Long Island City, NY—May 18, 2012--You can say that Ann Heckathorn, a handbag-designer-turned-LaGuardia-Community-College student, is helping a group of poor Haitian women who were victims of gender-based violence rise out of poverty one stitch at a time.

Ann is collaborating with HaitiCorps International, a young non-profit corporation committed to strengthening the Haitian workforce and facilitating the country’s recovery and development, on a new project that is training women to produce high quality fabric, quilted, crocheted and embellished handbags that will be marketed and sold in the United States. The 17 women now involved in the project are receiving a daily stipend that is double the living wage and will be participating in a profit-sharing agreement.

Now students from the Business and Technology Department are joining her Handbag Project. Professor Nicole Lytle’s marketing class has organized a college-wide fundraising campaign that will be held on May 24. The centerpiece of the effort is a fashion show where student models will display 40 one-of-a-kind bags that run from $20-$50. There will also be donation boxes where the college community can donate fabrics, beads, yarn and sewing notions.

The fashion show will be held in the E-building’s Poolside Café at 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

All the proceeds of the sales will go to the women in Haiti as well as to special education and health programs for the purpose of stopping violence and abuse towards Haitian women.

Ann, a successful handbag designer and manufacturer who worked with such designers and retailers as Betsey Johnson, Joe Boxer, Urban Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret, decided that she wanted to help the people of Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. That summer she joined the non-profit and helped develop the Handbag Project.

The handbag project works with FAVILEK (Famn Viktim Leve Kanpe or Women Victims Get Up Stand Up), an organization dedicated to helping women who were victims of gender-based violence.

To train the women in sewing and other techniques, Ann made two trips to the country, the most recent this past spring while she was completing her college internship with HaitiCorps International. There, she trained the women and worked with them on several of her high quality and successful designs, which are the foundation for this series of handbags.

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 three times 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.
 

Long Island City, NY—May 18, 2012—Congressman Joseph Crowley met with some 70 local small business owners from his Queens and Bronx district to explain how the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, a partnership with LaGuardia Community College, can help them grow their businesses and create jobs.

At the May 14th info-session held at LaGuardia, Congressman Crowley, a great supporter of small businesses, urged his constituents to apply to the program and take advantage of what the program has to offer.

“Goldman Sachs is making a substantial investment in America’s small businesses and is looking to LaGuardia to help it reprogram our workforce,” said Congressman Crowley. “This is a great example of a private-public partnership coming together to enhance your business, and, in turn, the nation’s economy.”

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million investment to help small businesses create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to business education, financial capital and business support services. LaGuardia was the first community college in the nation selected by Goldman Sachs for the program. The initiative is also active in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles and New Orleans.

The intensive 100-hour program covers every aspect of business that is vital to a small business owner’s survival—accounting; marketing and selling, negotiating; hiring, developing and retaining talented employees; and organizing a growth plan.

Joining Congressman Crowley to help describe Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) and its benefits were Jane Schulman, Vice President of LaGuardia’s Adult and Continuing Education Division; Dina Habib Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation; and three 10KSB graduates from the LaGuardia program.

In her comments, Ms. Schulman gave a description of the types of small business owners who decide to enroll in the program. “They all have hit a point in their business where they said, ‘there is something I need now to move on to the next level and that is business education,’” she said.

“Business owners are growing their businesses and creating jobs,” said Ms. Powell. “We see that businesses in Queens and across the country are taking the lessons they learned, and creating real results and we are proud to work with partners like Congressman Crowley and LaGuardia Community College to help businesses achieve those results.”

Across the program, approximately 75% of the graduates are seeing an increase in their revenues, more than 50% are creating new jobs, and the participants are developing an incredible network between small business owners. Despite the huge time commitment, all the sites have a 99% graduation rate.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses graduate, Jessica Johnson, who controls Johnson Security Bureau, a family business that provides armed and unarmed security, had a simple message to the invited small business owners: If you work the plan, the plan will work for you.

