| |  | Last month I described how Trump administration policies were affecting LaGuardia. Some of you may recall my concern for immigrant students, LGBTQ members of our community, DEI initiatives, federal funding, and so on. On February 20 I elaborated on those concerns in a letter to the college community that you can read here. On March 5 I mentioned some reflections in my remarks at Opening Sessions. That’s the convocation-like event we hold at the start of each semester. My preferred format for that event is a talk show on the stage of the Little Theater. This semester we used Opening Sessions to launch our new five-year strategic plan, about which you’ll find information below. I encourage you to check out the video of Spring ’25 Opening Sessions here, but only if you are adroit at the fast-forward function on YouTube, since the show runs more than an hour and a half and there are probably bits you’ll want to skip. And remember — if you add $2.90 to the value of my opinions about current events you can ride the bus for free.
My two suggestions back on March 5? Stay focused on our students and dial up the love. And here’s a third: It’s time to double-down on civics education. About a year ago the Carnegie Corporation of New York issued a report far too many of us just read and put on the shelf. Connecting Civic Education and a Healthy Democracy, by William H. Woodwell, Jr., makes the case for restoring Civics in K-12 classrooms across the country. America’s 1,200 community colleges should get in on the action. As Carnegie Corporation program officer Andrew Geraghty reminds us, “With an increasingly divided country, growing polarization, and disengagement, the rapid spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, and a collapse in trust in elections, democracy, and democratic institutions, the need for accurate history and government instruction is greater than it has ever been.” Amen.
One way to do this at LaGuardia is by encouraging students to participate in our Student Government Association, the College Senate, and other governance bodies. For another fundamental civic obligation students should register and vote. Yet, according to The Civics Center, while some four million Americans turn eighteen every year, less than a third are registered to vote. (Note to candidates: when young people do register they take their franchise seriously — In presidential elections from 2004 to 2020, more than 75% of registered 18-24 year-olds cast their ballots.)
A friend of mine recently proposed paid internships for LaGuardia students at Students for Voting Justice. Because voter registration and turnout among young people in New York City are among the lowest levels in the nation, Students for Voting Justice wants to engage students in encouraging other young people to register and vote. Activities will include educational sessions, postcard writing, phone banking, and developing social media campaigns. My pitch? I need a donor to sponsor LaGuardia’s first-ever Director of Civic Engagement so we can do this and more to make LaGuardia students role models of civic responsibility. With apologies to Hillel the Elder, if not them, who?
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Tara Scales, DVM and Professor of Veterinary Technology, recently scored a $35,000 grant from GS Humane Corp. to support students in our Veterinary Technology Program. The funds will help at least thirty students pay for textbooks, pre-exposure rabies vaccinations, and the fees for the Veterinary Technician National Exam. “This generous contribution will significantly impact our 2025 and 2026 students by removing financial barriers and allowing them to focus on their studies and career goals,” explained Dr. Scales. LaGuardia’s Vet Tech program, which benefits from an important partnership with the ASPCA, is the only one in NYC. | |
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Students Stick Heads in Clouds | |
The LaGuardia Physics and Astronomy Club, along with faculty advisors Drs. Daniel Capic and Roman Senkov have been encouraging everyone to visit their Flickr page to view their photos from recent stargazing events. These events allow students to “share in the wonder of the cosmos,” as Dr. Senkov describes, and capture stunning images through telescopes. Highlights include an image of Jupiter with its vibrant color bands and four Galilean moons, a project brought to life by students Ang Pemba Yonjan, Miguel Posada, and Miguel Pacheco. Another remarkable image captures a rare celestial event: a lunar occultation of Mars during the full Wolf Moon. During this extraordinary occurrence, Mars was hidden from view for several hours, a phenomenon so rare that the next similar event visible from the U.S. might not take place until 2042. Not bad night-sky viewing considering we’re under the southerly approach to that recently renovated airport named for us. | |
Theater Students Shine at Kennedy Center Regionals | |
LaGuardia Theater students made us proud at the Region 1 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Conference 57 at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, CT. They participated in workshops, scholarship competitions, and networking sessions with representatives from four-year colleges and theatre organizations. Our students excelled in the scholarship competitions, standing out among participants from four-year institutions and conservatories. Jaden Fabio won the top award for directing, earning a trip to the national KCACTF conference in Washington, D.C. in April. Michou Vital received two awards: the Outside-In Award and the Race, Equity, and Diversity in Design, Technology, and Management Award, for her scenic painting and poster design for Electricidad. Murilo Oliboni and Aliya Edwards won Best Ensemble in a National Playwriting Program staged reading. Xiomara Huerta was a finalist for the Musical Theatre Scholarship Audition. Two students reached the final round (16 finalists out of 160) of the Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions: Abby Quevedo with partner Skyler G. Wiltshire, and Jason Rodriguez with partner Jermaine Parker. Skyler G. Wiltshire won Best Scene Partner, and Jason Rodriguez won Best Comedic Performance. Additionally, Aliya Edwards was named runner-up for The ASPIRE Arts Leadership Award. “We are incredibly proud of our students’ hard work,” said Theater Professor James Ryan Caldwell. “These accolades reflect not only their dedication and talent, but also the strength of our theatre program. We look forward to their continued success and growth in the performing arts.” | |
