LaGuardia Community CollegePresident’s Society Ambassadors

2018-19 We’d like to introduce our 2018-2019 President’s Society Ambassadors. Each of these exceptional students is pursuing a degree at LaGuardia.Their participation in the President’s Society program will help them get closer to fulfilling their aspirations and dreams.

Fall 2018

Daneisha AnnasinghCriminal Justice Major

Born in Jamaica, Daneisha moved to the U.S. to pursue a career in law. She is currently a LaGuardia Peer Advisor, guiding students in making decisions that will help them complete their degrees. She also serves as President of the Criminal Justice Professional Association. Daneisha hopes to transfer to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and earn her bachelor’s degree in culture and deviant studies. She hopes to focus on individual rehabilitation providing more alternatives to incarceration. Daneisha aspires to become an attorney, and subsequently a judge, to serve those without a voice in marginalized communities

Alma-Fay BenjaminElectrical Engineering Major

Born in Jamaica, Alma-Fay is an Electrical Engineering major with a passion for mathematics and a great interest in robotics. In addition to her love of math, Alma-Fay enjoys traveling and hopes to visit all 195 countries someday. Her current goal is to transfer to a 4-year university where she will further her education in engineering, finding a perfect balance between her passion and her interests. In her spare time, Alma-Fay enjoys learning about investments and trading.

Bath BilissalouParalegal Studies Major

Bath, originally from the Republic of Congo, is a multi-lingual Paralegal Studies major. His passion for the law led him to study for two years at the University of Law in the Republic of Congo. In 2016, Bath had the honor of being selected to participate in Fordham University’s Pre-Law Summer Institute. As a LaGuardia student, he has been on the Dean’s List and has received LaGuardia Foundation scholarships. His aim is to earn his associate degree this year and transfer to John Jay College of Criminal Justice to continue to pursue a career in law.

Rei BrajaComputer Science Major

Originally from Albania, Rei moved to New York with the hope of following his dream to become a software developer. As a LaGuardia student, Rei has become a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, is a Campus Life Peer Leader, and has participated in the CUNY Hackathon. Rei enjoys photography, soccer and learning new languages.

Gadirou DialloBusiness Administration Major

Gadirou is a native of Guinea, West Africa who has already earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. As a LaGuardia student, he is now pursuing a second degree in Business Administration. His time at LaGuardia has helped him sharpen his organizational, writing, and public speaking skills. Gadirou hopes President’s Society will strengthen his already impressive skills and help him grow as a person.

Carlie GuevaraComputer Science Major

Born and raised in New York City, Carlie will soon graduate with an associate degree in Computer Science. Her goal is to transfer to Cooper Union and continue her studies in the field of computer engineering. In addition to being a student, Carlie is also starring in the upcoming film The Garden Left Behind. Currently, she is raising funds for M4T, a photographic exhibit about female archetypes portrayed by transwomen.

LaGuardia Community CollegePresident’s Society Ambassadors

Anne HussmanTheatre Major

Originally from Bonn, Germany, Anne arrived in New York one year ago to pursue an acting career. Her dream is to become a film and theater actress working on projects that bring light to important topics. Anne has traveled to Australia and South America, where she has enjoyed learning about different cultures. Anne is a Mellon Humanities Scholar and hopes to transfer to a 4-year university to continue her education in theater.

Daniel KhadkaComputer Science MajorBorn in Nepal, Daniel arrived in the United States two years ago to earn a degree in Computer Science. His myriad interests include cognitive neuropsychology, history, and economics. Daniel hopes to transfer to a 4-year college where he will pursue a dual degree in computer science and cognitive studies. His ultimate goal is to use his artificial intelligence research to help solve problems in the field of healthcare. Daniel loves playing guitar in his free time and is an avid reader of crime fiction, memoirs and history.

Yixing LinAccounting MajorYixing is a first-generation college student majoring in Accounting. After moving to New York from China at the age of 19, Yixing has found his passion in the fields of business and finance. Being a supplemental instructor at LaGuardia, Yixing derives a great sense of accomplishment knowing that he has helped students he has tutored become academically successful. His ability to adapt to American culture has given him a sense of preparedness for future challenges.

Ria ParmarSocial Science and Humanities Major

After organizing her Pennsylvania high school’s first Film Festival, Ria was motivated to move to New York to follow her dream of becoming a film director. In an attempt to become fluent in Korean, Ria studied abroad and won first place for a short film she created for her South Korean University film competition. At LaGuardia, Ria is a Mellon Humanities Scholar and is collaborating with models, musicians, and other creatives to develop content that she is passionate about.

2018-19

Lawrence PaulinoBusiness Administration MajorA first generation American-Brazilian, Lawrence put his education on hold for 18 years before enrolling in LaGuardia as a Business Administration major. Through the Priscilla Alexander Internship Program, Lawrence was able to turn an internship into an employment opportunity and is currently learning about various career options in the travel business. Lawrence is now one semester away from graduating, transferring to a 4-year college, and earning his bachelor’s, and ultimately his masters, in international business.

Srija RaiCommunication Studies MajorBorn in Nepal, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism, Srija is now majoring in Communication Studies at LaGuardia. She is a black belt in Shito-ryu Karate and won a competition which earned her a job on a national radio station. Srija also has a passion for acting and believes it is one of the most powerful forms of self-expression. Srija’s goal is to have her own show where she can use her journalism and communications degrees to share peoples’ stories, as well as her own experiences.

Ameenah MuhammedCommunication Studies Major

Ameenah is a native New Yorker who has developed an understanding of different cultures through travel. A deeply engaged student, Ameenah has made the Dean’s List, is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, has participated in the LatinX Symposium and Black Lives Matter Summit, and is also a Campus Life Peer Leader. Her passion for helping others is motivating her to eventually pursue a master’s in speech pathology and to follow her entrepreneurial spirit to manage a business that supports charitable community causes.

