Voices: The Magazine of CUNY School of Professional Studies - 2025

V ICES

The Magazine of the CUNY School of Professional Studies – 2025

In This Issue

Cultivating Serendipity: How Saying Yes to New Opportunities Led One Student to CUNY’s Top Leadership Role

Opening Doors: As CUNY SPS Celebrates Its First Cohort of SEEK Graduates, A Look Back at the Storied Program’s Impact

AI at CUNY SPS: How the School is Navigating this Innovative—and Controversial— New Technology and much more...

sps.cuny.edu

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Dear Members of the CUNY SPS Community: Welcome from Dean Braverman

6 Cultivating Serendipity: How Saying Yes to New Opportunities Led One Student to CUNY’s Top Leadership Role

12 A Lasting Legacy:

CUNY SPS Alums Keep Coming Back— and Giving Back

16 Opening Doors:

As CUNY SPS Celebrates Its First Cohort of SEEK Graduates, A Look Back at the Storied Program’s Impact

20 Honor Roll: How Honor Societies at CUNY SPS Are Building a New Generation of Leaders

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AI at CUNY SPS: How the School is Navigating this Innovative— and Controversial—New Technology

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Op-EdU:

CUNY SPS Faculty Experts Weigh in on the Issues of Our Time

34 Gone But Not Forgotten:

CUNY SPS Says Goodbye to Several Beloved Faculty and Staff We Lost in 2025

36 Energy Training Program Earns Accreditation:

CUNY SPS’ Innovative Learning Solutions Unit Welcomes Formal Recognition of Program Known for Its Rigor and Value

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CUNY SPS Year in Review

• School-Wide Highlights: 38-39

• Catch Up With Lex: 40-41

• CIED Year in Review: 42-43

• Academic Program Highlights: 44-45

• New Academic Programs & Rankings: 46-47

• CUNY SPS Community Highlights

• Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award: 48

• Faculty & Staff: 49

• Retirement in the CUNY SPS Family: 50-51

• Student & Alumni: 51-52

• CUNY 50 Under 50: 53

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P.S. Celebrating Our 2025 Graduates

The CUNY SPS Magazine is produced by the Office of Marketing, Communications, and Events

Editor-in-Chief: Ariana Souzis

Design: Kelly Cunningham

Writers: Rebecca Brown Cesarani, Lisa Sheridan, Ariana Souzis, Tanzina Vega

Chief Marketing Officer: Prerna Dar

Special thanks to Carlos Ronisky, academic program manager, Online Business Programs; and Wendy Castillejo, academic and career advisor, Data Science and Information Science, for jointly suggesting the new magazine title as part of a School-wide naming contest in Spring 2025.

Thanks also to Amarna Williams, student disability services specialist and an MS in Disability Services in Higher Education alum, for naming the “Catch Up with Lex” section, and Armando “A.J.” Ramos, a BA in Communication and Media alum, for coining the back page “P.S.”

Dear Members of the CUNY SPS Community

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2025 issue of our annual magazine, now proudly renamed Voices: The Magazine of the CUNY School of Professional Studies.

This new title emerged in a wonderful way. Last spring, we invited our faculty, staff, students, and alumni to help us reimagine the name of our publication. Out of the many creative ideas submitted, two members of our community—Carlos Ronisky, an academic program manager in the Business programs, and Wendy Castillejo, an academic and career advisor in the Data Science and Information Science programs—each proposed Voices. We knew it captured who we are: a vibrant chorus of learners, educators, and professionals whose individual and collective voices define CUNY SPS.

For me,  Voices truly reflects both our mission and our spirit. It honors the students who are at the heart of our School—those who come here to learn, to advance, and to tell their own stories— and it recognizes the faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and friends who help them thrive. Together, these

communities remind us that when we unite around a shared belief in accessible, high-quality education, we create something greater than ourselves. As author Maxine Hong Kingston wrote, “If we can make a community of voices, then we can speak more truth.”

This first issue of Voices celebrates exactly that: the many ways our community speaks its truth. We begin with a remarkable profile of Daniel Reden, a BS in Business student who, in his first year, was elected to the highest student government role in all of CUNY. His story reflects the leadership, vision, and ambition that define our students.

We also spotlight several CUNY SPS alumni who give back generously—through mentorship, philanthropy, and advocacy—to ensure that future generations of students have the same opportunities they once did. Their stories remind us how education ripples outward, transforming not only lives, but entire communities, as well.

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For me, Voices truly reflects both our mission and our spirit. It honors the students who are at the heart of our School— those who come here to learn, to advance, and to tell their own stories—and it recognizes the faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and friends who help them thrive.

Our dynamic new Op-Ed section features faculty sharing their ideas and insights in their own words. From innovative teaching to groundbreaking research, they offer thoughtful perspectives on how we can make a difference in our fields and in the world.

You’ll also read about several programs and opportunities that continue to expand the ladder of access and achievement for students at CUNY SPS, including the School’s adoption of the CUNY-wide SEEK program and the rapid growth of national honor societies chapters here. And, reflecting the conversations shaping higher education everywhere, we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching and learning, and professional life at CUNY SPS and beyond.

Ultimately, this issue of  Voices stands as both a record of our individual and collective accomplishments over the past year and a celebration of our unique community. It reflects the thoughtful, driven, and passionate individuals who make CUNY SPS what it is—and the power of their voices when they join together.

I hope you find inspiration in this issue, and I invite you to add your own voice to this growing conversation—if not in these pages, then in the life and future of CUNY SPS itself.

Sincerely,

Lisa R. Braverman, PhD Dean, CUNY School of Professional Studies

Cultivating Serendipity:

How Saying Yes to New Opportunities Led One Student to CUNY’s Top Leadership Role

By Tanzina Vega

While lots of New Yorkers spent their summer vacationing, Daniel Reden had other plans. Reden, a BS in Business student at CUNY SPS, was busy meeting with a committee that oversees and distributes student scholarships and preparing for a university student senate leadership retreat. For Reden, these activities were just part of a usual day in his role as 38th Chairperson of the CUNY University Student Senate (USS), and Student Trustee of the City University of New York (CUNY).

go down in history, Reden was the first student from CUNY SPS or any of the University’s smaller campuses to be elected into CUNY’s highest student government position. This prestigious role enabled Reden to lead over 80 delegates serving the University-wide student governing body and to work directly with CUNY’s Central administration, where he represented CUNY students, advocated for their rights, and brought student issues to the highest levels of university decision-making.

put my feet on their campus, and took the time out of my day to have a discussion with them, feel their energy,” Reden said. “I didn’t ask them to vote for me when I went over there, I asked them, ‘what’s going on in your school and how can I help?’”

Getting those scholarships, valued at $1,000 each, “into the hands of students who need it the most” had been a priority of Reden’s after his election victory in October 2024. In what will

The win was a surprise to Reden, too. “On paper, I had no chance,” he said of his decision to seek office. But what he lacked in recognition, he gained by campaigning across the CUNY system, visiting students at 13 colleges in person. “I went to their school,

It was a level of determination typical of Reden who describes himself as “very, very involved” in any project that he takes on. He attributes his drive—which led him on this remarkable path—to his tendency to ask, “why not?” when presented with an opportunity to try something new. “It’s called cultivating serendipity,” said Reden, who also relies on his faith in God and a meditative practice to stay grounded.

“I went to their school, put my feet on their campus, and took the time out of my day to have a discussion with them, feel their energy,” Reden said. “I didn’t ask them to vote for me when I went over there, I asked them, ‘what’s going on in your school and how can I help?’” u

The Path to Advocacy

This ability to seize opportunities is the key to Reden’s trajectory as a budding politician and student advocate, which in addition to his Chair and Student Trustee position, includes prominent roles in CUNY SPS’ Student Association, Governing Council, Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity, and Black Student Union, where he serves as president.

Despite these major achievements, Reden made the hard decision not to run again for the Chair seat at the conclusion of his term in October 2025, citing the demands of the multiple leadership roles he was fortunate to have landed. “Serving has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Reden. “Choosing not to seek re-election is less about leaving and more about

rebalancing, so that I can be there for my family, focus on my degree, and build the stability to support them in the future.”

But he’s not leaving leadership entirely. Since stepping down the end of 2025, Reden has joined the New York State Youth Advisory Board with the Office of Children and Family Services, where he’s working on policy issues impacting foster youth, homeless youth, and other system-affected youth.

It’s no surprise that Reden would want to focus on helping youth. As Student Trustee and Chair representing more than 245,000 CUNY students, Reden’s biggest focus had been increasing services for economically disadvantaged students, who represent the majority of the CUNY student body. “I’m part of a generation of young people who are struggling to afford housing, food, education,” Reden said in April 2024 during public remarks to the CUNY Student Senate, where he advocated for the continued presence of food pantries on CUNY college campuses and the free public transportation for CUNY students. u

The Power of a Voice

The son of Nigerian immigrants, Reden’s self-described “origin” story began in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where the majority of households earn less than $20,000 a year. When Reden was seven, his mother returned to Nigeria leaving him and his siblings in the United States. In a poem about his mother’s decision to leave, he described the abandonment he felt

“My mother, a lioness, left the nest and her cubs to fend for themselves

Her chase wasn’t prey, but a plastic card she swiped

I’m going to Nigeria, wiped away the foundation of her home.

Seven years old, and I’m all alone”

One of twelve children, Reden was in and out of foster care for years following his mother’s departure. Being in the foster care system was one of the many difficult life experiences that would teach Reden the power of his voice. For example, when a potential foster mother was considering taking Reden and his twin brother but not their sister, he intervened. “I said, ‘Put me on the phone with her’ and I said that ‘we’re a package deal and you can’t take us without taking my sister.’” The woman obliged and the siblings remained united.

