Recipients of named scholarships at LaGuardia Community College. Photo: LaGuardia Community College.
Jan. 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
The LaGuardia Community College Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in named scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year, helping hundreds of students overcome financial barriers and focus on their studies.
LaGuardia Community College, located at 31-10 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City, is part of the CUNY system and serves over 30,000 students annually. Known for its mission to empower a diverse student body, the college aligns closely with the Foundation’s efforts to provide financial assistance and prepare students for careers in high-demand fields.
The scholarships, funded by donors and partners such as New York City employers and philanthropic institutions, range from $1,000 to $2,000 and are awarded to students in the college’s 50+ associate degree programs. Recipients must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, with several scholarships named after prominent New York organizations.
This year’s scholarships include nine STEM majors designated as Rise Light & Power Scholars, 14 students selected for the Amazin’ Mets Scholarship Fund, and four STEM majors chosen as Con Edison Scholars. These awards help students cover tuition, textbooks, and living expenses, enabling them to focus on their academic and career goals.
The top five majors among 2024–25 recipients include Computer Science, Nursing, Business Administration, Radiologic Technology and Accounting.
Jay Golan, executive director of the LaGuardia Community College Foundation, said the Foundation’s named scholarships provide critical assistance to students by helping them to alleviate financial difficulties as they pursue careers in high-demand fields. He also praised Rise Light & Power, the Amazin’ Mets and Con Edison for providing scholarships that support low-income New Yorkers achieve better futures.
“The scholarships supported by Rise Light & Power, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation and Con Edison are notable because they share a focus on supporting the communities they serve,” Golan said in a statement. “They reflect an emphasis on preparing students for the workforce and on advancing social justice by supporting low-income New Yorkers achieve better futures through higher education.”
Wil Fisher, director of external affairs at Rise Light & Power, said the organization is keen to empower students through its scholarship, which is part of the organization’s Renewable Ravenswood initiative to transform the Ravenswood Generating Station into a clean energy hub and get future generations involved in finding solutions to environmental issues and renewable energy
“We are privileged to be neighbors with LaGuardia Community College, a leading institution for economic advancement in New York.”
Meanwhile, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation Scholarship Fund supports exceptional LaGuardia students with pressing financial needs and receives support from both the Amazin’ Mets Foundation and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.
The Con Edison Endowed Scholarship Fund supports preparing students from underserved communities for careers in STEM, including clean energy and sustainability.
Con Edison Chairman and CEO Tim Cawley explained last February that the scholarship is part of Con Edison’s strategy to build a clean energy economy.
“These grants represent Con Edison’s investment in the people we serve, helping them develop skills and competencies and receive experiential learning opportunities so they can enjoy rewarding careers in clean energy fields that will, in turn, benefit our communities and our environment,” Cawley said.
