Dear Members of the CUNY SPS Community: Welcome from Dean Lisa Braverman
6
CUNY SPS 2.0: A New Dean Forges a Bold New Path for the Future
12 Open Educational Resources at CUNY SPS: Making the School More Affordable, Cutting Edge, and Inclusive
16 What’s in a Name?
CUNY SPS Celebrates Its Newly Renamed Workplace Learning Unit
18
Working the Gap: Supporting—and Partnering With—New York City’s Youth
22 Be the Change You Want to See: CIED Appoints Ambassadors to Promote EDI
26 Tribute: Mourning the Loss of Otilia Abraham
28 Graduation Fever!
30 School Briefs
36 Program Briefs
39 Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni Briefs
48 Backstage at CUNY SPS: An Enrollment Bursar Coordinator Shares His Story
50 Student Club Showcase
Editor-in-Chief: Ariana Souzis
Design: Kelly Cunningham
Writers: Marisa Osorio, Mary Jane Reis, Lisa Sheridan, Ariana Souzis
Chief Marketing Officer: Prerna Dar
Celebrating CUNY SPS Students
Dear Members of the CUNY SPS Community:
As the new dean of the CUNY School of Professional Studies, I am delighted to welcome you all to the latest issue of the CUNY SPS Magazine. This excellent publication—whose back issues I read enthusiastically in my first weeks on the job—offers a fascinating and informative look at our community over the past academic year.
In a wonderful coincidence, I came aboard just as CUNY SPS was celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023. I couldn’t ask for better timing.
As I reflected in our special anniversary publication, this milestone serves as both an opportunity to honor our major accomplishments over our first two decades—which include the launch of nearly 40 online academic programs; the explosive growth of our student body, now over 4,500 per semester and counting; and yearly top ratings by U.S. News & World Report—and to envision what we can achieve over the next twenty years.
As my own decades working in adult, online, and continuing higher education have taught me, the secret to CUNY SPS—or any School’s—success is simple: always put students first. That is what we have done so well since our founding in 2003. From the beginning, CUNY SPS has always recognized that adult learners have a distinctive set of needs, and we’ve made it our top priority to address those.
But I also recognize that, in a rapidly changing world and workplace, this formula for success consists of revision and refinement. Our students’ needs are evolving over time and so that we may effectively respond to them, CUNY SPS must evolve too.
With this mantra in mind, it is fitting that the theme of this issue of the CUNY SPS Magazine is reinvention. In the articles ahead, you’ll read about the various ways that the School community has been transforming, expanding, and reimagining our initiatives and programs to better meet the changing needs of our students, our community, and our society.
These reinventions include my own vision for CUNY SPS going forward and what we need to support a growing population of adult learners (hint: a great community of hard-working and talented people like ours)! As you’ll read, my plans include the formation of an innovative Enrollment Taskforce to ensure that CUNY SPS continues to welcome even more degree-seekers who will benefit from our affordable, convenient, and top-rated online academic offerings. And you’ll learn more about the process of program innovation taking place with our new Program Innovation Group and academic directors.
In another example, we’ll explore how the School is broadening the use of Open Educational Resources in our programs and courses, to help more students save money and explore cutting-edge digital learning materials, and how it is benefiting our students on a large scale.
Reinvention is also what inspired several of our units to update and expand their own offerings. In the pages ahead, you’ll also learn about how the Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity (CIED)— also responding to demand for more equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training—has extended its programming to include an in-depth series of courses that enabled committed CUNY SPS faculty and staff to learn and advance EDI principles across all departments of our School.
Similarly, we also celebrate the reinvention of the former Office of Professional Education and Workplace Learning (PEWL), which has been renamed the Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS) to better reflect the work their acclaimed training programs do to serve the needs of New York City’s citizens.
Finally, you’ll also read about Working the Gap, a groundbreaking year-long community wellness and youth mental health advocacy program that provides young people with job experience, training, and the opportunity to earn college credits. This initiative, a collaboration between the CUNY SPS
Youth Studies program and ILS’ Academy for Community Behavioral Health, was developed directly in response to research and data gathered by members of our Youth Studies team and serves as a model for future youth-focused efforts to come.
As in every issue, we also highlight the other noteworthy projects and achievements at CUNY SPS over the past academic year, as well as the ways that our brilliant and inspiring students, faculty, staff, and alumni are continually reinventing themselves and the fields they work in. We also pay tribute to our director of academic advisement, Otilia Abraham, a beloved and longtime member of the School who we so sadly lost in Fall 2023.
I hope you find the 2024 issue of the CUNY SPS Magazine as enjoyable to read as I do, and I invite you to spend some time learning more about our amazing and dedicated CUNY SPS family.
Sincerely,
Lisa R. Braverman, PhD Dean, CUNY School of Professional Studies
CUNY SPS 2.0:
A New Dean Forges a Bold New Path for the School’s
by Ariana Souzis
Future
One year in as dean of the CUNY School of Professional Studies, Dr. Lisa R. Braverman has a few words to say about her position so far.
“I’m delighted to be here! I love this job. I love the challenges, the people, and the mission of CUNY SPS,”
she said. Since her appointment in August 2023, succeeding Interim Dean Jorge Silva-Puras and Founding Dean John Mogulescu, Dr. Braverman has been thrilled to take on this role.
“SPS had been on my radar for as long as it’s been in existence. I have worked in the field of adult and online education for many years and have accumulated an extensive vita and an interesting and very multi-faceted career. So, when the dean position opened, naturally I applied…,” she reflected. “And this job, honestly, is an outstanding match with and culmination of all the work I’ve done.”
As a national leader in adult, online, and continuing higher education, Dr. Braverman’s ‘extensive vita’ includes over 25 years in senior leadership roles at numerous public, private, and online colleges. Most recently, Dr. Braverman served as assistant vice president of workforce credentialing and community impact at Mercy College. Her long list also includes positions at Excelsior College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Long Island University, Fashion Institute of Technology, and New York Institute of Technology—just to name a few.
Along with her impressive professional experience, Dr. Braverman is a holder of numerous degrees, including a doctorate and two master’s from New York University and a bachelor’s from Brandeis University, as well as executive education certificates from the School of Graduate Education at Harvard. She is an author of peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles and is also an active participant in associations, having served on the board of directors for the University Professional Continuing Education Association and the Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE), which bestowed upon her its Individual Leadership In Continuing Higher Education award in 2021.
The 3 R’s of Good Leadership, According to Dean Braverman
1. Reflect
“Everyone is asking me, ‘What’s your vision for the School?’ Really good leaders listen to their constituencies first before they start embarking on their vision or their plans. I think it’s more respectful of others that I listen to what is really going on in the School before coming forward with the plans and the things that I want to do.”
2. Respond
“I’m not only working for students, but I’m also working for the people that report to me. That’s sort of the covenant, a bond. It’s serious. I feel that a good leader takes this seriously, looks for ways to support and lead and help develop people, and is approachable. These are things I aspire to.”
3. Refine
“We’re talking about making CUNY SPS the premier academic and adult-facing unit in our region, which is a very bold goal. We’re unpacking that and talking with our teams about how to work on the quality of our programs that are already so high quality… [as well as to] grow enrollments by speaking more to our constituencies about what they’re seeking most in the way of programs and a learner experience. You can always refine and improve upon what you’re doing.”
“We have done an amazing job of educating our students and caring for our community over the past two decades… and I very much look forward to leading this charge and expanding our success during our next twenty years.”
Adult and Continuing Ed Pioneer
The one constant in Dr. Braverman’s long and successful career has been a focus on a student population she has described as “… something of an underdog in most colleges and universities”: adult learners.
Since the early days of her career, Dr. Braverman has found this group to be one with the most challenging and unique needs and, consequently, the population that has been the most satisfying to support and work with.
“While working as director of education at Adelphi University, it was fascinating to me to learn…all the special accommodations that [adult learners] really need, the unique characteristics of this population, the ways that pedagogy, services, and even schedules and advising all have to be adapted,” Dr. Braverman explained. “…It’s not hard to imagine their needs because we are adults, and so are they.”
In her experience, navigating the many obstacles that adult learners face while returning to school, which can include “… inflexible deadlines, barriers to payment, inconvenient course times, and expectations that
are too rigid…” to ensure they succeed, requires educators and administrators to bring a different set of skills and awareness to the table.
“For those of us who work to recruit and retain and educate more mature learners, people for whom this is not their first college experience, it takes a special consciousness, a discreet series of skills, and a seasoned practice to do well,” she said.
But the payoff—when students earn their degree—is huge, according to Dr. Braverman.
“…When you do it well, it’s highly satisfying. I’ve had adult learners write to me years later, telling me ‘I would never have been able to do it, Dr. Braverman, had you not made that program so accessible to me and understood my needs.’”
It’s precisely this kind of care and support that attracted Dr. Braverman to CUNY SPS, a School long recognized as a beacon for adult learners in New York City and beyond.
As the City University of New York’s only all-transfer college, CUNY SPS has provided high-quality, accessible, and affordable online programs to adults seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees or earn advanced degrees.
For Dr. Braverman, the School’s unique mission and vision — along with its group of highly dedicated and skilled faculty and staff—is what makes CUNY SPS “…the perfect fit for me right now.”