Foster care was also where he developed a passion for reading. From cookbooks to textbooks “I read everything I could get my hands on,” Reden said. “That base of knowledge, that hunger, that thirst, came from my need to escape my lived reality. I found different perspectives in books, I found empathy.”

Reden’s love of learning paid off. After middle school he was accepted into the TEAK Fellowship, a program in New York City that helps economically disadvantaged students gain admission to top schools around the country. Eventually Reden was accepted to Brooklyn Technical High School, Xavier High School, and a private boarding school in Massachusetts called The Concord Academy. He chose Concord and was one of two Black students in his class, something he said afforded him the perspective to see how “the other half lives.” He threw himself into varsity sports, learning Latin, and theater but his experience at Concord was cut short after his mother returned from Nigeria and withdrew him from the private school so “the family could be together,” Reden said. “It was a different path,” he said of his mother’s decision, “It’s not worse or better.” u

“I read everything I could get my hands on,” Reden said. “That base of knowledge, that hunger, that thirst, came from my need to escape my lived reality. I found different perspectives in books, I found empathy.”

Back in New York, Reden enrolled at Kingsborough Community College and began working a string of jobs in the food service industry, from fried chicken joints to Cipriani. One night, while waiting tables at the swanky midtown ballroom, Reden learned that representatives from NPower, an organization that helps train young people from marginalized communities to work in the tech industry, were in attendance. Reden made his interest in the program known. “I go up to the table, and they ask me if I have a high school diploma? How old I am,” said Reden. “And I go and I apply. After three rounds of interviews, I got in and I got certified in IT.” Reden was also a community outreach specialist while he was studying for his technical certifications at NPower.

He then used his IT certifications as transfer credits to apply to the CUNY School of Professional Studies. Today, in addition to being a student leader across the CUNY system, he’s a Business major at CUNY SPS and is focused on applying artificial intelligence to business operations.

“Adding AI to any business model nowadays automatically increases your valuation,” said Reden. But the technology also has a more practical application for Reden in that it “removes the barriers for people to get into business,” by processing more information than a traditional Internet search. But Reden warns that AI could also create two classes of people, “the class of people who understand, interact and program AI, and the class that AI is acting upon,”—a concern that many young people

have today as threats of entire industries being replaced by the technology increase.

Collaboration & Connection

Reden’s keen awareness of the economic realities of young people today is present in the work he does as a student leader. But he’s also generous about the social capital he’s earned over the years. “He knows people in high places and always pays it forward,” said Genesis Fernandez, a fellow student leader and CUNY SPS BA in Communication and Media major who’s worked with Reden on various campus issues, including access to emergency birth control. “One time, he took a bunch of us from USS to a WNBA Liberty game at the Barclays Center, for free. He does stuff like that pretty often,” u

Reden’s keen awareness of the economic realities of young people today is present in the work he does as a student leader. But he’s also generous about the social capital he’s earned over the years. “He knows people in high places and always pays it forward,” said Genesis Fernandez.

“...he always brings a strong sense of drive and genuine care for our community,” said Lal. “His consistency in showing up with positivity and determination is something that continues to inspire me.”

Fernandez said. “He could’ve sold the tickets and made some money, but instead, he used it as a chance for us to hang out and bond.” After the game, the group went to a nearby bar, had some pizza, and played foosball. “It was just a really fun night.”

Fernandez was one of the people who encouraged Reden to run for office. The two met as she was leaving the Student Senate and Reden was just getting started. Since then, they have become each other’s supporters. “We work well together and share a strong commitment to student advocacy,” Fernandez said.

When he’s not pondering the larger implications of AI, or fighting for economic justice, Reden also stays active in a number of CUNY SPS clubs including the Black Student Union, where he is president. Parshotam Lal, student life club and organization coordinator at CUNY SPS, said he admires Reden. “What I love most about Daniel is his energy and passion for everything he does. No matter the setting—whether we’re having a quick chat or connecting at an event—he always brings a strong sense of drive and genuine care for our community,” said Lal. “His consistency in showing up with positivity and determination is something that continues to inspire me.”

A Lasting Legacy: CUNY SPS Alums Keep Coming Back—and Giving Back

By Lisa Sheridan

Long after the stage is crossed, the mortarboards tossed, the diploma framed and mounted, CUNY SPS alumni remain committed to the School and its community. Despite their hectic post-graduate lives, many alumni find ways to demonstrate their devotion through numerous contributions to the School, which can include establishing financial endowments, volunteering their time and expertise, and even offering in-kind donations.

An outsider might wonder how an online and asynchronous campus could instill such devotion and loyalty. CUNY SPS graduates are quick to explain that as they pursued their degrees, the encouragement they received during their time here inspired them to give back after they crossed the finish line.

Elaine Montilla (MS in Business Management and Leadership ‘15) has participated in alumni panels, supported fundraising events, and contributed to mentoring programs. She reflected, “One of my favorite parts of my time at CUNY SPS was the incredible support I received from the faculty. I always felt they were gen-

uinely rooting for me to succeed, both inside and outside the classroom. That encouragement made a real difference in helping me build confidence and push myself further than I thought possible.”

Similar to Montilla, Lennyn Jacob (BA in Disability Studies ‘25) spoke of how she felt welcomed into the student community during her time at CUNY SPS. “[The School] provided me the flexibility to meaningfully join the student community at CUNY SPS,” noted Jacob. “The environment they created allowed me, as a non-traditional online student, to feel supported through every opportunity offered and every choice I made along the way.”

That sense of community becomes the catalyst for graduates from all walks of life to seek ways to enhance their beloved School for future generations and to give back in both traditional and creative, outside-the-box ways.

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“Getting education should not be a means to an end. It should be a means to a means.”

As an example of a particularly significant contribution, alum Tyerence (Tye) Edmen Brown provided the seed money that kick-started the School’s first alumni-sponsored scholarship fund. Launched in Spring 2024, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship provides tuition assistance to CUNY SPS undergrads who decide to continue their education in one of the School’s graduate programs. Since there are so few scholarships available to grad students, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship addresses a significant need.

The mission of the scholarship is particularly relevant for Brown, a double graduate of CUNY SPS who holds both a BS in Business and an MS in Business Management and Leadership degree from the School. A dedicated lifelong learner now pursuing his EdD, Brown expressed his philosophy about higher ed and the Alumni Legacy Scholarship’s support of continuing studies, noting “Getting education should not be a means to an end. It should be a means to a means.”

“We talked about the financial costs and of course, it costs time, it costs energy. …Then I figured—‘Let’s do this!’” u

Brown also serves as a member of the Alumni Engagement Council (AEC), a group of ambassadors who sponsor CUNY SPS events and other initiatives, and who also inspired him to launch the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. “[The lack of an alumni scholarship fund] came up in our AEC meeting…and I thought ‘this is definitely something that’s needed and viable,’” he said. “Then I found out that this was something that [Alumni Relations Manager] Nidia Cordova always wanted to have happen, and it’s something that the School always felt was important…. We talked about the financial costs and of course, it costs time, it costs energy. …Then I figured—‘Let’s do this!’”

While the development of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship was a watershed moment for the School, alumni contributions aren’t limited to finance. As fellow AEC member Milan Fredricks (BA in Communication and Media ‘20) pointed out, “Giving back doesn’t always mean giving money. In fact, some of the most valuable contributions alumni can make come from their time, voice, and lived experiences.”

Fredricks would know. She backs up her words with actions. In addition to her involvement in the AEC, Fredricks has helped support scholarship funds during the CUNYTuesday giving drive, spoken on job readiness alumni panels, and served as an alumni mentor for the Dual Mentorship pilot program during the Fall 2024 semester. She also added that she likes to attend “every CUNY SPS event I can, showing my support whenever possible.”

Duubar Villalobos Jimenez (MS in Data Science ‘20), also an outspoken advocate for CUNY SPS, echoed Fredrick’s ideas about giving back. “It doesn’t always require a checkbook—it starts with showing up…. Share your journey with current students,” said Villalobos Jimenez. “Volunteer at events. Offer a word of encouragement to someone who’s just starting out. These moments of connection ripple far beyond what you might imagine. CUNY SPS thrives on community, and community is built through presence… trust that even the smallest act of service can spark transformation.”

Fredricks would know. She backs up her words with actions. In addition to her involvement in the AEC, Fredricks has helped support scholarship funds during CUNYTuesday giving drive, spoken on job readiness alumni panels, and served as an alumni mentor for the Dual Mentorship pilot program during the Fall 2024 semester. u

Another recent grad, Olivia Hamilton (BA in Communication and Media ‘25), devised one of the more creative approaches to paying it forward. “I donated my graduation regalia. I want to help other students feel like they aren’t alone in pursuing their education.” Hamilton also said that she intends to continue giving in the future because “I really believe in CUNY SPS’s values, goals, and mission.”

Sometimes alums look to repeat happy moments from their studies as they foster community in their alma mater. Diana Haynes (BA in Human Relations ‘24), was the graduation student speaker in 2024, and returned the following commencement to volunteer. Nikki Wilkes (MA in Disability Studies ‘22 and Adv. Cert. in Disability Services in Higher Education ‘23) has given to CUNY SPS fundraising drives and hopes to volunteer as a mentor now that she has moved back to New York City.

