For the twelfth year running, the community of CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) gathered together at the Annual Scholarship Reception on November 17 to celebrate the notable achievements of the scholarship recipients and express gratitude for the generous donor support.
The evening commenced with remarks by Executive Director of Development Andrea Brown and Foundation Board Chair Blake Foote, who welcomed all and proudly shared news of the School’s successful fundraising campaigns, which culminated in a 33% increase last year.
Next, CUNY SPS Dean Dr. Lisa R. Braverman delivered an address centered on the extraordinary successes of CUNY SPS as a leader in online education. In her remarks, she recounted the School’s ongoing ranking dominance, new academic programs, and the latest enrollment growth, while also thanking the community for their vital contributions in achieving these benchmarks.
As Dean Braverman noted, “These accomplishments don’t happen on their own—they are the products of our hard working and committed faculty and staff, and the dedicated community of organizations that generously support our students, all of whom warrant recognition.” She added, “Tonight, we are reminded that education is not a solitary pursuit—it is sustained by a community that believes in the power of opportunity, access, and equity.”
Dean Braverman then introduced the speakers, the first of whom was Rupendra Shrestha (pictured at right), a recipient of the Russ Peterson Technology Scholars award who is pursuing a Master’s in Data Science.
Having immigrated with his family from Nepal, Shrestha is working on his second graduate degree. He spoke of how the scholarship impacted him. “It’s given me the financial flexibility to focus on my coursework and explore advanced topics in analytics and machine learning,” he said. “Beyond the financial support…it reminds me and my family that the hard work I’ve put into learning and growing has been noticed and appreciated.” Shrestha reflected that he plans to “use my data science skills to build smarter, more efficient systems and contribute to projects that create real value for organizations and communities.”
Following Shrestha, the winner of the NYCHSRO Medical Coding Scholarship and new father pursuing his certificate in Medical Coding, Jongseok Park (pictured at left), took to the podium. As a current practitioner, Park spoke passionately about his desire to help patients navigate the complex medical billing system.
With his infant child nearby in a stroller, Park spoke about the importance of this degree to his family and future. “My goal is to combine my background in data science with medical coding to improve accuracy and transparency in healthcare delivery,” he said. “I am deeply thankful for this opportunity and promise to work hard to make a meaningful contribution to the field.”
In the final student speech, Jocelyn Nieves (BS Health Information Management), who is one of the forty-five students in 2025 awarded the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation Scholarship, stepped forward. Nieves, a single mom of three (pictured at right), had brought her youngest daughter to the gala, explaining to the attendees it was so that “…she can tell her classmates about attending a nice reception and hearing her mom speak at a podium in front of an audience.”
In her address, Nieves noted that she chose to continue her education at CUNY SPS after a layoff, which made her realize the need to upskill. “I chose CUNY SPS because it was affordable and, as mentioned earlier, flexible,” she said. Nieves also pointed out that since her two older children are now in college, the scholarship offered critical financial assistance.
In a new feature, all recipients of the CUNY SPS 2025 scholarships were invited to the annual reception. All student awardees received a personalized certificate recognizing their achievement.
After the event, Foundation Board Chair Blake Foote expressed her pleasure with the student speakers’ moving speeches and with the turnout.
“The student speakers, with their incredible stories of perseverance and inspiration, are always a true highlight of the annual event,” shared Foote. “But it was a special new aspect of the programming to honor all those Scholars who were able to attend (twenty-five!) and see their pride in being acknowledged with a certificate.”
To contribute to CUNY SPS scholarships, please visit the donation page.
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.
Press Contact
Prerna Dar
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Prerna.dar@cuny.edu