LaGuardia Community College

$20,000 from New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. to establish Battle Buddy Center to help veterans successfully transition to student life

Long Island City, NY—December 7, 2015—LaGuardia Community College has received $20,000 from the New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID) to establish a Battle Buddy Center for student veterans. The new Center will replace and expand the Veteran Services Center that has been at the College since shortly after its doors first opened in 1971. It is intended as a one-stop comprehensive service and recreation center for veterans transitioning from military service to student life. Resources will include registration guidance, benefits assistance, career advising, peer mentoring, computer resources, and opportunities to meet other veterans at the college. “We are committed to providing our veterans with the support they need to have a smooth path towards college and earning a degree,” said LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail O. Mellow. “The Battle Buddy Center will allow us to enhance our veterans services, and we thank our partners for helping to make this possible.” LaGuardia’s Vice President for Student Affairs Michael A. Baston and Stephen Clark, Director of Veterans Services, thanked NYSIDPresident and CEO Ron Romano, and representatives from Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey which is collaborating with NYSID, for their dedication to supporting veterans, at an event held at the College on Nov. 30. “NYSID supports LaGuardia Community College and its veteran services office in assisting veterans achieve success personally, academically and professionally,” said Mr. Romano. “Based upon the current veteran population and the anticipated growth of veterans’ programs and services, NYSID is pleased to partner with LaGuardia Community College and Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey in this Battle Buddy Center.” “We’re grateful to NYSID for their generous support for this new, enhanced center for our student veterans,” said LaGuardia Vice President Baston. “As the number of veterans among our student population continues to grow, their support, along with the collaboration from the Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, will help enhance their experience here at LaGuardia and is an important recognition of their service to our nation.” “The confidence shown to us by NYSID and Goodwill Industries is an honor, and will help support our ongoing efforts to make our student-facing offices veteran and military competent,” said Mr. Clark. LaGuardia student Rick Malone, a US Coast Guard veteran, and vice president of the Student Veterans Club, spoke at the event about the importance of having a dedicated facility for veterans at the College. “We know first-hand how difficult things can seem shortly after leaving the highly disciplined world of the military – and we hope this new Center will help make the transition to civilian life as easy as possible,” said Mr. Malone. The Battle Buddy Center at LaGuardia is the 10^th such center created since 2011 and the first in the borough of Queens. “Battle Buddy” is a military concept that partners soldiers to assist each other both in and out of combat. Battle Buddy Centers offer activities to encourage camaraderie and foster veterans to give and receive mutual support. To read NYSID’s press release about the new Battle Buddy Center at LaGuardia, click here. About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, was founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today. LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to four-year colleges at a rate 20% higher than the national average. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new curriculum and pioneer programs to make our community and our country stronger. Visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

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Long Island City, NY—December 11, 2015—Recent awards and appointments earned by LaGuardia Community College faculty, staff, and students reflect both the many contributions of LaGuardia leadership to enhancing the higher-education experience for the next generations of students—both at LaGuardia and at colleges nationwide—and highlight some of the vast experiential learning opportunities available to LaGuardia students. “LaGuardia has long been recognized as a national leader amongst community colleges,” said LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail O. Mellow. “These recent awards and appointments once again show how LaGuardia is at the forefront of excellent research and teaching and puts a spotlight on the incredible work of our more than 50,000 students.” These honors include the appointment of Dr. Mellow to the Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education convened by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . LaGuardia’s Vice President of Student Affairs and Associate Provost Dr. Michael A. Baston was honored with a Terry O’Banion Shared Journey Exemplary Practice Award during the 2015 National Council on Student Development Conference. And the National Endowment for the Humanities has selected LaGuardia’s Dr. Naomi J. Stubbs, Associate Professor of English and Learning Communities Coordinator, to receive an “Award for Faculty” for her work on the Harry Watkins Diary. Student honors include a LaGuardia team who placed in the top three among a field of nine teams in the 2015 College Federal Challenge , an annual competition organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York designed to bring real-world economics into the classroom. The team included members of LaGuardia’s Student Economics Club: Tanveer Hossain Bhuiyan, Faheem Kudo, MD. Takluder, Tenzin Thinlley (captain), and Muhammed A. Uddin. The team was advised by Dr. Choon-Shan Lai, assistant professor of economics at LaGuardia. And lastly, the college’s 2015 Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting student fellowship was awarded to Rodrigue Anathasse Ossebi. Through the fellowship Mr. Ossebi received support that enabled him to report on the experiences of African immigrants in France. Honors for Contributions to Higher Education American Academy of Arts and Sciences: LaGuardia President Dr. Gail O. Mellow has been appointed a member of the Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education , recently convened by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . Among 15 higher education representatives on the Commission, which includes national leaders in business and government, Dr. Mellow is the only member connected to a community college. The Commission will spend three years analyzing the array of learning opportunities available to both recent high-school graduates and older adults going into higher education for the first time. They will examine how well today’s students are being served, and identify challenges and opportunities that may arise in the coming decades. “I’m honored to be a member of this American Academy of Arts and Sciences commission to strategically plan for how to meet our nation’s increasing needs for a more educated population,” said Dr. Mellow. “As the only leader of a community college on the commission, I will make sure my colleagues understand the role of community colleges, where more than half of all our nation’s undergraduates are enrolled.” National Council on Student Development: The National Council on Student Development recently honored LaGuardia’s Vice President of Student Affairs and Associate Provost Dr. Michael A. Baston with a Terry O’Banion Shared Journey Exemplary Practice Award . The O’Banion award honors higher education administrators who have significantly furthered student development in a community college setting. Dr. Baston received a “Gold” O’Banion award for his presentation during the council’s 2015 conference entitled, “All In: Developing a Holistic Student Support Strategy,” which focused on LaGuardia’s programs that address students with unmet financial needs. These programs include the LaGuardia Single-Stop office which provides assistance signing-up for public benefits, an on-campus food pantry, transit reimbursement programs, and more. “With the majority of our students having annual family incomes of less than $25,000, we saw first-hand their personal struggles to focus on coursework while worrying about how to pay their rent and where their family’s next meal would come from,” said Vice President Baston. “We established programs to address our students’ holistically—helping to ensure that their basic needs are met so they can focus on their education. It’s rewarding for this work to be recognized by the National Council on Student Development.” National Endowment for the Humanities: LaGuardia’s Dr. Naomi J. Stubbs, Associate Professor of English and Learning Communities Coordinator, was selected to receive an “Award for Faculty” from the National Endowment for the Humanities for her work on the diary of Harry Watkins (1825-1894), an American pre-Civil War actor and playwright. The award committee described the project as “impressive” and “field-changing,” and noted both its scholarly and pedagogical value. Dr. Stubbs was one of ten recipients selected out of more than 130 applicants. “I am grateful to the National Endowment for this award,” said Dr. Stubbs. “The Harry Watkins Diary is an exciting research project as it will enable further research in nineteenth-century American history, entertainment, and culture, while also highlighting the value of cross-CUNY collaboration and student engagement in research. The research team includes faculty and students from LaGuardia and several other CUNY schools, all working together to realize this project.” Recognition for Students Participating inHands-On Learning Opportunities Federal Reserve Bank of New York: A team of LaGuardia students received honorable mention in the College Federal Challenge , an annual competition organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York designed to bring real-world economics into the classroom. The LaGuardia students competed in a field of nine teams that were given information about a hypothetical economy—they analyzed the economy’s data set, and then presented their analysis and recommended monetary policy to a panel of judges. The teams were divided into three groups that faced off in a first round on Oct. 29—where the LaGuardia team won their round. The three finalists then went on to compete in the final on Nov. 16. The students are all members of LaGuardia’s Student Economics Club: Tanveer Hossain Bhuiyan, Faheem Kudo, MD. Takluder, Tenzin Thinlley, and Muhammed A. Uddin. The team was advised by Dr. Choon-Shan Lai, assistant professor of economics at LaGuardia. “The experience deepened my interest in the study and practice of economics,” said team captain Tenzin Thinlley, who is of Tibetan descent and who was raised in a refugee settlement in India; he is majoring in math and minoring in computer science at LaGuardia. “When I got to the Federal Reserve Bank, my first thought was that I want to be chair of it someday.” “I am so proud of our students for earning honorable mention in the recent College Federal Challenge,” said Dr. Lai. “They were the only community college team in their field, and they successfully tackled a very challenging economic analysis, and collectively showed great team work, coordination, and communication.” Pulitzer Center: LaGuardia student Rodrigue Anathasse Ossebi was selected as the 2015 LaGuardia Community College Fellow of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting , which gave him the opportunity to work with Pulitzer Center staff on an international reporting project. With support provided by his fellowship, Mr. Ossebi traveled oversees to write a series on the experience of Africans living in France—the discrimination faced by recent immigrants, and their struggles to become educated and full members of society. “I chose to write about refugees because it is a subject I relate to very strongly, as I emigrated to the United States with political asylum, after being imprisoned in my birth country, the Republic of Congo, for organizing young people to vote in an election,” said Mr. Ossebi. “I’m grateful for this opportunity through LaGuardia and the Pulitzer Center, which has inspired me to pursue a career in international relations.” LaGuardia Community College is one of 22 colleges nationwide in the Pulitzer Center’s Campus Consortium. Among consortium members, LaGuardia is one of only two community colleges. “When the Pulitzer Center approached LaGuardia last year to participate in their campus consortium, we were honored to join,” said LaGuardia’s Dr. Padmini Biswas, Global Manager for Academic Affairs. “This fellowship reflects the diverse experiences available to our all of our students to help launch them towards their future success.”

