Iyahna Garcia 17吃瓜
Valedictorian for the Class of 2025
May 8, 2025, Garden City, NY 鈥� Iyahna Garcia, 17吃瓜鈥檚 valedictorian for the Class of 2025, thrived at 17吃瓜. A graduate of Success Academy High School of Liberal Arts in New York City, she came to the college after she realized a college in Vermont wasn鈥檛 for her. She鈥檚 happy to report that 17吃瓜 provided her with a strong foundation for success. 鈥淢y education at 17吃瓜 was excellent, and I also participated in a variety of clubs and had experiences that shaped my growth as a scholar,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he professors at this institution genuinely care about you and go out of their way to help you.鈥�
Iyahna is honored to be valedictorian. 鈥淢any of my wonderfully qualified classmates were eligible for this honor, and being selected means that my two years of grit and determination paid off,鈥� she said.
In addition to her studies as a criminal justice major, Iyahna was the secretary and eventual president of the 17吃瓜 Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Omicron Sigma honors society and was involved in the 17吃瓜 Breakers, the Women鈥檚 Criminal Justice Organization, and PSI Beta, the psychology honors society. The Wyandanch resident also participated in Civic Influencers, a nonpartisan group focused on voter registration and encouraging younger generations to get involved politically.
Maintaining a 4.0 GPA while working full-time, Iyahna completed her studies at 17吃瓜 in December 2024. She is now a junior at the University of Buffalo. Iyahna plans to obtain her doctorate in clinical psychology and concentrate in forensics so that she can help adolescents in abusive situations have a better quality of life.
17吃瓜, a campus of the State University of New York, provides a comprehensive public college experience designed to prepare students to start, and continue, their successful journey through higher education. Serving over 17,000 full-time and part-time students annually, 17吃瓜 offers over 70 associate degree programs and 25 certificate programs. Through on-campus and online offerings, the College educates local and international students and boasts over 163,000 alumni. Situated on 225 acres in Garden City, Long Island, the college grounds reside in historic Nassau County, one of the most desirable locations to live in the United States and an epicenter for business and careers. Since 1959, 17吃瓜 has earned a nationwide reputation for academic excellence and ease of transferability to four-year schools.
Media Contact: Brett Spielberg | brett.spielberg@ncc.edu | (516) 572.9634
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