And her company’s results indicate that the plan is clearly working for her. She said that from 2009 to 2010 her business doubled its revenue and doubled in the number of employees; she had the same results in 2010-2011; and her 2012 projections show that she is on track to double once again.

“It will begin with a commitment,” she said to the small business owners. “So if you are committed to your business, to your community, then I strongly suggest you fill out an application. If you do that, LaGuardia will meet you there and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses will take you along the way.”

Mercedes Cano, an immigration attorney whose office is in Jackson Heights, echoed that sentiment. “Take a good look at this program,” she said. “You will not have a better chance to make your business grow. You have to commit, but I assure you when you complete the program you will see growth.”

To learn more about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative at LaGuardia Community College, please:

• Visit www.laguardia.edu/10ksb
• Call our team at 718-730-7400 or
• Email 10KSB@lagcc.cuny.edu

About Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses:

  

Long Island City, NY—May 18, 2012--What often makes small businesses so interesting is the stories behind them. Take, for example, the story of Daniel Levy, a native Argentine who came to New York set on creating a business that would help him make it big in the iconic city and ending up winning the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2012 Entrepreneurial Success Award of the Year.

Reflecting on the past two years that have catapulted him into a realm of success he couldn’t have imagined in his lean years as a small business owner, Levy describes his participation in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses education program at LaGuardia Community College in 2010 as a turning point. “The program changed my mindset from thinking of myself as a regular small business person, who does all the everyday things, to a CEO, with a vision of long term goals,” he says. "It was and is and will be life transforming for my business."

Besides a new attitude, Levy also received from the program the crucial skills and knowledge he needed to take his company to the next level. Having arrived in New York in 2001 knowing little English, it wasn't until 2007--after various failed business ventures--that Levy launched Manhattan Home Design, an online modern furniture company that began with just $500 and the sale a few tables on eBay. In 2009, he heard about 10,000 Small Businesses and began to inquire. “I was always looking for different opportunities to learn, to restructure my business,” says Levy. By 2010, he had been granted one of the coveted spots in the first cohort, which is free of cost to the business owners accepted into the program.

The aim of the 10,000 Small Businesses initiative is to help small businesses across the U.S. grow and create jobs. This is carried out through a rigorous 100-hour business education program, which focuses on accounting and financing, negotiation, marketing, operations and other key business management areas; business support services, including specialized business coaching; and access to financial capital through non-profit community lenders. An essential element of the program is to develop a business growth plan.

Levy immediately began implementing into his business strategy what he was learning in class. Already working on a business deal with New York City, Levy used what he learned in his negotiations class to help him land a $200,000 contract to provide tables and chairs for plazas in Times Square as well as other prominent public spaces in the city. “This was my first big contract,” notes Levy. Another positive outcome from the program: a line of credit for $150,000 from Seedco Financial Services, the 10,000 Small Businesses community lending partner in New York.

In 2010, the year Levy graduated from the program, his company earned $500,000. By 2011, his revenue had more than doubled. Levy has also added two new employees.

“We have developed our growth plan and are exceeding our expectations,” Levy says. Manhattan Home Design currently sells more than three dozen brands and partners with sites such as Amazon and eBay.

Impressed with Levy’s commitment to his company’s success and the results it is yielding, New York City Small Business Services’ (SBS), nominated him for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2012 Entrepreneurial Success Award of the Year. The winner is chosen by a panel of SBA judges and the SBA Administrator based on criteria that include expansion from a small to large business, staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales and innovativeness of product or service, among other factors. Levy won the prestigious award for the New York District.

“It’s an ongoing process, and even though we finished the classes, every day I’m learning,” explains Levy of his experience in 10,000 Small Businesses at LaGuardia. “They created a marketplace, and I’m actually doing business with some colleagues from the program,” he says. Other interaction with fellow graduates includes an alumni group being run by the program, and networking as well as socializing that the business owners initiate on their own. “We share opportunities. We try to help each other in different ways and be supportive,” says Levy.

Looking to the future and his big plans for Manhattan Home Design, he asserts, “Maybe one day I’ll do business with Goldman Sachs!”

