Dr. Joseph Shenker, 68 LaGuardia CC Founder

Dr. Joseph Shenker, as shown standing before the hall at LaGuardia Community College in renamed in his honor in June. The founder of the Long Island City college died on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the age of 68 following a brief illness. Dr. Joseph Shenker, the founding president of LaGuardia Community College regarded by many as one of the most innovative educators in the country, died on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the age of 68 following a brief battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Shenker was appointed by the City University of New York in 1970 to lead the upstart institution in Long Island City at the age of 30 after serving as acting president of Kingsborough Community College. Over the next 19 years, he would help develop LaGuardia into one of the top community colleges in the nation with programs focused on educating a wide variety of students.

One such program was a cooperative education initiative where students attending LaGuardia's day classes were required to intern with various companies in an effort to gain real-world working experience. Shenker was also instrumental in launching one of the first college programs for deaf adults in America and the college's Division of Adult and Continuing Education for those seeking to attain a higher degree of learning.

He was also credited with creating the first charter school in the United States, LaGuardia Middle College High School, which opened its doors in 1974. Shenker would later help to find the first public high school for at-risk youths as well as another charter school, the International High School in Queens.

"We are extremely indebted to Joe Shenker, whose dedication to creative pedagogy shaped LaGuardia into one of the top three community colleges in the nation," said Gail O. Mellow, president of LaGuardia Community College. "I feel fortunate to have honored Joe this past June at the LaGuardia Foundation fund-raiser, and to have named our main building after him, tributes that are now fond memories."

Upon his retirement earlier this year, as Mellow noted, the college paid tribute to Shenker for his many achievements by renaming the main building Joseph Shenker Hall in his honor. He was also presented with its first Innovative Leaderships award, an annual honor given to those "who have made significant contributions to higher education," according to the college.

Shenker graduated from Hunter College in Manhattan with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in economics. He would later attain a doctorate in higher education administration from the Teachers College at Columbia University.

After serving LaGuardia Community College for nearly two decades, Shenker moved on to the Bank Street College for Education in Manhattan in 1989, where he would serve the next seven years as its president. Even after his departure, the connection between Shenker and LaGuardia remained, as he was named president emeritus of the community college.

Following seven years at the Bank Street College for Education, Shenker became provost at the C.W. Campus of Long Island University in Brookville in 1995. He would remain with the college until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2007-08 school year.

In addition to his leadership at three institutions of higher learning, Shenker also served as a dean for community colleges with the chancellor of CUNY, a senior advisor to the former New York City Board of Education, and a member of UNICEF America's board of trustees.

Shenker is survived by his wife, Susan Smyth Shenker, children Deborah, Karyn, Sarah and Jordan; grandchildren Joshua and Rachel Singer and Ava Gould, and sons-inlaw Gregg Singer and Shannon Gould.

A public memorial service for Shenker is scheduled to take place on Monday, Oct. 20 at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd. in Brookville. Funeral services were held there yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 24, followed by a private burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College Joe Shenker Scholarship, 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101, to the attention of Jose Orengo, Development Office.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to The Shenker Family, c/o Office of the Provost, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, N.Y. 11548-1300.