Student Life Club and Organization Coordinator Parshotam Lal, who also happens to be a CUNY SPS grad (BA in Human Relations ‘21), often turns to alums to get volunteers for student events. He perfectly summed up the important role CUNY SPS graduates play in the School’s landscape. “Our alumni show students that SPS isn’t just where you study—it’s where you belong, long after graduation,” Lal said. “When alums come back to support clubs and events, they transform rooms into communities. Their presence says, ‘You’re not alone here. We’ve been where you are, and we’re cheering you forward.’”

Alumni who wish to be involved in the CUNY SPS community through financial support, volunteer activities, mentoring positions, or through gifts in kind, please contact our alumni relations at alumni@sps.cuny.edu or (646) 664-8661.

“When alums come back to support clubs and events, they transform rooms into communities. Their presence says, ‘You’re not alone here. We’ve been where you are, and we’re cheering you forward.’”

Opening Doors:

As CUNY SPS Celebrates Its First Cohort of SEEK Graduates, A Look Back at the Storied Program’s Impact

By Tanzina Vega

“From the very first orientation, the program opened doors to resources I didn’t even know I needed,” Martins said. “The tutors didn’t just teach me—they empowered me.”

Last May, students, friends, and family gathered for a momentous occasion: a ceremony honoring the CUNY SPS students participating in the University’s first online version of SEEK, a historic program aimed at supporting students who need extra academic support, with a special nod to those 11 participants in the program’s first cohort who were about to graduate from the School.

Eddie Melendez was among this group of proud graduates. Now a BA in Disability Studies alum, Melendez entered the SEEK program at its inception at CUNY SPS in 2023. “SEEK is transformative,” said Melendez, citing the “incredible” resources offered in the program, including skills development in areas like time management and writing. “Even if they don’t provide the services, they provide the vehicle to tap into the services,” added Melendez. “They make the connectivity within the University much easier.”

With his BA in hand, Melendez, who has been working at a part-time social work program at Utica University, is now studying for an advanced certificate in Disability Services in Higher Education at CUNY SPS. But at the SEEK graduation event, where Melendez and fellow SEEK graduate Cynthia Martins (BS in Health Services Administration ‘25) were presented with an award for Outstanding Achievement and Service, he had time to reflect.

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For Melendez, the SEEK celebration was bigger than awards. It was also the first time he was able to participate in a graduation ceremony. “My grandma raised me and we could not afford it.”

For Melendez, the SEEK celebration was bigger than awards. It was also the first time he was able to participate in a graduation ceremony. “My grandma raised me and we could not afford it. I could not go to my kindergarten, middle school, or high school [ceremonies]. None of it,” he told graduation attendees in a brief speech.

Rianna DeFreece, the associate director of admissions access programs and SEEK, described Melendez’s ascent in particular as “amazing,” despite the challenges he’s faced. DeFreece has been in charge of building, creating, implementing, and now directing and managing the SEEK program at CUNY SPS since 2022.

For DeFreece, the ceremony was also a chance to connect with students in real life. “It was very rewarding because we don’t get a lot of in-person interaction with our students,” she said. “To celebrate our continuing and graduating students and the achievements that they have had throughout the academic year was amazing.”

As of this fall, 91 students have been selected for the program. DeFreece hopes to see enrollment grow to 100 students by Fall 2026.

edge Program.’ What began as a call to desegregate The City University of New York in 1965 has since morphed into something that provides a “gateway” for academically disadvantaged students, noted DeFreece. Now considered one of CUNY’s greatest student support successes, SEEK is available at 12 senior and comprehensive colleges in the CUNY system. This includes CUNY SPS, which launched the only online SEEK program in 2023 under DeFreece’s leadership.

Students start the journey to SEEK through the admissions office, which identifies potential candidates for the program. In order to be eligible for SEEK at CUNY SPS, students should also have been part of an educational support program like EOP, HEOP, College Discovery, or a previous SEEK program.

Separately, Martins spoke to the crowd about SEEK’s impact on her education. “From the very first orientation, the program opened doors to resources I didn’t even know I needed,” Martins said. “The tutors didn’t just teach me—they empowered me.”

Named after the prominent Civil Rights attorney and activist Percy Ellis Sutton, the program’s full title is ‘The Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowl-

CUNY SPS is specifically for adult students and transfer students who are looking for a more flexible online experience, something DeFreece noted makes the SEEK program here stand out from other CUNY schools. “Maybe they haven’t finished their associate’s degree or their bache-

For DeFreece, the ceremony was also a chance to connect with students in real life.

“It was very rewarding because we don’t get a lot of in-person interaction with our students,” she said. “To celebrate our continuing and graduating students and the achievements that they have had throughout the academic year was amazing.”

lor’s degree at another campus since life is just getting in the way, and in person is just not working for them because they’re either working full-time or have family obligations, or they’re the primary caregiver of a family member…” explained DeFreece.

Among its offerings, the SEEK program provides financial support to students to help offset transportation costs, student activity fees, and other education-related expenses. “It’s trying to remove some of those barriers so that the students can be successful,” said DeFreece.

SEEK participants must take at least two classes per semester and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students that don’t meet those requirements risk being removed from the program, said DeFreece. SEEK students are also limited in the time they have to complete their degree. “They

only get 10 semesters of full-time opportunity program eligibility when they first start college,” said DeFreece. “Essentially, when they come in, we’re like, ‘The clock is ticking on the eligibility you have remaining.’”

Building community is one reason DeFreece is creating a network of support structures for students. Last year, for example, DeFreece partnered with an alumni mentoring group known as The Circle of Success to offer SEEK students workshops on financial literacy and writing skills. She is also working on bringing the Chi Alpha Epsilon national honor society to campus. The organization specifically recognizes the academic achievements of students in support programs like SEEK.

DeFreece has also piloted a mentorship program for SEEK students using a system called Mentor Collective that asks a series of questions about the student’s interests, academic journey, and personal life, and matches them to potential mentors who have had similar life experiences. For example, “If you are a single parent, you’re hopefully being matched up with another single parent,” said DeFreece. “You can talk about how you balance the coursework, or if you had school expenses, how are you able to balance that?”

Ultimately, all of the programming at SEEK is grounded by a central idea, said DeFreece. “We are opening doors and giving students that second chance,” she said. “A big thing that I love is that we don’t have to shut the door on their opportunity program journey.”

Honor Roll:

How Honor Societies at CUNY SPS Are Building a New Generation of Leaders

By Ariana Souzis

National Society for Leadership and Success (NSLS)

Background and Mission: The NSLS’s stated mission is to “provide a life-changing leadership program that helps students achieve personal growth and career success, and empowers them to have a positive impact in their community.”

Eligibility: All CUNY SPS students with a 3.5 GPA or higher

Membership Benefits: Lifetime Membership; Mentorship and Learning; Scholarships and Awards; Jobs and Internships; Community and Events; Speaker Series

Launched in 2017 by the Office of Student Life, the CUNY SPS chapter of the National Society for Leadership and Success (NSLS) has the distinction of being the first honor society at the School and, with more than 2400 members, the largest.

Once invited, students who pay a one-time $95 membership fee may access a plethora of NSLS benefits, all conveniently offered online. These include leadership training workshops, job boards, scholarships, Success Networking Teams—small, peer-led groups that meet to set and work toward goals—and speaker broadcasts with high-profile leaders. The benefits grow even more after members are formally inducted into NSLS following a five-step program that can be completed over the course of a semester. Many members also choose to pursue NSLS’s certificate programs, which can help students earn college credit at a fraction of the cost of tuition.

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Leaders are not born, but made. That maxim is at the heart of CUNY SPS’ mission to cultivate student leaders—whether through peer mentoring, skill-building workshops, vibrant student clubs or, increasingly, the pathways opened by national honor societies. With support from the CUNY SPS Office of Student Life, these societies create spaces where high-achieving students can connect with one another, deepen their talents, and discover new ways to lead. In the spotlight below, we shine a light on several honor societies with chapters at CUNY SPS and the growing impact they have already made on our students.

Reshma Jaigobin, student leadership coordinator and NSLS chapter advisor since 2023, notes that the society’s online offerings make it an especially good fit for CUNY SPS. “One of the greatest benefits of being an online chapter is that it’s self-paced,” they explained. “Students can complete the leadership certificate or the induction process on their own schedule—which is essential for people juggling full-time work and family. That flexibility makes leadership development truly accessible.” BS in Business student Nasreen Quadir would agree. Originally unsure about joining, she quickly realized how much the NSLS had to offer. “…After researching it, I realized the membership opened doors—the benefits far outweighed the cost.”

Quadir was also delighted to win a NSLS scholarship after submitting an application describing her efforts to promote diversity at her workplace. “I was honestly shocked when I got [the scholarship],” she said. “But it reminded me that you just have to believe in yourself and follow through—you never know who’s ready to help you succeed.”

Seizing on the opportunity, Quadir enrolled in three of NSLS’s leadership courses, earning a total of 9 academic credits toward her CUNY SPS degree. “[The courses] were intense and surprisingly indepth,” she said. “They taught me how to lead effectively, to manage time and stress, and to stay confident in my own voice.”

Peta-Gaye Smile, a graduate of the MA in Psychology program, was one of those who helped their classmates succeed. As student advisor to the NSLS Executive Board—the leadership group responsible for overseeing the local chapter’s operations—Smile mentored student leaders, supported chapter operations, organized events, and managed the Success Networking Teams.

Now a PhD student in Applied Organizational Psychology at Hofstra University, Smile is grateful for all that she learned in her NSLS role. “I valued the chance to strengthen connections within the SPS student community and to learn more about the resources available to support us,” she said. “Most importantly, I enjoyed mentoring both new and experienced leaders and seeing their growth throughout their time on the Executive Board.” u

Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (DAPi)

Background and Mission: A student-led honor society for high-achieving students with disabilities.