To learn more about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative at LaGuardia Community College, please:
• Visit www.laguardia.edu/10ksb
• Call our team at (718) 730-7400 or
• Email 10KSB@lagcc.cuny.edu

About Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses:

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is an initiative to unlock the growth and job creation potential of 10,000 small businesses across the United States through greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. The program operates through a national network of public and private partner organizations including community colleges, business schools and Community Development Financial Institutions. The initiative is currently active in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, and will continue to expand to communities across the country. Community partners in New York City include The City of New York, LaGuardia Community College and Seedco Financial Services.

About LaGuardia:

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 three times 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.
 

 

Long Island City, NY—May 18, 2012—The LaGuardia Community College Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is sponsoring the 10th Annual Queens Small Business and Procurement Expo on Friday, June 8.

The forum provides Queens and metropolitan area small business owners with the chance to meet and speak with a large number of procurement representatives about contract opportunities and to network with other small businesses. Dozens of government agencies and private-sector companies have been invited to participate in the event. These include NYC Department of Environmental Protection, NYC Department of Education, New York City Housing Authority, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, Federal Aviation Administration, US Attorney’s Office Eastern District of NY, Internal Revenue Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and many others. Workshops will also be offered throughout the day.

The expo is being co-sponsored and hosted by Con Edison and will be held at the Con Edison Learning Center at 43-82 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Citi is also co-sponsoring the event.

The LaGuardia PTAC assists businesses located in Queens and the surrounding region to market their goods and services to the Federal, State, and local governments. The center offers procurement technical assistance and training workshops to meet the needs of any size business, including Minority Owned Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business/Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB/VOSB) and Women Owned Small Businesses.

To register, visit www.QueensEXPO.eventbrite.com. For more information, call (718) 482-5306 or e-mail ptac@lagcc.cuny.edu.

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 three times 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.
 

With a Little Help From a Friend 

Long Island City, NY—May 11, 2012—Harmonie Kobanghe, a LaGuardia Community College Honors student and campus leader is the recipient of the 2012 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, a premier national scholarship.

The award, which supports high-achieving students with financial needs, will provide Harmonie, who has applied to some of the country’s finest universities--Harvard, Yale and Columbia--with $30,000 a year throughout her undergraduate experience. The LaGuardia scholarship winner was one of 60 scholars selected from a field of 786 applicants from 349 community colleges. The scholar will be eligible for further funding for her graduate studies.

As an international student who does not qualify for financial aid, Harmonie said this scholarship will help her to achieve her academic and career goals. “I struggled to pay for my tuition at LaGuardia and was wondering if I would be able to continue my education,” she said. “Now, not only can I continue my education, but the scholarship is providing me with many more options.”

But during the arduous application process, she pointed out that if not for the support and encouragement of Dr. Karlyn Koh, the Honors Program Director and Phi Theta Kappa Chapter Advisor, her hopes of getting a scholarship might have been dashed. “During this stressful process, Dr. Koh provided me with the mental strength that I needed and urged me to keep on going,” said Harmonie. “While I was writing my essays I could hear her say, ‘stay strong. You are almost there.’”

The special relationship between Dr. Koh and Harmonie began two years ago when the honor student was elected a Phi Theta Kappa chapter officer and Dr. Koh was serving as the PTK faculty advisor. “She saw something in me that I didn’t see,” said Harmonie. “I was very shy and she helped me to gain confidence.”

“One of the many joys of serving as an advisor and teacher is witnessing the ways students discover their inner potential and gifts,” said Dr. Koh. “In the years since I met her, I have witnessed her blossom in response to the many opportunities.“

“Harmonie has made all of us here at LaGuardia proud. LaGuardia has now had two winners of this highly competitive scholarship and I am convinced that with our students and our faculty we’ll have more winners in the years to come,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “Dr. Koh’s work with Harmonie is just one more example of Dr. Koh’s fantastic ability to mentor and advise students. She does this with a combination of intense commitment to student success, a deep intelligence and an ability to do whatever it takes to help student’s reach their highest potential.”