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About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, was founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today. LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to four-year colleges at a rate 20% higher than the national average. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new curriculum and pioneer programs to make our community and our country stronger. Visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

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Long Island City, NY—December 14, 2015—NYDesigns, an incubator, co-working and fabrication space for design and hardware tech startups located at LaGuardia Community College, kicked-off a yearlong series of events celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the launch of NYDesigns’ incubator and fabrication space, at an event on Friday. Since its inception, NYDesigns has served over 9,000 clients, 82 of them incubator residents, and has assisted clients in acquiring over $23.6 million in contracts and over $17.7 million in equity capital. NYDesigns IO+ aims to build a community of makers in hardware tech and design, while fostering meaningful exchange around the art of making. Upcoming NYDesigns IO+ events include the opening of the upgraded NYDesigns FabLab in early 2016. The Dec. 11 kick-off event, I Make:______, celebrated the creativity of makers in the neighborhood—from the arts, design, and tech, film and TV, food, and fashion—through open studios, presentations, and a digital exhibition crowdsourced from the audience. The event featured keynote addresses from leaders in the design and hardware tech communities: Jessica Singleton, Chief Digital Officer for the City of New York, and Despina Papadopoulos, design strategist, systems thinker, and educator. Highlighting trends within the design-tech industry, NYDesigns’ residents and Fellows gave presentations about their work. The event was hosted at NYDesigns’ incubator space on the LaGuardia Community College campus. “The tech ecosystem in New York City is thriving, and LaGuardia Community College plays an important role, from tech education and job training, to being a prime space for designers and makers of all backgrounds,” said Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia. “NYDesigns is poised to be a main player on this evolving scene, joining together makers and entrepreneurs to think, plan and create collaboratively. The potential for new and game-changing technology and work is endless.” “NYDesigns at LaGuardia Community College has a long history of connecting enterprising hardware and technology companies to great mentors, resources, events and advisors who share in their passion to grow New York City’s thriving tech ecosystem,” said NYC Chief Digital Officer Jessica Singleton. “Making and new models of manufacturing have swept across all five boroughs, and with quality companies and jobs on the rise, this key sector is inspiring entrepreneurs, creating more opportunities for New Yorkers, and generating activity that benefits the City. We celebrate 10 years of NYDesigns building and fostering meaningful connections around the art of making.” “I am thrilled to be part NYDesigns’ I Make:______. As a maker, entrepreneur and educator, I know how important it is to have access not only to resources, but also to a supportive and mentoring community,” said Ms. Papadopoulos, a professor at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program and founding faculty at School of Visual Arts’ MFA in Design for Social Innovation Program. “NYDesigns fills a unique space in the city’s maker community and supports one of New York’s most valuable resources: young, driven designers and makers and their vision.” As Michael Harbolt, Vice President of Marketing for KeyMe, told Crain’s New York Business in an interview about the company’s start at NYDesigns: “The reality is that it really evolved into a great relationship, allowed us to expand the company, and gave us a solid base to grow from three people to 25… NYDesigns was a great environment.” KeyMe has developed novel ways for people to manage their keys, with self-service kiosks that allow individuals to instantly duplicate keys, store digital copies of keys online, share keys with friends and family, and print out a stored key in the case of a lockout. The company also developed an iPhone app that allows users to scan keys from any location and have them mailed to them. KeyMe now has hundreds of kiosks across the country in select 7-Eleven, Bed Bath & Beyond, Rite Aid and Lowe’s stores. KeyMe representatives spoke at the event about taking advantage of all the resources at NYDesigns, in particular the FabLab. Additional presenters at I Make:______, included:

Representatives from NYDesigns resident company RUX, a think tank and design firm that describes itself as “developing intellectual property, defining brand identities, creating and curating art objects, and designing buildings and consumer products.”

Nga Nguyen, a NYDesigns Fellow and User Experience Designer, who describes her work as “utilizing design research, empathy and human factors, and ergonomics to explore a range of conceptual ideas that incorporate behavior study and biofeedback” into her Evoke collection of products. The first completed piece within the Evoke series, an augmented meditation stone, was received enthusiastically at World Maker Faire 2015.

Ms. Nguyen, who graduated from the MFA Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), said, “The NYDesigns Fellows program helped facilitate my transition from a fashion designer to a designer working at the intersection of design and technology, with a focus on mindfulness and wellbeing.” The media sponsor for I Make:______ is AlleyWatch, which describes itself as “the largest organization focused on the New York technology, startup, and entrepreneurial ecosystem with a global readership of highly affluent and educated individuals across 200+ countries. AlleyWatch’s digital properties serve as the first read for venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, accelerators, startup employees, thought leaders, event organizers, corporate executives, academics, city officials, PR/press and tech enthusiasts.” For more information on I Make:______ and NYDesigns I0+ visit http://nydesigns.org/i-make-celebration/. NYDesigns at LaGuardia Community College: Its FabLab, Fellows Program, and More Founded over ten years ago as a business incubator for designers, NYDesigns has expanded to include small businesses and entrepreneurs in the design, fabrication, technology and maker spaces. NYDesigns’ FabLab is a 5,000 square foot, on-site fabrication lab that allows makers to prototype design concepts in a safe, secure facility. With flexible membership options and digital fabrication services that allow anyone, from tinkerers to established design and tech companies, to realize their next project, the FabLab is equipped with an array of tools both analog and digital, including traditional hand and power tools, a vacuum former, an FDM rapid prototyper, and a large-format industrial laser cutter. The FabLab also provides access to co-working and common space in the business incubator, enabling members to tap into the community of designers and entrepreneurs. NYDesigns’ Fellows program supports entrepreneurs as they explore the connection between design and technology. The Fellows receive incubation services to help develop and grow their ventures while working with a NYDesigns research team on collective projects.

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NYDesigns Founded in 2006, NYDesigns is dedicated to the success of design and hardware tech startups in NYC. Companies in our incubator get 3 years of private studio space and access to a network of mentors and advisers. Makers can prototype their design ideas in our safe, secure, 5,000-sq-ft fabrication lab. We produce events and programs for a thriving community of creators and innovators. LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, was founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today. LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to four-year colleges at a rate 20% higher than the national average. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new curricula and pioneer programs to make our community and our country stronger. Visit http://www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

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LaGuardia Community College Registered Nursing Program Holds Pinning and Graduation Ceremony for 38 Graduates

Students mark LaGuardia’s 30th Graduating Nursing Class

LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail Mellow speaks during LaGuardia Pinning and Graduation Ceremony for the Registered Nursing Program at LaGuardia Community College. This year, 38 graduated from the program. Long Island City, NY – December 22, 2015 – Thirty-eight nursing students celebrated their completion of the Registered Nursing Program at LaGuardia Community College, at an event held earlier this afternoon where they received their RN pins in a traditional Pinning ceremony, as well as their Associate in Applied Science diplomas. The Nursing Program at LaGuardia Community College was developed in 1985, and held its first graduation Nursing Pinning Ceremony in June 1986. This is the 30th graduating class. Each year approximately 100 students graduate from the program. The new registered nurses are able to step into positions as health care providers in long-term care institutions and city hospitals. Some graduates choose to transfer to four-year colleges to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing. LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail O. Mellow gave remarks to the 2015 graduating class. “I am so proud of the strong men and women of LaGuardia’s Nursing program,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow. “The work that you do will change the communities that you serve for the better.” “The Nursing Education Program at LaGuardia Community College prepares graduates in both the art and science of nursing, “said Kathleen Karsten, the Director of the Nursing program. “The LaGuardia graduates are prepared to deliver high quality patient care in an ever changing health care environment. Students overcome significant barriers in order to complete this rigorous program, and when they do, their lives and the lives are transformed by this educational experience.” Graduates will each receive $350 from the LaGuardia Community College Foundation to pay for their New York State licensing exam (NCLEX-RN), which they must pass in order to practice as a Registered Nurse in the health care setting. Beginning in 2014, the LaGuardia Community College Foundation has been providing funds for nursing graduates to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam, since the cost can be a burden for students from low-income families. Research shows that students who take the NCLEX-RN within three months of graduation have a higher pass rate than students who delay taking the exam past three months. With the help of the Foundation funds, more LaGuardia nursing graduates are able to take the test in the recommended three-month time frame. Stefany Labarces-Vivanco, a graduating nursing student, left behind her family in Colombia in order to pursue her education in the United States. The Nursing Program at LaGuardia taught me resilience. Every semester I was challenged by the amount and complexity of the content to be learned, “said Ms. Labarces-Vivanco, who received a scholarship from the LaGuardia Foundation to help pay for her tuition and expenses. “Graduation day was made a reality because of the LaGuardia Foundation scholarship, which allowed me to put more hours towards my goal of becoming a nurse and less on my regular job.” Please contact Luda Spajic, Associate Public Relations Manager, at lspajic@lagcc.cuny.edu or 718-482-5060 to schedule an interview.