Eligibility: Students who identify having a disability and demonstrate an interest in disability issues, and who maintain a GPA of 3.10 (undergraduate) or 3.30 (graduate)

Membership Benefits: Annual Scholarship; Networking; Mentoring; Leadership and Advocacy

Skill-Building; Event Programming Experience; Resume Enhancement

Founded in 2021 by BA in Disability Studies student Jill Von Fumetti, the CUNY SPS chapter of Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (DAPi) has grown into a vital space for empowerment and inclusion.

Gregor Lopes, a self-described Deaf, queer, Latino, and first-generation student in the BA in Psychology program, was excited to get involved. “What motivated me to join,” he said, “was the opportunity to bring my voice to the disabled community and to have an open space where I could advocate for myself and others. DAPi’s values of disability pride, advocacy, and leadership really spoke to me.”

As vice president, Lopes collaborates closely with faculty advisor Kristen Dumoulin, an adjunct assistant professor in the Disability Studies programs, and other DAPi members to engage students,

build partnerships, and create community spaces. In this role, he’s organized several events over the past year, including a virtual screening of Tyler’s Run, a film about disability and perseverance.

“Organizing events taught me how to balance limited budgets while managing time, stress, and logistics.” Lopes said. “It strengthened my ability to coordinate, create structure, and support a team— skills I know will serve me in my future career.”

Until then, Lopes is looking to grow the society’s membership even more at CUNY SPS. “My hope is that DAPi continues to encourage students not only to use their voices but also to listen with compassion and a genuine willingness to grow together.”

“Organizing events taught me how to balance limited budgets while managing time, stress, and logistics.” Lopes said. “It strengthened my ability to coordinate, create structure, and support a team—skills I know will serve me in my future career.” u

Sigma Beta Delta

Background and Mission: An international honor society for business, management, and administration.

Eligibility: Students in the School’s business programs with a 3.0 GPA or higher

Membership Benefits: Exclusive Scholarships; Career Resources; Networking Opportunities; Recognition for Achievement; Professional Development; Lifetime Membership

The newest chapter at CUNY SPS, Sigma Beta Delta, was launched in Spring 2025 with a goal to recognize academic excellence among students in the School’s business programs. Organized by Dr. Diane Merians Penaloza, a member of the business faculty who serves as faculty advisor, and Parsh Lal, student life club and organization coordinator, the chapter offers many leadership opportunities for business majors.

“We wanted to give our business students something more—something that connects them to a national network and gives their hard work lasting recognition,” Lal explained. “Sigma Beta Delta adds that extra layer of value, combining academic achievement with leadership and lifelong membership.”

The first induction ceremony for Sigma Beta Delta, held in May 2024, welcomed about 20 inaugural members of the chapter and their families in a festive event featuring certificates, pins, and student speeches. “It was such a nice evening,” Lal said. “You could really see the pride our students felt.”

For several members of that first cohort, that pride has only grown in the months since their induction. Jacob Elmann, a MS in Business Management and Leadership student and the chapter’s president, joined to add on to the skills he needs to become a business leader—but

found he’s learning even more than expected. “The value gained from Sigma Beta Delta is immense,” he said. “[It] is not just a line on a résumé, but a proven laboratory for executive leadership and professional growth— [and] a platform for mentorship and access to expertise across industries.”

Alicia Appalsammy, a MS in Business Management and Leadership student, serves as treasurer where she helps “…plan activities that promote leadership development, professional growth, and community engagement.” On a personal note, Appalsammy hopes this experience will also inspire her children. “It is important to me that they see the value of perseverance, lifelong learning, and stepping up to take on new challenges,” she said. “By being active in Sigma Beta Delta, I want to show them that growth never stops and that it is possible to balance family, career, and education while still pursuing leadership opportunities.”

Lyvia Hawks, a BS in Business student and current event planner for the chapter, is also excited for the possibilities that Sigma Beta Delta offers the community. “Honor societies like Sigma Beta Delta create a space where students feel seen, supported, and encouraged to grow,” she said. “It’s not just about academics—it’s about building leadership and finding your people.”

AI at CUNY SPS:

How the School is Navigating this Innovative—and Controversial— New Technology

By Tanzina Vega

One of the biggest conversations happening in classrooms around the country among faculty and students is around the use of artificial intelligence. Concerns over how, when, and why to implement the power of large language models like Claude and ChatGPT have become especial-

ly common for administrators like Ruru Rusmin, the assistant dean of the Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology at CUNY SPS, whose job it is to help develop and implement approaches to the use of AI in the classroom. “We are very much in a learning and exploratory phase on the part of faculty and on the

part of students,” Rusmin said. “Everybody at the University has this on their minds.”

At the beginning of 2024, Rusmin and Carolee Ramsay, director of student conduct and community standards at CUNY SPS, held a panel discussion for students entitled “Let’s Talk AI: A Student Roundtable” about the use of AI tools in the classroom. To help get the conversation started, Rusmin and Ramsay polled students to get an understanding of how familiar they were with AI, whether they had used it, and what concerns they had about it. Respondents had varying degrees of familiarity with AI tools—from never having used it to having some experience with it—and different points of view on how the technology should be adopted.

ChatGPT Dall-E created the above image using the subtitle of this article as a prompt.

The images above are variations

u Picasso

Some students said AI tools could help those with disabilities with tasks like writing emails and papers, while others voiced concerns about AI taking away the ability for students to think on their own. “There’s no connection between your personality, your personal experience, with what you’re writing,” said one participant. Another said that while they were curious about AI they warned about it “taking away from the collective learning experience by having AI-generated responses and discussion board posts.”

Part of Rusmin’s role is to help faculty understand how to work with students on implementing AI in their classrooms. So this past summer, she created a fellowship program, titled Teaching and AI, for CUNY SPS faculty. The intent of the fellowship was to give faculty a space where they could discuss with each other their ex-

periences, their concerns, their aims, their plans, their hopes, aspirations,” said Rusmin. Some faculty used the time to create

more detailed classroom policies for AI use which, following a University policy, had been left to the discretion of each professor and class.

One aspect of the challenge is that faculty members in different disciplines may have different

use cases for AI that could present an inconsistent message for students. For example, Rusmin shared how one business professor who needed a large data sample was able to create one using calculations done by AI. A class that is heavier on writing, however, could provide its own unique learning challenges if AI is implemented. “There is a lot of grappling with, OK, is it OK to use AI for brainstorming? Is it OK to use it for organizing? What are you losing out on when you use it for different purposes? Are you losing your authentic voice? Are you losing the ability to develop your authentic voice? Are you skipping that process, basically, where you use writing as a thinking tool when you’re asking AI to organize your brainstorming for you?” asked Rusmin.

variations of the original Dall-E on page 24, adding a request for different artistic styles from left to right: Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt.

Dali

Van Gogh

Rembrandt

In April 2025, CUNY SPS students also tackled the ramifications of this new technology, devoting their 7th annual student leadership conference to exploring the future of AI. Throughout the course of a week, over 100 participants attended eleven online sessions that examined AI’s evolving influence across industries—and that raised critical questions about its limitations and principled applications. As attendee Dennys Antunish, a BS in Information Science student and member of the CUNY SPS AI Club, observed afterwards, “[I’m] thinking that AI has so much more to go before it can be widely used and [is] more accessible.” Student Development and Leadership Coordinator Reshma Jaigobin, who chairs the conference planning committee, agreed. “The conversations that unfold-

ed throughout the week made it clear: ethical leadership means asking the hard questions—and who better to lead those discussions than the leaders of tomorrow,” they said.

With these questions in mind, CUNY SPS professors are creating new guidelines that they hope will encourage more transparent and productive ways of learning that don’t ignore AI, but also allow students to continue to learn on their own. Some of these approaches include having “a clear context for students” when using AI so they understand when they can and can’t use it, said Rusmin. In some cases, students could be asked to share whether they used AI for brainstorming, fact-checking, grammar checking, research, or something else. “You have to build trust with the students because the students don’t want to be punished for doing something wrong,” said Rusmin, who plans to survey students for a second time about their AI habits and potentially convene another roundtable to discuss the progress and findings.

Some of these approaches include having “a clear context for students” when using AI so they understand when they can and can’t use it, said Rusmin. In some cases, students could be asked to share whether they used AI for brainstorming, fact-checking, grammar checking, research, or something else. “You have to build trust with the students because the students don’t want to be punished for doing something wrong.” u

User Prompt: Please create 20 images based on the following prompt: “How the School is Navigating this Innovative—and Controversial—New Technology”

AI: I wasn’t able to generate the 20 images due to a technical issue. Unfortunately, something went wrong during the image generation process.

If you’d like, I can help break down your title into multiple distinct visual themes or scenes, then generate the images in smaller batches—just say the word!

User Prompt: Yes

AI: Great! Here’s how we can break down the title:

“How the School is Navigating this Innovative— and Controversial—New Technology” touches on progress, uncertainty, education, ethics, and AI integration.

Let’s split it into four themes, each with a few visual scene ideas:

1. The Innovation & Promise

2. The Controversy & Debate

3. The Adaptation & Implementation

While faculty and students grapple with best practices on classroom use of AI, Dr. Arthur O’Connor, the academic director of the School’s MS in Data Science and BS in Information Science degree programs, is actually addressing AI head on— by bringing it directly into the classroom. In Fall 2025, Dr. O’Connor launched a MS in Generative AI program at CUNY SPS. The cutting-edge online program—which is the first AI-focused degree program offered at any CUNY school— will welcome its inaugural cohort of students this Spring.

