New York, N.Y. (July 31, 2024) – Guttman Community College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), welcomed New York Senator Liz Krueger to campus on Tuesday, July 30. The senator met with College leadership and spoke to Professor Diane Barrett’s American Government and Politics class, which is offered through the College’s Liberal Arts program of study.
Representing eastern Manhattan’s New York State District 28, which encompasses Guttman, the senator helped students better understand the differences between city, state, and federal levels of government, and students had the opportunity to ask about her district, legislation and responsibilities.
“We were honored to host Senator Liz Krueger. As an institution that is committed to social justice and ensuring students are prepared to engage civically, this visit introduces students to a committed leader who fiercely advocates for all New Yorkers. I’d like to give a special thank-you to Professor Barrett for coordinating this co-curricular engagement,” said Dr. Larry Johnson, Guttman president.
During the class, the senator shared her career history and discussed topics including the campaign process and fundraising, running for federal and city positions, working with Congress versus the Senate, and the challenges of pushing through legislation. Illustrating the importance of voting, the senator told the story of her first campaign, which she lost by just 0.001% of the vote. She shared valuable life lessons and career advice for the students and encouraged them to run for office so our government can better reflect our communities. Before departing, the class presented her with a thank-you card signed by each student.
“The College was most pleased to welcome Senator Krueger to the campus, and we are excited that students in Professor Barrett’s class gained the extraordinary first-hand knowledge about the workings of government and the value of public service that the senator generously offered to provide,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Reifenheiser.
Krueger was first elected to the New York State Senate in a special election in February 2002. She is the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Budget and Revenue and Rules Committees. Key goals of her legislative agenda include updating New York State’s government, political process, and tax policy, and she remains focused on improving campaign finance laws and the state budget process. She is also an advocate for more equitable funding of higher education.
Guttman’s Liberal Arts program aims to support students in meeting the challenges of today’s society through the application of evidence-based approaches to complex social, cultural, and political issues. The program of study prepares students to transfer to a four-year college for continued study in the humanities or social sciences. Students who begin their academic career in the Liberal Arts program can take classes in various academic disciplines before choosing a specialized path, and they have the flexibility of completing their coursework either fully in person or online.
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.
