CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report
2022–2023
CUNY SPS Foundation Board sps.cuny.edu
Table of Contents Letter from the Foundation Board Chair............................... 1 Who Are Our Students?........................................................ 2 FY23 Total Giving by Constituency and by Fund................... 3 Celebrating 10 Years of Serving Our Students...................... 4 CUNY SPS Foundation Scholarships, Prizes, and Grants...... 8 2023 Board of Directors..................................................... 10 How to Give........................................................................ 11 FY23 Donors...................................................................... 12
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
CUNY School of Professional Studies
Letter from the Foundation Board Chair
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s New York City and the nation have returned to more normal operations with the waning of COVID-19, our CUNY SPS students have faced inflation, increased technology and skills demands in their workplaces, and other challenges as they have pursued their degrees and certificates. The CUNY SPS Foundation Board and generous donors like you have helped meet students’ needs for tuition, textbook support, and special emergency funding for food insecurity and medical or utility bills that would otherwise have derailed their progress. The CUNY SPS Foundation provides flexible funds to meet the needs of our diverse student body— recognizing that students can be more successful with help for tuition costs, some groceries to feed their families, or even a $60 textbook.
We are grateful to Interim Dean Jorge Silva-Puras, who led CUNY SPS over the last two years as we searched for a permanent dean. In our last fiscal year (July 2022 to June 2023), he and the hard-working faculty and staff implemented
impact nursing and health systems, business, media/ communications, childcare, services for youth and people with disabilities, data science and information systems, and channel the power of theater for transformative social purposes.
As we welcome Dr. Lisa Braverman as our new CUNY SPS dean, we look forward to working in support of the new vision she will establish, with student advancement and enrollment growth at the forefront.
As we welcome Dr. Lisa Braverman as our new CUNY SPS dean, we look forward to working in support of the new vision she will establish, with student advancement and enrollment growth at the forefront. We stand ready to rally the resources necessary to fulfill this vision, engaging you, existing donors, and future ones in this work.
the new strategic plan and kept the School’s successes on course. CUNY SPS continued to provide high-quality academic and community programming, with innovative approaches to online higher education to advance the careers of our students in many fields. We are proud of how our students
Sincerely,
Blake Foote Chair, CUNY SPS Foundation Board
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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Who Are Our Students? During the 2022-2023 academic year, over 5500 students attended CUNY SPS in total. Of those, more than 3500 are in undergraduate degree or certificate programs, over 1625 are in graduate degree or advanced certificate programs, and over 400 are non-degree students. Within this class: Ä Approximately 74% of our students are women Ä More than 68% are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Ä 32% are Black Ä 19% are Hispanic Ä 16% are Asian or Pacific Islander Ä <1% are American Indian or Native Alaskan Ä Over 85% of our undergraduates work full or part-time or serve in the military Ä More than 35% of our students are between ages 31-40, and 27% are over 41 years old Ä 71% of our students reside in NYC; 10% live elsewhere in NYS; and another 12% reside outside of New York (7% unreported) Ä Of our local students, 16% are from the Bronx; 31% from Brooklyn; 15% from Manhattan; 33% from Queens; and 4% from Staten Island
A CUNY SPS MA in Museum Studies student at work
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CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
CUNY School of Professional Studies
FY23 – Total Giving by Constituency*
FY23 – Total Giving by Fund*
*FY23 New cash and pledges: $289,631
EVEN A SMALL DONATION GOES A LONG WAY AT CUNY SPS! Tuition is nearly one tenth of what private colleges cost. And unlike other nonprofits and foundations, CUNY SPS covers our staffing and most of our Foundation overhead costs, ensuring that nearly all of your charitable gifts will go directly to students in need.