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About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, was founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today. LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to four-year colleges at a rate 20% higher than the national average. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new curricula and pioneer programs to make our community and our country stronger. Visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

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National Award Given Annually to a Higher Education Professional Doing Extraordinary Work in Student Affairs WASHINGTON, DC — January 19, 2016 — Dr. Gail Mellow, president of LaGuardia Community College in New York, was selected to receive the 2016 NASPA President’s Award. The award gives special recognition to a college or university president who has, over a sustained period of time, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs. The award is part of honors given annually by NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, to members doing outstanding work in the student affairs profession. Dr. Mellow was selected for her commitment to ensuring that the vision and unique knowledge of student affairs professionals guides LaGuardia in its focused efforts to improve student success. Under Dr. Mellow’s leadership, the college has made major investments to increase student affairs staffing, enhance professional development and launch new programs that help LaGuardia’s students stay in school and graduate. A Single Stop office – a central hub where students can go when life struggles arise – was established on campus, where highly trained staff help students sign up for public benefits, provide financial literacy counseling, housing placement services, access to an on-campus food pantry, and more. In the past four years, LaGuardia’s Single Stop program has helped more than 10,000 students receive nearly $20 million in benefits. “I’m honored to be selected for this prestigious NASPA award,” says Dr. Mellow. “A majority of our students have family incomes of less than $25,000 per year; we’ve seen firsthand how a student’s academic performance can suffer when they’re worried about how to pay for their next meal or subway ride home from class. Investing in our student affairs staff has enabled more students to tap their expertise to help pay for school, find jobs, get properly advised or obtain health services. Our staff are essential to student success and are helping us build better lives for our students, their families and our community.” “I can think of no better individual to act as a leading voice for community colleges,” says James Milliken, chancellor of The City University of New York, “Dr. Mellow is the strongest advocate for student success and is wholly dedicated to the students who most need her leadership.” In 2012, Dr. Mellow initiated a unique leadership development program, the President’s Society at LaGuardia, to mentor students in the “middle” – not the high academic achievers– who often have little or no access to mentoring opportunities. “Whether they’re interested in transferring to a four-year college or getting a job in their chosen field, the President’s Society aims to give students the skills and guidance they need from successful professionals in all walks of life,” says Michael Baston, vice president for student affairs and associate provost at LaGuardia Community College. “Dr. Mellow is dedicated to ensuring that our students have access to all the tools and resources they need to successfully pursue their education, and so this award could not go to a finer professional.” Dr. Mellow, a national expert on the topic of student success, is frequently quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, as well as other publications. She is co-author of “Taking College Teaching Seriously: Pedagogy Matters!” a book exploring the connection between effective higher education teaching and student success. Additionally, she co-authored “Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College,” a book about the role of community colleges in America’s success. Dr. Mellow and the other National Award winners will be honored in March at the 2016 NASPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Ind. For more information about this award, visit:

#### About NASPA NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Its work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories. For more information, visit NASPA.org. About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, was founded in 1971 as a bold experiment in opening the doors of higher education to all, and we proudly carry forward that legacy today. LaGuardia educates students through over 50 degree, certificate and continuing education programs, providing an inspiring place for students to achieve their dreams. Upon graduation, LaGuardia students’ lives are transformed as family income increases 17%, and students transfer to four-year colleges at a rate 20% higher than the national average. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating underserved students. At LaGuardia we imagine new ideas, create new curricula and pioneer programs to make our community and our country stronger. Visit LaGuardia.edu to learn more.

College to Offer Preparedness Outreach to LIC Community

Long Island City, NY—February 1, 2016—Affirming its commitment to disaster preparedness, LaGuardia Community College received the official seal of completion for its participation in the New York City Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) Partners in Preparedness (PIP) Program. Established in 2011, Partners in Preparedness is a nationally recognized program that supports organizations in preparing their employees, services, and facilities for emergencies, both natural and manmade. “We’re pleased to offer support to students, faculty, staff, and our Queens neighbors to ensure they take precautions that result in resilient recovery from disasters,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. LaGuardia’s Office of Public Safety is spearheading the College’s preparedness information campaign through outreach events where they will share tips and other resources with neighbors in Long Island City community. Members in the PIP program come from all industries — including arts and entertainment; education; business, banking and finance; faith-based; health care; hospitality and service; community, nonprofits and government. Partnership includes access to such resources and support as free preparedness brochures, real-time emergency information, access to webinars, forums and other events. Official partners conduct outreach events and encourage registration with OEM’s free, real-time emergency notification systems, Notify NYC (for individuals) and CorpNet (for businesses and organizations), as well as providing other tips and resources on emergency planning and readiness. “Guides detailing how to be ready for any emergency are available in 13 languages,” said Peter Jayasekara, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at LaGuardia. “That’s ideal here in Queens, the city’s most diverse borough.” Ready New York Guide languages include: English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Russian, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Bengali, Arabic, Polish, French, Urdu, Yiddish, and audio format. Last autumn, LaGuardia shared preparedness guides and kits with faculty, staff and students at READY New York tabling events in each of the College’s four campus buildings. Raffle prizes at the event included American Red Cross “Go Bags,” containing first aid kits, flashlights, water, non-perishable food, and other essential items. Natural and manmade disasters impact the New York City business community in profound ways, including revenue loss, layoffs, and even bankruptcy. In a survey conducted by the Ad Council, 62 percent of respondents reported not having an emergency plan in place for their business. And an estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Small and mid-sized businesses are especially at risk following a disaster: up to 40 percent affected never reopen, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “We want to share this vital information with our neighbors in Long Island City, so they too, can be prepared and resilient,” said Peter Jayasekara.

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Long Island City, NY—February 5, 2016—By providing significant business tax credits, President Obama’s proposal will generate new, effective partnerships bringing community colleges and businesses together to produce highly-trained candidates for jobs that need urgent filling. This tax credit program is sure to be a win-win for both employers and our students. Students will have new pathways to gain employer-informed training and job-based learning opportunities that lead to steady employment. Employers will be able to tap the skills of highly-trained, energetic people ready to join their teams. Like many community colleges nationwide, LaGuardia Community College has years of experience establishing highly-successful employer-college partnerships, and this proposal is sure to grow these collaborations.

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Long Island City, NY—February 9, 2016—In a proactive response to President Barack Obama’s recently announced Computer Science for All initiative to increase access to high-quality computer science education, LaGuardia Community College is partnering with #YesWeCode , aDream Corps initiative, to expand computer science education and access to the tools and training needed to pursue a career in the rapidly expanding tech sector.

As part of this work, tech innovators at LaGuardia Community College will work to convene a discussion among community colleges nationwide to develop a mechanism for sharing best practices around coding instruction within the community college setting. "With more than 40,000 coding jobs expected to be created over the next decade, we are thrilled to support #YesWeCode in order to ensure that highly-trained candidates are available to fill these positions,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail Mellow . “Community colleges, among the largest and most affordable providers of training in the latest computer programming languages and tools, will be vital to this effort. For people of all backgrounds to have an opportunity to reach the middle class, our country must continue to invest in efforts that expand an inclusive innovation economy.” Each year, nearly 3,500 students study technology at LaGuardia Community College, where curricula is regularly updated to reflect changes in the computer and technology fields. To LaGuardia’s current selection of approximately 175 tech-related courses, a new Web Development program, open code , is being introduced for students who want to be trained in coding in multiple program languages, website and mobile app creation, JavaScript, and use of Ruby on Rails for web application framework and management. To read more about #YesWeCode, click here to read Dream Corp’s press release about this effort.

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Powerful Student-Led Photo Advertising Campaign Highlights LaGuardia Community College as Great Choice for an Affordable, Quality Higher Education

Campaign Encourages New Yorkers to Enroll in Fall Classes at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens - 93% of Graduates Have No Student Loan Debt - Excellent Faculty – Majority Hold PhDs - Numerous Degree and Certificate Programs, Including High School Equivalency

