In the News

This post from the CUNY SPS blog is the third segment of the “MAAT Thesis Award Winners” series. The article profiles CUNY SPS alum Sarah Meister (MAAT ‘20), whose compelling thesis titled “Speaking Back and Imagining Forward: Using Applied Theatre to Instigate Dialogue in Museums,” won the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) Distinguished Thesis Award in 2022. The thesis explored how applied theatre can catalyze dialogue between museums and their public.

CUNY announced that it awarded $3 million to 113 campus-led initiatives as part of its new AI Innovation Fund, a one-year, systemwide grant program funded as part of Governor Hochul’s ongoing commitment to position New York as a leader in artificial intelligence. Designed to leverage AI to advance teaching, research, and student success, the program initiatives include micro-credentials and certificates as well as efforts to combat food insecurity and enhance career readiness. The CUNY News article mentions the new MS in Generative AI at CUNY SPS.

The career of Professor Curtis Izen, who teaches in the CUNY SPS Online Business programs, is detailed in this CUNY SPS blog article. Professor Izen earned the CUNY SPS Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in December 2025. According to Izen, “These honors are meaningful because they reflect student engagement, learning, and growth. Ultimately, the greatest reward is hearing from students who feel more confident, more capable, and better prepared for their careers because of their experience in my classes."

CUNY SPS facilities employee Jamel King recently released his musical composition "M to the E," a soul-meets-pop reflection on contemporary society.

This post from the CUNY SPS blog is the second segment of the “MAAT Thesis Award Winners” series. The article profiles CUNY SPS alum Helio Andres Sepulveda Zornos (MAAT ‘20), whose compelling thesis titled “Applied Theatre with a Translanguaging Stance: Working Juntos Viabilizando Critical Thinking,” won the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) Distinguished Thesis Award in 2022. The thesis explored how translanguaging becomes a tool for empowerment.