Harmonie distinguished herself as an outstanding scholar and a campus leader. Throughout her three years at the college, the Liberal Arts: Social Science and Humanities major maintained a 3.94 G.P.A. As one of the top students in the Honors Program, Harmonie not only completed the Honors Concentration by taking at least seven Honors courses, but this past spring she took two Honors courses, breaking the program’s record.

In her letter of recommendation to the foundation, Dr. Koh pointed out that Harmonie not only created a course of study that revolved around Honors and upper-level courses across the curriculum, but went beyond her degree requirements to study subjects that will benefit her intellectual and academic growth such as Honors calculus, microeconomics and macroeconomics.

“There is no doubt that even among her academically motivated peers, including the 250 students in the Honors Program, Harmonie has set the bar very high,” said Dr. Koh.

Other glowing letters of recommendation were written by Dr. John Chaffee, philosophy professor and Honors Student Advisory Committee advisor, and Dr. Bojana Blagojevic, a social science professor.

Dr. Chaffee praised Harmonie’s dedication to the College’s PTK Honor Society. “It is safe to say that Hamonie was one of the chapter’s pillars,” said Dr. Chaffee, adding that thanks in large measure to her leadership skills, the chapter won the 2011 New York Regional and a 2011 International Distinguished College Project awards. In addition, she served as the 2011-2012 PTK New York Regional Southern District Officer, and is an Executive Member of the college’s Honors Student Advisory Committee.

In her letter, Dr. Blagojevic explained that Harmonie’s sensitivity to social justice issues spurred her to volunteer as a social counselor at the Grievance Program at Riker’s Island. Also, an internship at the office of New York State Malcolm A. Smith, through the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus CUNY Scholars Program, allowed her to address another one of her concerns: stopping gun violence.

“I believe that by helping Harmonie achieve her educational goals through this scholarship,” said Dr. Blagojevic, “we are supporting a future leader and a human rights activist who will use her education to make a positive difference in our world.”

With the scholarship plans Harmonie plans on majoring in international relations with a minor in women’s and gender studies.

“Whenever I reflect on my educational path, I see that I have only been able to accomplish so much because of the support of people who believe in my passion,” said Harmonie. “It is therefore my duty to be of similar service to others.”

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 three times 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.

Long Island City, NY—May 3, 2012—Chile, a country of breathtaking natural beauty with its jungles, fjords, glaciers, lakes and volcanoes; a rich culture and modern cosmopolitan capital, is the subject of a photography exhibition by a group of LaGuardia Community College commercial photography students that recently returned on a study abroad project. The exhibition opens on May 10.

“Expedition: Chile,” is an eclectic collection of some 80 striking black and white and color images that were taken by 17 students who each captured this fascinating country in their own artistic way. There are magnificent landscapes, formal portraiture, candid images of life in Chile, and lyrical documentary. The exhibition also includes several panoramas that are up to 20 feet in length and two videos, one on the agriculture and cuisine, and another, a travelogue on the students’ photographic adventure.

Please visit the website at www.lagcc.cuny.edu/Expedition-Chile. 

The exhibition’s opening reception on May 10 will take place at the LaGuardia Gallery of Photographic Arts, located in the College’s B-building (3rd floor) at 30-20 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The photographs will be on display through June 30. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call (718) 482-5985 or (718) 349-4028 or e-mail Ssternbach@lagcc.cuny.edu. 

To capture these exquisite images, the students embarked on the program’s first study abroad project that was part photography expedition and part eco-tour. During the month-long tour, the group biked through the streets of Santiago, kayaked next to dolphins and sea lions in the fiords near Puerto Varas, the lake district in southern Patagonia, and climbed to the top of the Chaiten volcano. They hiked in the extremely remote New Patagonia Park in Chacabuco Valley, toured Cochrane, the land of the Gauchos, and visited the Baker River, a turquoise-blue glacial waterway that is the site for the country’s biggest hydroelectric project.

And all the while the students took photos. But their images did not come without a price. “Unfortunately, we had a few mishaps along the way,” said Scott Sternbach, chairperson of the commercial photography program who led the expedition.