Dr. O’Connor is also the author of a timely book called Organizing for Generative AI and the

Productivity Revolution, which was released in late 2024 by Apress Publishers. The book focuses on how AI technologies are forcing companies to reckon whether and how to deploy them while also balancing concerns about job displacement and the erosion of critical thinking skills. In an interview in March 2025, O’Connor reflected on the mixed feelings that so many people have about AI, inside and outside of academia. In a sentiment that offers a blueprint for the CUNY SPS community going forward, he observed, “Most people, no matter what they do for a living, vacillate between excitement and fear. Just like in previous industrial revolutions, those people who embrace it and add value tend to succeed.”

“Most people, no matter what they do for a living, vacillate between excitement and fear. Just like in previous industrial revolutions, those people who embrace it and add value tend to succeed.”

4. The Human Element

1. The Innovation & Promise

2. The Controversy & Debate

3. The Adaptation & Implementation

4. The Human Element

CUNY SPS Faculty Experts Weigh in on the Issues of Our Time

Inspired by our new magazine title Voices, we’ve invited several of our brilliant, passionate, and dedicated faculty and staff to share their own thoughts on the topics facing their discipline—and higher ed—today.

Op-EdU

How AI Tools Will Shape and Impact Nursing Practice in the Near Future

With the increasing rapid development of generative AI tools based on large language models, I see many applications that will directly impact nursing practice in the near future. Among all healthcare professionals, nurses currently report experiencing higher level of burnouts, about 68% due to grueling shifts, high patient loads, documentation, and administrative burden.

AI tools can decrease burnout through streamlining tasks and workflows. Voice-enabled documentations, automated charting assistants, and workload balancing scheduling systems can assist in improving work efficiency. With the assistance of predictive algorithms built into the electronic health records, we can have the capability to predict nurse fatigue through assessing shift patterns, workload, and biometric data. Fatigue alerts can assist to take preventive actions like allocating breaks or using relaxation techniques.

Additionally, based on fatigue scores, tasks can be redistributed. Real-time alerts from patient monitoring systems can be of great value in prioritizing nursing care and treating patients in a timely manner without delays. Intelligent data retrievals through voice or text commands can assist nurses in rapid assessment providing timely care. Remote patient monitoring systems through the use of wearables and other monitoring devices can provide nurses with real-time data and alerts on patient’s critical values or conditions.

These AI-powered tools will not only improve nursing work flows but also will impact patient outcomes. When patients receive timely and efficient care, we will have better patient outcomes.

Lilly Mathew PhD RN NI-BC NPD-BC

Associate Professor

Nursing Informatics, Nursing Programs

Nurse Scientist, Northwell Health-Glen Cove

Op-EdU

Building Universal Access at CUNY SPS

Making teaching and learning accessible, equitable, and welcoming requires sustained commitment, and it can’t happen through isolated efforts alone. At CUNY SPS, we take this work seriously: we have a strong Office of Student Disability Services, accessible communication and event practices, an OER (Open Educational Resources) initiative for affordable and accessible education, and ongoing professional development for faculty on accessibility and UDL (Universal Design for Learning). Last year, we co-founded the UDL Collaborative with Student Disability Services Specialist Amarna Williams to bring together faculty and staff from across the school to share, learn, and advocate around these issues.

rials, forms, marketing content, and institutional documents to support accessibility and compliance. Rather than replacing the work faculty and staff already do, a document remediation service would handle the labor-intensive task of updating existing content to meet accessibility standards. This would give faculty and staff more bandwidth to focus on learning how to create and maintain accessible materials going forward. These efforts would allow them to continue delivering the exceptional student experience for which CUNY SPS is known.

While these initiatives demonstrate our commitment, UDL principles remind us that true accessibility cannot be achieved through fragmented approaches. The scale of the work, along with recent laws requiring many institutions to remediate existing content in compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), makes a dedicated document remediation service essential. This service would review and enhance course mate-

Our School has established itself as a leader in accessibility across the CUNY system. To remain true to this reputation and move toward the universal approach that UDL advocates, we need a campus-wide solution that touches every part of our educational environment. The time has come to complete our accessibility infrastructure.

Antonia Levy Associate Director of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology (OFDIT)

Dr. Brian LeLay Assistant Professor, Disability Studies Programs

The Air in the AI Bubble May Be Leaking

Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) has entered the general psyche often being pitched as either an existential crisis or the technology that will replace humans, as predicted by Bill Gates. The problem with understanding the true impact of AI is that the term itself has no technical merit and is simply a marketing term. Broadly speaking, AI refers to one of two technologies: predictive modeling or large language models (LLM). However, it is LLMs that are causing the disruption. Let’s be clear, computers do not understand language. They are merely finding patterns and connections between numeric representations of language.

The results from chatbots are incredible. But so was David Copperfield making the Statue of Liberty disappear. Once you start to understand the trick, it becomes less amazing. OpenAI believes that their models will get better as they train it with more data. However, they have already trained their models with virtually all digitized text. How much bigger can they get? We may already be seeing a plateau with the release of ChatGPT 5, which was released to lackluster reviews.

I’m not naive, AI will change things. But the change will be more akin to how spreadsheets, spell check, and calculators changed the world. Some industries will change more than others. My hope is that we can move beyond the hype and have serious conversations about how these technologies can be more effectively used to benefit humans and not replace us.

Jason Bryer, PhD Assistant Professor and Associate Director Data Science and Information Science Programs

A Call for a Humanizing Pedagogy Op-EdU

When I was invited to write this, I knew it would broadly be about peace and human rights. The tyranny of the moment demands much from those of us who work toward inclusive and just worlds.

As an educator, I call for and attempt to enact a humanizing pedagogy: teaching practices that invite shared learning around human experiences, critical inquiries, divergent interpretations, and spaces to shift perspectives. This humanizing pedagogy is sometimes called “critical pedagogy” and finds some of its roots in Paulo Freire’s famous book Pedagogy of the Oppressed. That text is about many forms of literacy and our critical ability “to read the word and the world.” One major premise in the book is that no learner (no matter how young or old) is a blank slate to deposit knowledge into—not mechanical, not poetic, not patriotic. Rather, education should serve the purpose of critical consciousness raising. Reflection. Action. Asking excellent questions. Honoring lived experience.

Such work is serious. The legendary James Baldwin said in his 1963 speech “A Talk to Teachers” that “the paradox of education is precisely this— that as one begins to become conscious, one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.” This consciousness-raising education is under attack. The US Department of Education

is partnering with 40 organizations to deliver “patriotic” civics education in the same moment that the history of chattel slavery is being erased from the Smithsonian—though it will never be erased from the permanent record. This harkens back to longstanding “culture wars” in social studies education and the censoring of books like Freire’s and Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States from classrooms. In a moment of crackdown on our free thought/speech, we must spring into humanizing praxis despite how heavy our spirits.

Dr. Elizabeth Bishop Adjunct Faculty, Youth Studies Programs

AI and Higher Education: Fear, Opportunity, and the Need to Adapt

In recent conversations with colleagues, I’ve noticed a divide. My friends in the liberal arts often say their greatest fear is that students will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to cheat, to let the machine think and write for them. My colleagues in the sciences take a more pragmatic view. To them, AI is simply the next tool, like the calculator or the word processor, one more step in the evolution of how we work and learn.

Both perspectives matter, but what strikes me most is how quickly this conversation is shifting. AI is evolving on what feels like a monthly basis, with new features appearing almost weekly. It isn’t perfect now, but who can say how close it will come? I don’t know, and neither does anyone else. At this point, we are all just speculating.

What I do know is that higher education has been here before. When online learning first appeared, many academics dismissed it outright. By the time they realized the potential, entire industries had already been reshaped. If we make the same mistake with AI, our fears of becoming irrelevant will become a reality.

Meanwhile, businesses already expect graduates to be fluent with AI. Just as internet literacy became required after the 2000s, AI fluency is quickly becoming the new baseline. As a result, institutions of higher education must remain ready to adapt.

AI can either be the shortcut that undermines learning or the catalyst that sparks students toward true intellectual curiosity. The choice is ours.

James Richardson Associate Professor Communication and Media Program

Gone But Not Forgotten:

CUNY SPS Says Goodbye to Several Beloved Faculty and Staff We Lost in 2025

Rokshana Ali, MS in Disability Services in Higher Ed alum; Assistant Director of Communication and Media and Liberal Studies programs

Rokshana was not only a valued colleague and leader at our School but also a proud alum of

the CUNY SPS MS in Disability Services in Higher Education program. In her work administering the Communication and Media and Liberal Studies programs, as well as co-chairing the student-run Disability and Access Coalition while a student herself, she became known for her tireless advocacy and spirit of service. Her impact was especially felt by students who saw in her a mentor who truly understood the challenges they faced and who never stopped working to uplift others with grace, creativity, and compassion.

Mariette Bates, former Academic Director, Disability Studies

Dr. Bates was a trailblazer in her field and an essential part of the legacy of CUNY SPS. She began her career as an advocate for people with a psychiatric disability who were institutionalized, which inspired her to take on the role of program director at One to One, a nonprofit started by Geraldo Rivera after his exposé of Willowbrook State School. In 2008, Dr. Bates joined CUNY SPS, where she served as academic director and distinguished lecturer until her retirement in 2022. Beginning with the MA in Disability Studies in 2009—the first of several groundbreaking dis-

ability studies programs established by Dr. Bates—she laid the foundation for what would become a nationally recognized hub for scholarship, activism, and community in the field. Through her leadership, Dr. Bates built an expansive network of scholars, researchers, and activists who carry forward her legacy of inclusive education and transformative advocacy. Her impact is felt in every class, in every graduate who has gone on to lead change in their communities, and in every conversation about access and equity that her work helped to make possible.