Long Island City, NY—March 10, 2016—While walking, driving or riding around Queens, and when picking up your local newspaper over the next month, you may notice a new series of powerful photos on buses, subway trains, taxis and more, part of an advertising campaign for LaGuardia Community College. The “ DARE TO DO MORE” campaign aims to encourage adults of all ages who are interested in pursuing their higher education to explore all that the College has to offer—from 52 majors, as well as a variety of certificate programs, to affordable tuition and financial support, and to its convenient location in Long Island City, Queens. “With more and more jobs requiring not just a high school diploma but a college degree as well, the value of higher education has never been stronger,” said LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail O. Mellow. “We want Queens residents, as well as people throughout New York City, to know that an affordable, high-quality, convenient, flexible option is available at LaGuardia Community College in the dynamic neighborhood of Long Island City.” The student-led “DARE” campaign was created and produced together with LaGuardia students and faculty from LaGuardia’s highly-regarded commercial photography program. As well, LaGuardia students and alumni are featured in the ads’ dynamic images that convey the spirit of the College’s diverse student population – daring, curious, ambitious and welcoming. Nearly 50,000 students from throughout NYC, representing more than 150 countries and speaking over 125 native languages, study at the College each year. “While the people in our ads may look like models or actors, in fact they are our students!” said Susan Lyddon, LaGuardia’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “We can’t possibly find better models than our students; they are the best advocates and representatives of our College. They have first-hand experience with the many opportunities and support services offered by our dedicated faculty and staff, making them the best voice to reach prospective students.” One of the LaGuardia graduates featured in the campaign is Walkis Ynoa, age 24, of Queens. In 2010, she moved from the Dominican Republic to the U.S. to pursue her education. “When I came to New York, I didn’t speak any English. Through the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) at LaGuardia, I learned English and was able to enroll and pursue my associate degree in business administration,” said Walkis. “I want others looking for a similar opportunity to know about LaGuardia’s many programs, including support services and scholarships, to help students get on track towards earning their college degrees.” Since earning her associate degree in business administration from LaGuardia Community College in 2014, Walkis Ynoa has been studying towards a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance at Baruch College, where she expects to graduate this summer. “LaGuardia gave me a chance to get closer to my dreams and goals, and I am so grateful,” said Walkis. (Photo provided by LaGuardia Community College. Credit: Kristian Larrota.) Kristian Larrota, LaGuardia alumnus and a campaign photographer said, “I am very proud to have had the opportunity to use the skills I gained through the commercial photography program, to help increase awareness of LaGuardia Community College. The images that we chose for the DARE TO DO MORE campaign highlight our diversity, using frames that illustrate our students’ focus and determination.” Additional campaign photos were taken by Gianni Sanchez, a LaGuardia student who expects to graduate this year with an associate’s in commercial photography, and by Carlos Freire, a LaGuardia alumnus who is pursuing a master’s in film at City College, CUNY. To read about some of the additional LaGuardia students featured in the “DARE” campaign, see below. DARE TO DO MORE Campaign Touts Numerous Pathways for Students toExpand Their World views and Earn Career-Ready Skills at LaGuardia Community College The 52 majors offered at LaGuardia Community College represent a wide variety of areas – from the Humanities, Computer Science, Fine Arts,Business, Education, and Healthcare (including Radiologic Technology, Nursing, and Veterinary Technology). Adult and Continuing Education programs include High School equivalency preparation, English as a Second Language, Sign Language Interpretation, Paramedic Certification, and much more. High-achieving students are eligible to participate in the Honors Program, which is designed to promote a rigorous academic experience, and to maximize students' transfer and scholarship prospects. As well, the College routinely partners with area employers in order to ensure curricula reflects the latest industry trends, to develop job-specific training programs for companies eagerly seeking qualified candidates to fill job openings, and to identify channels for students to connect with and learn from professionals. For example, through a partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, LaGuardia’s Division of Adult and Continuing Education offers a free six-month Medical Billing Certificate Program designed to establish a reliable pipeline of highly qualified candidates for medical billing positions at this academic medical center. “LaGuardia Community College is highly adaptive to the needs of the changing economy,” said Dr. Mellow. “We continually revise our academic offerings to match employers’ immediate and future needs. Through our collaboration with technology companies, we’ve expanded and redirected our computer science and technology offerings to include concentrations in mobile app development, video game design, and other areas with current or expected job openings.” New degree offerings, which are now enrolling students for fall classes, include: Healthcare Management, Early Childhood Education, Liberal Arts - Music, Paramedic Certification, Therapeutic Recreation, and four new concentrations for the New Media Technology major : Video Game Development, Apps and Mobile Development, Digital Journalism, and Entrepreneurship. LaGuardia’s Comprehensive Support Services Help Address Students’ Needs Holistically The DARE TO DO MORE advertising campaign encourages prospective students to visit www.LaGuardia.edu/DARE, where they can learn about flexible class offerings (e.g., early morning, evening, and weekend classes), and about the support services built into programs and divisions across the College. For instance, LaGuardia’s Single Stop office assists students in obtaining public benefits and applying for financial aid to help pay for college and stay in school. LaGuardia students include many first-generation, low-income, and minority students, and more than 70 percent have family incomes of less than $25,000 annually. Many hold full or part-time jobs and have families to support among other responsibilities. “We do everything we can to help students with the financial struggles in their lives, so they don’t become a barrier to staying in college and earning a degree,” said Dr. Mellow. As a result of the College’s support services, as well as scholarship and tuition support opportunities, 93 percent of LaGuardia graduates have no student loan debt. In comparison, nearly seven out of every 10 (69 percent) college graduates nationally leave school with an average of $30,000 in student loan debt, according to a report from the Institute for College Access and Success. Programs to Develop Students’ Leadership and Networking Skills Qualified students may apply for President’s Society and Luce World Pathways, unique programs that help guide students towards their professional goals, and empower them with soft skills, such as networking, that can impact effectiveness in a corporate setting. Many students qualify for and join Phi Theta Kappa- an international honor society for students at two-year colleges, which provides opportunities for motivated students to improve their scholarship, gain leadership skills, and participate in service projects both on and off campus. DARE Campaign Photos Showcase LaGuardia’s Diverse Students and Alumni Additional LaGuardia students and graduates featured in the “DARE” campaign include: Poulomi Das, age 19, of Queens, a first-generation college student of Indian and Chinese descent, who transferred to LaGuardia in 2015 after two semesters at a four-year college. “LaGuardia has helped me to get back on track and focus more on my school work and grades,” said Poulomi, who is working towards her goal of a degree in registered nursing. Ovoke Ukpokpo, age 22, of Brooklyn, came to the U.S. from Nigeria in 2006 seeking better opportunities and chose to enroll at LaGuardia. “At LaGuardia I met knowledgeable and supportive professors who became my mentors. They helped develop my self-confidence and encouraged me to pursue my studies further,” said Ovoke, who transferred to Brooklyn College, where he is majoring in television and radio. Mamadou Diallo, age 21, of The Bronx, came to the U.S. from Guinea in 2011 to study. He graduated from LaGuardia in 2015 with an associate degree in computer science. An alumnus of the President’s Society program, Mamadou said, “Attending the President’s Society’s career, cultural, and networking workshops helped enhance my leadership, networking, and interviewing skills.” Alan Li, age 22, of Queens, moved to the U.S. from Hong Kong at the age of seven. After high school he enrolled at LaGuardia “because of its great photography program.” He expects to graduate from LaGuardia in 2016, and then plans to transfer to Baruch College to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing and photography. “My five to 10 year goal is to start my own photography company.” Alan-Dare-to-do-more

Alan Li is a commercial photography major at LaGuardia Community College. He expects to graduate in 2016. (Photo provided by LaGuardia Community College. Credit: Gianni Sanchez.) Lauren Viera, age 23, of Brooklyn is of Puerto Rican descent. “LaGuardia has been a life journey for me,” said Lauren, a new media major. “The College helped me learn about myself and step away from my comfort zone.” Lauren is planning to get her bachelor’s degree in graphic design and go for a master’s later. For more about the DARE TO DO MORE advertising campaign, visit www.LaGuardia.edu/DARE or call (718) 730-7500.

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Media Contacts: Elizabeth Streich, Public Relations Manager, (718) 482-6131; estreich@lagcc.cuny.edu Luda Spajic, Associate Public Relations Manager, (718) 482-5060; lspajic@lagcc.cuny.edu

LaGuardia Community College to Provide English Language Skills Training for NY-area Whole Foods Market Employees

Part of Pilot Program in NYC, Miami & Houston, Led by the National Immigration Forum in Partnership with the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, for Retail Employees for Whom English is a Second Language

Ingrid Guzman, originally from the Dominican Republic, has been a Whole Foods Market employee for approx. 10 years. She is studying ESOL at LaGuardia Community College to improve her communication with customers and team members. Here she is holding a photo of one of the expertly decorated fruit tarts she makes as a pastry chef at the Upper West Side store. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY—April 25, 2016—LaGuardia Community College has begun providing English language training, contextualized for the retail sector, for NY-area employees of Whole Foods Market. A pilot program led by the National Immigration Forum, in collaboration with the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education and Miami Dade College, the 12-week course is designed to increase English language skills among retail sector employees for whom English is a second language. “We are very pleased to be working with the National Immigration Forum to provide NY-area Whole Foods employees with the classes they need to improve their English communication skills,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “English proficiency can be a key factor in determining earnings and career advancement for immigrants in New York City, so this kind of investment in skills development is so important.” Funded by the Walmart Foundation, this program, known as Skills and Opportunity for the New American Workforce, is provided at no cost to these retail employees looking to increase their English proficiency and their career pathways in the retail sector. Thus far, two cohorts of approximately 20 Whole Foods employees each have begun the program at LaGuardia; four additional cohorts will begin in the next few months, making the potential reach for the program a total of nearly 250 employees. In the New York area, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training for Whole Foods Market employees is being provided atWestchester Community College in addition to LaGuardia. The program is also being piloted in Miami and Houston ( Lone Star College), with employer partners Publix and Kroger, respectively. Mark Wilkins, in New York-area leadership of Whole Foods Market, said of the project, “We at Whole Foods are excited to partner with the National Immigration Forum, Westchester Community College and LaGuardia Community College to offer our team members the opportunity to improve their language skills, further enhancing their ability to interact with and serve our shoppers while supporting their families and taking part in the communities where they live and work.” “We started this training program because the retail sector has one of the highest levels of limited-English-proficient workers, at nearly 1.5 million, approximately half of whom are women,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Retail companies are eager to get involved, because they understand the profound impact that improved access to educational opportunities can have on advancement, retention, improved work quality and economic success.” “Community colleges play a vital role in supporting their communities through programs that build the skills of immigrant workers and benefit the businesses that employ them,” said Teresita Wisell, Executive Director of the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education and Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Education at Westchester Community College. “CCCIE is proud to be a partner in this initiative to build a replicable model that can be scaled nationwide, with the opportunity to support retail employees’ personal and career growth and contribute to increased productivity and effectiveness among retailers and the sector as a whole.” Robust English Language Programs & Contextualized Instruction Expertise at LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College was selected for this initiative, in part, because of its robust ESOL programs, and expertise with contextualized instruction—in which career-focused curricula and industry-based authentic materials are used to teach both basic academic skills, such as English language skills, and technical skills. This retail-focused program emphasizes active listening, industry-specific vocabulary, spontaneous conversation skills, and other workplace skills. Training is centered on building the vocabulary and context employees need to be successful working at Whole Foods Market—increasing customer satisfaction, improving communication with their colleagues and supervisors, and improving safety. “Over the past decade, LaGuardia’s adult education programs have been at the forefront of a national movement to integrate career-based content and ESOL curricula in order to meet our students’ employment-related goals,” said John Hunt, LaGuardia’s Executive Director for Adult Community Learning, Division of Adult and Continuing Education (ACE). “We have found that when ESOL lessons are contextualized to the language that students need in their daily lives, they are highly motivated to come to class and use what they learn right away.”

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About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more. About the National Immigration Forum The National Immigration Forum is one of the leading immigrant advocacy organizations in the country, with a mission to advocate for the value of immigrants and immigration to the nation. As a part of these efforts, the Forum runs a national program, New American Workforce, that partners with hundreds of businesses to offer their employees citizenship services and English training, at the worksite. Skills and Opportunity for the New American Workforce was launched Fall 2015 as a part this partnerships with business, through New American Workforce. About the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education The Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education is a national network of community colleges and other professional organizations that have joined forces to increase educational and career opportunities for immigrant students. CCCIE’s mission is to build the capacity of community colleges to accelerate immigrant and refugee success and raise awareness of the essential role these colleges play in advancing immigrant integration in our communities. CCCIE is hosted and led by Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y.

