The City University of New York (CUNY) has announced the recipients of its second annual 50 Under 50 alumni awards, which honor graduates who have made significant social, cultural, and economic contributions to New York and beyond. The list features individuals from a range of fields including public service, journalism, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
“There is no better proof of the power of a CUNY education than seeing firsthand the impact our alumni are making in their industries and their communities,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Our graduates continue to make us proud long after they leave the classroom — and this list is a way to recognize their achievements.”
Among those recognized is Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools. Aviles-Ramos earned her master’s degree in English education from The City College of New York in 2010. She has worked throughout her career to improve educational outcomes for students across New York City, having served as a high school principal and superintendent before leading the nation’s largest public school system.
During her time as chancellor, literacy and math proficiency rates have reached their highest levels since 2012. She has also collaborated with CUNY on teacher training initiatives and programs that ease students’ transition from high school to college. Each year nearly 3,500 students graduate from CUNY’s teaching programs, representing about one third of all new public school teachers in the city. Additionally, almost 30% of incoming CUNY students who graduated from New York City Public Schools have already earned free college credits through dual enrollment opportunities such as Early College high school courses and College Now.
Other honorees include Helen Arteaga, CEO at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst; Walter Smith Randolph, investigative reporter at CBS News New York; Eric Dinowitz, member of the New York City Council; Ilir Sela, founder of Slice; Khaleel Anderson, member of the New York State Assembly; Monique A. Francis, interim executive director at CUNY Citizenship Now!; Kalani Leifer, founder of COOP Careers; and Zach Reyes, lead designer at Only NY.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see how our graduates are using their CUNY education to create real impact,” said Maite Junco, Senior Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing at CUNY. “We are proud to celebrate their success and the many ways they are shaping New York and beyond.”
Recipients were chosen by the university’s Office of Communications and Marketing based on nominations highlighting impact within their respective fields over the past year. Nominations for future awards can be submitted online.
The initiative forms part of efforts by the CUNY Alumni Network, which connects graduates from across all 26 colleges in areas such as mentorships and career resources via social media platforms like Instagram (@cunyalumni), LinkedIn groups, and Facebook.
Founded in 1847 as America’s first free public higher education institution,CUNY today enrolls nearly 240,000 undergraduate and graduate students across seven community colleges, eleven senior colleges,and eight honors or professional schools throughout New York City’s five boroughs.The university awards approximately 50,000 degrees annually.More than four-fifths of its graduates remain in New York after graduation,and many go on to receive prestigious honors such as Nobel Prizes or MacArthur grants.CUNY reports that it helps more low-income students achieve upward mobility than all Ivy League institutions combined.
