The City University of New York (CUNY) has announced a record-breaking fundraising achievement during its #CUNYTuesday campaign. On December 3, CUNY raised over $4.1 million from 4,700 individual donations, marking an increase of more than 30% since 2022 and setting a new high for the annual giving day. This initiative coincides with GivingTuesday, a nationwide movement promoting generosity.
“Each year, CUNY Tuesday offers a welcome reminder of the generosity that defines the CUNY community,” stated CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “We are deeply moved by this record-breaking outpouring of support, which will expand our ability to offer a high-quality education to all New Yorkers regardless of means.”
Since the start of its giving season in 2019, CUNY has amassed $19 million in donations from the Tuesday after Thanksgiving through December 31. Donations continue to be accepted at CUNYTuesday.org until the end of December.
Annually, CUNY garners around $180 million from individuals and philanthropic organizations. These funds sustain scholarships and academic programs crucial for supporting students. Notably, in recent years, the university received its three largest gifts ever:
- The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation donated $116 million to establish the Cohen Career Collective workforce training center at LaGuardia Community College.
- Leonard Lauder contributed $52 million to create the Evelyn Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Hunter College.
- The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International gave $75 million to position CUNY as a hub for computational science and artificial learning.
CUNY is recognized as the nation’s largest urban public university and plays a vital role in social mobility within New York City. Established in 1847 as America’s first free public higher education institution, it now comprises seven community colleges, eleven senior colleges, and seven graduate or professional institutions across New York City's five boroughs. It serves over 233,000 students annually and awards approximately 50,000 degrees each year.
CUNY's mission remains steadfast: providing quality public education accessible to all students irrespective of their financial background or circumstances.
For further information about CUNY's initiatives and programs visit https://www.cuny.edu.
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