Ponce Bank has awarded $5,000 in scholarships to five LaGuardia students for the 2025–26 academic year. Managed by the LaGuardia Community College Foundation, the Ponce-CUNY Scholarship supports students from low- to moderate-income communities who reflect the diversity of New York City—helping them continue their education and plan their futures. Awards range from $1,000 to $2,000, helping students pay for tuition, textbooks, and other living essentials. Among the scholars is Luca Torres Pena, a Veterinary Technology major born in the Dominican Republic. Torres Pena describes themselves as a “disabled person with a chronic illness and limited income.” Despite these challenges, Torres Pena has persevered and is a top student in LaGuardia’s intensive Vet Tech program. Read more about the 2025-26 Ponce-CUNY Scholars, including Cybersecurity majors Shishir Baral and Katriel Morales, Industrial Design major Sofia P., and Psychology major Shirley Vega Proano.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) has selected the Theater Program’s fall production of At The Wedding, directed by Theater Lecturer James Ryan (J.R.) Caldwell, for showcase at the Region 1 Festival, scheduled for January 27–31, 2026 in Albany. “This is an outstanding opportunity for the students to experience remounting, touring, and sharing their work with a new audience. The students will also be considered for national awards through the Kennedy Center,” said Theater Professor Stefanie Sertich. While the full production will not be performed on campus prior to the festival, a showcase featuring student actors auditioning for the acting competition at KCACTF Region 1 will take place on Friday, January 23 at 6 p.m. in the Little Theater, all are welcome to attend this free event. 

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’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 Encababian, lecturer and course coordinator in the Sustainable Urban Agriculture track, recently led students in an experiential learning opportunity, connecting classroom learning with the cutting edge of food, farming, and research. Students from the Farm Crew Internship and the Introduction to Vegetable Production course traveled to Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, NY for Taste the Future of Food—a program showcasing agricultural and culinary innovation. Throughout the day, students immersed themselves in the dynamic ecosystem of Stone Barns and Blue Hill, gaining firsthand exposure to projects unfolding in the vegetable fields, research labs, bakery, butchery, and kitchens. A highlight of the trip was meeting acclaimed chef and food systems visionary Dan Barber, whose work has inspired global conversations around sustainable agriculture and flavor-driven farming. This field experience was made possible through support from the APGA Urban Agriculture Grant, which allowed Encababian to open doors for students to engage directly with leaders shaping the future of food.

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.