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Media Contacts LaGuardia Community College: Elizabeth Streich, Public Relations Manager, (718) 482-6131; estreich@lagcc.cuny.edu National Immigration Forum: Cathleen Farrell, Director of Communications, 202-403-4190; cfarrell@immigrationforum.org CCCIE: Jill Casner-Lotto, CCCIE Director, (914) 607-5644; jill.casnerlotto@sunywcc.edu To read a New York Daily News article about this program, click here Whole foods Article

Spring Into Theater in Long Island City

Tickets Available for May Theater Productions at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center

LaGuardia English Professor to Debut Work in Which Audience Members Will Be Part of Cast—Free & Open to Public

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY—April 28, 2016—Tickets are available for May 2016 theatrical productions of The Sensuality Party and Passing Strange at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, a non-profit professional theater located at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens. See prices below. As well, playwright David Rimmer, who teaches English at LaGuardia Community College, will debut his new work, The Reunion Guy, in which audience members will be part of the performance staged as an actual college reunion. In lieu of payment (members of the public are invited to attend at no charge), Mr. Rimmer asks that audience members bring their imagination. Credentialed media who want to attend a performance, or speak with theater directors or artists, should contact Luda Spajic at (718) 482-5060 or lspajic@lagcc.cuny.edu. Featured Show Sensuality Party

The Sensual Party, brought to life in common rooms and student unions at college campuses across all 5 NYC boroughs, is a new play written by Justin Kuritzkes. Directed by Danya Taymor, the play portrays six college students – 3 women and 3 men – who reflect on an afternoon of group sex they shared during their first semester, and how what began as a rather casual experiment went suddenly and horribly wrong. • What: The Sensuality Party • When: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 2:30 PM & 7 PM • Where: LaGuardia Community College’s C-Bldg., 29-10 Thomson Ave., C-401, Long Island City, Queens • Price: General Admission: $35 (students with valid ID $10) Additional Productions

Passing Strange, which The New York Times described as “a sprawling work of performance art, complete with angry rants and scary drag queens” when it was performed on Broadway in 2008. Written by singer-songwriter and playwright Stew (Mark Stewart), who describes the piece as “a rock concert with a story to tell,” the piece is written as an autobiography of a young African-American artist who embarks on a journey of self-discovery through Europe. • What: Passing Strange • When: May 11-21, 2016, 5/12-5/17, 5/19-5/21 at 7:30 PM & 5/18, 5/19 at 2:30 PM • Where: LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Little Theater. Entrance on Van Dam St. between Thomson and 47th Aves. (closer to 47th Ave.), Long Island City, Queens • Price: General Admission: $10

The Reunion Guy, an original work written and directed by David Rimmer, who teaches English at LaGuardia, about a guy who goes to other people’s college reunions and the effect he has on the people he meets at the events. Audience members will “attend” a college reunion, featuring refreshments, awkwardness, self-aggrandizement, insecurity, and other usual happenings at school reunions (in the style of the award winning off-Broadway hit, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding). • What: The Reunion Guy • When: Tuesday, May 17, 2016, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM • Where: LaGuardia Community College, Poolside Café Entrance on Van Dam St. between Thomson and 47th Aves. (closer to 47th Ave.), Long Island City, Queens • Price: Free For More Information & To Reserve Tickets: Visit LPAC.NYC or call (718) 482-5151

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About the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College Reflecting the College’s values of helping individuals fulfill their potential, the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center serves as an arts incubator—offering a creative home for artists to showcase and workshop their pieces before moving onto festivals or other venues. As well, the Center serves as a front door for members of the community to become familiar with the College, and its well-regarded theater program. Productions that spark discussions across cultures and communities about social justice, such as Beyond Sacred, a work about the Muslim culture and experience, are regularly featured at the Center. Additionally, the Center is a site of the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series annual spring and fall productions.

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LaGuardia Graduates First Medical Billing Cohort Through Collaborative Partnership Model

Partners include Harvard Business School Club of New York, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare, the NYC Department of Small Business Services & LaGuardia Community College

Graduates of the first LaGuardia Medical Billing cohort. The program is a result of ongoing partnership and collaboration among the Harvard Business School Club of New York, Weill Cornell Medicine, the New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare, the NYC Department of Small Business Services, and LaGuardia Community College. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (May 5, 2016) — An innovative program designed to develop a pipeline of high-quality candidates for medical billing positions at Weill Cornell Medicine has graduated students from its first cohort at LaGuardia Community College. The program is a result of ongoing partnership and collaboration among the Harvard Business School Club of New York (“HBSCNY”), Weill Cornell Medicine, the New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare(“NYACH”), the NYC Department of Small Business Services (“SBS”), and LaGuardia Community College. It is supported and offered tuition-free for students through funding from SBS. “The Medical Billing Certificate Program reflects our commitment to helping New Yorkers find stable, well-paying jobs through education,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. “This program is exactly the kind of investment that makes sense: City government dollars supporting training that leads people to jobs with higher salaries and good benefits, helping them build better lives for themselves, their families and our city. Today also celebrates the unique collaboration of our college with the Harvard Business School Club of New York, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare and NYC Department of Small Business Services – which have helped us design a program that puts people to work.” The LaGuardia Medical Billing Certificate Program is intended for adults who are unemployed, underemployed, or employed but seeking a career with stable hours, benefits, and advancement opportunities. Entry level salaries in medical billing range from $35,000 to $45,000. Among the 23 students who graduated from the first cohort, 16 were unemployed, and those working full-time were earning as little as $10/hr. (approx. $20,000/year). To read more about the demographics of the graduates, click here. The Harvard Business School Club of New York served as a catalyst for the medical billing training program through its Skills Gap Initiative, where club members developed strategies to address critical gaps that exist when employers cannot fill well paying positions due to a shortage of adequately trained candidates. Research showed that in the New York area, this gap is particularly acute in the growth sector of healthcare services. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the health info tech field is projected to grow by 22 percent through 2022. “We set out to address this hiring gap by connecting a healthcare provider facing a hiring shortage with a community college with the expertise to provide the training, and are very pleased that our work has resulted in this highly productive, tuition-free medical billing program as a result of the additional support provided by NYACH and SBS,” said Barry Puritz, co-chair of the HBSCNY Skills Gap Project. “As soon as we met LaGuardia Community College President Mellow, it was clear that she understood the value of what we were trying to accomplish, and her leadership and involvement has been key to the project’s success.” Before the first medical billing cohort, a pilot was conducted. Eight students completed the pilot, including Leticia Moreno Leal, who had been working as a food industry server but wanted a better job with more opportunities. She applied to the pilot of LaGuardia’s Medical Billing Certificate Program. Upon completing the program, she obtained a position as a medical billing specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine—and in less than a year on the job, she recently earned a promotion. “Everyone at LaGuardia was very helpful, training me for a professional field in which I had no previous experience,” said Leal. “I have received accolades in my job as Account Representative; my supervisor and managers are tremendously supportive, and I feel very content because I have been promoted to Accounts Receivables Specialist. These are the kinds of opportunities that Weill Cornell Medicine has to offer. My goal is to one day be a great example to other students and give them motivation that if they have the will, they can accomplish all of their goals at Weill Cornell Medicine.” Based on the success and learnings from the early pilot, LaGuardia partnered with NYACH to enhance the program model and offer it to students tuition-free as a result of funding support from SBS. NYACH aims to share the best practices from this Medical Billing program with other CUNY schools. Graduates of the first LaGuardia Medical Billing cohort. The program is a result of ongoing partnership and collaboration among the Harvard Business School Club of New York, Weill Cornell Medicine, the New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare, the NYC Department of Small Business Services, and LaGuardia Community College.

LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow congratulates graduate Aliya Kassam, while (from left to right), Susan Shevlin, Director of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Talent Acquisition & Onboarding, Ann Adenbaum, Senior Director of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Physician Organization Revenue Cycle, and Jane Schulman, Vice President of LaGuardia’s Adult and Continuing Education division, look on. "This program is a great example of an education institution working closely with a healthcare employer with the goal of ensuring the training teaches the skills being sought after by industry, for an occupation that is in demand, and through a program model that best situates New Yorkers for success,” said Shawna Trager, Executive Director of NYACH. The LaGuardia Medical Billing Certificate Program is designed to graduate adults who understand health care finance and who are prepared to work in leading healthcare facilities. The program’s robust 267-hour training program – with classes four nights a week for five months – teaches participants job-readiness skills (resume preparation, communication skills, etc.) as well as technical skills (medical billing, data analysis, etc.). There is no cost to participants. Weill Cornell Medicine is closely involved at every stage of the program—from recruitment, to curriculum, to on-site training, to job placement, and more. Each student who successfully completes the program is guaranteed an interview at Weill Cornell Medicine. “Our ideal candidate has experience in the business side of healthcare, technical and analytic skills, and an enthusiasm to work at a world class organization like Weill Cornell Medicine,” said Ann Adenbaum, Senior Director of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Physician Organization Revenue Cycle. “The opportunity to collaborate with LaGuardia creates a pipeline for us of students who want to be employed in healthcare with experience.” Noting that program graduates who have been hired by Weill Cornell Medicine so far are “dedicated, well-educated and enthusiastic,” Ms. Adenbaum added, “I like to think this collaboration is the beginning of a revenue cycle academy for future employees.” Among the students graduating in the first cohort, 12 have been offered jobs at Weill Cornell Medicine thus far, including four who received multiple job offers from various departments within the provider. Students who are not hired by Weill Cornell Medicine will interview for positions at other NY-area healthcare providers in May. “The skills the students learn in this program are highly transferable to other healthcare providers, so there are many opportunities for employment for these graduates,” said Jane Schulman, Vice President of LaGuardia’s Adult and Continuing Education division. “Meanwhile, the second cohort begins May 31 and we’re hopeful for continued support,” said VP Schulman. “Everything we do will support LaGuardia's effort to expand the program,” said Richard Kane, co-chair of the HBSCNY Skills Gap Project. “Based on the program’s success thus far, we plan to spread the word about this extraordinary program locally through our website and other HBSCNY media, and perhaps more broadly through Harvard Business School in Boston (where HBS's Skills Gap Initiative began) and our national alumni/club network.” “The Harvard Business School Club of New York has become a great friend to LaGuardia Community College. In addition to our partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, HBSCNY served as the catalyst for our work with EntrepreneursRoundtable Accelerator (ERA), a NY incubator, to provide technology internships leading to full time jobs for our students,” said LaGuardia President Mellow. “We’re tremendously grateful for the club’s visionary dedication to public service, and for the generosity of its members, who have provided stipends for LaGuardia ERA interns and scholarships for early pilot students.” Graduates of the Medical Billing Certificate Program receive nine college credits. Leal, who participated in the pilot of the Medical Billing Certificate program, plans to continue her education at LaGuardia by applying the nine college credits she received through the program towards an associate’s degree in Business Administration: Healthcare Management. She hopes to eventually transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree and continue working her way up the healthcare career ladder. About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more. About New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (“NYACH”), a public-private partnership between SBS and the NYC Workforce Funders, is an industry partnership, bringing together multiple stakeholders of the healthcare workforce development system in order to address the industry’s rapidly changing workforce needs. NYACH’s mission is to build an effective healthcare workforce development system in NYC by identifying employers’ needs, helping education and training organizations adapt to those needs, and ensuring low income and unemployed New Yorkers have access to viable career opportunities in healthcare. About NYC Department of Small Business Services The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. SBS works with industry partnerships like NYACH to scale and sustain industry informed training models that support New Yorkers in advancing in career pathways.

