NYC Gazette

The City University of New York (CUNY) has announced that over 100 of its students have received prestigious national awards during the current academic year. The recipients, who include a poet, an aspiring neuroscientist, and a New York City public high school teacher, reflect the diversity within CUNY.

"We are inspired by the academic prowess of these CUNY students as well as their drive and determination to pursue their goals," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. "We congratulate them and salute their great success across a wide range of fields. Their achievement exemplifies CUNY’s historic mission and stands to help change the world for the better."

Among the notable awards are four Fulbright U.S. Student Program fellowships, which provide grants for graduate studies, research, or teaching English abroad. Recipients include Arlene Batista from Lehman College, Bradley Eckerson from Hunter College, Jesse Funtleyder from John Jay College, and Christine Kuang from Hunter College.

Dan Lin from Borough of Manhattan Community College was awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, providing up to $55,000 annually for three years towards earning a bachelor’s degree.

Joyce Chan from Baruch College and Jenelle Ohene-Agyei from Hunter College were selected for the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognized several CUNY students this year: three from City College; two from Hunter College; one each from John Jay College and Lehman College.

Phill M. Campbell of Hunter College received a Beinecke Scholarship for research-focused graduate study in arts or humanities.

Two students from Hunter College were awarded David L. Boren Scholarships for language study abroad.

A student at Macaulay Honors College-Hunter won a Barry Goldwater Scholarship aimed at those pursuing careers in natural sciences, engineering, or math.

Four students from Hunter College received Freeman Awards for Study in Asia to support studying abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

Valerie Chlafer of Baruch College was selected for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program to spend a year in Germany.

Several CUNY students also received Jeanette K. Watson Fellowships for funded internships and cultural engagement: two each from Baruch and John Jay Colleges; one each from Brooklyn, City, Hunter Colleges; with five also being Macaulay Honors students.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program recognized numerous CUNY students: 15 from Baruch; three from Borough of Manhattan Community; one each from Brooklyn and Queens Colleges; five each from City and York Colleges; 28 from Hunter; two each from John Jay and Lehman Colleges—with twelve being Macaulay Honors students as well.

Lexcy Alexis (Brooklyn) and Abigail Jimenez (Macaulay Honors-Hunter) were named New York City Urban Fellows this year.

Three Hunter College students were awarded Critical Language Scholarships by the U.S. Department of State to learn foreign languages through summer programs abroad.

CUNY is known as the largest urban public university system in the United States with more than 225,000 undergraduate and graduate students across its campuses in New York City's five boroughs. It has been instrumental in advancing social mobility through affordable education since its founding in 1847.