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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Celebrating 10 Years of Serving Our Students
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he CUNY SPS Foundation is thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Scholarship Reception, an annual event that we began in 2013 to honor all our hard-working and deserving scholarship recipients. For the dedicated members of our Foundation Board and the many donors and friends of CUNY SPS, this reception offers a wonderful opportunity to meet some of our School’s extraordinary students and learn firsthand how the crucial support that our generous donors provide has helped our students thrive and succeed. We are proud that several CUNY SPS alumni have served on our Foundation Board and donated to support current CUNY SPS students. Many CUNY SPS faculty and staff also established scholarships and have given significant funds to support scholarships for students. To mark this 10-year milestone of our Scholarship Reception, we reached out to several alumni scholarship recipients and invited them to reflect on their journey since graduating from CUNY SPS and the impact that their time at the School—and these awards—have had on their lives and careers.
CRYSTAL HENRY-FLEURANTIN
KHADIJAH FREDERICK
BS in Nursing, Class of 2022 Petrie Nursing Scholarship
MA in Youth Studies, Class of 2024, Expected BA in Liberal Studies, Class of 2022 Child Development Associate Certificate Program, Class of 2018
I am currently a private duty nurse for Bayada home care. I love community nursing. It was always my passion to serve disabled persons. As a private duty nurse, I am able to care for my patients in the comfort of their home and provide compassionate and accurate care while also helping patients live a better quality life. My CUNY SPS degree has really helped me to reach the next level in my career. With the help of my degree, I am able to be a better nurse and understand the importance of my role within the larger healthcare community. I was also able to use my higher degree to obtain higher paying positions and advance my career. The scholarship that I received really contributed to my progress. At the time that I received the scholarship, I was struggling so much to pay for my degree. I had even considered taking a break to save up money to complete the program. However, when I received the scholarship, I was able to finish my degree worry free. I am very grateful to CUNY SPS, and I am very grateful to the Petrie Nurse Scholarship. 4
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
ACE Scholarship Bob Martin Memorial Scholarship I am currently working for CUNY City Tech as a program manager in the division of continuing education as well as an adjunct instructor. My degrees and certifications from CUNY SPS have enriched my life far beyond my professional career. They have helped me take risks into areas I always wanted to pursue and allowed me to be an example for my child as he begins his college journey this year. Without the scholarships I would never have been able to maintain a high GPA with the peace of mind I gained from being debt-free because my tuition was covered. I thank CUNY SPS for this opportunity and will do my best to pay it forward by being a change agent in my future professional endeavors.
CUNY School of Professional Studies
DOMINIQUE L. BISHOP
TIFFANY VALDES-MADERA
BA in Human Relations, Class of 2022 ACE Scholarship
BA in Communications and Cultural Studies (now Communication and Media), Class of 2013 Founding Dean’s Scholarship
I currently work for the City of New York (local government) in the HR field. My current job title at my agency is payroll coordinator. Several job opportunities have become available to me since graduating from CUNY SPS with my bachelor's degree. I am now qualified to apply for supervisory and managerial HR roles based not only on my experience, but my education as well. Since graduating from CUNY SPS, I have been able to apply specific skills I’ve learned such as how to communicate effectively with my team, how to problem solve when issues arise within my unit, and how to create effective change throughout my workplace. Earning my bachelor's degree in human relations has allowed me to push the envelope in terms of reaching higher. I strongly believe that my degree has afforded me more career opportunities than I previously had without it. Receiving both a Summer 2021 and the ACE Scholarship awards contributed greatly to my progress at CUNY SPS. The scholarships came at the perfect time in my last three semesters. I was able to focus more on my studies and my road to the finish line rather than how I would be able to afford my tuition. Being an ACE Scholar also allowed me to gain experience in mentoring, which is something I did not imagine myself doing previously. I enjoyed assisting new adult students each semester, giving them the advice and guidance that I wished I had when I first returned to college! Overall, the scholarships allowed me to successfully cross the graduation stage with my classmates and help shape the students that will walk across the same stage in the years to come. I am forever grateful.
