Believing in the Potential of Every Student: A Case Study on LaGuardia Community College

Informed by interviews with administrators, faculty, and students at LaGuardia Community College this case study explores how a vibrant two-year institution and designated Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), centers the needs of a diverse student body to achieve their academic and professional goals.

 The case study delves into LaGuardia’s innovative practices to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students. These insights offer key strategies for institutions nationwide dedicated to equitable access, success, and postsecondary value:

• Prioritize a student-centered culture: Building and maintaining a student-centered culture requires leaders who explicitly commit to and embody this mindset in every facet of their work. Where an institution invests its money, time, and energy shapes students’ experiences. Leaders at LaGuardia encourage collaboration between administrators, faculty, and staff to explore the impact of policies and practices through a student lens. 
• Leverage data to drive change and innovation: LaGuardia utilizes data analytics to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted interventions. As one example, data on enrollment trends helped pinpoint students in nondegree programs who were potential candidates for degree programs and provide the students with additional support.  
• Proactively identify barriers and take opportunities to smooth student pathways: At LaGuardia, this includes establishing connections between nondegree and academic programs, developing articulation agreements with four-year institutions, and ensuring that students have targeted supports before, during, and after transition points.

Read more in the full report and executive summary.

Full Report      Executive Summary

The analysis draws from the work of the Postsecondary Value Commission, managed by IHEP, which sought to define, measure, and improve postsecondary value and make it more equitable. Visit the Equitable Value Explorer, an interactive tool, helps institutional leaders, researchers, and policymakers explore the economic value that colleges and universities deliver to students, and which demographic groups receive that value.