That included a tropical rainstorm that stalled over southern Chile and trapped them in a beautiful cove with not-so-waterproof tents. The storm brought heavy winds that sunk their boat with most of their gear. Luckily, the majority of the students’ cameras were saved. Local fishermen rescued the drenched group and took them back to their fishing village and welcomed them with a feast.

The rain followed them throughout their tour of Patagonia’s fjords and again in Cohyaique, a small city in the Aysen region. Mother Nature finally decided to cooperate when they reached New Patagonia Park where they spent a number of days hiking and exploring. And sunny skies greeted them at Cochrane, the land of the Gauchos where they enjoyed a festival, and Baker River, where they photographed the beautiful river before dams are built.

“I must admit, at times it was hard on all of us,” said Mr. Sternbach, who added that they did not expect such rains during the country’s dry season. “But we all agree it was a life-changing experience, and, I hope, this will be the first of many study abroad photography projects.”

Johnny Tsang admitted that he wasn’t that enthused about the project, but that quickly changed. “The country is amazing with its wonderful people, its beautiful landscape and its great food,” said Johnny, who added that the high point of the trip for him was Chacabuco Valley. “It was there that I really settled in and focused on my work.”

The visit to Baker River also left an impression on the young photographer. He said he was concerned about the impact the dams will have on this beautiful site. “Through my photographs,” he said, “I want to tell people how this project can affect this beautiful land.” 

Louis Aguirre, who did a travelogue with a 4x5 view camera on the experience with a concentration on landscape and portraiture, noted that it was an incredible experience not simply because of the photography, but because of all the places they visited. “We started in Santiago, which was nice, but it was not until we got to Patagonia that we saw these amazing landscapes,” he said. “If you don’t get inspired by that, there is something wrong with you.”

Louis said he is ready to go back. “But this time I will bring more than a $3 poncho,” he said.

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 three times 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.
 

Long Island City, NY—April 27, 2012—Juan Agudelo, a LaGuardia Community College student, has an art portfolio

 filled with an eclectic collection of beautifully sketched still lifes, animals and human figures.

To draw with such precision and detail is a gift few possess. But what makes Juan’s gift so exceptional is that he creates these works of art without arms. 

The Colombian native was born with a birth defect that left him without arms and legs. Juan’s right arm ends at the elbow and at the end of his left elbow is a short, undeveloped forearm with one finger. But although he does not have the use of two functioning arms, he can nimbly place a pen or pencil between his right arm and left finger and let his one finger guide the writing utensil.

To the 20-year old with an easy smile, his drawing technique is nothing special because he developed his technique at a very early age. By the age of six, Juan was already creating simple paintings and drawings. After observing the enjoyment her son got from drawing, his mother called upon an artist friend to give him art lessons, which he did for two years.

The lessons stopped when the family received a call from Healing the Children, a non-profit organization that provides medical care for children in need, saying that it had secured a six-month medical visa for Juan and his mother to travel to the United States where he would be fitted with his first set of prosthetic legs.

For Juan, this news could change his life. While not having the use of arms did not seem to pose a problem, not having legs proved to be more difficult for him. Although he was able to get around on limbs that ended at the knees, there were times when he had to rely on his mother. “I was pretty independent, but when I went outside I could not get around on my own,” said Juan. “And as I got older I did not like when my mother had to carry me.”

Juan and his mother stayed with family members in New Haven and went to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center where doctors agreed to evaluate Juan’s medical condition and fit him with prosthetics. Upon examination, doctors discovered that Juan would have to go through several surgeries on his legs before he could be fitted. While the hospital agreed to cover the cost of the medical care, it would not cover extended in-house cost totaling $15,000.

Determined to get his new legs, Juan decided to raise the money by selling his drawing and paintings at a one-man show he would hold at a New Haven space. Selling over 15 pieces of artwork, Juan not only raised enough money to cover his expenses, but he was able to donate some of his earnings to the organization. “I was so appreciative of what Healing the Children did for me,” said Juan, “that I thought it was only right to give the rest of the money to the organization so that they could help other children.”