Currently, I work at Penn State University (the Lehigh Valley campus), as business development coordinator of Lehigh Valley LaunchBox. I have been there for 2 1/2 years; I started in academic affairs as the faculty affairs coordinator, assisting the chief academic officer, and in August 2023 got promoted to the role I serve now. My experience at CUNY SPS played a pivotal role in shaping my current career in higher education. As a business development coordinator, my role entails extensive networking, serving as a resource connector for entrepreneurs within the community, and outreach—all skills I can directly attribute to my time at CUNY SPS. In 2012-2013, I was a single mother raising my then 3-year old daughter (who is now 13), juggling a full-time job and a full-time college student. The Founding Dean Scholarship I received during that time provided invaluable support by covering my book expenses and tuition. It also ignited my aspiration to become the Commencement speaker for my graduating class (2013). It was a profound honor I was fortunate to attain, and it served as my heartfelt expression of gratitude to remarkable individuals like George Otte and Shannon Gallo, who played pivotal roles in my transformative journey at CUNY SPS.
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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CHIYERE BARBOR-JONES
CHLOE LAMB
MA in Disability Studies, Class of 2021 William J. Kissane III Scholarship
BA in Psychology, Class of 2022
I am currently a program coordinator at a day habilitation program serving individuals with developmental disabilities that range from moderate to severe. Since I have graduated from CUNY SPS, I have a different outlook on disabilities and those that we serve. I advocate more and encourage self-advocacy. I am very passionate that those with developmental or physical disabilities are part of the community, just like anyone else. I started off as a direct support professional and worked my way up to a coordinator. I am not only the coordinator, which is more of an administrator role, but I include myself in their activities and go out into the community to help them discover different places that their families may not be able to take them. I enjoy seeing the looks on the faces of those who have achieved a goal, no matter how small.
I am currently enrolled in graduate school at the University of Buffalo School of Social Work. I am in my second year of pursuing my MSW, and am approaching a field placement at a women’s addiction treatment center.
My degree has influenced my current position to learn more about the [disability studies] field and how I can contribute more to the field in a larger capacity. My degree and the experience I gained have allowed me to be more of a critical thinker and to always ensure that the health, safety, and well-being of individuals are not being compromised, while enhancing my skills to better serve. The Willam J. Kissane III Scholarship assisted me with fixing my computer so that I could work from anywhere, as well as helped with buying the textbooks and supplies needed to complete my courses.
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CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
ACE Scholarship
My education at CUNY SPS was valuable and excellent. My experience at CUNY SPS opened the door to so many opportunities to continue my online education. The ACE mentor program helped me use my experience of trial and error in online learning and direct it to help others in their first year at CUNY SPS. I still sometimes get contacted by my mentees. The experience was amazing.
CUNY School of Professional Studies
RACHEL PITKIN
KATRIEL PAIGE
MA in Museum Studies, Class of 2022 Museum Studies Scholarship
MA in Disability Studies, Class of 2019 William J. Kissane III Scholarship Timothy Meade Memorial Scholarship
Since graduating from CUNY SPS, I entered a PhD program in American History at the CUNY Graduate Center. There I am a graduate fellow at The Gotham Center for New York City History and work closely with The American Social History Project. I also work in the Programs department at Humanities New York, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. In these roles I have applied much of the knowledge that I learned in the Museum Studies program. The program has influenced my decision to pursue Public History in my PhD program, and helped shape many of the experiences that I described above. I would not have been able to pursue my Museum Studies degree at CUNY SPS without help from the scholarships I received from The New-York Historical Society and CUNY SPS. As a first-generation college graduate, I entered into the teaching profession upon graduation from my undergraduate institution with student debt, which was the only way I was able to go to college. In contemplating the different ways that I might pursue graduate school, I knew that scholarships and fellowships would be the only realistic way that I would be able to do so. I am incredibly grateful to The New-York Historical Society and CUNY SPS for providing me with the economic means to continue to pursue my academic path.