In a happy coincidence, CUNY SPS celebrated its 20th anniversary just as Dr. Braverman took the helm. This serendipitous milestone offered Dr. Braverman the chance to reflect both on the School’s amazing success over the past two decades, while formulating a vision and plan for CUNY SPS going forward.
As she explained in the School’s special anniversary publication, “We have done an amazing job of educating our students and caring for our community over the past two decades… and I very much
look forward to leading this charge and expanding our success during our next twenty years.”
A Vision for Success
First on Dr. Braverman’s agenda: the budget. In the first few weeks in her role, Dr. Braverman learned of a budget deficit facing CUNY SPS. Staving off major cuts and ensuring financial solvency became an immediate top priority.
To address this issue, Dr. Braverman quickly assembled a taskforce to find short- and long-term solutions. Beginning in the fall, she began meeting weekly with her budget team to contain costs wherever possible, and replenish CUNY SPS’ budget, while also seeking further grant opportunities, which will also drive revenue.
Next on her agenda: program expansion. For Dr. Braverman, adding more online opportunities for adult learners is critical to CUNY SPS’ goal of ensuring adult learners remain competitive in a rapidly changing workplace.
In addition to more CUNY SPS online degree programs, Dr. Braverman is especially interested in developing more “…certificates or shorter study experiences that [provide] skill-based learning that helps individuals get new jobs and acquire more skills. That is an open opportunity for CUNY SPS to explore and develop, given all the curriculum that we already have,” she noted.
(Left to right): Dean Braverman; Valerie Paley (New-York Historical Society); Jenna Coplin (CUNY SPS RAC and Museum Studies Academic Program Manager); and Blake Foote (CUNY SPS Foundation Board Chair)
These shorter-term opportunities include microcredentials, or focused credentials designed to teach specific, in-demand skills, as well as business-to-business degree program recruitment, which targets employees of organizations seeking additional degrees.
Workplace training is another area of growth, especially given the School’s unique Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS), which partners with city agencies to provide much-needed workplace training. “There is a huge opportunity with ILS…they have done fabulous work [with city and state agencies] for many years and have a wonderful reach and reputation,” Dr. Braverman said.
Ultimately, Dr. Braverman hopes that program expansion will be a magnet for her third and highest-priority goal: increasing enrollment.
At CUNY SPS, like many higher education institutions, enrollment has dropped somewhat over the past couple years due to the COVID pandemic. And while it’s now increasing again for undergraduate students, enrollment has been slow to grow for graduate students.
This worrying trend has led Dr. Braverman to marshal the School’s resources. To that end, Dr. Braverman has mobilized a CUNY SPS Enrollment Taskforce that is working on the creation of a longterm strategy for intentional growth.
As Dr. Braverman explained in a town hall held in Fall 2023, “We’re talking about a cross-divisional, collaborative enrollment taskforce that can explore and set goals, strategically, for our enrollment so we can continue this trend …of growing our student population. That is a goal, a priority goal, of the overarching CUNY system and our own School.”
To achieve this goal, Dr. Braverman has turned to the most powerful tool in her arsenal: talented and passionate people.
“Collaboratively, it takes a village, it’s a team effort, [for] whatever we do,” she said. “We look back at
the great achievements here led by past folks, and how do we bring that forward? I like to call it ‘CUNY SPS 2.0’.”
For Dr. Braverman, this ‘CUNY 2.0’ can be achieved with the help of “…the management, the dedicated people…The people who are in charge and who would like to take up the charge to implement and drive the mission and the vision of the School. Those who know our culture and can really help propel it.”
Months after Dr. Braverman set out her vision, the School is seeing results. First and foremost, following careful audits and strategic expense reductions, CUNY SPS’ finances have already improved.
“One of the distinct achievements is that we have significantly together improved budgetary management at this school…,” Dr. Braverman announced in a faculty and staff luncheon this Spring. “That’s how much work was done to reduce expenses and grow enrollment. And it’s just a start.” She recounts that CUNY SPS’ 2023-24 structural deficit is projected to be $1.5 million less than that of 2022-23.
In another win, Dr. Braverman’s enrollment taskforce has begun hitting their targets.
In Fall 2023, CUNY SPS saw a nearly 7% increase in student enrollment from the prior year, with over 4,320 students enrolled. The Spring numbers were even higher: with 4,338 students attending, the School is reporting a nearly 11% increase from the year before. And the School is on track to top both records for Fall 2024, with a projected enrollment of over 4,600 students.
To Dr. Braverman, these stats are not just faceless numbers: they represent every single adult learner who now has a chance to thrive academically and professionally. And for her, that’s the fundamental goal of her tenure at CUNY SPS—and her entire career.
As she explained in an interview with the student-run newspaper The Kiosk, “We are not here at CUNY SPS only to focus on our administrative work, our budgets, our programs.…Our job is to serve students. That’s the number one job. We do all those other things in service to our students.”
A self-professed athletic enthusiast, she’s a certified scuba diver, an ardent bicyclist and swimmer, and a former aerobics instructor
She is a polyglot, and loves speaking and learning foreign languages
Fun Facts About Dean Braverman
Her son is completing a master’s in artificial intelligence at Stanford University
She recently received certification as a life coach
She loves to travel and has been to 30 countries and counting
An avid interior design and gardening enthusiast, she has transformed her Long Island home into a floral haven
Open Educational Resources at CUNY SPS: Making the School More Affordable,
Cutting Edge, and Inclusive
by Mary Jane Reis
Three million (plus). That’s the approximate number of dollars CUNY SPS students have saved in textbook costs over the past six years, all thanks to the School’s use of Open Educational Resources (OER) to create Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Low Textbook Cost (LTC) courses. Today, more than 98 percent of General Education classes at the School have low or zero textbook costs, and students in four bachelor’s programs—Communication and Media, Disability Studies, Sociology, and Liberal Studies—can complete their degrees without ever having to purchase a textbook. What’s more, OER have also enabled faculty to offer cutting-edge content and course material that better reflect and include different members of the School’s diverse student body.
But what does OER look like, exactly? They include (but are not limited to) online textbooks that can be revised with new information or graphics; open access journals that present the latest findings in a given field; online tutorials; interactive learning modules; open access videos; and other multimedia that can make courses more engaging and interactive, especially in the online environment. Whatever the modality, all OER share five traits: they can be retained, reused, revised, remixed, and redistributed by any educator (or person) who chooses to use them.
And of course, all these open resources are, by definition, free—a critical factor for the CUNY SPS student community. CUNY students have an average household income of $20,000, while the cost of textbooks and other course materials can reach $1,200 per year. Prior to the advent of ZTC/LTC classes, the cost of learning materials often placed a heavy burden on students. Dr. Jennifer Sparrow, interim senior associate dean for academic affairs and director of the OER initiative since its inception in 2017, reflected, “I started my career teaching at another CUNY campus,
(continued on page 14)
Did you know?
CUNY SPS has been recognized for our innovative use of OER by the Open Educational Resources community!
Sarah Kresh, faculty development and instructional design manager in OFDIT (Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology), received the Open Education Global Emerging Leader Award in 2022. This award recognized the impact of Kresh’s work since 2017 in promoting OER and Open Pedagogy (the use of OER to support learning) at CUNY SPS and CUNY.
Kresh also delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Northeast Open Educational Resources Summit. Her speech, “The Little Team that Could: Scalable Strategies for Supporting an Institutional Culture of OER and Open Pedagogy,” explored the expansion of OER at CUNY SPS. OER Assistant Kelly Hammond, along with Kresh and College Assistant Rowena Li, also led an OER workshop at the summit titled “Turning Reliance into Reliability: A Pressbooks and H5P project to replicate an interactive, simulations-rich OER textbook.”
and I well remember the long lines in the library where students would wait for hours to photocopy pages out of the one or two copies of the course textbook that professor would put on reserve.” She also recalled how many students “couldn’t afford access to expensive homework platforms,” and how such students “literally could not do their homework.” Today, thanks to OER, these challenges are largely a thing of the past.
Beyond the (admittedly huge) financial impact, OER make learning more accessible in other ways, particularly in terms of the representation and inclusion of diverse learners. Sarah Kresh, faculty development and instructional design manager in the Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology (OFDIT), offered the following example. “The faculty who adopt an OER textbook can . . . do all kinds of things. They can add alt text to images to make them interpretable to students with visual impairments. They can add multimedia, and then they can select images that are more representative of the diversity of their own students.” Such alterations would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve with traditional, publisher-controlled materials. With OER, changes and updates can be made easily, and accessibility problems addressed quickly. In fact, OFDIT continually works with faculty to support accessibility in OER, and it also works with the Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity (CIED) to enhance OER materials with diverse learners in mind.
Faculty members who have embraced OER have found the impact to be profound. Richard Schumaker, an adjunct professor in the General Education program, remarked “As a dad and a prof, I thought conventional textbooks were criminally overpriced,” and that too often they “fell far short of my needs.” In contrast, he has found that “OER has allowed me to offer more contemporary and probing courses.” Overall,
his experience with OER “has added to my confidence and optimism about the ability of educational systems to evolve in a positive way.” As for his students, Schumaker reports that their response has been “extremely positive.” In his view, adoption of OER at the School has made the courses better and the experience of taking them more seamless, with students having all the required materials at their fingertips, right from the very first day of class—all without ever having to take time out of their busy lives to visit either a brick-and-mortar library or a bookstore. And all without breaking the bank.