Devva Kasnitz, Adjunct Faculty in Disability Studies

A pioneer in the field, Dr. Kasnitz taught foundational courses in the CUNY SPS

MA in Disability Studies and MS in Disability Services in Higher Education programs, as part of a long and acclaimed career dedicated to research, teaching, and advocating for disability rights and justice. Beyond her academic contributions, Dr. Kasnitz was a mentor, advocate, and friend to many generations of disability scholars, including the many students that she inspired at CUNY SPS.

Brian McDonald, Faculty Resources Manager

Brian dedicated seventeen years of his life to CUNY SPS, bringing humor, passion, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to our students and faculty. His efforts to connect closely with students, faculty, and staff and build a community focused on diversity, inclusion, and empowerment has left an indelible mark on our School, and he is greatly missed.

Energy Training Program Earns Accreditation CUNY SPS’ Innovative Learning Solutions Unit Welcomes Formal Recognition of Program Known for its Rigor and Value

By Rebecca Brown Cesarani

The Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS), a unique unit at CUNY SPS that provides transformative learning programs for city, state, and nonprofit organizations, welcomed some exciting accreditation news in 2025.

Corresponding with National Energy Awareness Month in October, ILS’ Energy Training (ET) program received formal accreditation by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET rigorously evaluates professional development programs to determine their eligibility to award continuing education units (CEUs), and recently certified ET for the high-quality training it provides to energy professionals.

“The benefits of IACET accreditation are significant,” said Michelle Attles, program director of ILS Energy Training. “It enables ET to issue CEUs recognized across industries and enhances the credibility and transferability of our training, ensures that our instructional design meets rigorous adult learning standards, and provides a structured framework for continuous improvement.”

ET’s courses equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to address current energy challenges, support global cli-

mate change initiatives, and promote sustainability. The program serves a broad audience within the energy sector, ranging from entry-level personnel to seasoned professionals, including building operators, stationary engineers, architects, project managers, analysts, and energy managers. ET had long recognized the strategic value of aligning its learning offerings—which include courses, webinars, workshops, certifications, and specialized training sessions offered through the Energy Management Institute (EMI)—with internationally recognized standards in the areas of quality, consistency, and learner-centered excellence. But it wasn’t until last year that ET, in partnership with its EMI program sponsor the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Division of Energy Management

(DEM), had the capacity to begin the intensive and collaborative process of pursuing and attaining accreditation.

“With a unified vision, the team embarked upon what would become a year-long initiative to build a robust application that documented every aspect of our operation, from needs assessment and instructional design to instructor hiring and learner support services,” said Rachid Eladlouni, senior manager of ILS ET Program Effectiveness. “IACET accreditation is a programmatic milestone that marks formal recognition of the quality of our work

and opens a new chapter in the program’s evolution and impact.”

“All ET team members assisted with drafting new policies or updating existing ones, developing standard operating procedures, and preparing detailed documentation to support the application,” said Erin Morrison-Sadaka, senior manager of ILS ET Training Operations.

The team also worked collaboratively with DCAS DEM to ensure that training materials not only reflected the program’s existing strengths but also met IACET’s standards for continuing education and training.

“A highly skilled, well-trained workforce is critical to decarbonizing NYC’s public buildings,” said Deputy Commissioner of Energy Management at DCAS and the City Chief Decarbonization Officer, Sana Barakat. “Our IACET accreditation reflects a strong commitment to providing high-quality professional development for the public servants who keep our city running. We are proud to advance this work in partnership with the CUNY SPS Office of Innovative Learning Solutions.”

CUNY SPS Year in Review

CUNY SPS is pleased to spotlight the efforts of our administration, academic programs, and faculty, staff, students, and alumni over the past year with a look back at the School’s most noteworthy events, awards, and initiatives.

School-Wide Highlights

Industry and Community Partnership Breakfast Forum

This past May, leaders from local businesses and government agencies gathered at CUNY SPS for the Industry and Community Partnership Breakfast Forum to share information and offer insights on competencies needed for the future workforce.

The forum served as a vital step in reinforcing the School’s role as a connector between academia and industry, ensuring graduates are wellequipped for today’s competitive job market, and helps bolster CUNY SPS’ position as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation across the region.

Inaugural Dean’s Reception

In May 2025, the CUNY SPS Foundation joined staff, faculty, donors, and students and alumni leaders at Trinity Commons for the Inaugural CUNY SPS Dean’s Reception. Marking an important milestone for the School, the gathering provided a platform for Dean Braverman to meet and honor the School’s supporters and advocates, present the current state of CUNY SPS, and share her vision for its future.

12th Annual Scholarship Reception

CUNY SPS community members gathered at the Annual Scholarship Reception in November to celebrate the notable achievements of this year’s scholarship recipients and express gratitude for the generous donor support. The 2025 ceremony featured speeches by scholarship recipients Rupendra Shrestha (MS in Data Science), who received the Russ Peterson Technology Scholars award; Jongseok Park (Certificate in Medical Coding), the NYCHSRO Medical Coding Scholarship recipient; and Jocelyn Nieves (BS in Health Information Management), who earned the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation Scholarship.

Student Success and Student Experience Excellence Initiative

Following a generous $60,000 grant from the CUNY Office of the Chancellor, CUNY SPS is charting out a bold and multi-channeled peer mentoring program called the Student Success and Student Experience Excellence Initiative. Launched in Fall 2024, this new project will help increase successful degree completion through three distinct tracks: mentoring programs to bolster academic and workforce success, streamlining transfer credit evaluations for incoming students, and enhancing the first-year curriculum.

CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium Award

For the second year in a row, CUNY SPS was awarded a substantial grant from the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium. This year’s $40,000 award helped fund the School’s 2024-2025 lineup of numerous LGBTQIA+ community-building events and educational symposiums. Similar to last year, the grant proposal was drafted by Dr. Jan Oosting, PhD, RN, associate professor of Nursing, and Anthony Sweeney, associate director of student life.

Catch Up With Lex

CUNY SPS is excited to introduce “Catch Up with Lex,” a new section of the CUNY SPS magazine based on our mascot Lex the Lynx. Named by Amarna Williams, student disability services specialist and MS in Disability Services in Higher Education alum, this section features some of this year’s many student accomplishments, events, and updates.

7th Annual Student Leadership Conference

Hosted by the CUNY SPS Office of Student Life in April 2025, the 7th annual Student Leadership Conference featured multiple webinars presented and attended by CUNY SPS students that examined the potential benefits and challenges of AI in today’s world. This year’s conference theme, developed by an advisory committee for the School’s new graduate academic enrichment program Visionary Voices, sought to examine AI’s evolving influence across industries—and to raise critical questions about its limitations and principled applications. The online weeklong series drew over one hundred participants to the eleven interactive sessions, which were presented by a number of CUNY SPS student leaders, in addition to a keynote speech by Dr. Shane Snipes, professor of business at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

2025 Emerging Leaders Retreat

For the third year in a row, the Student Association hosted the 2025 Emerging Leaders Retreat, the annual seminar series for student leaders. Held in late August, the four-segment nightly workshops offered strategies and skills to help stu-

dent leaders face real-world challenges throughout the academic year. The series featured these panels: Delegation & Credibility: Leading Through Mistakes; An Unexpected Journey of Leadership; Decision Making for Student Leaders; and Pathways to Leadership: Lessons from Those Who’ve Led, each hosted online by thought leaders from various sectors, including Tim Paul Duffy, Electus Society; Nestor Melendez, dean of student services at Hillsborough Community College; and Deanne DeCrescenzo, Temple University. The final night of the retreat featured an on-campus panel of alumni who shared their experiences in leadership roles and offered advice to the students in attendance. Speakers included Asantee Mitchell (BA in Disability Studies ‘23); Lennyn Jacob (BA in Disability Studies ‘25); and Leonard Blades (MS in Disability Services in Higher Education ‘20, Adv. Cert in Disability Studies ‘22, and MA in Disability Studies ’25).

5th Annual Student Leadership and Service Recognition Ceremony

CUNY SPS celebrated 80 student leaders at the 2025 Student Leadership and Service Recognition Ceremony honoring their advocacy, resilience, and contributions to the School’s vibrant community. Held in April at Baruch, this year’s event included keynote speeches from USS Chairperson Daniel Reden and USS Graduate Delegate Asantee Mitchell, along with remarks from several student leaders.

CIED Year in Review

Founded in 2019 with a goal of encouraging and cultivating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) at CUNY SPS, the Committee for Institutional Equity and Diversity continued its important work throughout 2025, with themed programming held each semester.

We hope all members of CUNY SPS had a chance to participate in a few of these inspiring events.

Spring 2025: Professional Growth & Internal Capacity Building

March 19 – Mastering Effective Communication Skills for Listening, Resolving, and Managing Conflicts

March 26 – Creating Culturally Responsive Curriculum with Universal Design

April 8 – Panel Discussion on Preventing Disability Discrimination in the Workplace

April 9 – Navigating Conflict: Empowering Faculty and Staff to Support Inclusion and Belonging in a Diverse Classroom

April 23 – Building Inclusive Campus Communities: Applying Accessibility Principles for Lasting Impact

May 1 – Mental Health Through the Lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) & Asian American Herbalism

May 7 – Bite Sized Self-Care and Stress Management Techniques

To keep track for your own personal ‘leaderboard,’ mark on the page here which of these you may have attended yourself!

