Jesus Alberto Benitez is a Philosopher and Educator. He works as an outreach and recruitment coordinator with CUNY Fatherhood Academy at LaGuardia Community College. He helps students in post-secondary field by assisting them in obtaining their GED, providing employment assistance, getting into training programs, and enrolling in college. Jesus believes that their program is one of the few that genuinely supports fatherhood students without putting them in a box, boasting the best GED passing rates compared to the city.

In his current role at LaGuardia Community College, Jesus has created an evening class to support working students and significantly increased college enrollments due to the support they provide. Because of his dedication, he was invited to be the main speaker on the topic of “Moving from Invisible to Visible: Strategies for Advocacy, Belonging & Wellness Among Parenting Students on College Campuses” at the National Student Parent Support Symposium at Ohio State University in May 2023.

Previously, Jesus worked as an Educational Case Manager with the Center for Immigrant Education and Training at LaGuardia Community College. Jesus is currently enrolled in a Master of Science in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), holds a BA in Philosophy, and an AA in Philosophy. Jesus is also a Family Advisory Committee Member with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a Parent Advisor for the Aspen Institute, and a Consultant with the Kresge Foundation. When he is not helping students with their education and career goals, Jesus enjoys spending quality time with his son, traveling, and going to concerts.

Stories featuring Jesus Benitez

Group photo of Ascend Parent Advisors standing outside in Aspen, Colorado with their arms outstretched upward.
Snapshots from the 2023 Ascend Parent Advisor Convening in Aspen, Colorado.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsOctober 2, 2023
1 in 5 Student Parent Podcast
The 1 in 5 podcast vividly profiles students who are parents pursuing their education while raising a family and working. Today, more than one in five...
BlogDecember 1, 2022
Jesus Benitez works as the Mentor Coordinator for CUNY Fatherhood Academy focusing on helping young fathers pursue an HSE diploma and enroll in colleg...
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsFebruary 22, 2021
The Aspen Postsecondary Success for Parents (PSP) Initiative is a partnership with Imaginable Futures and the ECMC Foundation to raise awareness about...
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsJuly 13, 2020
I happened to be taking the train to work while jamming to some old school music. This was about the time they closed the City University of New York ...
BlogJune 11, 2020
As the hub for breakthrough ideas and collaborations that move children and their parents toward educational success and economic security, Ascen...
BlogMay 13, 2020