While Schumaker’s experience may be anecdotal, the evidence suggests that OER is indeed quite effective, with recent studies showing an association between OER use and student success. For example, when compared to peers who took a course using traditional textbooks, students who enrolled in OER versions of the same course were less likely to withdraw and more likely to pass; another study showed OER students could accumulate course credits more quickly, with no negative effect on GPA. This last point suggests that OER accelerates degree completion, and the opportunities higher education offers.
Nearly seven years out, CUNY SPS is grateful to the New York State Open Educational Resources Initiative, which divides $8 million per year equally between the CUNY and State University of New York (SUNY) systems. This funding has supported the creation of OER-based ZTC and LTC classes. The School remains committed to further expanding the use of OER in its classrooms with the goal of saving students money, improving their learning experience, and giving them the tools they need to advance. After all, as the CUNY system motto reminds us: Eruditio populi liberi spes gentium—the education of free people is the hope of humanity.
Fast Facts: Zero and Low Textbook Cost
(ZTC/LTC) Classes at CUNY SPS
CUNY SPS students have saved more than $3 million in textbook costs since 2017, thanks to the ZTC and LTC courses made possible through the use of OER.
98% of the School’s General Education classes are now either ZTC or LTC, and undergraduates can choose from four “Z degrees,”—including Communication and Media, Disability Studies, Sociology, and Liberal Studies.
Students can easily search the CUNY SPS course catalogue to identify ZTC and LTC courses that meet their program requirements.
Faculty can receive training from the School’s Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology (OFDIT) on how to create ZTC or LTC courses using OER, or on how to get even greater impact from their existing OER class materials.
The School has been able to integrate OER for use in ZTC and LTC classes thanks to funding from the New York State Open Educational Resources Initiative, which provides CUNY with $4 million annually.
While ZTC and LTC course materials are free or almost free to students, they do have a cost. Multiple offices and areas support the use of OER in ZTC and LTC courses by helping faculty to identify content, offering technical support, providing faculty development services, and helping to ensure that all courses address the needs of the School’s diverse student population.
by Marisa Osorio
What’s in a Name?
CUNY SPS Celebrates Its Newly Renamed Workplace Learning Unit
A powerhouse unit inside CUNY SPS, which develops, implements, and manages transformative learning programs for city, state, and nonprofit organizations, has reinvented itself.
The Office of Professional Education and Workplace Learning (PEWL) is now the Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS). The name was changed in 2024 to better align with the outstanding work it does for its partnerships.
Launched in 2006, this exceptional division is comprised of more than 200 professionals who collaborate with a variety of agencies and organizations to help them achieve their goals and improve the lives of New Yorkers. The unit currently has 14 programs with a budget of $48 million. In Fiscal Year 2024, ILS trained and served over 39,000 people.
Dean Braverman, in celebrating this name change, reflected on ILS’ impact over the past two decades. “The Office of Innovative Learning Solutions is one of the most unique entities within the City University of New York,” she said. “This unit not only collaborates with agencies and organizations to develop transformative training outcomes, but also provides employees with professional development through a variety of impactful programs. ILS is successful due to its commitment to customer service, and the rewarding partnerships that result in meaningful relationships.”
ILS’ areas of expertise are comprehensive and include designing, implementing, and scaling up learning programs; building learning management systems and supportive technology; offering robust program evaluation; providing expert project management; and creating and supporting asynchronous, in-person, and virtual instructor-led training platforms.
Here’s an example of the type of work ILS does:
The Department of Social Services (DSS), Human Resources Administration (HRA), and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) staff used to attend Right to Know (RTK)/Workplace Violence Prevention (WVP) training in person. However, staff needed flexibility to complete the training within a designated timeframe.
ILS quickly realized DSS HRA DHS needed to provide staff with 24/7 access to training and devised a solution to convert the in-person training into an eLearning one. This redesign included a training content update, knowledge checks, enhanced learner engagement, and a course layout change from one course that had to be completed in one session to three modules that could be completed based on staff’s availability.
The solution was successful. It allowed 6,800 staff to complete this training within two weeks and eliminated vendor costs. In addition, it achieved staff time and cost savings since workers no longer had to travel to attend class in person.
This move to an eLearning training demonstrates the innovation and agility that has always defined the ILS—and is now reflected in its new name.
“Our unit was created with the belief that a great urban university should address and support the needs of the city and its residents, in addition to offering dynamic degree programs,” Perez said. “The ultimate goal of ILS is to support all New Yorkers and the city itself. We look forward to further advancing the work and initiatives of our partners in Fiscal Year 2025.”
Amy Perez, executive director of the ILS, noted that when the unit begins a partnership, the team first assesses organizational needs to understand the work, culture, and goals to drive the development of learning solutions.
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Supporting—and Partnering With—
New York City’s Youth: How Working the Gap Initiative is Making a Difference
In early 2023, researchers from the Intergenerational Change Initiative (ICI)—a participatory action youth research project run by the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs—noticed something alarming. Three years of consecutive data from their annual survey of New York City’s young people, known as the Youth Ask Youth (YAY) census, showed that the kids were not alright.
For Dr. Sarah Zeller-Berkman, ICI director and academic director of the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs, this crisis was a clear call to action.
“Mental health has been one of the five top issues in New York City among youth and young people also wanted to be at the heart of any solutions,” said Dr. Zeller-Berkman. “They wanted to be seen as assets, engage in doing the hard work to address the difficult issues we were facing as a city, and be given access to meaningful jobs. As a Youth Studies program at a public institution, we feel a responsibility to not only study youth issues but help to take action in service and in partnership with young people in NYC.”
Resolving to help, the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs began to dream up a program that might support youth in their time of need—while also encouraging them to share their own expertise with a city in need.
Stat after stat revealed that the city’s youth were struggling with mental health issues brought on or heightened by the pandemic. In 2022, over half (59%) reported feeling too stressed to participate in academic, family, or social life, while another 53% reported being anxious, and 27% reported feeling depressed. The bright side was that the survey also found that these same young people, many of whom were unemployed or underemployed, wanted to be part of the solution to the issues that impact their lives.
The agenda was ambitious—addressing the youth mental health crisis and increasing underemployment of young people—particularly for young people of color. Tackling an ongoing shortage of youth workers in youth-serving community-based organizations (CBOs) and mental health professionals in the mental health workforce, as well as the precipitous decline in CUNY enrollments during and after the pandemic, were also on the list.
Under the leadership of Dr. Zeller-Berkman, an innovative and multi-faceted initiative called “Working the Gap,” which refers to the sabbatical some young people may take after high school, was developed. The initiative would provide youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who are not enrolled in college with paid work at youth-serving organiza-
Marisa Osorio, Mary Jane Reis, & Ariana Souzis
tions, specialized training, credit-earning opportunities, and personalized coaching, all with the goal of supporting the wellbeing of communities.
Supported by funding from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and Summerfield Foundation, the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs—after convening diverse stakeholders in program planning and partnering with the Academy for Community Behavioral Health, an initiative offered through the CUNY SPS’ Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS)—formally launched Working the Gap (WTG) in Fall 2023.
Designed as a 10-month program, WTG began its inaugural year welcoming an initial cohort of 56 young people.
In keeping with the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs’ longstanding mission to employ youth-
adult partnerships and a participatory approach, WTG was designed to provide support and training while also encouraging young people to become part of the solution—just as they had expressed in the original YAY survey. (As an added benefit, the initiative would also serve as a real-time learning lab for a number of Youth Studies students and alumni who helped implement it, offering them a chance to model the concepts and practices they learned as part of their degree.)
In its first year, WTG included two tracks through which young people could learn key skills and contribute their own talents and passions: Community Wellness Champions, run by the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs, and a Youth Mental Health Advocate program (YMHA), led by the Academy for Community Behavioral Health (the Academy). (See
above and below for photos from an orientation event held for both tracks at CUNY SPS in Fall 2023.)
A third track, Restorative Practice Fellows, will be offered by the nonprofit Change Impact to future WTG cohorts starting in Fall 2024.
Community Wellness Champions (CWC) work at youth-serving organizations, where they serve as either group leaders or as activity specialists, supporting younger peers after school. At the same time, CWCs are trained by the ICI in collecting, analyzing, and using youth-generated data—following the same process that brought the WTG initiative to life—and to design a local wellness project that will spark change in their communities. Their data is also then used in ICI’s efforts to drive more intergenerational policymaking in New York City. For example, during an
event hosted each January called Winter Dataland, CWC fellows brainstormed with peers from across the city to shape new policy recommendations and goals for the 2024 NYC Youth Agenda.
Throughout it all, CWCs receive rigorous coaching and training and may earn up to 17 college credits.
Similarly, Youth Mental Health Advocates (YMHA) work part-time in youth-serving CBOs, where they are trained by the Academy to provide culturally responsive mental health support to other youth. The YMHA work experience is made possible by funding from the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) and HRA Work Progress Program (HRA WPP).