Fall 2025: Exploring Identity, Culture, and Belonging Through Shared Experiences

September 17 – Hispanic Heritage Month: Connecting Through Language and Culture

October 8 – Demystifying the Immigrant Experience in NYC: A Change Project with Staten Island Arts

October 9 – Diwali Celebration Collaboration with South Asian Student Union

October 21 – Be an Influencer: Your Role in a Disability Inclusive Culture

November 6 – From Service to Strength: Supporting Veterans’ Mental Wellness and Resilience

December 9 – Shared Light! Food, Identity, and Memory Throughout the Jewish Diaspora Featuring Live Demos of Holiday Recipes

Academic Program Highlights

Online Business Programs

As part of its ongoing mission to reduce the financial strains of higher education, CUNY SPS has added both the BPS in Applied Management and the BS in Business to the growing list of degree programs offering student savings through textbook-free curriculum, called “Z Degrees.” Starting in Winter Session 2026, students in these programs will now be able to complete their entire coursework without purchasing any textbooks.

Disability Studies

In a first-ever event, the Disability Studies programs hosted a Disability Culture Summit in November 2024. The online summit featured several notable leaders in the arts and sports worlds who discussed their own work and the ways that intersections in technology across disability culture successfully address ableism and increase diversity and inclusion. Presenters included Jerron Herman, performer and director; Ryan Martin, director of inclusive and adaptive sports, CUNY Athletics; and Leroy F. Moore, Jr., founder, Krip-Hop Nation. Dr. Andrew Marcum, academic director of the CUNY SPS Disability Studies programs, and Dr. Brian Le Lay, an assistant professor in the department, moderated the summit.

Psychology

In a first-ever initiative made possible by a $70,000 grant from Empire State Development (ESD), the BA in Psychology program brought 32 undergraduate psychology majors to Washington, D.C. this past May for the 2025 Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention. The threeday conference gave students the chance to attend keynote talks, professional workshops, poster sessions, and networking events at one of the field’s most prestigious gatherings. The experience, fully funded through the grant, was designed to expand access and prepare students for future careers in psychology, while underscoring the transformative power of hands-on academic opportunities.

Youth Studies

In April 2025, CUNY SPS launched The Reverend Dr. Alfonso Wyatt Scholarship, a new scholarship that offers financial support for youth development professionals attending the School’s Youth Studies programs who have either been impacted by the

criminal justice system and/or demonstrate a commitment to supporting individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. Named after the Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, a pioneer and innovator in the field of youth development, the scholarship was developed with the hope of encouraging a new generation to follow in his legacy of transformative youth development work. The scholarship was founded with initial donations by Dr. Sarah Zeller-Berkman, academic director of the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs; Dr. Whitney Hollins, associate professor in the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs; Deepmalya Ghosh, an advisory board member for the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs; and April Glad, senior program officer at the Pinkerton Foundation who is also on the Advisory Board of Youth Studies.

In a second highlight, the Youth Studies program hosted its sixth annual Community & Youth Organizing series in January 2025 with three events illuminating youth-led activism. The 2025 series first featured a screening of the film Whose Streets?, which sparked conversations on community building and collective action. In the second week, the screening of Following Harry honored Harry Belafonte’s mentorship legacy, and the post-film conversation featured Rod Starz of Rebel Diaz sharing insights on the intersection of activism and art. The series finale, Youth Organizing for Economic Justice, highlighted the resilience of three youth-focused organizations, with CUNY SPS Professor Lumumba Bandele and young people from the organizations delivering an inspiring call to action. Together, these events showcased the transformative power of youth-driven movements, inspiring hope and unity for a more equitable future.

MA in Applied Theatre

The MA in Applied Theatre program presented four student-produced performance projects for a multi-generational audience during the 2025 Theatre in Education (TIE) Festival held in May. The projects, which were developed during the MAAT course Teaching Through Theatre: The Theory and Practice of TIE and later presented at New York City schools, were remounted and offered for a public audience at the festival. The projects included:

• When the Lights Dim: The Fight to Be Seen and Heard by Vaughn Rush and Daniel Sbriglio

• What Are You So Afraid Of? by J.D. Scalzo and Patryk Sicinski

• Through the Desert and Beyond: A Journey and Exploration of Medieval Western Africa, the People and their Contributions to Humanity by Nate Merchant and Willie Teacher

• Into the Unknown: A Collaborative Story with Pre-Kindergartners by Monica Diaz, Elana Hershman, and Rachel Matusewicz

NEW

Academic Programs

Beginning with the Fall 2025 semester, CUNY SPS is expanding its academic portfolio with a wide range of new degree and certificate programs—including the first-ever master’s in AI to be offered at CUNY—that are designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s workforce and offer online students the in-demand skills necessary for their careers. Here’s a complete list of the new offerings:

Scheduled for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026:

• BS in Information Science – Data Science Track

• BA in Psychology – Health Psychology Track

• Advanced Certificate in Disability Advocacy

• Advanced Certificate in Early Childhood Policy

• Advanced Certificate in Children’s Program Administrator Credential

• Certificate in Health Psychology

• Certificate in CASAC/Addiction Studies

• BA in Psychology – CASAC/Addiction Studies Track*

• MS in Generative AI

• MA in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership

Scheduled for Fall 2026:

• MS in Strategic Nonprofit Management

• Advanced Certificate in Health Information Management

• Advanced Certificate in Nonprofit Management*

• BS in Business with tracks in Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Human Resource Management, Marketing, and Self-Directed Study

• BS in Information Science – Cybersecurity Track

*Pending NYSED Approval

CUNY SPS Celebrates Another Year Among Top

10 in the Nation

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report Ranked CUNY SPS:

Ranked: #6 in the nation 2025 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.

Ranked: #2 in the nation 2025 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans.

Ranked: #9 in the nation BA in Psychology –Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs.

Ranked: #25 in the nation MS in Nursing –Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs.

Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award

CUNY SPS honored the 2025 winners of the School’s annual Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in a ceremony held in December 2025. This year’s recipients were Dr. Michael FitzGerald, a professor of philosophy in the CUNY SPS General Education program, and Curtis Izen, who teaches in the CUNY SPS Online Business Programs. The annual award, which comes with a $1,000 prize, recognizes outstanding faculty for their creative and innovative teaching practices.

CUNY SPS Community Highlights

Faculty & Staff

Dr. Elizabeth Alsop, associate professor and academic director of the Communication and Media program, published the book Elaine May: An Unsentimental Education, exploring the films of Elaine May, through the University of Illinois Press.

computer-generated design on aluminum panels and limited-edition prints.

Professor Curtis Izen, who teaches in the CUNY SPS Online Business Programs and the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, recently received three prestigious teaching awards: the Zicklin Adjunct Teaching Award, the Outstanding Honors Teaching Award, and the Chook Teaching Award. These honors are in recognition of his innovative pedagogy, curriculum development, education leadership, and exemplary teaching evaluations, and highlight Prof. Izen’s commitment to academic excellence and his contributions to student success. Prof. Izen also received the CUNY SPS Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (see page 48).

Professor William Jones of the BS in Information Science program hosted an art exhibition “The Right of Rites” at Medgar Evers College. The exhibition explored the profound intersections of ritual, identity, belonging, and culture using photography, digital art, and

Nursing Professor Dr. Olga Kagan has been appointed Chair of the Nursing Section at the New York Academy of Medicine for the 2025-2027 term. NYAM has been at the forefront of promoting health, equity, and access to care. Dr. Kagan is honored to continue this legacy and work together with colleagues to foster innovation, support professional development, and enhance the well-being of the communities nurses serve. Dr. Kagan also founded the Food Allergy Nursing Association (FANA). As president of FANA, she is dedicated to advancing nursing education, research, leadership, and professional collaboration in the food allergy subspecialty.

CUNY SPS Museum Studies Professor Jamie Lawyer was named as a “Power 10” influencer in the museum sector on the website blooloop’s Museum Influencer List 2024. Professor Lawyer was named for her pioneering work as chief experience officer at the Rubin Museum, where visitor-centered experiences have been designed to resonate emotionally with the audience.

Nursing Professor Kathleen Marsala-Cervasio joined the newly created Access

in Nursing (AIN) research team, a branch of the DocsWithDisabilities Initiative. Their study, “Disability and Accommodation Use in US Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs,” has been published in JAMA Network Open. This benchmark study represents the first national effort to quantify the prevalence of disabilities and accommodations in traditional pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.

sion in academic settings.

Dr. Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the Nursing programs, published the article “Visitation Restrictions in Inpatient Psychiatric Settings: A Call for Connected Healing,” in the Taylor and Francis journal Issues in Mental Health Nursing Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Jan Oosting published “Translanguaging in the Undergraduate Nursing Classroom: An Educational Innovation” in the Journal of Nursing Education

The article highlights a study on the positive impact of translanguaging in an undergraduate nursing classroom. Translanguaging, a pedagogical practice that allows students to use their strongest written language for assignments, was successfully piloted in a nursing elective course at CUNY SPS. The study suggests that nursing educators (and others) should consider incorporating translanguaging in their courses to support linguistic diversity and improve student engagement and comprehen-

Dr. Arthur O’Connor, academic director of the MS in Data Science and BS in Information Science degree programs at CUNY SPS, published the book Organizing for Generative AI and the Productivity Revolution (Apress Publishers). Written from Dr. O’Connor’s perspective as a data scientist who studies organizational behavior, the book is intended as a call to change the way business organizations, and especially their IT departments, are structured and staffed.

