As CUNY SPS Marks This Important Day, A Look Back at the Supports Provided to Our Student Veterans
This Veterans Day, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) proudly honors all members of our community who have served in the United States Armed Forces. As we mark this important day of reflection, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to the veterans within our School for their dedication and commend them for their bravery, integrity, patriotism, and service.
In recognition of this occasion, CUNY SPS is pleased to showcase several student veterans and the community who supports them through the School’s publicly recognized programs and initiatives. In the spotlight below, contributing writer Tanzina Vega shares some of their stories and the ways that CUNY SPS is helping them on their educational journey.
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Baya Sadgo (pictured right) is an Army reservist based in New Jersey and one of the people who provide support to veterans at CUNY SPS. She’s also on track to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Psychology this fall. Sadgo joined the armed forces because she was inspired by her father’s military service as a soldier in the Republic of Georgia. In 2008, after the Russians invaded Georgia, Sadgo’s father fought in the Five-Day War and suffered post-traumatic stress disorder when it ended. “People who went to war have different perspectives in their life,” said Sadgo.
Then, in 2017, the family received a reprieve, winning a green card lottery to the United States. They eventually settled in Brooklyn where Sadgo graduated from high school and took a few classes at a community college. Around that time, Sadgo started working as a military contractor and cultural adviser for American Marines and their families deploying to the Georgian Republic.
In 2024, Sadgo enrolled in the U.S. Army with the goal of becoming a Psychological Operations Specialist (PSYOP). “Growing up, I always wanted to be a protector,” said Sadgo. “Even though I was a female, it did not stop me.” Sadgo said her father, who today manages a trucking business in Brooklyn, was moved by the path she chose. “When he came to see me graduate from Basic Combat Training, we both cried,” she said. “It was really something that he's proud that I did.”
Following this, Sadgo transferred her college credits to CUNY SPS and connected with the School’s Office of Military & Veteran Student Services. Since then, Sadgo has been a peer mentor helping veterans find jobs, sign up for benefits, and make social connections, “Mentoring is anything you can think of,” said Sadgo, who currently serves as president of the CUNY SPS Student Veterans Organization (SVO), a club for veterans originally launched in 2022 that she helped re-establish this fall. “Whatever your veterans at CUNY SPS need from you, you need to be there.”
Sadgo credits her success at CUNY SPS with support from her professors. As an active-duty student who needed occasional extensions on her assignments, “They all really understand what it means to be a soldier,” she said. “Country comes first, and my duty comes first, and then education, and food, and then, you know, a shower.”
Symmone Hendrix agrees. “Being a veteran and a student at SPS has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Hendrix. “The school offers support and community for veterans, and I’ve grown both personally and professionally during my time here.” Hendrix has served in the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves as a financial management technician and a psychological operations specialist. Today, she is an automated logistical specialist.
Hendrix transferred to CUNY SPS four years ago after earning her Associate’s degree in Human Services and Mental Health from LaGuardia Community College. “I was interested in Human Resources and found that SPS offered a great online Bachelor’s program that accepted all of my previous credits,” she said. “I’m finishing my Bachelor’s in Human Relations with a minor in Psychology of Management and Organizations, and I plan to pursue a Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology so I can eventually open my own HR firm.” She is expected to graduate by 2027.
At CUNY SPS, Hendrix has taken advantage of the services offered to veterans, including help accessing benefits for the disabled. “The team has always been helpful, quick, and thorough,” she said. Hendrix, working alongside Sadgo, is also the vice president of the SVO which “allows me to connect with other veterans, attend events, and build a supportive community,” she reflected.
Another service is a social work program called PROVE (Project for Return and Opportunity in Veterans Education). Founded in 2007, PROVE is meant to help veterans transition from the military to higher education and remove barriers to success.
In its third year at CUNY SPS, the PROVE program is supported by a team including the Office of Military & Veteran Student Services, student peer mentors, and social work interns like Nidhi Kohli (pictured right), who is enrolled at Hunter College. As part of her work, Kohli spends two days a week doing outreach to veterans at SPS. Unlike other PROVE cohorts that rely on an in-person “clubhouse” model to connect veterans, CUNY SPS is totally online. So Kohli’s outreach efforts include “cold calling people, emailing them, texting them, letting them know that I’m here and making contact.”
Many of the veterans she’s reached out to have asked for help with career services, networking opportunities, and personal counseling. “I’ve been really surprised by how welcome I feel when I make contact with people and how quickly a rapport can develop on the phone with a stranger,” said Kohli. “I feel honored to work with this population and be able to learn about the community and offer them services.”
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.
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