During their time there, YMHAs receive ongoing, experiential training and coaching from the Academy, as well as on-site guidance and supervision from their host CBOs. They gain skills to care for their own mental health, understand and recognize common mental health challenges, engage other youth in supportive one-on-one conversations or group activities, use foundational counseling and mediation skills, and co-lead groups at the CBO, among others.
In addition, YMHAs actively help co-develop the curriculum, lending their youth
expertise to both the Academy’s training program and to their host CBOs, where they participate in routine team meetings and share recommendations to make programs more responsive to young people.
The Academy hopes that through this skill development, the YMHAs will help normalize conversations about mental health, make care more accessible, and model positive relationships and coping skills among their peers. The Academy also aims to help YMHAs develop their personal and professional sense of self, and to see a place for themselves in community mental health work, should they decide to continue it. Like the CWC fellows, the YMHAs have the option to receive college credits.
An Impactful First Year
With its debut year concluded, staff and participants report that WTG is off to an inspirational start.
TL Daniels, program coordinator for the WTG initiative, reflected, “It’s been amazing to see how the Community Wellness Champions have grown in our time together. Each person has been able to bring their lived experiences and knowledge into the space to have challenging conversations and to grow their understanding about youth-driven data, policy change, community wellness, and more with the support of adult facilitators.”
Dr. Yolanda Lawrence, a YMHA program instructor, also noted that she’s been thrilled to see these “young adults gain their voice as collaborators and subject matter experts.” She also observed, “Some of the young adults in the program were unsure they wanted to pursue work in the mental health field, but despite this, they are inspiring their colleagues at their sites and building potentially long-term professional relationships.”
Ayman Fahim would agree.
As an inaugural Community Wellness Champion fellow, he found the WTG was a lot more than just a path to a job.
A graduate of Bronx High School of Science, Fahim first heard about the program from a friend. Now a student at John Jay College, where he majors in computer science and information security, Fahim is grateful for the opportunities that WTG offered him during the crucial year between high school and college.
As Fahim observed, the Community Wellness Champion role offered him the chance to explore different opportunities and learn more about his community—something he would not necessarily have gotten from a regular job.
“I never imagined working with kids,” Fahim said, who was placed in and currently teaches middle school students coding projects part-time at New York Edge, a non-profit organization that provides after school and summer programs in schools across NYC and Long Island.
“I also learned a lot about my community and things that people in my neighborhood might be struggling with,” he said. “In our group discussions, we talked about increased rates of homelessness and how we can combat that and make our community better.”
Fahim added he would absolutely recommend WTG to other youths. “It’s a great program for people who want to learn something new, want to work with young people, and gain experience.”
With these skills under his belt, Fahim is feeling hopeful for the future. After graduation, he is looking forward to applying these skills toward his dream— developing his own cybersecurity firm and helping immigrant communities who struggle with technology.
For Dr. Zeller-Berkman, Fahim’s story is a welcome counter to the nerve-wracking data she and her colleagues were poring over a year ago—and proof that the program is already making a difference.
“It has been wonderful to see fellows building relationships with their peers, CBO colleagues, facilitators, as well as college and career coaches,” she said. “I’m so excited that these fellows are doing meaningful work in local communities while also connecting with hundreds of other young people from across the city to help shape the 2024 NYC Youth Agenda. They are contributing to a brighter future for themselves and other New York City youth.”
by Lisa Sheridan
Be the Change You Want to See
In Their Latest Ambitious Effort, Committee Appoints Faculty and Staff Ambassadors to Promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Around CUNY SPS
Since its founding in 2019, the Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity (CIED) has served a crucial role at CUNY SPS, providing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) trainings, programs, and initiatives to the entire School community as part of its larger stated mission to raise cultural sensitivity and awareness, increase communication of complex societal issues, and foster a culture of respect.
With these goals in mind, the CIED works each year to expand its EDI programming in both scope and scale. In addition to many recent events and activities (see programming highlights sidebar), the CIED has proudly embarked on its most ambitious offering yet—a multi-part intensive training for faculty and staff designed to provide them with an extensive set of EDI strategies, skills, and a framework for communication that they can then bring to their units and share with other members of the community.
Working in collaboration with the CUNY SPS Office of Human Resources, the CIED invited interested faculty and staff to attend an expanded series of LinkedIn Learning courses focused on the processes involved in establishing an equitable culture. This EDI-focused LinkedIn Learning program had been first offered in 2021 to CUNY SPS faculty and staff in a shorter format. Building on that success, the LinkedIn Learning modules were then updated and expanded thanks to funding from CUNY SPS Participatory Budgeting, a democratically devised funding initiative dedicated to improving the School.
Like the 2021 LinkedIn Learning training sessions, the second and expanded round of training, which ran from September 2022 to June 2023, included three module levels: introductory, intermediate, and advanced. Each level featured a curated set of courses selected by the CIED to provide baseline and expanded information on EDI concepts. Because the modules were asynchronous, participants could advance at their own pace. Upon completion of the video courses, attendees could engage in a discussion facilitated by faculty and staff EDI specialists and third-party consultants.
In 2023, nine faculty and staff completed the expanded LinkedIn Learning courses. To honor these dedicated individuals for their commitment to learning and advancing EDI on campus, the CIED and HR jointly appointed them with the honorary title of EDI Ambassador and gave them special email signature badges.
Additionally, these EDI Ambassadors were publicly recognized by the CIED during the celebratory event “Leading Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion Together (Lead It)” held on September 28, 2023.
Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator Sahana Gupta, who is the co-chair of the CIED, expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the enthusiasm the faculty and staff brought to the training regimen.
“We are indebted to our EDI Ambassadors who have shown their interest and support to the CIED mission and goals,” said Gupta. “Their commitment to this learning program has been the cornerstone of the EDI initiative, providing CIED with the basis for expanding and scaling up.”
CIED works each year to expand its EDI programming in both scope and scale.
EDI Ambassadors In Their Own
The CIED honors these EDI Ambassadors and invites interested faculty and staff to participate in future rounds of this important community learning program.
“The series highlighted the importance of leaders seeking out and listening to diverse voices… this is something I think is very important in general, and certainly in regard to EDI.”
Kate Moss Doctoral Lecturer General Education and Liberal Studies
“The series inspired me to read more critical race theory books in the summer!”
Rinchen Lama
Human Resources Coordinator
“My favorite part were the facilitated discussions with colleagues, as they fostered a sense of community, empathy, and solidarity. They created a safe space for us to discuss topics that are sometimes hard to approach in a work environment defined by hierarchies.”
Antonia Levy Associate Director, OFDIT
“My favorite takeaway from the series is that communication skills can always be improved. My goals are to learn more about EDI, continue self-reflecting, and focus on my professional and personal growth.”
Nidia Cordova Alumni Relations Manager Office of Development and Alumni Relations
“As a white cisgender person, I feel that it is of extra importance for me to do the work to begin to learn the perspectives and lived experiences of my colleagues and students.”
Jan
Oosting Associate Professor Nursing
“Because CUNY SPS is so diverse, the LinkedIn courses are important to point out the concept of hidden biases. The more we think about our biases and consider others, the stronger we will be as a group.”
Trevaughn Bynum
Academic Program Specialist Business
Words Highlights 2022-2024
“My goal…became more about how I can live out these things in my life as a whole, knowing this will then overflow into interactions I have at work.”
Laura Collazo Instructional Design/Data Assistant OFDIT
Test Flight Facilitator Office of Academic Affairs
“The way I have begun to think about this essential work is that it is not so much a practice/action, but rather a way to live. My goal is for my (ever growing/developing) EDI practices to become second nature in everything I do, in and outside of work.
Lianna Scull Assistant Director Sociology and Human Relations
“While we may all share some similar life experiences, the path for each of us is unique. As a people, we need to understand, appreciate, and learn from these different experiences as they can help us become better individuals in a…multicultural society.”