I was already working full-time as a digital accessibility specialist when I enrolled in CUNY SPS, but wanted to get a foundation in disability history, law, and more through the MA in Disability Studies program. Due to working at the same time, I attended part-time from 2017 until my graduation in 2019. Since I graduated, I have changed to a different employer and my salary has increased—programs relating to user experience are uncommon still, and there are no distinct programs for digital accessibility in terms of education. The MA in Disability Studies definitely helped me with my career, because it directly related to my occupation and is relevant to things like user experience, human-computer interaction, intersections with other civil rights and public policies, and more. I’d also note that Disability Studies programs are fairly uncommon especially when not tied to or part of other degrees like education…and when I enrolled in CUNY SPS only about a handful of schools in the U.S. had any graduate Disability Studies program on offer. The number was even fewer when you factored in some of those programs at other schools required full-time residency on campus; I could not do that, partly because of my location and partly because I was working at the same time. So, in addition to the degree itself and my studies being relevant to my career overall and current position, the fact that it is still such an uncommon field and CUNY SPS was such a high value (scholarship opportunities, communication about costs, etc.) is itself its own set of influences. Even though I was working at the time, money was really tight—I had a lot of debts already, including medical expenses due to chronic pain issues, and more. The scholarships I received, along with CUNY's system of communicating about the costs of books and providing accommodations (I myself am disabled but not eligible for certain benefits), helped me to be able to manage living expenses like rent, as well as books, as well as the costs I needed for my education like software licenses and more. It made staying in the program possible and enabled me to graduate even when things looked tough. CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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CUNY SPS Foundation Scholarships, Prizes, and Grants
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ith the help of our generous supporters, the CUNY SPS Foundation has awarded scholarships, prizes, and grants of more than $2.5 million to over 2,500 students since 2012.
The following list of scholarships, prizes, and grants reflect the diversity of support that the Foundation offers to our unique student body. We recognize that students at CUNY SPS, who are returning to college, may have different—and far more urgent—financial needs than traditional undergraduates. Nearly all our students work full time, and many of them are female heads of households, raising families while juggling school and work. These determined students may struggle not only with the costs of higher education—especially since they are often ineligible for federal financial aid because they are working or going to school part time—but also with paying their bills in NYC where the cost of living is so great. To meet our students where they are at, the Foundation seeks to customize and expand the types of awards we provide to ensure that all our students may get the specific help they need to succeed at CUNY SPS and beyond. Because CUNY’s undergraduate tuition is only $7,000 per year, your contributions towards scholarships and other supports go a long way to helping our hard-working students finish their degrees and move ahead in their careers.
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CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
CUNY School of Professional Studies
Scholarships ACHIEVE COLLEGE EDUCATION (ACE) SCHOLARSHIP: 15 Awardees
DR. CLAUDINE CAMPANELLI Program Administrator, Child Development Associate and Children's Program Administrator Credential John Mogulescu Innovation Prize
BOB MARTIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: 4 Awardees EUGENE WALTERS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: 1 Awardee FINISH LINE DEBT FORGIVENESS SCHOLARSHIP: 34 Awardees FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SUCCESS SCHOLARSHIP: 3 Awardees
Prizes
FOUNDING DEAN’S SCHOLARSHIP: 11 Awardees
2023 ADJUNCT FACULTY TEACHING EXCELLENCE PRIZE: 1 Awardee
NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT'S FELLOWS IN MUSEUM STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP: 8 Awardees
JOHN MOGULESCU INNOVATION PRIZE: 1 Awardee
NEWCOMBE SCHOLARSHIP FOR MATURE STUDENTS: 52 Awardees
Emergency Grant Funds
PATTY LIEBERMAN SCHOLARSHIP FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: 1 Awardee
COVID-19 EMERGENCY GRANT FUND To date, 11 COVID-19 Emergency Grants have been awarded during the 2022-2023 academic year, with an average award of $905. Overall, CUNY SPS has awarded more than 350 COVID-19 Emergency Grants.
