Three LaGuardia Community College students have been named 2025-26 Kaplan Leadership Scholars and will receive financial support totaling around $43,000 to help them complete their associate degrees and transfer to four-year institutions.
Nataly Briones, Kenny Lin and Mame Diarra Bousso Fall will each receive up to $3,000 in stipends, as well as funds for transfer-related expenses, transportation and other academic costs during their time at the Long Island City-based college, as well during their transfers.
The Kaplan Leadership Program, established by the Kaplan Educational Foundation in 2006, supports high-potential, low-income and historically underrepresented students who are finishing two-year college programs and progressing to bachelor’s-level programs.
In addition to financial support, Kaplan Scholars benefit from comprehensive services such as academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, leadership development and transfer guidance to ensure they are fully supported in their plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree. According to a news release from LaGuardia, 92 percent of Kaplan Scholars earn a bachelor’s degree, often at highly selective schools and Ivy League institutions.
Briones, 36, is a first-generation college student and single mother of four children, whose ages range from 12 to 16. The scholar, who was born in Ecuador and raised in New York, said the scholarship validates her perseverance. “Being named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar gives me the confidence to continue trailblazing,” said Briones, who is majoring in Human Services: Mental Health and currently has a 3.98 GPA.
According to the college, Briones plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree — possibly in Food Studies — and eventually a master’s or doctorate degree. Her goal, the news release said, is to promote health and wellness among diverse populations through culturally competent approaches.
Briones herself underwent a 100-pound weight loss, which she said inspired her mission to enter the field. She said friends and family sought her guidance, which led her to launch a coaching business that helps families build healthy eating habits by creating menus and recipes.
On campus, Briones is a College Readiness, Achievement and Retention (CREAR) Futuros mentor, supporting first-year students as they transition to college. The program, sponsored by the Hispanic Federation, is hosted at LaGuardia by Casa de las Américas.
Lin, 19, was born to Chinese-immigrant parents and raised in New York City. He is also a first-generation college student and currently maintains a 3.97 GPA. Lin is majoring in Liberal Arts: Political Science and is considering a double major in international studies and political science after graduating with his associate’s degree.
“It’s quite a feat to be named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar,” Lin said. “It showcases the potential Kaplan sees in community college students to become leaders charting the next generation of positive change.”
The college said Lin aspires to work in government and develop federal legislation to address the affordability crisis, either as an elected official or in a policy-making role. He has already gained some experience as a community organizer, recently volunteering on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign and currently working with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
On campus, Lin serves as vice president of service for LaGuardia’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, and completed a Gardiner-Shenker Fellowship with the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. He was also a member of LaGuardia’s Model United Nations delegation that attended the National Model UN conference in Washington, DC in November.
Lin said his desire is to understand the world around him, exploring what causes societal conflict and ways it can be resolved. In particular, he said he plans on studying how inequality and neoliberalism create massive wealth gaps between lower-income individuals and corporations. “I envision a future where society is more equitable and there’s opportunity for everyone without restrictions,” he said.
Bousso Fall, 21, grew up in Senegal and moved to the U.S. after graduating high school, beginning her studies in LaGuardia’s CUNY Language Immersion Program. She is currently majoring in Liberal Arts: Math and Science and maintains a 4.0 GPA.
“When I arrived in the U.S., I could barely form a sentence in English,” Bousso Fall said. “Being named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar fills me with pride and gratitude — it offers not just financial and academic support, but mentorship and community.”
Bousso Fall added that she credits LaGuardia for building her confidence and providing strong academic foundations, research opportunities and supportive mentors. According to the news release, she eventually plans to earn a medical degree and develop a career improving healthcare access, especially in underserved communities.
LaGuardia is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, as well as more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare students for transfer to senior colleges and begin jobs and careers. The college, founded in 1971, is part of the City University of New York system and reflects the legacy of its namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, who was the former NYC mayor known for advocating for underserved populations.
