LaGuardia Community College celebrated the graduating Class of 2024 with a commencement ceremony on Friday, June 21, at the Queens College quad.
The college’s 52nd graduating class consisted of 1,909 students, whose achievements were celebrated by more than 10,000 guests, including their families and friends, CUNY leadership, elected officials, community members, college supporters, LaGuardia administration, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Graduates earned associate degrees and academic certificates from one of the 50 programs offered by the school’s nine academic departments. Most of the degrees awarded were in Business Administration, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Computer Science, Accounting and Nursing.
Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards each addressed the students. The ceremony was hosted by LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams and Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Billie Gastic Rosado.
Velázquez discussed how she grew up in a small Puerto Rican town of sugarcane fields to become a leader in the Queens community. “My family didn’t have much. I was one of nine children living in a small wooden house. I realized early on that education was the key to changing my circumstances and achieving my dreams. I was the first in my family to graduate from college and graduate school,” Velázquez said. “Believe me when I tell you that the education you received at LaGuardia has the power to transform your life and open doors you never thought possible. My education allowed me to become the first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress and the first Latina to chair a congressional committee in the House of Representatives history. The degree you are receiving today will allow you to break barriers, blaze your own trail and uplift your community along the way.”
Richards discussed the diverse backgrounds of the graduating class and how it is reflective of the borough of Queens as a whole. This year’s graduating class come from 76 countries, with 36% of the students having been born outside of the United States. Richards also told them that there is still much to look forward to when it comes to the future.
“As I look out into this crowd, I see what makes this school in this borough so special,” Richards said. “I see people from all walks of life, all races, all religions, all backgrounds, all identities and all orientations. And I see immigrants who came to Queens in search of opportunity, like the one you’ll realize today when you walk across the stage to get your degree. I’m proud that my sister is a graduate of LaGuardia Community College. And I see first-generation Americans like me, whose parents sacrificed so much for their son to go to college and graduate from college. Today, I see a brighter future for this borough, this city, this country, in this world, knowing you are the people who are going to lead us into the future. And there is so much inequality in this world. But education is the great equalizer. Education is the key that unlocks the potential of our communities and our society. The education you received here at LaGuardia has put you in an incredible position to make a difference in the world.”
Adams shared a similar sentiment to those of the Queens leaders. He encouraged the graduates to look forward to what the next chapter of their lives entail. “Congratulations, you did it! You did it. You made it. Your family and friends are so proud of you. For those of you who are parents, I’m sure your children are proud of you. Your professors, advisors, coaches, mentors, all of us up here on this stage are very proud of you,” Adams said. “Community college is like a bridge. It connects you to a senior college, or to a good job. So today, as you graduate from LaGuardia, having earned your associate degrees, you should feel good about that. But remember, your college education should not end today.”
Class speakers Amena Shamia and Carolina Lenes Arreola, both immigrants and first-generation college students, addressed their fellow graduates. They discussed their experiences at the school and how this helped prepare them for their next goals in life.
Shamia, 22, immigrated from Bangladesh a few years ago. After learning English and earning her high school equivalency diploma, she enrolled at LaGuardia Community College. During her two years at the school, Shamia served as an officer of the LaGuardia Student Government Association (SGA) and represented LaGuardia at public-facing events as a President’s Society Ambassador.
“When I first set foot on the LaGuardia campus, I never imagined myself standing here today. In fact, I resisted coming here because I was afraid. Afraid of failure, of the challenges that lay ahead,” Shamia said. “Despite my initial reluctance, coming to LaGuardia turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was here that I discovered not only my academic passions but also the strength and resilience within myself to overcome obstacles I never thought possible. The opportunities, resources, connections and family that I found are priceless.”
Shamia was able to receive stipends to work on bio-informatics and genetic research projects through the CUNY Research Scholar Program (CRSP) and NIH Bridges program at LaGuardia. Additionally, through the CUNY LifeSci NYC Internship Program, she worked as a research assistant with the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
After graduating from LaGuardia with a 4.0 GPA, Shamia will be attending Cornell University in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biological science. She earned a full scholarship that covers tuition, textbooks, room and board and other essentials. Her ultimate goal is to earn an M.D. and/or a Ph.D. in microbiology or immunology. She aims to improve public health by becoming a researcher at a public health organization like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Arreola, 40, was born and raised in Columbia, where she served as a commercial and maritime lawyer. After she and her family moved to the United States in 2017, Arreola studied English at the English Language Center, which is a part of LaGuardia’s Continuing Education Division. She then enrolled in the school as a Business Administration major. Arreola graduated with a 3.9 GPA.
During her time at LaGuardia, Arreola completed multiple internships, earned several scholarships and took part in a wide variety of campus organizations. She worked at LaGuardia as a Student Success Mentor and a Spanish tutor. Additionally, Arreola served as treasurer for the Student Government Association and an ambassador for both the President’s Society and Casa de las Américas. Earlier this year, she co-founded the International Student’s Club, which is meant to help provide international students with much-needed information and resources.
“Today is our day. A day that marks our stories. Today we are rewriting our family’s history,” Arreola said. “Many of us will transfer to a four-year college, some will get a new job or some will take a break. In any case, there is at least one thing that we all have in common, we want a brilliant and successful future. Surely, we will have it, but remember, although it is not easy, difficulties are not obstacles, they are challenges to make you wiser and stronger. Whenever you get that successful future remember where you come from; remember you come from LaGuardia Community College.”
Arreola plans to spend the next year working full-time through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program at LaGuardia, which allows international students to gain professional experience. In the fall of 2025, she intends to pursue a bachelor’s in statistics at Baruch College, with a goal of ultimately earning a master’s or MBA.
Of the over 1,900 students who received their degrees at the commencement, one student, Natalie Dono, received hers posthumously. Dono, a Veterinary Technology student, died in January 2024 at the age of 23 after a battle with cancer. Dono’s family was on hand for the ceremony to celebrate her.
Two other LaGuardia Community College community members, Eneida Rivas and Dr. Roy McLeod, were also posthumously honored during the ceremony. Rivas was a longtime staff member who spent 20 years leading the organization of commencement. Dr. McLeod was one of the school’s first faculty members upon its founding in 1971 and would go on to serve as Dean of the Faculty, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Vice President for Institutional Advancement before retiring in 1997.
Some of the special guests on hand for the commencement ceremony included CUNY Trustee Kevin D. Kim, Esq., CUNY Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Héctor Batista and CUNY Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Denise B. Maybank.