CIED Programming
LinkedIn Learning Development Program
Beginner Level Discussion – October 2022
Intermediate Level Discussion – December 2022
Advanced Level Discussion – March 2023
Inclusive Leadership Program
Facilitated Discussions for Managers, Directors & Cabinet Members – March 2023
Leaders in Equity Workshop for Managers, Directors & Cabinet Members – May 2023
Fostering an LGBTQ+ Inclusive Campus for Students – April 2023
Four Strategies to Mitigate Implicit Bias – April 2023
Hidden Figures: Developing Student Identity within a Discipline – March 2023
Bringing Equity and Inclusion into the Curriculum and Classroom with Dr. Goodman – April 2023
Bystander Intervention in Academic Settings – May 2023
LEAD IT – Leading with Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion Together – September 2023
Bystander Intervention: Workshop with NYC Commission on Human Rights – October 2023
Disability and the Workplace: An Interactive Conversation on Campus – November 2023
Supportive Communication for Faculty and Staff with Professor Stacey Plichta – November 2023
Introduction to CUNY SPS Anti-Hate Education Series: Spring 2024
As part of the multiyear CUNY Anti-Hate Initiative, CUNY SPS presented its first year of anti-hate education and training programs to all students, faculty, and staff. These include:
Introduction to CUNY SPS Anti-Hate Education Series: Understanding Trends in Hate Crime – February 2024
Bystander Intervention to Stop Violence and Anti-Black Racist Harassment – February 2024
Bystander Intervention to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community – March 2024
Bystander Intervention to Stop Islamophobic and Xenophobic Harassment – April 2024
Nicholas Barratt Development Manager Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment – May 2024
Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitic Hate and Harassment – May 2024
In addition to the Anti-Hate Education Series, the CIED offered complementary programs focused on expanding cultural awareness, competence, and experience, including:
Pedagogy Grounded in Reality: Incorporating Chattel Slavery’s Contribution to Higher Education – February 2024 (Black History Month)
Dr. Tara Lanni and Dr. Linda Ridley, CUNY SPS faculty
Getting Started with Using Traumainformed Teaching and Learning in the Classroom – March 2024
Dr. Emma Tsui and Dr. Spring Cooper, CUNY School of Public Health faculty
Calligraphy Workshop (Arab American Heritage Month Celebration) – April 2024
Asian American Herbalism: Folk Traditions in Modern-Day Practice – May 2024
The Diversity of Jewish Culture through Food – May 2024
On August 26, 2023, the CUNY SPS community lost one of its most beloved founding staff members with the passing of Otilia Abraham, the School’s director of academic advisement.
by Mary Jane Reis
CUNY SPS Mourns the Loss of Founding Staff Member, Otilia Abraham
During her seventeen years of service at CUNY SPS, Otilia made a significant impact on the community, both professionally and personally. Thanks to her efforts, today’s students are served by a vibrant, comprehensive advisement model tailored to the unique needs of adult online learners. In addition to this achievement, Otilia also played a key role in creating the foundational infrastructure of not only the advising area, but also the Offices of Admissions and Student Inquiry for the online undergraduate division.
At a joint in-person and Zoom tribute to Otilia held on September 14, 2023, faculty and staff joined her husband and two children in sharing their personal memories of her and reflecting upon her impact at CUNY SPS.
As many of them noted, Otilia was known for her fierce commitment to helping students fulfill their dreams of graduating college, and for the kindness and compassion she showed to all members of the community. During her years at the School, she helped many students to persevere in the pursuit of a degree, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Colleagues also report that her door was always open, and that she gave everyone she encountered her full, undivided attention—as well as the occasional much-needed dose of laughter. In the words of one coworker, Otilia was simply “a truly beautiful person inside and out.”
In recognition of her dedication to CUNY SPS and its mission, the School also established the Otilia Abraham Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will assist students who return to CUNY SPS to complete their online undergraduate degrees.
Dr. Zeita-Marion Lobley, director of student services, was the lead donor in establishing this fund. Her generous donation established the endowment that will serve as an ongoing tribute to Otilia’s life and work.
“Otilia was instrumental in helping so many students earn their college degrees even as they faced the countless challenges of being adult students,” Dr. Lobley said. “Her passionate commitment to our students continues to inspire the entire CUNY SPS community. I am honored to support this scholarship in her memory, and hope everyone who knew and loved her will do the same.”
Those who wish to contribute to the Otilia Abraham Memorial Scholarship may do so by visiting https://52919.thankyou4caring.org/ and selecting this scholarship in the dropdown menu. The scholarship’s application will open for students in the Fall 2024 Semester.
Otilia is survived by her husband Marty, and two children, Serena and Shawn.
School Briefs
CUNY SPS is pleased to showcase a few exciting School-wide updates:
The CUNY SPS community gathered in November to attend the 2023 Annual Scholarship Reception and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event, which was first held back in 2013. In addition to observing this decade milestone, the evening also spotlighted this year’s deserving and talented scholarship recipients and the donors who help make these awards possible. Museum Studies Scholar Isabella Lazzarino (MA in Museum Studies), Newcombe Scholar Marco Panchame (BA in Human Relations), and William J. Kissane III Scholar Lennyn Jacob (BA in Disability Studies) were the featured speakers, sharing their inspiring stories and the ways that these scholarships were helping them on their educational and career journey.
The Student Association and the Office of Student Life sponsored the 6th annual Student Leadership Conference, a student-organized eight-event webinar series that took place from April 8 through April 11. This year’s theme for the student leadership series focused on mentorship and networking as strategies to extend numerous personal and professional development opportunities for students. Emily Jimenez, a first-generation college graduate with two degrees from CUNY SPS (BA in Communication and Culture; MS in Business Management and Leadership), delivered an upbeat keynote address “Mentoring Matters.”
In August 2023, the CUNY SPS Student Association and Urban Male Scholars (UMS) sponsored the first-ever Student Leadership Retreat, titled “Elevate Your Leadership,” for ACE and UMS mentors, student
club leaders, and Student Association members. Created in conjunction with the Office of Student Life, the retreat was developed into a series of workshops to foster leadership skills. Topics covered in the virtual workshops included “Understanding Your Strengths; Team Building; CUNY SPS Leadership Essentials; Culture of Respect; Time Management; and Goal Setting.”
CUNY SPS hosted its annual fundraising event on November 28, 2023, in honor of #CUNYTuesday, the University-wide day of giving inspired by the global generosity movement #GivingTuesday. This year, CUNY SPS hosted an informational and inspirational webinar entitled “Do I Need a Mentor to Advance in My Career?” The collaborative digital event combined the efforts of the Office of Alumni Relations, Office of Career Services, and the nonprofit City Tutors. Featured panelists included CUNY SPS alums Pamela Lee (BS-MS in Nursing Organizational Leadership ‘23) and John Luke Santos (BS in Health Services Administration ‘22), as well as two of City Tutors’ mentor-volunteers—Kerry Ann King and Mirna Eusebio Lithgow.
For the fourth year, the School celebrated the accomplishments and dedication of CUNY SPS student leaders at an annual Student Leadership and Service Recognition Ceremony held in April 2024.
The celebration honored a record-shattering 91 students who contributed to new and existing School clubs, organizations, or committees during the 2023-2024 academic year. In a creative formatting approach, Associate Director of Student Life Anthony Sweeney interviewed two extraordinary student leaders: Lennyn Jacob (BA in Disability Studies) and Leonard Blades (Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies), who discussed the students’ drive to make all events more inclusive by utilizing technology to develop hybrid events.
The First-Generation Student Success Series, a program geared to helping first-generation college students at CUNY SPS navigate academia, hosted two virtual “lunch and learn” segments during the Spring 2023 semester. Developed in 2021 by Dr. Carla Marquez-Lewis (academic director of the Psychology programs) and Dr. Elizabeth Alsop (assistant professor in the Communication and Media program), the ongoing series aims to demystify academia’s “hidden curriculum” of procedures that can sometimes be so demoralizing for students. The first webinar, Career Planning Tools Designed for First-Generation Students, featured Eliane Abou-Assi from CareerSpring, a non-profit platform for networking and job placement. The second webinar First-Generation Student to Faculty Member: Advice, Insights, and Success Stories, gathered a panel of CUNY SPS professors who were once first-generation students themselves. These included Dr. Joseph Foy and
Dr. Herbert Sherman from the Business programs; Dr. Chelsea Hansen, Dr. Kelly Rabenstein, and Dr. Leighann Starkey from the Psychology programs; and Dr. Angela Francis, assistant dean of general education and first year experience.
The Circle of Success mentoring group, an offshoot of the CUNY SPS Alumni Engagement Council (AEC), hosted a virtual mentoring event for students and alum entitled “Can You Determine Your Own Success?” and co-sponsored by the nonprofit City Tutors. The online event drew over 40 students from several CUNY campuses to connect with professionals from various business spheres through City Tutor’s network of mentors.
The Heckscher Foundation for Children awarded CUNY SPS a $214,190 grant for an initiative aimed at re-enrolling students who left CUNY prior to completing their degrees with GPAs that
would not be considered competitive for re-admission. With the Heckscher Foundation’s help, CUNY SPS will expand its successful performance-based admissions program, Jump Start, to include CUNY stop-outs under age 25. The initiative, Jump Back into College: A New Beginning for Stopped-Out Youth, offers a suite of services including admissions coaching, a free online learning simulation, first-semester College Navigator, and extensive credit for prior learning opportunities to award credit for college-level learning acquired outside of the classroom.
The CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium awarded a $47,000 grant to support the School’s LGBTQIA+ programming during the academic year 2023-2024. Spearheaded by
Dr. Jan Oosting, PhD, RN, associate professor of Nursing, and Anthony Sweeney, associate director of student life, the award was granted as part of their efforts to help ensure the visibility and inclusion of the entire spectrum of LGBTQIA+ students, faculty, and staff. The funds will be applied toward a robust, yearlong program at CUNY SPS designed to center the members of the School’s LGBTQIA+ Student Union, also known as the “Pride Club”, in active leadership roles.
The CUNY SPS Alumni Engagement Council (AEC) established an Alumni Legacy Scholarship to offer financial assistance to students who graduate with their bachelor’s degree at CUNY SPS and then continue in the School to pursue a master’s degree. The scholarship application will open for students in Fall 2024.