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Watch a video of five graduates in the first cohort discussing the LaGuardia Medical Billing Certificate Program. Learn more about Crain’s New York Business Health Pulse (subscription required) Demographics of the First Cohort of LaGuardia’s Medical Billing Certificate Program

‌2 Male; 21 Female
16 unemployed
7 employed full-time, avg. current salary $15/hour (range from $10-18/hour)
‌18 of the 23 graduates self-identify as among racial/ethnic minorities
‌80% are bilingual or multilingual
Average age is 36 (range: 21-52 years)
‌13 graduates hold degrees (1 Master’s, 10 Bachelor’s and 2 Associate’s degrees)—majors range from nursing to computer science
‌Remaining graduates have some college and are interested in finishing degree once employed
‌There is one 2008 Fulbright scholar from the University of Utah
‌The graduates have prior work experience in bookkeeping, finance, healthcare, technology and/or customer services
‌5 graduates have some healthcare experience and are looking to advance their career

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LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S THEATER PROGRAM PRESENTS PASSING STRANGE THE MUSICAL Theatrical Production Starring LaGuardia Students will run Through May 21st LONG ISLAND CITY, NY—(May13, 2016)— LaGuardia Community College’s Theater program is pleased to present the play PASSING STRANGE, running through May 21^st in the college’s Little Theater. PASSING STRANGE by Stew, is directed and choreographed by Stefanie Sertich, Director of LaGuardia’s Theater Program and a LaGuardia faculty member. LaGuardia students star in this fantastic musical while they take on singing, dancing, acting – in both Dutch and German dialects! “This musical is an autobiography of a young African-American artist in search of himself, on an artistic journey of self-discovery through Europe,” said Sertich. In addition to performing in the musical, students are behind the scenes as the stage crew, lighting crew and costume design among many other roles for the production. Synopsis of the musical: PASSING STRANGE, a daring musical that takes you on a journey across boundaries of place, identity and theatrical convention. Stew brings us the story of a young bohemian who charts a course for “the real” through sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Loaded with soulful lyrics and overflowing with passion, the show takes us from black middle-class America to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond on a journey towards personal and artistic authenticity. PASSING STRANGE is currently running in the Little Theater located in the M Building at LaGuardia Community College. For ticket information, please visit lpac.nyc or call the box office at (718) 482-5151. WHAT: PASSING STRANGE, The Musical WHEN: Thursday,May 12th 7:30pm Friday, May 13th 7:30pm Saturday, May 14th 7:30pm Tuesday May 17th 7:30pm Wednesday May 18th 2:30pm Thursday May 19th 2:30 and7:30pm Friday May 20th 7:30pm Saturday May 21st 7:30pm WHERE: LaGuardia Community College’s Little Theater Entrance on Van Dam St. between Thomson& 47^th Ave., Main College address:31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City, Queens SOCIAL MEDIA:LAGCC Performing Arts Program Facebook LAGCC Performing Twitter @pslagcc Instagram #PassingStrange Passing Strange 2016 Site • • • • LaGuardia Community College’s Theater Program students have participated in the Kennedy Center’s American College TheaterFestival for the past four years winning several awards and scholarships. For more information about LaGuardia’s Theater Program or to learn more about PASSING STRANGE please visit Passing Strange 2016 or LaGuardia Performing Arts Program on Facebook. Written by members of LaGuardia Community College’s Public Relations Student Club, which is overseen by Shaunee Wallace, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and a communications teacher.

IF YOU COULD control stress, would you learn more effectively? That’s the nub of the project that Stephen Braren (LaGuardia Community College, ’13, Hunter College, ’16) will pursue in doctoral research funded by a 2016 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which provides $138,000 over three years. [caption id="attachment_62822" align="alignleft" width="250"]

Stephen Braren[/caption] “My interests lie in better understanding learning processes and their implications for education. My NSF proposal looks at how the ability to control a stressor affects learning processes in youth living in poverty,” he says. Braren intends to enroll in the developmental psychology doctoral program at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development to work in professor Clancy Blair’s Neuroscience and Education Laboratory. He already conducts research at NYU with Liz Phelps, the Julius Silver Professor of Psychology and Neural Science, under a two-year BP-ENDURE fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health. Administered by Hunter College, that fellowship is a collaboration with NYU, Brown University, the University of Michigan and Vanderbilt University; it involves academic-year research at Hunter and NYU, as well as summer research at a partner institution. Studying with Hunter professor Peter Serrano last year, Braren probed the biological impacts of stress on learning and memory in mice at the molecular and cellular levels. His doctoral research will engage human subjects. “Participants will play a computer-based task, a game where they move an object around a patterned grid. If they fail to navigate it successfully, they receive a mild electric shock. Hypothetically, if they learn to control the stressor and avoid the shock, then they may perform better on a subsequent learning test.” He says, “This could lead to interventions or programs that specifically focus on classroom stress that would improve learning outcomes.” Braren took a roundabout path to higher education. He grew up in Nashville, Tenn., and enrolled at a Chicago college in 1999. He dropped out after two years of uncommitted study to sing and play guitar in rock, punk, and country bands. “There were many different projects, some more successful than others, a lot of recording, touring across the country and in Europe, and working dead-end jobs trying to get by. Struggling as an artist left me unfulfilled ultimately,” he says. “I always knew I wanted to pursue education again.” He eventually found his way to LaGuardia Community College, “the most diverse school I had been to. It was fantastic,” and soon he was on his way.

Photo of a previous year’s Commencement at LaGuardia Community College

Long Island City, NY—Queens Borough President Melinda Katz will give the keynote address at LaGuardia Community College’s 44th Commencement on June 13, 2016. Melinda Katz, a long-time champion for higher education, has been a dedicated advocate on behalf of LaGuardia Community College – having allocating $1.75 million that has allowed LaGuardia to deliver high-quality, customized technology-driven and entrepreneurial training programs. Ms. Katz and other distinguished guests will address an expected 1,500-plus graduates and their friends and families who will attend the exercises in The Quad at Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd. in Flushing, Queens. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. ET. Members of the media interested in attending LaGuardia Community College’s 44th Commencement are asked to RSVP by replying to this email or calling (718) 482-5060 or (718) 482-6131 by Friday, June 10th, 5 p.m. ET. WHAT: LaGuardia Community College’s 44th Commencement WHERE: The Quad at Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., at the corner of the Long Island Expressway (LIE) and Kissena Boulevard (Exit 24) in Flushing, Queens, 11367 WHEN: Monday, June 13, 2016, 10:00 AM Press Call: 9:00 AM. Press check-in will be located inside the Q Side entrance of the Dining Hall (look for red canopy above the entrance). Note: Parking will be available in Queens College Parking Lots based on first come first serve basis. WHO:

1,500-plus graduating students who’ll receive their associate’s degrees from LaGuardia Community College, as well as our graduates’ friends and families
LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow, and additional College leadership, faculty and staff
Keynote Speaker: Melinda Katz, the 19th President of the Borough of Queens
Alumni Speaker: Tiffany Lambert, AS, BS, LaGuardia Class of 2007, a software engineer at Goldman Sachs where she works on the Interest Rate Product team developing high frequency trading systems
Class of 2016 Speaker: Rachel Chambers, a Liberal Arts: Social Science and Humanities major, who has represented LaGuardia Community College nationally as a face of Heads Up America, a campaign to make two years of community college tuition-free for qualifying students

For more information about LaGuardia’s 44th Annual Commencement please visit: http://www.laguardia.edu/Commencement/ Media Contacts/ RSVP:

Luda Spajic, w (718) 482-5060; lspajic@lagcc.cuny.edu
Elizabeth Streich, w (718) 482-6131; m (347) 229-8674 (call/text); estreich@lagcc.cuny.edu

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LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.

Scholarships from $75,000 gift from former ESL educator at LaGuardia, Gloria Gallingane

Long Island City, NY (June 16, 2016)— The CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) at LaGuardia Community College recognized three outstanding English as a Second Language (ESL) graduates, Yessica Armero, Huiling Cai and Abraham Inda, as recipients of the first Gallingane Scholarship Awards at a recent ceremony that marked the 20th anniversary of the CLIP program at LaGuardia.