Carolyn MarinCriminal Justice MajorCarolyn, a Queens native, wasn’t sure what major to choose but it turned out that Criminal Justice has led her towards her career path. She is a member of the Scholars of Tomorrow program helping formerly incarcerated individuals to enroll at LaGuardia in the hopes of reducing the rate of recidivism. Her participation in programs on campus has enabled Carolyn to see the world from a different perspective. After completing her undergraduate degree, Carolyn hopes to go to law school.

LaGuardia Community CollegePresident’s Society Ambassadors 2018-19

Arbri ShametiBusiness Administration MajorArbri is a Business Administration major whose family came to the U.S. from Albania when he was 10 years old. After putting his education on hold a number of times, Arbri has now found his passion in finance. After earning his associate degree, he hopes to transfer to a 4-year university, graduate, and eventually have a career as a financial analyst in investment banking. His ultimate goal is to open his own private equity firm.

Lhamu SherpaPsychology Major

Born in Nepal, Lhamu became interested psychology when she witnessed the turmoil that plagued the victims of the 2015 earthquake that struck Nepal. As a result, Lhamu is now pursuing a career in counseling and developmental psychology. Since starting LaGuardia in 2016, Lhamu has made the Dean’s List every semester, has volunteered in community centers, and presented her research on immigrants at Fordham University’s 25th Annual Behavioral Conference. She is also Secretary of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and a Peer Advisor at the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Linton SolanBusiness Admistration MajorOriginally from the Caribbean, Linton is now a LaGuardia Business Administration major. The variety of classes that he has taken has allowed him to discover his passion and pursue a career in accounting and finance. In addition to focusing on his studies, Linton is an active member of his local church where he took on the responsibility of learning a new skill and becoming the sound room engineer.

Samad SunnyBusiness Administration MajorAfter moving to New York from Bangladesh, Samad faced many financial hardships that threatened his ability to pursue his dreams. Through hard work and determination, Samad has now proven to be a top-notch student having achieved an outstanding GPA and being placed on the Dean’s List three times. Samad is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, works as a Student Success Mentor, and represented LaGuardia in the CUNY Financial Literacy Program. His goal is to earn his bachelor’s degree in finance at a 4-year university.

Taylor SchlesingerMath and Science MajorTaylor is a native New Yorker currently majoring in Liberal Arts with a focus on Math & Science. After graduating high school, Taylor attended the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry where she realized, despite her love for the environment, that her true passion lay in mathematics. Now as a student at LaGuardia, Taylor is a Mathematics and Statistics tutor. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in the field of mathematics and begin her career as an actuary. Taylor is a talented musician and plays the viola and the double bass.

Kripa ShakyaComputer Science Major

Kripa came to the U.S. from Nepal at the age of 18 to further her education. She is currently majoring in Computer Science, and hopes to transfer to a 4-year college to earn a degree in her field. As a LaGuardia student, she participated in the Math Is Everywhere competition and won the All Women’s Team title. Kripa is also a Peer Advisor in the Math, Engineering and Computer Department, and a representative of the Women in Technology club on campus. Her career goal is to work with emerging companies and do research on data collection and cyber security.

Megi SaliasiAccounting Major

Megi moved to New York from Albania two years ago to fulfill her dream to pursue higher education. Now a college student, Megi is majoring in Accounting. Her hard work has earned her an internship at ConEdison and she is currently a member of the Finance Club at LaGuardia. Her goal is to earn her bachelor’s in finance and pursue a career in the field. Megi has learned several languages in addition to her native Albanian. She enjoys swimming, traveling and learning about real estate.

Daniel SamaniegoElectrical Engineering Major

Born in Ecuador, Daniel moved to the U.S. and enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17. Through his overseas deployment, Daniel learned to apply discipline, reliability, and teamwork, to every environment. Today, Daniel is working at LaGuardia’s Veteran Services Resource Center helping veterans like himself with admissions. He has worked on campus as a math tutor and has completed a prestigious internship. Daniel’s goal is to transfer to NYU, earn his electrical engineering degree and then work as a contractor for the Air Force.

LaGuardia Community CollegePresident’s Society Ambassadors 2018-19

Yadira VargasTravel, Tourism & Hospitality Major

Raised in the Dominican Republic, Yadira moved to New York five years ago and is now pursuing a degree in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality. She has a passion for sports and hopes to transition into sports management in order to provide recreational safe spaces for children in developing countries. She was recently a part of the CUNY Service Corps Program where she had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico and help in rebuilding houses affected by Hurricane Maria.

Business Administration Major

Lope Jan (LJ) was born in the Philippines. At 16, her passion for chess earned her a full scholarship to Rizal Technological University where she studied civil engineering. In 2015, LJ won first place in the 1700 category of the Manhattan Chess Open, and after years of putting her education on hold is now on her way to earning her degree in Business Administration. She is on the fast track to becoming an honor student, enlisting in the Honors Program, earning a LaGuardia Foundation Scholarship, and becoming a President’s Society Ambassador.

Lope Jan (LJ) Williams

Dowon YangAccounting Major

Born and raised in South Korea, Dowon moved to New York one year ago and is majoring in Accounting. While in South Korea, Dowon won the Olympiad National Competition in both Astronomy and Earth Science. He currently maintains a 4.0 GPA at LaGuardia, is a member of the Finance Club, and is an Academic Peer Instruction tutor. Dowon is teaching himself how to code in Python, a high-level programming language. His goal is to study finance so that he can help people live financially balanced lives.