New York, N.Y. (January 22, 2025) — Guttman Community College has been awarded a grant for $75,000 from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. Spanning three years beginning January 2025, the grant will provide emergency funds for students in need through the College’s Connect Center.
Dr. Larry Johnson, Jr., Guttman president, said, “We are deeply grateful to the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation for this generous grant, which will directly benefit students in need by providing emergency funds that help them remain focused on their education. This funding is crucial in ensuring that our first-generation and minoritized students can overcome financial barriers and continue their academic journey.”
The funds will be provided to students enrolled at Guttman, supporting those who are facing financial emergencies and specifically need help paying for bills, such as utilities or rent. The grant can also help students purchase textbooks or personal items like diapers.
In the past, emergency funds have been provided to Guttman students as small grants for a backpack or a calculator as well as large grants toward rental assistance for students’ families who have been in arrears for many months. The new funding from the Petrie Foundation will extend the College’s ability to support students who may not be able to continue their education without the vital resources provided by the Connect Center.
“The Connect Center is incredibly grateful for the Petrie Emergency Grant and the opportunity to offer practical, financial support to students who might not be able to afford this month’s bill so they are able to more fully focus on their academic success,” said Dana LePage, associate director of the Connect Center.
In addition to emergency funds, the Connect Center provides a variety of in-house resources and community referrals to help fulfill essential needs and ensure students can remain in college. Services address food insecurity, financial emergencies, housing instability, childcare needs and legal issues. The office also operates an on-site Grizzly Pantry, which offers fresh and shelf-stable foods and other essential items.
The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking foundation that began active operation in 1998. The Foundation’s grants support colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations as they work to improve education and career outcomes for low-income New Yorkers. The Foundation’s goal is to ensure that all New Yorkers, particularly those from marginalized communities, have the resources and opportunities needed to reach their goals in school, work, and life.
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.
