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World’s Community College,” with students born in over 160 countries and speaking more than
110 native languages. LaGuardia’s diverse student population includes 35% Hispanic, 21%
Asian, 17% Black, and 12% White, along with 15% Other or Unknown. Sixty percent are firstgeneration
college students; two-thirds of entering students report a family income of $25,000 or
less. Close to 60% of LaGuardia students were born outside the U. S.; indeed, half of our
incoming students have lived in the United States for less than five years. In short, LaGuardia is
one of the premier gateways for today’s immigrant population.
LaGuardia’s Latest Project: Creating Chile’s First Community College
LaGuardia has established an historic partnership with the Universidad Central de Santiago in
Chile. The leadership at LaGuardia and at the Universidad Central (UC) desire to educate “the
missing middle” in Chilean society and create greater social mobility. In the past, a small
portion of the Chilean student population was chosen to attend public universities. High-priced
private universities provided the remainder of college education, offering few opportunities for
low-income students. Based on testing, many high school graduates belonging to the middle and
working class were channeled into Technical Training Centers and Professional Institutes; but,
these centers and institutes – equivalent to U.S. vocational high schools – train narrowly. They
are not recognized as part of higher education and their credits never transfer. Missing are more
highly-trained technicians whose knowledge allows them to solve problems and adapt to rapidlychanging
technology.
Because of its exceptional history, LaGuardia can rightfully claim that it has transformed the
lives of countless students. But, LaGuardia is poised to change the life of an entire nation –
Chile. Over a five-year period, LaGuardia has established a strong relationship with the
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