When LaGuardia Community College first opened its doors in 1970 what was envisioned by its first President, Joseph Shenker, was quite a bit different from what we see today. The College was to be business-centered. Students graduating from LaGuardia would be accepted into Baruch College for their baccalaureate if they so desired. Cooperative Education was critical to the College’s curriculum, with every student required to complete 3 one-semester, cooperative internships as part of their degree requirements. The College was run on a Quarter system that was unique to the college. The academic year was divided into 4 equal quarters, and each quarter was equivalent to a semester. This was done to give room for ESL and Basic Studies students to take whatever courses they needed and still complete their degree in 2 years. The present site of the campus in Long Island City was going to be a satellite campus with the main campus in Steinway.

So much has changed from those first years that only the most devoted LaGuardian can know many of the unique characteristics of those early days. Here is your chance to test your knowledge and earn bragging rights about those early days and how LaGuardia has evolved into what it has become today. Good Luck!