20th Anniversary of CUNY Language Immersion Program Photo caption: Yessica Armero, Abraham Inda and Huiling Cai (left to right) were honored as the first recipients of the Gloria Gallingane Scholarship at the annual CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) Awards Day on May 27

CLIP is an innovative language immersion program for students who have been admitted to a City University of New York (CUNY) college, designed to improve their literacy in the English language in order to prepare them for college studies. Students meet for 25 hours a week for one year, taking intensive courses in reading, writing, speaking and listening. More than 4,000 students, including 550 in the 2015-2016 academic year, have been served by CLIP since it first opened at LaGuardia in 1996. The program, which will mark its 20th anniversary on July 1, 2016, is led by Jane Schulman, Vice President of LaGuardia’s Division of Adult and Continuing Education, and Marian Blaber, CLIP Director. “We’re very proud to be marking the 20th anniversary of CLIP, which has helped thousands improve their English speaking and writing skills so they can expand their job and educational opportunities. As well, CLIP has helped become a national model for how to help adults improve their English language skills,” said Dr. Gail Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College. “CLIP reflects our commitment to meeting our students where they are with the exact program they need to keep moving forward to realize their personal goals. This generous gift from Gloria Gallingane will help ensure that more of our students are able to realize their potential.” More than half of all students at LaGuardia are foreign born and speak over 100 languages natively. Gloria Gallingane, a former ESL educator at LaGuardia, made a recent gift of $75,000 to the LaGuardia Community College Foundation to establish the Gallingane Scholarship Award to provide tuition support for CLIP students transitioning to a LaGuardia credit-based degree program, as well as emergency aid to current CLIP students under special circumstances. “We’re extremely honored that our colleague, Gloria Gallingane, has established this generous scholarship to support ESL learners,” said Schulman. “This gift reflects her strong belief in the power of education as a means of advancement, and her eagerness to lead by example. Her dedication to excellent instruction and her commitment to helping immigrant students succeed were instrumental in the expansion of ESL services at LaGuardia. Through this scholarship, she continues to set high standards for students and colleagues alike.” In 1974, just three years after the college first opened its doors, Gloria Gallingane began teaching as an assistant professor in what was then called the Reading Department (now known as the Education and Language Acquisition Department). She soon began teaching ESL in The English Language Center, eventually being named its director. She also simultaneously led the Freshman English as a Second Language Program. She retired from LaGuardia as an associate professor in 1990. “I’m happy to support such deserving students to achieve their educational goals,” said Gallingane. “I am sure they will prepare for a rewarding future through their studies.” About the First-Ever Recipients of the Gallingane Scholarship Award for Outstanding ESL Students A native of Cali, Colombia, Yessica Armero came to the United States with her family in search of a better life three years ago. After immerging herself in a new culture, she joined CLIP to feel at home in the United States and help navigate life in a foreign country. An avid storyteller, she dreams of traveling the world as a journalist to write the stories of those who cannot speak for themselves. Huiling Cai immigrated from Fuzhou City, China almost a year and a half ago to join her husband, who is a local chef. She says the turning point that motivated her to enroll in CLIP was when she tried to apply as a volunteer in Queens Library, she was unable to read the information due to her inability to read English script. She now excels in the program as a straight A student, and is planning on enrolling in human services so she can make a contribution to society. Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Abraham Inda immigrated to the United States two years ago in search of better opportunities. A finance major and avid lover of math, Abraham aspires to attain his MBA and ultimately hopes to establish a mutual fund company. His experience in CLIP has translated his love of math into a love of writing, which he says has helped him acquire a higher level of analysis, comprehension, and abstraction which are important skills to use in finance. “One year ago, I would never imagine how much different I would think about writing and how much I would improve,” said Inda. “Nevertheless, here I am, writing a $1,000 essay in order to pay for my studies, but principally to improve my writing. CLIP changed my goal of becoming a mathematician to a writer mathematician, which is more challenging, but I like to be challenged.” Each of the three Gallingane Scholars will receive a $1,000 scholarship for two semesters of studies. An additional $1,500 has been allocated as emergency aid to be available for the most vulnerable current CLIP students in any given year. Emergency needs may include funds to purchase MetroCards, books, and other expenses that provide barriers to student success, as determined by CLIP.

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LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.

Long Island City, NY (June 20, 2016)— Nearly 500 small business owners networked and explored potential contracting opportunities with government agencies, procurement representatives and prime contractors at LaGuardia Community College Business Services’ 14th Annual Small Business and Procurement Expo, held at the Con Edison Learning Center in Long Island City, NY on June 10.

Left to Right: Michael Jones-Bey, Con Edison; Mohamed Hamdan, T-Mobile; Van Thompson, Skanska Gail O. Mellow, LaGuardia Community College; Melinda Katz, President, Borough of Queens; Beth Goldberg, U.S. Small Business Administration; Pamela Newman, ISS Action; Linda Mellon, LaGuardia Business Services; Glen Greene, Granwood Inc.; Robert Chory, Valente Yeast (Photo Credit: LaGuardia Community College.)

“LaGuardia Business Services continues to play a key role in the establishment and success of New York City small businesses,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “Through services and resources, education and training, assistance with government contracting opportunities, and access to capital, we empower existing, new and emerging businesses—helping them to grow and thrive, and in turn support the local economy.” Exhibitors at the Expo included the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA, Empire State Development, General Services Administration, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York City Economic Development Corporation, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, NYC Department of Transportation, and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, among others. Participants attended workshops on topics such as accounting for government contracting; alternative financing; sales; and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business certification. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz gave the keynote speech at the Expo, which was sponsored by Con Edison, Skanska and T-Mobile. "Skanska is committed to working with local businesses on our construction projects. We always look forward to working with LaGuardia Community College Business Services to achieve our mutual goal of supporting small-business owners, especially those right here in Queens,” said Michael Viggiano, Executive Vice President, Skanska USA Civil. “In the long run, programs like these help improve engagement with diverse subcontractors and suppliers and help foster sustainable growth for these companies while supporting our communities and local workforce.” “We are proud to host this event once again this year,” said Michael Jones Bey, Director, Supplier Diversity, Con Edison. “Our partnership with LaGuardia Community College Business Services consistently yields positive results. This is a great opportunity for minority and/or women-owned business enterprises to meet representatives from government agencies and private corporations that are committed to increasing expenditures with diverse firms.” In addition to organizing this annual Expo, LaGuardia Business Services’ procurement services includes the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), which helps New York City businesses—in particular, small, minority, and women business owners—market their goods and services to government agencies. Since its inception in 1999, PTAC has served over 4,800 businesses; helped create over 4,600 jobs; and assisted clients in obtaining over $250 million in contracts. Granwood Inc., an information technology and staffing company, became a PTAC client in 2014, when the company needed assistance breaking into the government contracting market. Working closely with PTAC, by February 2016 Granwood had become an approved MTA vendor, one of only 29 companies selected from over 200 submissions, allowing it to bid on upcoming consulting opportunities within the various agencies of the MTA system. And with help from PTAC, ISS Action, a woman-owned security services firm, has been awarded $41 million (including option years) in government contracts since 2009. ISS Action expanded from state government contracts to federal ones, with counsel from PTAC. In December 2011 the company was awarded the Security and Protective Contract for a NASA location in Mississippi. Two years later, it was awarded the prestigious United States Merchant Marine Academy Federal contract for armed guards. And in August 2015, the company was awarded by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey the armed PATH train contract, which utilizes ISS Action armed guards in both New York and New Jersey. For more information on PTAC or LaGuardia Business Services contact (718) 482-5329 or business_services@lagcc.cuny.edu or visit www.laguardia.edu/Businesses/Home.

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First Graduation of Opportunity Academy Students, New York City School Construction Authority, LaGuardia Community College, and New York City Department of Design and Construction Partnership

Construction Administration Workforce Development Program

Program will provide career readiness for LaGuardia students and help support MWLBE contractors enrolled in the SCA’s Mentor Program

Long Island City, NY—The first cohort of the Opportunity Academy, an innovative construction administration training program that launched in April 2016, will graduate from the program’s first phase on June 23 at LaGuardia Community College. The pilot program was developed by The NYC School Construction Authority (SCA), in collaboration with LaGuardia Community College and The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) to promote career readiness by training LaGuardia Community College students in public construction processes, including procurement, labor law compliance, and the various phases of construction management. This unique program also aims to create a pipeline of highly qualified construction professionals who will be able to gain valuable job skills through an internship experience with certified minority, woman, and locally based business enterprises (MWLBEs) who are enrolled in the SCA’s mentor program. The Opportunity Academy is a free program that offers students a stipend during the training and internship phases and can lead to employment opportunities with city agencies or construction companies throughout the city. Twenty-nine students will be graduating from a 10-week training program, led by SCA and DDC construction and procurement professionals. As part of the training, students studied various processes and procedures necessary to conduct business with the SCA and DDC from bidding to project closeout. The graduating students will be placed in a 42-week internship program with a certified MWLBE firm, as well as various SCA and DDC departments. By working directly with certified MWLBE firms, and staff of the SCA and DDC, Opportunity Academy graduates will have valuable transferable job skills that will allow them to compete as industry professionals. All graduates of the first cohort will begin their internships over the summer. What: First graduation of Opportunity Academy When: Thursday, June 23, 2:00 p.m. Where: Little Theater, LaGuardia Community College, 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 Who: Hosted by NYC School Construction Authority, NYC Department of Design and Construction and LaGuardia Community College/CUNY

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The School Construction Authority was established by the New York State Legislature in December 1988 to build new public schools and manage the design, construction and renovation of capital projects in New York City. The SCA’s mission is to design and construct safe, attractive and environmentally sound public schools for children throughout New York City. We are dedicated to building and modernizing schools in a responsible, cost-effective manner while achieving the highest standards of excellence in safety, quality and integrity.The SCA is committed to working with minority, women and local business enterprise (MWLBE) firms. The Business Development Division (BDD) offers a variety of programs to help MWBLE firms grow their businesses and access contracting opportunities at the SCA. Our BDD group recruits firms through community outreach and participation in various minority trade shows, conferences and forums. To find out more, or to join us, please visit www.nycsca.org. The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/DDC. LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more.