The CUNY SPS Office of Marketing and Communications earned gold, silver, and merit accolades in the 11th Annual Education Digital Marketing Awards. The gold award was for the CUNY SPS Blog –Blogs Category. The Marketing and Communications team also received a silver award
for the CUNY SPS Community Report – Annual or Community Report Category, in recognition of the CUNY SPS Magazine. Lastly, the team won a merit award for the “Get The Flexibility You Need at CUNY SPS” Digital Special Video (under two minutes) category, which was created by agency partner Miller Advertising.
In Fall 2023, CUNY SPS proudly celebrated its historic 20th anniversary year with a special digital publication honoring this milestone. The publication “Celebrating 20 Years of CUNY SPS” is now available on the CUNY SPS Issuu site. Developed by the Office of Marketing and Communications, the anniversary publication commemorates the School’s two decades with a look back at the growth of CUNY SPS since its founding in 2003, its rise as a national leader in online education, and personal reflections from twenty members of the community.
CUNY SPS was awarded a Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Equity Award honorable mention by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Offered in partnership with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), the CPL Equity Awards were established to highlight and promulgate proven strategies for making Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) more accessible and commonplace among underserved adult learner populations. CUNY SPS was acknowledged specifically for the School’s Jump Start program, which aims to replace unforgiving transfer policies that punish applicants for mistakes made years ago with a strength-based approach that recognizes learning acquired outside of the college classroom. Under this approach, students whose former GPAs would have traditionally disqualified them are able to earn admission by demonstrating academic proficiency with a performance-based portfolio.
The CUNY SPS Writing Center was awarded a Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA) Center Acknowledgement and Recognition of Excellence (C.A.R.E.) Certification. This is the sole certification administered by writing center experts for their peers, and CUNY SPS is only the 20th college or university to receive this recognition. The CUNY SPS Writing Center will be honored at the 2025 SWCA Conference.
20 Years of CUNY SPS
sps.cuny.edu 2003–2023
Celebrating
20 Years of CUNY SPS
News & World Report 2024 Intelligent.com
Ranked #3 in the nation on 2024 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans #3
BA in Psychology ranked #8 in the nation on 2024 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Psychology #8
Ranked #11 in the nation on 2024 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs
RN to BSN in Nursing: Best Online RN-to-BSN Degree Programs | Ranked 2
MA in Psychology: Best Online Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs of 2024 | Ranked 3
BA in Sociology: Best Online Bachelor’s in Sociology Degree Programs | Ranked 8
BA in Health Information Management: Best Online Bachelor’s in Health Informatics Degree Programs | Ranked 11
Nursing Programs
#2 #3
BS in Nursing: Ranked #2 on RNtoMSN.org’s list of Most Affordable Online Programs in New York State
BS in Nursing: Ranked #3 on NursingSchoolHub.com’s list of 25 Best Online RN to BSN Programs
#13
MS in Nursing Informatics Ranked #13 on NursingSchoolHub.com’s list of Top Nursing Informatics Degree Programs
#15 Ranked #15 on NursingSchoolHub.com’s list of 25 Most Affordable Online Nursing Programs
Data Science Programs
Ranked #1 on Tech Guide’s 2024 list of Best Online Master’s in Data Science Degree Programs
#1 #2 #3 MS in Data Science
Ranked #2 on Tech Guide’s list of Most Affordable Online Data Science Master’s Degree Programs for 2024
Ranked #3 on CollegeRank’s list of 15 Best Online Master’s in Data Science
Military Friendly.com
CUNY SPS was named a Military Friendly® School for 2023-2024, earning a Silver Award
Program Briefs
For the fifth year running, the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs hosted their annual Community & Youth Organizing series. Over a three-week period in January 2024, CUNY SPS Youth Studies adjunct lecturer Lumumba Bandele moderated a unique documentary screening series that highlighted grassroots organizations, past and present, from New York City to Puerto Rico. The three films screened to an assembled virtual audience were The Sun Rises in The East, a look at the community-based cultural organization The East founded in 1969 by youth in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; The Five Demands, which presented a riveting story about the CUNY student strike in 1969; and We Still Here, which chronicled the Puerto Rican youth who navigated the aftermath of Hurricane Maria’s devastation and ultimately protested governmental inaction in Washington, D.C.
The MA in Applied Theatre (MAAT) program hosted its ninth annual Racial Justice Conference in Spring 2024. Each year since its inception, this conference has explored a distinctive topic aimed at building and cultivating racial equality within theatre and beyond. This year’s Racial Justice Conference, held April 15, featured an on-campus screening of Spiritual Cyphers: Hip Hop + The Church, a documentary film directed by MAAT alum Ariyan Johnson (Class of ’14).
MAAT also held its annual two-day Theatre in Education (TIE) Festival in May 2024. The yearly event, held in-person over a weekend, showcased four different TIE projects. Among those featured were “Echoes of the Amazon: Saving the Great Kapok Tree,” devised and presented by Kalyani Singh and Sam Funk; “‘Get Up’ & ‘Get Over’ The Art of Activism,” devised and presented by Chris Bouknight, Janelle
Castellano, Brie Freeman, and Lisa Leighton; “Agents of the Humanity Initiative: Secrets of the Pandora Vault,” devised and presented by Avery Rausch and Gideon Bautista; and “Shattered Glass: Breaking Assumptions about Accessibility in Arts Spaces,” devised and presented by Anna Lou Hearn, Claire Tumey, Dominick Mastrodonato, Laura Simpson, and Tanya Perez.
In a first for the program, MAAT co-hosted a one-day North America Drama Therapy Eastern Region Drama Therapy Symposium in June 2024. The North American Drama Therapy Association partnered with MAAT to host the in-person event, which was organized by MAAT alum and drama therapist Lillian Ribeiro. The symposium, “At the Intersections,” which featured over 20 workshop sessions, investigated how our role as drama therapists intersects with other identities, professions, and social movements.
The third issue of the Journal of Teaching Disability Studies, a peer-reviewed journal edited by the CUNY SPS Disability Studies programs, was published. Contributors to this issue included disability studies practitioners affiliated with colleges and universities throughout the northeast, including CUNY SPS and several other CUNY schools, as well as international contributors from Canada and Iraq. The articles focused primarily on the authors’ specific pedagogical experiments at their schools to bring disability studies concepts and actions to their courses and campus.
In Spring 2024, CUNY SPS began partnering with six CUNY community colleges to provide associate-degree holders from these schools who majored in psychology or a related field with a seamless pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology at CUNY SPS.
This innovative collaboration, known as the Online Psychology Academy, allows eligible graduates from the schools to be admitted into the CUNY SPS online BA in Psychology program without completing a transfer application. The six schools partnering with CUNY SPS are Borough of Manhattan Community College; Guttman Community College; Hostos Community College; Kingsborough Community College; LaGuardia Community College; and Queensborough Community College.
In a signing ceremony held at the CUNY Central office in April 2024, leaders of each school met to celebrate the launch of the Online Psychology Academy.
Program Briefs continued
In October 2023, the Disability Studies programs hosted the talk “Disability Perspectives at Work: Challenges & Opportunities for Workplace Equity & Inclusion.” Bringing together thought leaders in the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, this panel posed the broad question: How can disabled people and the field of disability studies inform and enrich the wider conversation about workplace equity and work-related quality of life? Panelists included Reem Jaafar, director of research, evaluation, & program support: and MS in Disability Services in Higher Education student; Jeanine Margaret Mcadam, founder and publisher, Heightsites. com and Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies student; Kartik Sawhney, senior manager, technology and product at Our Ability, Inc.; and Charnessa Warren, director of student disability services and assistive technology specialist at the University of Chicago. The talk was moderated by Andrew Marcum, academic director of the Disability Studies programs and Brian Le Lay, Disability Studies assistant professor.
A new scholarship, the New-York Historical Society President's Fellows in Museum Studies, was launched to offer tuition assistance to graduate students in the CUNY SPS MA in Museum Studies program. Established with a generous donation of $40,000 by CUNY SPS partner The New-York Historical Society, this scholarship will provide support of up to $2,000 for graduate students from under-represented groups or who can demonstrate a commitment to diversity. Adina Hoppenstein, pictured above, was the first scholarship recipient.
The CUNY/OMH Mental Health Scholarship Program for Underrepresented and/or Multilingual Students, a new scholarship for BA and MA in Psychology students, was co-developed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and CUNY to address the statewide shortage of mental health care workers while encouraging a more diverse pool of mental health practitioners. In addition to supporting psychology students from underserved populations, the scholarship program is also available for bilingual psychology students.
In a milestone for the program, the CUNY SPS MS in Health Information Management (MSHIM) online degree program received accreditation in April 2023 by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Programs with this accreditation have voluntarily undergone a rigorous review process by the accrediting nonprofit and have been determined to meet or exceed the standards set by their Board of Directors. Launched in 2021, the CUNY SPS MSHIM program was designed to meet healthcare facilities’ growing need for highly qualified HIM professionals
The CUNY SPS Certificate in Medical Coding program now offers a scholarship for its students following the establishment of $103,000 scholarship fund by the New York County Health Services Review Organization Inc. (NYCHSRO) and its subsidiary MedReview Inc. This initiative is designed to support the next generation of medical coding professionals essential to the healthcare industry's financial and operational integrity. The NYCHSRO/MedReview scholarship will benefit about 20 students who demonstrate academic excellence and a keen interest in the auditing aspect of medical coding by providing them with financial support to cover tuition and fees.
