Iyahna Garcia Nassau Community College Valedictorian
for the Class of 2025

May 8, 2025, Garden City, NY – Iyahna Garcia, Nassau Community College’s valedictorian for the Class of 2025, thrived at NCC.  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’t for her.  She’s happy to report that NCC provided her with a strong foundation for success.  “My education at NCC was excellent, and I also participated in a variety of clubs and had experiences that shaped my growth as a scholar,” she said.  “The professors at this institution genuinely care about you and go out of their way to help you.”

Iyahna is honored to be valedictorian.  “Many of my wonderfully qualified classmates were eligible for this honor, and being selected means that my two years of grit and determination paid off,” she said.

In addition to her studies as a criminal justice major, Iyahna was the secretary and eventual president of the NCC Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Omicron Sigma honors society and was involved in the NCC Breakers, the Women’s 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 NCC 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.

About Nassau Community College

Nassau Community College, 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, NCC 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, NCC 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
ncc.edu/newsreleases

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