With his new legs and his newfound mobility, Juan and his mother stayed in Connecticut for two years and then moved to Astoria. Before resettling in Astoria, the family moved to Pennsylvania for two years. Wherever Juan called home, he went to school where he struggled to learn his new language and continued to draw his favorite subjects: dragons, still life, pirates and his favorite adventurer, Robinson Crusoe. “I love to draw from my imagination,” said Juan.

When the family moved back to Astoria, Juan completed his last two years of high school at Long Island City High School, and graduated this past June.

He received an acceptance from New York City College, but decided to enroll in LaGuardia. “I was not sure of my major,” he said, “and felt if I attended a community college I would have more time to think about my career.”

Juan said that he may consider pursuing a degree in architecture, a major he considered before coming to LaGuardia. Or maybe graphic design. Or maybe he will follow the advise of an art professor who saw his portfolio and major in fine arts.

Right now Juan is busy taking freshman seminar, introduction to cooperative education and a developmental reading course. He is also taking advantage of the College’s Office for Students with Disabilities where he receives additional tutoring and has access to computers.

“I have time to decide,” he said with a smile.

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 three times 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.
 

Long Island City, NY—April 23, 2012—When New York’s cherry trees bloom this spring it will mark the start of the 100th anniversary celebration of the planting of Japan’s cherry blossom trees in New York. As part of the citywide festivities, LaGuardia Community College on April 24 will receive a gift of two cherry trees from the Consul General of Japan in New York.

Before members of the college community, Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki, Consul General of Japan in New York, and Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia, will plant two three-foot saplings in the College’s grassy courtyard as a symbol of the strong relationship between the College and the nation of Japan.

“It is an honor to have Ambassador Hiroki join us at LaGuardia and to present us with this most special gift,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “LaGuardia has a deep connection to Japan. Hundreds of our students have their roots in Japan. We offer a broad selection of Japanese language classes and classes in other disciplines--from philosophy to business to the arts—examine the major and lasting contributions Japan has made to our world. Today’s event celebrates our powerful and growing relationship with our Japanese community.”

“I sincerely appreciate LaGuardia Community College taking part in Japan‑U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial 2012,” said Ambassador Hiroki. “As a guardian of these baby trees, I am sure that the College will nourish them, and as such, also nourish the cultural bonds between our two countries. The Consulate‑General of Japan hopes that the Japan‑U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial Tree Dedication Ceremony at LaGuardia will contribute to further enhancing the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the U.S.”

The celebration will also pay special tribute to the great grandfather of a LaGuardia professor who in 1912 played an instrumental role in the project. Professor Eiko Fukuda’s great grandfather, Torajiro Watase was an agronomist and businessman who was an indispensable key to the successful forestation of the 5,000 cherry blossom trees that were planted in Washington D.C. and New York as a symbol of lasting friendship between the two countries.

“It is extremely gratifying that my great grandfather is getting the recognition that he deserves,” said Professor Fukuda, who explained that her grandfather’s contribution was overshadowed because of a number of prominent figures involved in the project.

During the five-week celebrations, from March 20-April 27, centennial cherry blossom festivals will be taking place in New York and Washington, D.C.

LaGuardia had the honor of being one of three New York sites, along with Central Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, selected to receive cherry trees because of the relationship it has developed with the General Consulate.

The College, which has the widest selections of modern language offerings in the City University of New York, was awarded a $38,441 grant from the Japan Foundation to maintain and expand its Japanese language and culture courses. The first Japanese language courses were launched in 2006, and, after several years of expansion, it now offers basic, intermediate and near-native level language courses that enroll an estimated 100 students each semester. The grant will help the College offer the Japanese courses on a regular basis and collaborate with 4-year CUNY schools to develop a curriculum tailored for students who want to major in the Japanese language and cultural studies.