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First Opportunity Academy Graduation—Program Result of Partnership Among NYC School Construction Authority, NYC Department of Design and Construction, and LaGuardia Community College

—Construction Administration Workforce Development Program—

Career Readiness Program Supports Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned, and Locally-Based Business Enterprises

Long Island City, NY (June 27, 2016)—The first cohort of the Opportunity Academy, an innovative construction administration training program that can lead to employment opportunities with city agencies or small businesses throughout the city, graduated on June 23 at LaGuardia Community College (please click here to watch a Fox5 NY story about the graduation). Developed by the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA), in collaboration with LaGuardia Community College and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC), the program promotes career readiness by preparing individuals for openings in construction office administration—jobs that require knowledge of processes, compliance laws and regulations about public construction management, procurement, labor, and more. "When all individuals participate in our economy regardless of their race, gender or ethnicity, the City as a whole flourishes - which is why we strive to be an inclusive City. I applaud the great work DDC, SCA, LaGuardia Community College, and the Opportunity Academy is doing to prepare people for a great career in construction. I also want to thank them for getting us closer to our goal of awarding $16 billion in M/WBE contracts by 2025," said NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The offices of SCA and DDC are in a building next to our campus—so we’re thrilled to collaborate with our neighbors on Opportunity Academy! This innovative program brings together the expertise of New York City’s construction agencies and faculty here at LaGuardia, to help interested City residents become skilled in the high demand field of construction office administration,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “The program reflects what we at LaGuardia do best—educating and training people who want to get a high-quality job with employers who need their skills.”

Executive director of the CUNY Career PATH program at LaGuardia, Michele Valdez, who oversees the Opportunity Academy, speaks at the graduation on June 23.

Opportunity Academy is a free program that offers students a stipend during training and internship phases, funded by SCA and DDC. Twenty-nine students graduated from the 10-week program, which began in April 2016, and featured classes led by SCA and DDC construction and procurement professionals. As part of the training, students studied various processes and procedures necessary to conduct business with the SCA and DDC from bidding to project closeout. Next, the 29 graduates will begin 42-week internships with certified minority-owned, woman-owned, and locally based business enterprises (MWLBE) enrolled in SCA’s mentor program, as well as with various SCA and DDC departments. By working directly with these potential employers, Opportunity Academy graduates will have opportunities to gain job skills that will allow them to compete as industry professionals.

The Opportunity Academy graduates with LaGuardia Community College leadership and City officials at the celebration at LaGuardia

“With Opportunity Academy, the SCA is growing our commitment to students and MWBLE firms. By teaching the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the construction industry, we not only strengthen our MWBLE firms but have opened a new pathway to middle-class career readiness at LaGuardia Community College,” said Lorraine Grillo, President and CEO of SCA. “Our partnership with LaGuardia has been invaluable and through our shared dedication and commitment to Opportunity Academy, we've made tremendous gains.” “This unique and innovative program at LaGuardia Community College will allow interested students to gain valuable on-the-job training in construction management and procurement,” said Rev. Jacques DeGraff, Chair of SCA’s Diversity Advisory Council. “To gain access to middle-class jobs in a highly-competitive 21^stcentury environment, students need the transferable skills that Opportunity Academy provides. I am thrilled to be a part of creating a link between our MWLBE firms and a newly trained, skilled workforce, allowing them to grow their businesses and provide additional employment opportunities.” "DDC is a leading agency in awarding contracts to minority- and women-owned firms, with $242 million awarded in contracts last year, and is committed to the Mayor's vision of increasing opportunities for the City's MWBEs community," said DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora. "We'll continue to identify ways to enhance the abilities of MWBE firms." In addition to the graduates’ families and friends, and the City and LaGuardia Community College leadership quoted above, attendees at the graduation included: Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor and Board Secretary, City University of New York Una Clarke, Member, Board of Trustees, City University of New York Sandra Wilkin, Board of Trustees, City University of New York Suzanne Veira, Chief Diversity Officer, SCA

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About LaGuardia Community College LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more. About the New York City School Construction Authority The School Construction Authority was established by the New York State Legislature in December 1988 to build new public schools and manage the design, construction and renovation of capital projects in New York City. The SCA’s mission is to design and construct safe, attractive and environmentally sound public schools for children throughout New York City. We are dedicated to building and modernizing schools in a responsible, cost-effective manner while achieving the highest standards of excellence in safety, quality and integrity. The SCA is committed to working with minority, women and local business enterprise (MWLBE) firms. The Business Development Division (BDD) offers a variety of programs to help MWBLE firms grow their businesses and access contracting opportunities at the SCA. Our BDD group recruits firms through community outreach and participation in various minority trade shows, conferences and forums. To find out more, visit www.nycsca.org. About the NYC Department of Design and Construction The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, visit nyc.gov/DDC.

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Part of White House & US Department of Labor $150 Million TechHire Initiative

—LaGuardia to partner with Udacity, General Assembly, & Software Guild to provide FREE tech training—

Long Island City, NY (June 29, 2016)—LaGuardia Community College has been awarded a $3.9 million federal grant to provide free tech industry training for at-risk and disadvantaged young people, ages 17 to 29. One of just 39 programs in 25 states nationwide—and one of only two in New York City—the grant is part of TechHire, a $150 million White House and US Department of Labor initiative to train interested individuals in coding, software development, systems management, and other in-demand high-tech specialty areas. The grant awarded to LaGuardia is part of $126 million, included within the $150 million initiative, for programs specifically for low-income, minority or otherwise underserved young people. “Being selected by the White House and the US Department of Labor for this highly competitive TechHire grant, which reflects our understanding of the fast-evolving needs of the tech industry and our dedication to helping people get out of poverty and into the middle class through education, is very gratifying,” said LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow. "We congratulate LaGuardia Community College, as well as its partners General Assembly, Udacity, and Software Guild, for winning a prestigious TechHire award and look forward to the great impact this work will have for young New Yorkers,” said Barbara Chang, Executive Director of the NYC Mayor's Office of Workforce Development. “As a pilot city of President Obama’s TechHire initiative, New York City fully embraces the alignment of tech education with workforce needs and expanding job opportunities through the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline. Yesterday’s announcement is a huge win for New York City and recognizes the commitment that tremendous local institutions are making together with the City’s tech employers to ensure that New Yorkers are well prepared for the 21st century economy.” The LaGuardia Community College program, known as TechIMPACT, will offer accelerated tech training for more than 300 low-income young adults over the next three years, in partnership with General Assembly, Udacity, and The Software Guild, with tools created by industry experts at large tech companies like Google and Facebook. The training will be provided at no cost to participants. “There are more than 600,000 IT jobs in the US open today, and tech jobs pay one and a half times the average wages of a private-sector job,” said Jake Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of General Assembly. “TechIMPACT is about creating pathways toward a high paying job for a population that has been boxed-out of the tech industry—we are excited for the opportunity help build a more diverse talent pipeline.” “TechIMPACT could become a national model for unique partnerships that enable higher education institutions to expand the catalog of highly specialized courses they’re able to offer to students,” said Dr. Mellow. Training will focus on in-demand skills, including web development, Java, and computer network support, informed by the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline through LinkedIn’s first-ever analysis of NYC’s 3.1 million LinkedIn members. “Our experts will provide training in coding, a skill that’s an integral part of today’s job market. We look forward to helping students who have the drive to succeed but not always the necessary economic support to learn these valuable skills,” said Eric Wise, Chief Academic Officer of The Software Guild. “The recent TechHire grants are an important and actionable milestone for tech education in the U.S., and we’re pleased to work with LaGuardia Community College to train underserved young adults with the needed, ‘in-demand’ tech skills to help them get a job or advance their career,” said Zhalisa Clarke, Vice President of Business Development at Udacity. In addition to receiving a foundation in digital and tech literacy, participants will have access to career planning, free MetroCards, child care services, mentors, and other support services to help keep them on track towards completing the program and help them address any life challenges that arise before they result in dropping out. As well, TechIMPACT will team up with partners to help graduates from these programs find paid internships and jobs. Up to 50 students in need of a transition to employment will be connected with paid internships with participating employers from IBM to small businesses. For longer-term hiring, a multitude of hiring partners have signed on to interview qualified candidates, including IBM, WalMart, Xerox, and others. “We want to help program graduates secure job opportunities right away so they don’t get discouraged if they don’t find work quickly,” said Dr. Mellow. “We are excited to empower a new tech workforce that will help diversify and strengthen NYC's Tech Talent Pipeline."

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ABOUT LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE LaGuardia Community College located in Long Island City, Queens, educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all US college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education. We invite you to join us in imagining what our students, our community, and our country can become. Visit www.LaGuardia.edu to learn more. ABOUT GENERAL ASSEMBLY General Assembly (GA) is a global educational company on a mission to empower a global community to pursue work they love. Focusing on the most relevant and in-demand skills across data, design, business and technology, GA is confronting a skills gap through best-in-class instruction and providing access to opportunities. GA works with students online and in person across 15 campuses in 4 continents. GA also works with companies as partners in course development and graduate placement as well as helps companies stay competitive in today's digital landscape. Additionally, GA’s focus on affordable and accessible education combined with our education-to-employment approach is helping to create a diverse talent pipeline. To learn more, please visit www.GeneralAssembly.com. ABOUT UDACITY Udacity is democratizing education to make it affordable and accessible for people around the world to get the jobs they want to improve their lives. Based in Silicon Valley, Udacity provides online education to millions of students around the world. Its Nanodegree program, a credential built and backed by industry, is designed to give individuals the skills they need to "be in demand" for the global work force. The company offers Nanodegrees across a range of subjects including machine learning, web and mobile development and data analytics, with dozens more in development. To learn more, please visit www.udacity.com. ABOUT THE SOFTWARE GUILD The Software Guild, which is owned and operated by online education technology solution provider The Learning House, Inc., is an accelerated, hands-on coding bootcamp where individuals learn to be software developers at an in-person bootcamp or at the fully online program. Apprentices learn either .NET or Java and acquire the skills needed for entry-level developer positions. The Guild has more than 100 companies in its employer network, a 95% job placement rate and master instructors with an average of more than ten years of industry experience. Currently, The Software Guild has locations in Akron, Ohio; Louisville, Ky.; Minneapolis, Minn; and online. To learn more, please visitwww.TheSoftwareGuild.com.

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