Layla Xholi shares her unconventional journey of overcoming educational and personal obstacles. Born in France, Xholi's early love for science was stifled by systemic constraints, leading her to pursue a career in pastry, which enabled her to explore her knack for precision and problem-solving. A pivotal revelation during lockdown inspired her shift to engineering, where she overcame academic rejections and thrived at LaGuardia Community College, eventually transferring to City College as an accomplished student and tutor.
Insights and Journeys from the CUNY Research Scholars Program
After almost 2,000 students participated in the CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP) over the last ten years, it has been an inspiration to follow the program's alumni through their next stages in life. Many mentors and directors have told us that CRSP becomes like a family, with students staying in contact well after their research has concluded. We invited past students to share perspectives on their CRSP experience and to report on where they are now.
Explore the academic journey of Caitlin Lynch, whose passion for environmental science blossomed at LaGuardia Community College. This article delves into Caitlin's early days as an enthusiastic student in LaGuardia's Environmental Science program, where she first engaged in fieldwork, research, and wetland restoration. It highlights her transformative experience in an Honors Biology course under Prof Lucia Fuentes, leading to her first published scientific paper.
Cover Image credits: Caitlin Lynch
In his article, Yeamin Ahmed, a LaGuardia graduate, shares his extraordinary journey from a young dreamer in Sylhet, Bangladesh, to a successful engineering professional in the United States. His story is a testament to resilience and perseverance. Starting as a first-generation immigrant working in a restaurant kitchen, Yeamin excelled academically at LaGuardia Community College and later at Stony Brook University in electrical engineering. His ambitious path led him to a distinguished career at Boeing as an engineer and project manager, alongside pursuing a master's in aerospace engineering.
Cover Image: Yeamin Ahmed
by Jiafeng Chen
Former LaGuardia student Jiafeng Chen tells the story of his academic journey as an aspiring mechanical engineer and offers advice to others who may wish to follow his footsteps. After graduating from LaGuardia, Jiafeng received his bachelor’s in engineering from Stony Brook University. He has been accepted by Columbia University where he will continue studying mechanical engineering.
by Taisha Pavlica
A graduate of LaGuardia, Taisha Pavlica tells a story of her Venezulean friend, who immigrated to the US, through the lens of a critical social psychology perspective that provides a deeper understanding of an immigrant identity as a socially constructed process.
LaGuardia students Karan Kumar, Rabeca Mohammed, and Josselyn Velasquez share their experience with the research programs and internships they participated in.
Cover Images © BNL: Brookhaven Lab's Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS)
Dr. Dušana Podlucká interviews two of her former students, Salsabil Hena and Monisha Mohsin, who shared their experiences at LaGuardia and at four-year CUNY colleges.
by Karamoko Soumahoro
Karamoko is a former LaGuardia student who changed his major to physics. After graduating from LaGuardia he went to Stony-Brook University where he received a Bachelor's degree in physics.