CUNY SPS Nursing Faculty Dr. Linda Paradiso was elected President of the NY chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) and assumed the presidency effective June 2025. Dr. Paradiso, a psychiatric nurse and board-certified nurse executive who has written and lectured on topics related to just culture, psychiatric nursing, and performance improvement, will apply her 40 years of experience in behavioral health settings toward this new role.

Retirements

in the CUNY SPS Family

CUNY SPS honors our dedicated faculty & staff who retired over the past academic year. Thank you all for your service!

Patricia Bartley Daniele Associate Professor, Nursing

Dr. Bartley Daniele, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (ANCC) and full-time nursing faculty member, came to CUNY SPS with academic teaching experience in associate, baccalaureate, and graduate education, and was a tenured assistant professor of nursing at Kingsborough Community College prior to her time here. Some of her research interests included nurses’ and nurse practitioners’ transition into practice, mentoring, leadership, pain management, and cultural competence.

Thomas Jennings Assistant Dean of Registrar and Student Services

A higher education professional for more than 48 years, Tom worked at CUNY SPS in academic advisement since 2003, where he was an expert in student systems and served as principal resource person for the School’s CUNYfirst effort.

Kathleen Kirk Clinical Professor, Health Information Management Program

Dr. Kirk has served as a clinical professor at CUNY SPS’ Health Information Management program since 2019. Prior to this, Dr. Kirk served as assistant professor and program director of the HIM program at Rutgers University School of Health Professions. She earned a PhD in Biomedical Informatics at Rutgers, and is a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

Zeita-Marion (“Z”) Lobley Director of Student Services

Z. Lobley has been a college administrator for most of her career, first working at the New School for Social Research, then for 21 years at Columbia University in central administration, before coming to CUNY SPS to help launch the Online Baccalaureate program in 2006. Through the early years of this program, she advised students about developing their senior research projects. In 2011, Z. returned to teaching after many years and continued this alongside her role heading student services.

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Bonnie Oglensky

Academic Director of the BA in Sociology, BA in Human Relations, and graduate certificates in Immigration Law (ILAW) and Management (ACM) programs

An acclaimed sociologist noted for her leadership, teaching, scholarship, and service, Dr. Oglensky first joined CUNY SPS in 2014 to oversee the development and operation of these programs, several of which have gone on to earn national recognition and top satisfaction ratings by the programs’ graduates. Dr. Oglensky also leaves a legacy of service and is greatly proud of her efforts to enforce college governance policy to ensure her colleagues have a meaningful voice in college matters.

Marge Reilly

Academic Director, Nursing

Dr. Margaret Reilly served as professor and academic director of the CUNY SPS online nursing programs from 2013-2025. Prior to this appointment in 2013, Reilly served on the faculty at Queensborough Community College for 15 years. While there she was part of the Task Force that developed the Dual/Joint AAS-BS Degree program with Queensborough Community College and Hunter College. Among her other awards, Dr. Reilly was selected to be a Jonas Scholar while working at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her research focus included nursing workforce issues, faculty development, mentoring, and curricular integration of technology and simulation. She has published and presented her work regionally as well as nationally.

CUNY SPS Community Highlights

Students & Alumni

Katerina Lewis Archer (BA in Communication and Media ‘25) was named one of six ambassadors for the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), a statewide, intercollegiate entrepreneurship competition. The goal for the ambassadors is to promote the entrepreneurship competition on campus and in local regions.

Amy Cancryn (BA in Sociology ‘25) founded NexisNeo, a marketing firm that crafts content for electric vehicles and clean tech. Drawing from her sociology studies at CUNY SPS, Cancryn published an analysis on the NexisNeo website about Europe’s electric vehicle adoption challenges. She identifies and defines a “Green Divide” in which critical socioeconomic barriers and policy contradictions prevent the majority of European households from transitioning to electric mobility.

Sarah Chalmers Simmons (MA in Applied Theatre ‘10) published a chapter in the book Into Abolitionist Theatre: A Guidebook for Liberatory Theatre-making. Her chapter “The

Power of Difference: Solidarity on the Path,” which explores the development of Civic Ensemble’s ReEntry Theatre Program’s 2018 production “Streets like this,” focuses on writing, editing, and performance processes and draws on first-person interviews with participants and facilitators. By including practical steps for making theatre in community and the challenges of finding solidarity between participants and practitioners, the chapter unpacks conflicts inherent in pursuing a liberatory theatre practice that takes us beyond the easy binary of right and wrong and into the messy work of building solidarity across difference.

Lorna Jhenise Cochrane (BS in Business ‘23) published the book Becoming an Effective Leader: A Leadership Guide and Journal. Cochrane packed her book with practical, simplified, and comprehensive advice that challenges the notion that leaders are born. Her book also combines practical insights with reflective prompts to build adaptable leadership skills. u

Amanda Ebokosia (MA in Youth Studies ‘18) was appointed to the Civil & Human Rights Commission of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Ebokosia has spent years of civic engagement and advocacy across communities, with a special focus on social justice. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Gem Project, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that works alongside youth and young adults through a yearround fellowship.

Guillermina Fernandez (MA in Applied Theatre) was named as one of New York City’s 40 Under 40 experts making the most impact on food policy. The roster, compiled by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, reflects a broad perspective on food policy. Fernandez earned recognition for her work as the director of programs at the Tacombi Community Kitchen, which has provided over 1.5 million meals to communities facing food insecurity.

Phara Souffrant Forrest (BS in Nursing ‘20) was named on the website City & State New York’s list of the “2024

Brooklyn Power 100.” Souffrant Forrest received a #30 ranking

for her work in the New York State Assembly as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. As a New York State Representative, Souffrant Forrest has focused on tenant rights and expanded access to health care, including championing efforts to eliminate copays for insulin. She also chairs the Assembly Task Force on New Americans and has worked on legislation to reform prison and jail policies. She was elected to office in 2020 and represents the 57th Assembly District in Brooklyn, which includes Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and parts of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Souffrant Forrest was also named on CUNY’s 2024“50 Under 50” alumni list (see next page).

Molly Joyce (Adv Certificate in Disability Studies ‘21; MA in Disability Studies

’23) composed the film score to Patrice: The Movie. Described as a documentary rom-com, the film focuses on the fight for marriage equality for people with disabilities and the systemic barriers that currently exist. Creating buzz at both the Toronto and Camden International Film Festivals, Patrice: The Movie is available for viewing on Hulu.

Caitlyn McCain (MA in Applied Theatre ‘23) was awarded the 2024 American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) Distinguished Thesis Award for her master’s thesis “Getting Free: Exploring Freedom Dreaming and Abolition Through Applied Theatre.” The thesis explored how applied theatre, particularly participatory style drama, might create an environment where public school students and educators could dream, imagine, and rehearse new realities, making space for a more just and compassionate world.

Sarah Quinto (MA in Disability Studies, ‘22) co-hosted the ground-breaking podcast series, “One in Five.”

The podcast examines disability discrimination and health equity, a topic that is often inadequately discussed. Two segments of the series feature additional CUNY SPS alums: Heather Harris (MA in Disability Studies ‘21) in Episode 2, and Casey Doherty (MA in Disability Studies ‘23) in Episode 4.

John Robinson (MA in Disability Studies ‘23) was appointed professor of practice at Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies’ Office of Microcredentials. As a committed advocate for disability rights, Robinson will also help coordinate and scale the Workshop in Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities, a non-credit microcredential program designed to empower people with disabilities to either become entrepreneurs or to be better prepared for employment.

Alexandria Sumpter-Delves (BA in Communication and Culture ‘13) was named to the Queens Public Library Board of Trustees. Sumpter-Delves currently holds the position of Director of College and Career Services at Queens Community House, which helps young adults ages 14 to 24 develop the critical skills needed for success in the workforce. In a former role, she managed CUNY’s partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations after Superstorm Sandy.

STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

CUNY SPS BS in Business student Corey Pettway won first place in the NYC regional competition NYBPC (New York Business Plan Competition) for his business plan to engineer a technology-based educational tool called “Good Job.” Dr. Diane Merians Penaloza mentored Pettway as he developed his business idea and pitch.

CUNY “50 Under 50”

In 2024, CUNY launched the “50 Under 50” list to honor distinguished alumni who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields over the past year. Here’s a look at the CUNY SPS alumni who were chosen:

2024:

Kristen Lemma (Advanced Certificate in Research Administration ’21), senior grants specialist, NYU Langone Health

2025:

Dominique Mendez (MA in Psychology ’24), administrative events specialist, John Jay College

Kris Senior (MS in Business Management and Leadership ’20), chief financial officer, Barbizon Lighting Company

Emily Towner (BA in Communication and Media ’16), neuroscience researcher, University of Cambridge Phara Souffrant Forrest (BS in Nursing ’20), New York State Assembly member

Leonard Blades (MS in Disability Services in Higher Education ‘20, Adv. Cert. in Disability Studies ‘22, and MA in Disability Studies ‘25), disability accommodation specialist, Queensborough Community College

Monique A. Francis (Advanced Certificate in Immigration Law ’06), interim executive director of CUNY Citizenship Now

Darnell Wold (BA in Psychology ’23), CEO of Powder Room D Wig Store

Class of 2025 Commencement –Barclays Center

Lavender Celebration

Black Student Union Ceremony

We Are So Proud of You All!

Nursing Convocation & Pinning Ceremony

SEEK End of Year Celebration