PETRIE NURSE SCHOLARSHIP: 16 Awardees RUSS PETERSON TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP: 5 Awardees STEPHEN M. ROSSEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: 1 Awardee TIMOTHY MEADE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: 2 Awardees U.S. MILITARY BACHELOR’S DEGREE COMPLETION SCHOLARSHIP: 4 Awardees VITELLO SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE DISABILITY STUDIES PROGRAM: 1 Awardee WILLIAM J. KISSANE III SCHOLARSHIP: 3 Awardees YOUTH STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP: 1 Awardee
The average scholarship award during the 2022-2023 academic year was $1,682.
CUNY SPS TEXTBOOK GRANT FUND To date, 128 Emergency Student Textbook Grants have been awarded during the 2022-2023 academic year, with an average award of $164. Overall, CUNY SPS has awarded 536 Emergency Student Textbook Grants. PETRIE STUDENT EMERGENCY GRANT FUND To date, 63 Petrie Student Emergency Grants have been awarded during the 2022-2023 academic year, with an average award of $858. Overall, CUNY SPS has awarded more than 200 Petrie Student Emergency Grants. VIRTUAL FOOD PANTRY GRANT FUND To date, 268 Virtual Food Pantry Grants have been awarded during the 2022-2023 academic year, with an average award of $50. Overall, CUNY SPS has awarded more than 900 Virtual Food Pantry Grants.
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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CUNY School of Professional Studies Foundation
2023 Board of Directors (Alphabetical order by last name)
Donatus Anusionwu Director, Structured Finance White Oak ABL, LLC
Natalie Green Giles Independent Consultant, Specialty in Education
Horace M. Barker** First Vice President Wealth Management, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Lea Kilraine Global Manager of Strategic Projects Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP
Stephanie Benjamin Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (Ret.) The City University of New York Lisa Braverman*** Dean CUNY School of Professional Studies
Robert Kissane* Chairman (Ret.) CCS Fundraising, Inc. Jason Kubica, Treasurer Senior Vice President, Wealth Management UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Pamela Brier President/CEO (Ret.) Maimonides Medical Center
Patti Lieberman, Secretary Trustee A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc.
Joel I. Cohen, Vice-Chair Managing Director (Ret.) JPMorgan Chase
Brennon Marcano Chief Executive Officer The National GEM Consortium
Beatriz de la Torre Chief Philanthropy Officer Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies
Nadine Martin Associate Director, Oncology Global Marketing Merck
Blake Foote, Chair Independent Consultant, Specialty in Workforce Development
Debbie Rosen Independent Consultant, Specialty in Government Jorge Silva-Puras** Interim Dean CUNY School of Professional Studies
* Denotes an alumnus and emeritus member **Stepped down Summer 2023 ***Joined Summer 2023
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CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
CUNY School of Professional Studies
HOW TO GIVE
Annual Giving Making an unrestricted gift enables the School to direct your support to areas of greatest need. Unrestricted support helps CUNY SPS provide financial assistance for promising students, recruit and retain expert faculty, and offer unique, vital educational opportunities online and onsite at our dedicated campus. Visit the Donate page (https://52919.thankyou4caring.org/) and select "Friends of CUNY SPS" from the drop-down menu to support the School today.
For more information on giving at CUNY SPS, visit sps.cuny.edu/makeagift
Establish a Named Scholarship Establishing a named scholarship helps the School increase access for current and prospective CUNY SPS students. You can create an endowed scholarship to support students in perpetuity, or an annual scholarship that provides immediate assistance to current students.
