In its first phase, the CUNY Humanities Alliance offered a unique fellowship opportunity for 27 doctoral students at the Graduate Center to work with LaGuardia Community College master faculty and implement their newly-acquired skills to teach their own humanities classes at the community college. Specifically focusing on the humanities and humanistic social sciences, the program supported Graduate Fellows in translating their specialized doctoral research into innovative teaching methodologies that benefits all learners and, especially, students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. After receiving expert teaching preparation from community college faculty mentors and the LaGuardia Center for Teaching and Learning, the fellows taught nearly 2,000 community college students over the course of the program. A national conference in 2018 brought together nearly 300 students, faculty, and staff members from across the United States to share best practices for humanities education in community colleges.