The Psychology programs continued installments of their popular long-running Day in the Life series, in which students meet highly accomplished psychology practitioners and learn about their career trajectories and day-to-day experiences. Spring 2023 speakers included CUNY SPS adjunct faculty members Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi, PhD, MEd, who serves as director of the Honors College at Houston Community, and Dr. Lauren Mahoney, a school psychologist and behavior analyst for New York City’s Department of Education in District 75. Spring 2024 speakers included Chelsea Hansen, PhD, a full-time faculty member in the CUNY SPS Psychology department, and Dr. Richard V. Perrone, an accomplished industrial/ organizational psychology practitioner, educator, and
Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni Briefs
CUNY SPS Youth Studies Professor Dr. Elizabeth Bishop published her book Whiting Out: Writing on Vulnerability, Racism and Repair. The book is for both aspiring and experienced teachers, as well as anyone open to writing new narratives and imagining new possible worlds. The text calls upon all critical educators to (re)commit to deep learning toward our collective anti-racist queer-inclusive liberation, toward intersectional futures where healing, justice, and repair are prioritized. To celebrate the publication of the book, Dr. Bishop was featured in a panel talk in April 2024 discussing her work and critical youth development. The discussion also included scholar-activists Wendy Barrales, Damaris Dunn, and CUNY SPS Academic Director of Youth Studies Dr. Sarah Zeller-Berkman.
faculty, staff, students, and alumni briefs
continued
Faculty & Staff
Dr. Elizabeth Alsop, assistant professor and academic director of the CUNY SPS BA in Communication and Media program, published the article "The Kingdom Is the Strangest Medical Drama You’ll Ever See" in The Atlantic. Her piece explored Lars von Trier's haunted hospital drama, The Kingdom, which premiered in the 1990s but returned for an unexpected third season. She also contributed the essay "All the Angry Young Women" to the volume Feminists Reclaim Mentorship (SUNY Press, 2023), co-edited by Nancy Miller and Tahneer Oksman. In other publications, Dr. Alsop published the essays "'Better Call Saul': No Rise, Just Fall" in the magazine Public Books; "Where the Boys Aren’t" in the LA Review of Books, and a chapter in the book ReFocus: The Films of Susan Seidelman. Dr. Alsop was also a member of the 2022-2023 cohort of the Faculty Fellowship Publication Program (FFPP), a University-wide initiative that helps full-time untenured CUNY
faculty develop and publish writing projects, where she worked on her book project An Unsentimental Education: The Films of Elaine May. In another highlight, Dr. Alsop also appeared on a 2023 episode of CUNY TV's City Cinemateque to discuss Gregory La Cava's 1936 screwball comedy My Man Godfrey.
Dr. Bernadette Amicucci, CUNY SPS Nursing associate professor and consortial faculty, published the article "Let’s Hang On! Ramping Up Nurse Resident Retention Strategies After the Pandemic" in the Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. She published the piece with her colleagues from the White Plains Hospital, where she is the director of clinical education.
Dr. Regina Bernard-Carreño, associate professor in the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs and academic director, interdisciplinary studies, was awarded the CUNY BRESI (Black, Race and Ethnic Studies Initiative) grant for her proposal to produce The Podcast & Anthology Project, which will bring awareness to difficult conversations of racism and social injustice(s)
across the U.S. and the world. Dr. Bernard-Carreño was also one of several researchers awarded the CUNY 2023 Interdisciplinary Research Grant (IRG) for her collaboration with Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams from Hunter College on “NYC Land-Based Historical Trauma Healing Project,” which looked at how gardens and urban farms affect the well-being of youth of color in the context of historical trauma and structural racism. This project is administered within the CUNY SPS Office of Innovative Learning Solutions’ Academy for Community Behavioral Health. Dr. Ortega-Williams is the Academy’s inaugural Academy Innovation Resident. In another CUNY-wide accolade, Dr. Bernard-Carreño was named a faculty fellow in the Social Practice (SPCUNY) educational network, which amplifies the collective power of socially engaged artists, scholars, and advocates throughout CUNY's rich tapestry of faculty, staff, and students working for social justice.
Dr. Claudine Campanelli, who oversaw the CUNY SPS Child Development Associate (CDA) and Children’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) programs, was awarded the inaugural John Mogulescu Innovation Prize in 2023 for her idea to create a credit-bearing CDA program in Spanish. In a separate accomplishment, Dr. Campanelli also published a book review on the new Bloomsbury Handbook for Montessori Education in the Spring 2023 issue of the Journal of Montessori Research
Dr. Kathleen Cervasio, associate professor in the CUNY SPS Nursing programs, collaborated with Dr. Marie Charles of Pace University on
the research study "Attitudes of Registered Nurses Caring for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in an Acute Care Setting: A Mixed Method Study." The article has been published by the SCIREA Journal of Clinical Medicine. Dr. Cervasio also published "Commentary: The Association between Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care Scores and Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes Patients" in the Journal of Research in Nursing
Rocket and Feather Hypothesis in Pakistan" in the journal Sustainability
Dr. Chinyere Emmanuel Egbe, a faculty member in the CUNY SPS Business programs, published the memoir Elephants, The Grass, and a Teacher: Recollections and Reflections on the Nigeria / Biafra War. The book chronicles both Dr. Egbe's personal and family experiences and his analysis of national events during the Nigeria / Biafra War. Dr. Egbe also co-published the article "Globalization and Economic Stability: An Insight from the
Two faculty members from CUNY SPS have been selected as 2023 CUNY Career Success Fellows, an initiative launched by the CUNY Office of Transformation to promote career readiness for students. Dr. Isabelle Elisha, distinguished lecturer and associate director of the CUNY SPS Psychology programs, and Dr. Joseph Foy, assistant professor and associate director for the School’s Business programs, are among the nearly 50 faculty chosen by the University to serve as Career Success Fellows for the 202324 academic year.
In addition to the fellowship, Dr. Foy co-published an article for the Journal of Forensic Accounting Research with J.V. Sampath, J. A. DiGabriele, and H. Abbu. The paper, "The Effects of Message Quotes on Tax Compliance," examines the effects of regulatory focus and regulatory fit theories on taxpayer compliance when taxpayers are exposed to predetermined quotes by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or other tax authority officials.
CUNY SPS Nursing Informatics faculty Dr. Olga Kagan co-authored the article “Nurses’ Confidence in Starting a New Venture, Startup, or Project in the Context of Nurse-led Hackathons: Results of Prehackathon Survey,” which was published in the journal Nursing Outlook. Dr. Kagan also co-authored an article on the rising importance of the nursing informatics community in New York State. The article, "The Impact of Leadership on the Continued Growth of the Nursing Informatics Community in New York State and
Beyond”, was published in the journal CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing
Sarah Kresh, faculty development and instructional design manager in the Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology (OFDIT), has received the Open Education Global Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes the impact of Kresh's work since 2017 in promoting OER and Open Pedagogy at CUNY SPS and CUNY. Kresh also delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Northeast Open Educational Resources (OER) Summit, “The Little Team that Could: Scalable Strategies for Supporting an Institutional Culture of OER and Open Pedagogy.”
faculty, staff, students, and alumni briefs continued
Melanie Lorek, assistant professor of Sociology and Human Relations, published a review essay, "Post-Socialist Architecture and Memories in Berlin and Beyond," in the Journal of Urban History.
Dr. Gabriel Martinez, a faculty member and academic community leader for the CUNY SPS Business programs, published “Studying Like a Nerd: Spacing, Self-Testing, and Explanatory Questioning in Principles of Microeconomics” in the International Review of Economics Education. The article describes how Dr. Martinez, in his Principles of Microeconomics course,
tested the theory that learning science insights improve learning as compared to the traditional pedagogies that demand less of the student.
Dr. Sara Martucci, who teaches in the CUNY SPS Sociology program, has published the book There Was Nothing There: Williamsburg, The Gentrification of a Brooklyn Neighborhood. In it, she explores the gentrification of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, from the perspectives of new and long-term residents.
Dr. Jennifer McIntosh, an adjunct assistant professor of Nursing at CUNY SPS, has published the article "The Impact of Systemic Racism on Health Outcomes Among Black Women: Recommendations for Change" in the jour-
nal The Nurse Practitioner. She also published a collaborative article, "Association of Hospice Agency Location and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage in the U.S.," in the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine. Additionally, Dr. McIntosh published the findings of her doctoral dissertation research titled “Illuminating Emergency Nurses’ Perceptions of Stigma, Attribution, and Caring Behaviors Towards People with Mental Illness Through the Lens of Individualized Care: A Cross-Sectional Study” in the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
Dr. Akemi Nishida, a former student and professor in the CUNY SPS Disability Studies programs, published the book Just Care: Messy Entanglements of Disability, Dependency, and Desire by Temple University Press.
John Mogulescu, founding dean emeritus of CUNY SPS, published The Dean of New Things: Bringing Change to CUNY and New York City.