President and Team Take Tin Cup to State Capital | |
In the early morning hours of February 25, Dr. Manny Romero, Vice President of Communications and External Affairs, Claudia Chan, Deputy Director of Government Relations, and I zipped up the NYS Thruway in the college’s Chevy Voyager for a marathon day of meetings with legislators from Queens. Fans of the Citizens Budget Commission know that since the state’s budget is supposed to be in place at the start of its fiscal year, which is April 1, February and (especially) March are popular times for the citizenry of New York to descend upon the capital to make its feelings clear about how that $252 billion in the governor’s proposed executive budget really ought to be spent. Charitable as we may be, your LaGuardia ambassadors have no desire to let others run off with money we want for our students. What’s more, we have some compelling projects that we’re convinced are worthy of state support. To that end we had terrific meetings with Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Senator Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Claire Valdez, Assembly Member Steve Raga, and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz. Longtime LaGuardia supporter Senator Toby Ann Stavisky was busy running a hearing of the Higher Education Committee that she chairs, so we met with colleagues in her office. All were extremely supportive of the college and pledged to do as much as they can for us in the upcoming budget negotiations. | |
Ten LaGuardia Students Complete Engineering Bootcamp at Albany Nano | | |
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Lest readers think that your author’s enthusiasm for Albany is limited to his lobbying activity there, it should be noted that the capital region – also known as Tech Valley – is increasingly popular with LaGuardia students. Just ask mechanical engineering major, Darla Castillo, who took part in a three-day semiconductor bootcamp at the Albany Nanotech Complex in late January. “The vacuum assembly experience not only tested our teamwork and problem-solving skills, but also reinforced my enthusiasm for hands-on engineering tasks,” she recalled. Darla was one of ten LaGuardia students who completed the bootcamp, which was made possible by NY CREATES, the nonprofit owner/operator of the Albany Nano Complex, home to some of the state’s most important assets in semiconductor science, engineering, and manufacturing. Thanks to the good work of Dr. Yves Ngabonziza, Professor of Engineering and the Director of the Engineering Program in the Math, Engineering, and Computer Science Department, LaGuardia was selected as a sub-awardee on a recent $4.7 million grant to New York CREATES (New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science) from the National Science Foundation. Darla had advice for future bootcamp participants: "Stay curious, engaged, and open to new experiences. Ask questions whenever possible, as the engineers and professionals you’ll meet have a wealth of knowledge to share.” | |
Casa de las Américas, LaGuardia’s center for Latino academic, cultural and community activity, has partnered with The Climate Museum to present a pop-up version of The End of Fossil Fuel, an exhibit that explores impacts of climate change through the lens of environmental justice. With powerful images and text mounted on the walls of the M Building lobby, The End of Fossil Fuel helps students understand the climate crises and its social impacts, particularly in poor communities. Leaders of La Casa partnered with The Climate Museum, the NYC Climate Justice Hub, and El Puente: Leaders for Peace and Justice to bring the exhibit to LaGuardia. It will be up until the end of March. | |
Department of Youth and Community Development Provides $4.95 million for Train and Earn | |
The city’s youth services agency recently awarded LaGuardia a six-year grant of almost $5 million to establish a Train and Earn program. The initiative, run by our Workforce Education Center in the Adult and Continuing Education Division, will provide training for out-of-school, out-of-work youth to prepare them for careers in healthcare. Train and Earn will leverage three of our most successful healthcare certificate programs -- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, Central Service Technician, and Emergency Medical Technician. Participants will receive intensive academic support and internship opportunities. To date, LaGuardia has trained over 6,000 EMTs for New York City. Little wonder DYCD has asked us to direct our expertise to the young New Yorkers they serve. We’re pleased to help. | |
LaGuardia Launches 2029 Strategic Plan | |
| | | At the Opening Sessions event mentioned above we released the college’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, our first post-Covid five-year plan, and our first plan following our recent Middle States reaccreditation. No surprise, it’s focused on improving the student experience and boosting student outcomes -- think smooth transfers to senior colleges and baccalaureate degree attainment, or living-wage jobs in fields of interest for graduates of vocational programs. Since we’re part of the CUNY system, the plan aligns with the chancellor’s Strategic Roadmap: CUNY Lifting New York in important ways, among them initiatives to increase internships, work-based learning, and career success. Eighty “actions” are proposed in pursuit of twenty-one goals that support five essential pillars of student success. Dozens of measures, divisional and institutional, will help us track progress in real time over the next five years. (As I like to say, “What gets measured gets done.”) You can check it all out on our website here.
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