Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #1 2024 (published on Mar 19, 2024)
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“Hi! My name is Layla, I am a mechanical engineering major. I am from France, and before the pandemic, I was a pastry chef”

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.

Ad Astra Newsletter: CRSP Special Edition (published on Mar 18, 2024)
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“Voices of Discovery: CRSP Alumni Interviews 2024”

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.

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #2 2023 (published on Dec 07, 2023)
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“Honors classes: a way to discover your passion for research”

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

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #2 2023 (published on Dec 07, 2023)
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“A Dreamer Turned Doer”

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

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #2 2021 (published on May 26, 2021)
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A Life of Challenge and Wonder

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.

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #1 2021 (published on Feb 25, 2021)
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Reimagining the Immigrant identity

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.

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #3 2020 (published on Dec 07, 2020)
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Pursuing Research Endeavors Outside of LaGuardia

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)

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #3 2020 (published on Dec 07, 2020)
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Life after LaGuardia: How to succeed in a four-year college

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.

Ad Astra Newsletter: Issue #1 2020 (published on May 27, 2020)
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Why I Chose Physics as a Major

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.