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 three times 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.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Les Payne

                                                                to Speak at LaGuardia on April 25

                                                           The event is free and open to the public

Long Island City, NY—April 6, 2012—Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Les Payne will give a lecture on the invaluable role that serious journalism plays in a healthy democracy at LaGuardia Community College on April 25. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Little Theater at 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City. For more information, please call (718) 482-5946.

Mr. Payne has had a long and illustrious career in journalism. During his tenure as associate editor of Newsday, his news staff won every major award in journalism, including six Pulitzer Prizes. In 1974, he won a Pulitzer Prize for the Heroin Trail, a series that traced the international flow of heroin from the poppy fields of Turkey to the streets of New York City. During the 1976 Soweto uprising, he covered the crisis and wrote a series that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in foreign reporting.

Mr. Payne was a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists. He is the Inaugural Professor for the David Laventhol Chair at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

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 three times 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.
 

Long Island City, NY—March 20, 2012--LaGuardia Community College, in partnership with Steinway & Sons, is inviting music lovers on March 28 to a free piano concert that has been organized, and will be staged and performed, by its students. The concert, which is a project that brings together the College and the maker of the world’s finest pianos, will feature five vocal and piano compositions. The selections will be performed on a Steinway piano that the company has donated for the event.

“LaGuardia students push boundaries every day, both in and out of the classroom,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, President of LaGuardia Community College. “Their passion, creativity, energy and hard work have transformed classroom learning into a showcase for the marriage of art and commerce.”

The event, which runs from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., will be held in the college’s Little Theater at 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City. For more information, please contact rbhika@lagcc.cuny.edu (718)-482-5735 or afrancis@lagcc.cuny.edu (718)-349-4095. 

In staging the “Business & Arts in Harmony: Steinway & Sons Concert,” over 450 students from across the disciplines were involved in every aspect of production. The accounting students created the budgets; marketing students developed an internal and external promotional campaign and designed a website and ads; communication arts edited the introduction for each period piece that was written by accounting and management students; and music students will perform the pieces. Throughout the process, the students were supported by faculty.

“Picture a pedagogy where teaching, learning, and doing are combined to create one fruitful educational experience,” said Professor Rajendra Bhika, one of the faculty advisors. “Imagine harnessing the efforts and energy of students, faculty, a college, a business and a community, to organize, promote and stage a memorable event.”

He went on to say, “This opportunity is allowing our students to combine their knowledge of Steinway & Sons, business and marketing, and connections to pop culture in an effort to create a successful concert.” 

The project grew out of a request by Ron Losby, President of Steinway & Sons - Americas, to a group of business students. The students, who just completed a number of business projects using primary source documents from the Steinway collection, which is housed in the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, were given the charge to develop an initiative that would appeal to the next generation of music lovers. 

 

Watch the preview.

"We have a special relationship with LaGuardia Community College --both in the fact that the College houses a very important Steinway & Sons collection in their archives and in the fact that we're both located in Queens, New York,” said Mr. Losby. “We're delighted to support the College and the hardworking students that successfully took this project from concept to reality."

“This started with business professors working together to create a holistic experience for our students,” said Professor Andrea Francis, one of the faculty advisors, “and grew into a massive one-of-a-kind event that draws on the energy of the entire college.”

Performed are pieces that were popular during five periods in Steinway’s glorious history:
• 1850s - 1860s: the arrival of the Steinway family to America and the start of the Steinway & Sons business
• 1870s – 1880s: the building of Steinway Village
• 1920s - the opening of Steinway Hall on West 57th Street, New York
• 1970s - John Lennon’s Imagine
• Now and the Future - a look at what is happening now and how it will impact the future for Steinway and Sons

The period pieces to be performed are:
• 1850s - 1860s: “Hard Times Come Again No More” by Stephen Foster
• 1870s -1880s: “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin
• 1920s – “St. Louis Blues” by Louis Armstrong
• 1970s – “Imagine” by John Lennon
• Now and the Future – “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

For more information on the concert, please visit the Steinway Project website. Also visit the Business & Technology - Steinway Research Project ePortfolio Homepage, for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the concert. 

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 three times 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.