LaGuardia Community College (LaGuardia) and Queens College (QC) have collaborated to launch Queens STEM Academy (Q-STEM), to prepare and encourage thousands of Latinx and low-income students to enter STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
The collaboration announced March 21 was made possible by a $4.6 million grant from the U.S Department of Education (U.S DOE) and will prepare thousands of Latinx, low-income and underserved students with invaluable education and career opportunities to break into technologically-motivated fields.
Together, LaGuardia and QC have launched Q-STEM Academy with the intention of recruiting students from under-represented communities to have opportunities to major in STEM, while streamlining the transfer process for LaGuardia students to attend QC as well as enhancing STEM programs at LaGuardia.
“We are thrilled to partner with Queens College on this initiative and are grateful for the U.S. Department of Education’s support that is making the Queens STEM Academy possible,” said LaGuardia President Kenneth Adams. “LaGuardia produces more STEM graduates than any other community college in the CUNY system, and this grant will help to attract even more students to our stellar programs. Jobs in STEM, where there’s high demand and financial rewards, are possible for so many of our Queens residents. Q-STEM will provide students the education and support they need to succeed, while addressing employers’ urgent calls for an expanded workforce of well-prepared STEM experts.”
This new LaGuardia-QC initiative aims to exponentially increase the numbers of LaGuardia graduates who go on to then attend QC to pursue bachelor’s degrees. The initiative hopes to form a sort of pipeline for students who otherwise would be unlikely to have the abilities to pursue STEM opportunities to attend a high school, community college then gain an undergraduate degree all at institutions that would provide quality STEM-related education.
“Queens College is delighted to partner with LaGuardia Community College in preparing Hispanic and low-income students to enter STEM-related fields,” said QC President Frank H. Wu. “As New York looks to rebound from the pandemic, there will be opportunities in every sector of the economy for people with this kind of education. Strengthening the STEM pipeline in the borough will benefit everyone.”
