
Learn more about the other coaches leading our student-athletes here.
| | Women's Volleyball Recaps | | The LaGuardia Women’s Volleyball team fought hard in their Region 15 opener against defending Regional champions Monroe College. After a slow start, the Red Hawks ultimately fell in three straight sets (14–25, 24–26, 10–25). The second set was a nail-biter, with the Red Hawks pushing Monroe to the edge before dropping it by just two points. Despite the loss, the team showed resilience and flashes of strong play that they’ll build on heading into the rest of the season. | |
| Hostos grabbed the first set in a close 27–25 battle, but LaGuardia responded with energy and focus. The Red Hawks evened the match with a 25–19 win in the second, then built momentum to take the third 25–18. In the fourth, LaGuardia stayed composed and closed it out 25–20 to seal the win. This match showed the Red Hawks’ resilience and teamwork, proving they can rise after adversity and finish strong. | | |
| LaGuardia CC Red Hawks 0 - 7 Monroe Bronx Express | Following two consecutive wins, LaGuardia Men’s Soccer suffered a tough defeat away to Monroe Bronx. Early in the first half, Luiz Fernando Cardoso committed a bad foul just outside the penalty box, and Monroe scored from the resulting free kick to take the lead. Another defensive error led to another Monroe free kick, and the Express tucked away their second goal. For the remainder of the first half, the Red Hawks fought to defend their goal and to create some chances of their own. Monroe took control quickly once play resumed, and they dominated possession for the first ten minutes of the second half. Then the game opened up for both teams, with scoring chances materializing at both ends of the pitch. The Express proved themselves more clinical in front of goal, adding five more goals in the second half to finish LaGuardia. | | |
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. Check the Athletics website for full schedules:
Men's and Women's Cross Country
- 10/11, NJIT Highlander XC Challenge at Branch Brook Park, NJ
Men's Soccer
- 10/2, 4 p.m., at Queensborough CC
- 10/4, 1 pm., vs. Ulster CC
Women's Volleyball
- 10/7, 6 p.m., at Monroe Bronx CC
- 10/8, 7 p.m., vs Queensborough CC
| | | Updates from LaGuardia’s Library | | | |
- Our next MoneyBoss workshop, “A Student’s Guide to Investing,” with Prof. Santo Trapani, will be on Wednesday, October 22, at 2:15 p.m. It will be in-person, in room E-111. Register here.
- Starting Monday, Oct. 6, the Writing Center will be outside the Library. Stop by for help with your papers. The English department will be in the Library on Wednesday, Oct. 8. 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.
- Need to borrow a Chromebook, iPad, calculator, or laptop? Stop by our Media Help Desk.
| | Benefits Fair and Free Flu Shots on October 29 | | Come learn about your benefits on October 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the E-Building atrium. It’s a buffet style presentation where we will have tables manned by the actual vendors that provide your benefits, and you can pick and choose what you consume. All LaGuardia employees are welcome! Also at the fair, we will be providing free flu shots through our partner, Affiliated Physicians (AP). AP will have a table at our Benefits Fair where you will receive your shot. Please register through AP's website here. | |
|
Zoom NYCERS Pension Seminar
NYCERS will host this session for Tier 4 and Tier 6 members as well as for prospective Tier 6 members on October 9, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. The seminar will cover various topics regarding your pension such as the benefits available to you upon retirement, purchasing previous service, loans, and how to register for your digital account. Register here.
| | 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, October 6, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – E Building, E-407
- Monday, November 3, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – E Building, E-407
- 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 | | |
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 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. | | Cybersecurity: Help Us Protect Our Digital Campus | | |
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 | | "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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