Support an Existing Fund Thanks to a number of generous individuals, the CUNY SPS Foundation currently administers several named funds that benefit CUNY SPS students. Your support will strengthen these funds and preserve their intended legacies. CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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FY23 Donors Individuals Asterisk *= Alumni Donor
Friends ($1-$999) Anonymous (18) Beba Alvarado-Torrech Leticia Arroyo* Michelle Attles Tara Barca Nicholas Y. Barratt* Bertrand Batista* Mariette Bates Dale A. Beaumont* Leonard V. Blades* Harvey S. Brown Rebecca Brown Cesarani Danielle Campa* Tanja Carter-Searls Celeste Clarke Kelly Cunningham Shabreena Danz Lopez* Renier Dela Torre Gasco* Deborah A. Douglass Steven Dupré* Maria Enrico Andrea Fagon Nyota Ferguson* Orlin Francis* Lonny Friedfertig* Kathleen Fortune* George L. Fox* Dianne and Douglas Frantz Milan J. Fredricks* Alexis Fulks
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Diamond ♦= Foundation Board Member
Shannon Gallo Roxanne Garoutte Sarah Gordon Clarke Griffith Mary K. Hannigan Mariano Hernandez, Jr.* Washington Hernandez Jennifer M. Holland* Michael J. Iadarola Stephen Ippolito* Thomas J. Jennings Janice Kaye Juliette Kennedy* Kathleen Kirk Edwin L. Knox Minden Koopmans Lia Kudless Campbell Donald J. LaHuffman, Jr.* Joanne T. Lavin Kit K. Lei Jamie Lerner-Brecher* Bruce A. Lieberman Elizabeth Marmol Verneisha T. Martin* Yeiry Martinez* Denese N. McFarlane* Tracy Meade Kristin Maynard Laura Mogulescu Caridad Munoz* Marlon S. Nieto*
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
Vanessa Nisperos Joseph Olivet Jan Oosting Marisa Osorio Emily Paras Sara Pasternak Brian A. Peterson Dawn K. Picken Zsuzsanna Pote Carlos Ronisky Joy Rose Bruce A. Rosen Elizabeth Rossman Ruru Rusmin Debra Schaller-Demers Ellen Schoninger Lianna Scull Danny C. Shaw* Jeanneth SangurimaQuiles Jorge Silva-Puras Lisa A. Sheridan* Jennifer R. Sparrow Nina Sporn Bronwen Stine Anthony Sweeney Christopher Vine Michael Visovsky Janet E. Wall Sheila Williams Alan C. Winick Patrick A. Yanez
Supporters ($1,000-$4,999) Mary Beth and Nicholas de Fabrizio Beatriz de la Torre♦ James P. Hamski* Mckenzie Jones Susan S. Ko Zeita-Marion Lobley John Mogulescu George F. Otte Susan Rosenthal Sally Vitello Sustainers ($5,000-$24,999) Anonymous (1) Omri Ami Donatus Anusionwu♦ and Arpita Mazumdar Stephanie T. Benjamin♦ Pamela S. Brier♦ Valerie Brown Joel Cohen♦ and Terry Cohen Alan H. Fishman Blake W. Foote♦ Dale Grant Natalie Green Giles♦ and Doug Giles Jason Kubica♦ Patricia S. Lieberman♦ Brennon Marcano♦ Nadine Martin♦ Debbie Rosen♦
CUNY School of Professional Studies
Foundations, Corporations, & Organizations Friends ($1-$999) AmazonSmile Foundation Benevity Community Impact Fund Bright Funds Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC The Robert and Linda Friedman Foundation Supporters ($1,000-$4,999) Bank of America Employee Giving Campaign Coleman Family Charitable Foundation The Gloria F. Ross Foundation Goldman Sachs Matching Gift Program Jewish Communal Fund Merck Gives Back Program UBS Matching Gifts Program Sustainers ($5,000-$24,999) The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation Foote Family Charitable Giving Fund National Philanthropic Trust J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund SAP North America, Inc. Schwab Charitable Visionaries ($25,000-$49,999) The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation The New-York Historical Society
CUNY SPS Foundation Board Report | 2022-2023
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sps.cuny.edu