This moving memoir recaps Mogulescu’s illustrious 50-year career at the City University of New York system, which includes several decades in the University’s Office of Academic Affairs and 18 years as founding dean of CUNY SPS. Mogulescu also shared his story of innovation at CUNY on The Brian Lehrer Show in January 2024.
faculty, staff, students, and alumni briefs continued
Vanessa Nisperos, associate director of the Academy for Community Behavioral Health, published the article "Evolving a Culture of Care: Lessons from Third Root Community Health Center," in Nonprofit Quarterly. The article, which was cowritten with health practitioners of Third Root, NYC’s oldest cooperatively owned holistic health center, focuses on its closing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arthur O'Connor, academic director of the MS in Data Science and BS in Information Systems programs, co-authored the research study, "Social Activism and Firm Valuation: An Examination of ‘Taking a Knee’ Protests and National Football League Sponsors." The study was published in the Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies
Lance Ozier, EdD, an adjunct professor in the Youth Studies programs, published an article in American Camp Association's publication Camping Magazine titled "Discussing Identity, Equity, and Authenticity at Camp." The article provides skills for developing more equitable communities where staff and campers feel included in spaces where they want to belong.
Dr. Linda Paradiso, faculty coordinator for the MS in Nursing Organizational Leadership program, published the article and accompanying podcast "Rebuilding Trust in Just Culture" in the journal
Nursing Management. The piece discusses the aftermath of the conviction of Nurse RaDonda Voight for criminally negligent homicide in the death of a patient due to a medical error. Dr. Paradiso also published the article “Reducing Mistakes: What Every Nurse Can Do” in the online publication Minority Nurse
Dr. Kelly Rabenstein, a licensed psychologist and adjunct faculty member in the CUNY SPS Psychology programs, published her first book Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success (It's All About Love). The book is filled with the lessons Dr. Rabenstein has gathered to help build better connections at home and at work.
Dr. Linda Ridley, adjunct assistant professor in the CUNY SPS BS in Business and MS in Business Management and Leadership programs, was interviewed about her doctoral research "Management's Legacy of Dehumanization: Tracing Modern Business Practices to Chattel Slavery" in the Diversity Goes to Work podcast.
Professor Herbert Sherman, a faculty member from the Business programs, and CUNY SPS alum Juan Perez (BS in Business '21) published their study “Strategic Analysis of Beyond Meat, Inc.: 2021” in the International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research. Separately, Professor Sherman collaborated with CUNY SPS alum Joseph F. Giordano III (BS in Business '22) on the study “An Analysis of Trails East Tours Incorporated 2022,” which
was also featured in the International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research
Dr. Keith Weiner, CUNY SPS adjunct assistant professor of Nursing Informatics, published the chapter "Privacy and Security” in the book Health Informatics: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Current and Future Professionals. Dr. Weiner's chapter consists of several true crime capers in which he dissects hacking incidents and delivers a cybersecurity analysis.
Professor Helen White, a faculty member and co-founder of the CUNY SPS MA in Applied Theatre program, published the chapter "The Strangest Year: Theatre in the Time of Covid 19" in the Palgrave Macmillan journal Digital Displacement. This chapter offers a personal reflection on
how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the devising process of CAT Youth Theatre in 2020 and 2021. First, it introduces CAT Youth Theatre, a community theatre program at CUNY that has been running for over 25 years. Second, it maps the journey undertaken by the youth theatre members through the various phases of the pandemic. Third, it presents the group’s artistic project, The Strangest Year, an unexpected result of feeling displaced from their own space and conventional theatricality.
CUNY SPS MA in Applied Theatre faculty member
Dr. H. "Herukhuti" Sharif Williams wrote and produced In the Valley of Coming Forth, an Afrofuturist, funk, ritual play about a Black woman’s struggle to rescue her kidnapped non-binary child and
destroy the system that has torn them apart. The play was co-produced and performed at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) in Brooklyn in November 2023. Dr. Williams also signed a contract with Routledge to co-edit a book about socially engaged art, titled Making a Revolution, to be published in 2025.
Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Originated by the Student Association and established by Tracy L. Meade, former senior associate dean for strategy and innovation, this annual award acknowledges an adjunct faculty member’s creative and innovative online teaching practices in undergraduate classes, and includes a $1,000 prize. CUNY SPS salutes our winners from the past three years:
2022 Winner: Emily Brooks, a faculty member in the School’s Disability Studies programs. A noted educator, writer, and advocate, Brooks has been teaching disability studies at CUNY SPS since 2017 and is herself an alum of the CUNY SPS MA in Disability Studies program.
2023 Winner: Professor Neil Harbus, who teaches in the Disability Studies programs, has taught at CUNY SPS since 2011 and has worked as a psychiatric social worker for over 35 years.
2024 Winner: Dr. Jill Johnson, an adjunct professor in the Psychology programs, has taught at CUNY SPS since Spring 2022 and has held numerous teaching and administrative positions during her career.
faculty, staff, students, and alumni briefs continued
Lennyn Jacob, a BA in Disability Studies student, was named on City & State's 2023 Higher Education Power 100 list for her work with the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD), where she advocates to protect the rights of more than 10,000 students with disabilities across CUNY’S 25 colleges.
Marilyn Harren, a graduate of the MS in Disability Services in Higher Education program, wrote the chapter "Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD): Background, Current Issues, and Possibilities for the Future” for the book Disabilities and
Accommodations in Higher Education, A Handbook for Disability Advisors, edited by Dr. Benson Kinyanjui and published by Kenica Books.
CUNY SPS MA in Applied Theatre alum Ariyan Johnson (Class of ‘14) released the 2023 documentary film Spiritual Cyphers: Hip Hop + The Church, which features Johnson's own experiences with hip-hop and the Church. Prior to this, Johnson was awarded the University of California, Irving (UCI) Hellman Fellowship, which is bestowed annually to support research by junior faculty. Johnson, an assistant professor of dance at UCI, applied the fellowship toward a project titled “Looking for Revelations.”
CUNY SPS MA in Disability Studies alum Molly Joyce released the album Perspective, which features 47 different interviews with disabled persons addressing various issues on access, care, weakness, interdependence, and more. The album, which made Pitchfork Magazine's "9 New Albums You Should Listen to Now" list, is intended to be heard alongside open-captioned videos in an effort to emphasize multisensory accessibility.
The Arthur Miller Foundation (AMF), a non-profit that provides access and equity to quality theater education in public schools, has selected MA in Applied Theatre alum Linda Ames Key (Class of ‘12) to receive the AMF Excellence in Arts Education Award.
CUNY SPS Applied Theatre alum Brielle Silvestre (Class of '19) published an article in Theatre Topics titled, "'It Feels So Real': The Value of Using Elements of Theatre to Rehearse a Profession."
CUNY SPS MS in Business Management and Leadership alum Sara Yahia (Class of ‘19) was named to the “40 Under 40” list compiled by the Arab America Foundation in 2024. Yahia, a member of the CUNY SPS Alumni Engagement Council, is an HR expert and has published several books exploring societal issues.
Backstage at CUNY SPS:
An Enrollment Bursar Coordinator Shares
His Story
A conversation with Adrian Diaz
Helping our students succeed is the top priority for the faculty, staff, and administrators at CUNY SPS, though many of them often do this work behind the scenes. To spotlight some of the unsung heroes who support our School and students, we are sharing their stories through the magazine’s Q&A column “Backstage at CUNY SPS.” Each member of the CUNY SPS community featured here has been nominated by a colleague in recognition of their great work.
Please describe the work that you do.
My name is Adrian Diaz and I am an enrollment bursar coordinator here at CUNY SPS. I work for the Office of the Bursar. In my position, I work closely with students to ensure that they are able to meet their college financial obligations. I answer student questions, review account details, and assist with invoicing and collection efforts. Additionally, I oversee internal payment plans and serve as a liaison in the financial appeals process. I also assist the Office of Scholarships with reviewing CUNY SPS Emergency Grant applications and work with students in developing financial plans as part of the CUNY SPS Debt Forgiveness Grant.
What do you find fulfilling about your work?
My favorite part about working here is being able to assist students every day. Navigating college can be challenging, especially when it comes to finances, but students don’t need to go through the journey alone. I’m grateful for the opportunity to assist students through those challenges and provide them with the information or guidance they may need to make the best financial decisions.
Students will often contact our office unsure if they will be able to continue with their education—they might be living on a tight budget or experiencing an emergency that has set them back financially. It’s really fulfilling to be a calming voice on the line that’s ready to listen and problem solve with students.
This is one of the ways our office supports students throughout their college journey. Whether it’s working together on a payment plan, explaining the financial aid process, or sharing information on different resources or scholarship opportunities, I enjoy being someone that students can contact when they are looking for information or solutions. We have the opportunity to support our students each day and get them closer to their goal of attaining a college degree, and that remains my greatest motivation.
What led you to CUNY SPS?
I started with the School at the end of 2019. Prior to CUNY SPS, I worked as a communications manager and program coordinator for two local nonprofit organizations. I have always had great respect for education and its ability to change lives. Understanding how important education is to our community, I felt compelled to transition into a career where I could help support the education of others.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I want our students to know that the Office of the Bursar is here to support them. Some might be afraid or hesitant to talk about financial matters—we understand that it’s not an easy topic to discuss—but it can be less intimidating with a plan in place. Our office is happy to work with them to create a financial plan, answer any questions, and ensure that they can keep working toward their educational goals.
