New York, N.Y. (June 2024) – President Larry Johnson has been selected as a 2024 Trailblazer in Higher Education by City & State New York. This acknowledgement recognizes leaders on the front lines of higher education who are preparing the next generation by:
- developing groundbreaking platforms
- implementing revolutionary programs
- advocating for transformative policies
- enhancing economic opportunities
- leading the charge toward a better higher education system now and for future generations
In their acknowledgement of Dr. Johnson, City & State New York stated, “CUNY’s newest community college is under the leadership of Larry Johnson Jr., a longtime advocate for student equity who became president of Guttman Community College in 2021. Under his leadership, the more than decade-old Bryant Park college – whose enrollment is 94% minority and 58% first-generation – celebrated its largest increase in student enrollment and $2 million in new grants. With a doctorate in humanities from Clark Atlanta University, Johnson led Phoenix College and St. Louis Community College-Forest Park prior to joining CUNY.”
The College congratulates Dr. Johnson on this well-deserved honor.
Stella and Charles Guttman Community College was CUNY’s first new community college in more than forty years. Reimagining what community college could be, Guttman opened its doors in Manhattan in August 2012 to create a research-based, innovative model focused on moving students efficiently toward graduation. Offering associate degree programs in a nurturing environment, the College’s three-year graduation rate consistently surpasses the national average, and most graduates transfer to senior colleges. Guttman is federally designated as a Hispanic-serving institution and minority-serving institution with more than 85% of the student population identifying as Latine or Black/African American. The College was named the best community college in America in 2020 and the top community college in New York State for 2020, 2021 and 2022 by Niche.com and other ranking agencies.
