LaGuardia Students Selected to Participate in Exploring Transfer Summer Program at Vassar College
Transfer Engagement Initiative Helps Students Learn About Opportunities at Four-Year Colleges
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (April 22, 2025) — For some college students, transferring from a community college to a four-year university can present numerous challenges, including credit transfer issues, financial constraints, and social and academic adjustments.
Two students from LaGuardia Community College/CUNY were recently selected to participate in the Exploring Transfer Summer Program at Vassar. Nabila Akther and Sophie Roka Magar will have the opportunity to experience attending a four-year residential college this summer at Vassar, located in Dutchess County. Both students are still deciding if they will accept the invitation to participate.
“Exploring Transfer is a five-week summer immersion program for community college students that allows them to take small seminar-style classes,” said Dr. Misun Dokko, Assistant Professor in the English Department and Co-Director, Transfer Engagement Initiative at LaGuardia. “The program offers students a fully funded residential immersive experience outside of New York City, and liberal arts-focused classes that encourage intensive, intellectual academic discourse and writing.”
“People in my community recommended LaGuardia to me, and they were right,” said Nabila, a Psychology major. “From the beginning, I felt supported and welcomed. LaGuardia has helped me adjust to a new environment while pushing me to grow academically and personally. It’s been a great place to start my journey in higher education.”
Nabila graduates in 2026 and would like transfer to a four-year college to continue her education in Psychology. Nabila Akther is originally from Sylhet, Bangladesh. Nabila chose LaGuardia because of its international students and great academic opportunities.
“As of now, I’m planning to apply to John Jay College, Hunter College, and City College,” Nabila said. “I’m also interested in exploring Criminal Justice or Forensic Psychology as a minor.”
Sophie, a Computer Science major, is from Nepal but was born and raised in Singapore. She will graduate from LaGuardia in 2027 and hopes to transfer to MIT or Queens College. Sophie says attending LaGuardia has been a great experience so far.
“I chose LaGuardia since it is near where I live so it is easy to commute,” Sophie said. “It’s also nice that my brother, Sushant {Biology major), is here so it is easier to belong there.
Students who have attended Exploring Transfer have successfully transferred to a wide range of four-year institutions, said Dr. Julianne Salazar, Director of College Discovery and Co-Director of the Transfer Engagement Initiative at LaGuardia.
“Students in the program are often the first generation in their family to attend college and are highly motivated,” Dr. Salazar said. “To participate in this program students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.”
Exploring Transfer Summer 2025 classes will be in session from June 23–July 25. Students are in residence for the length of the program. Each accepted student receives a scholarship to the Exploring Transfer program to cover their tuition, room, meals, and books.
The Exploring Transfer Summer Program at Vassar is just one of many opportunities and activities offered to students as part of LaGuardia’s Transfer Engagement Initiative.
Transfer Engagement Initiative Events Scheduled
The Transfer Engagement Initiative at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY has presented many workshops and activities, including a College Transfer Fair on March 19 and the Queens College Transfer Fair on April 9, for students to learn about transfer opportunities at four-year institutions.
Dr. Salazar said both events were very successful and offered LaGuardia students a chance to learn about opportunities at four-year institutions.
“We had 599 students who met with 35 different colleges during the March 19th Transfer Fair,” Dr. Salazar said. “We also had 329 students who attended the first-ever Queens College Transfer Day, which featured more than 25 offices, departments, and programs from across Queens College.”
Dr. Salazar said the Transfer Engagement Initiative is hosting other workshops and activities for students and faculty including:
- Faculty Transfer Mentor Mindset Workshop on April 28 at 2:15 p.m., in Room E-501.
- Hunter College: Hunter Promise: Fall 2025 Admitted Students Session: May 7, from 11 am to 2 p.m., in Room B-201.
- Kaplan Scholars Program (virtual session), May 21 at 2:15 p.m.
- Brooklyn College Transfer Day, May 22, from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. in Room E-242.
For more information contact LaGuardia Transfer Engagement Initiative Co-Director Dr. Salazar at jsalazar@lagcc.cuny.edu and Co-Director Dr. Dokko at mdokko@lagcc.cuny.edu.
• • • •
LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
####