NYC Gazette

The City University of New York (CUNY) has appointed its first Wikimedian-in-Residence, Richard Knipel. This new role is part of a two-year initiative supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and in partnership with Wikimedia New York City. Knipel will work to enhance the visibility of CUNY's research and archives on Wikipedia.

Knipel, who has previously held similar roles at the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will be stationed at CUNY's Office of Library Services. He will collaborate with faculty, students, and staff to make CUNY’s research more accessible to the public through Wikimedia platforms.

"A key part of CUNY’s contributions to New York is its growing leadership in research that benefits the people of our city," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. "It makes perfect sense to leverage the incredible research expertise of our faculty and students, along with the archives that often don’t make it to the public."

Craig Newmark expressed his support for this initiative: "Wikipedia is where facts go to live and where truth tellers of all types can contribute to an accurate historical record." He emphasized that a Wikimedian-in-Residence would help share CUNY's archival information with a broader audience.

Wikimedia NYC Executive Director Pacita Rudder added, "We’re excited to be partnering with CUNY to both train the CUNY community on how to be an editor and ensure that the rich ecosystem of information that exists within the university is available on Wikimedia sites."

The program includes training for faculty and researchers on embedding their work into Wikimedia projects. Students and staff will also learn how they can use their knowledge to contribute effectively.

Knipel remarked on his new position: "I’m looking forward to helping CUNY find ways to make its rich archive of research materials more accessible." He likened Wikipedia's mission as similar to that of CUNY in serving the greater public.

The initiative complements ongoing efforts at LaGuardia Community College and other campuses under a Mellon Foundation-funded project aimed at raising awareness about archival collections across CUNY’s 25 colleges.

CUNY University Archivist Natalie Milbrodt commented on sharing these resources: “The archival collections available... are a treasure, and we are excited for the opportunity..."

Craig Newmark Philanthropies has long been a supporter of educational initiatives at CUNY. In 2018, after a $20 million donation from Newmark’s organization, CUNY renamed its journalism school as The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. A further $10 million was donated in January 2024 towards free tuition for journalism students by 2026.