Amid Record-Breaking Enrollment, Students Reflect Upon the Appeal of CUNY SPS

Wanda McNeill-Jones started her associate's degree decades ago, but life got in the way, and she couldn't complete it.

A program coordinator at Weill-Cornell Medicine, she always wanted to return and finish when her supervisor encouraged her to explore the possibility and wrote it down as a professional goal.

McNeill-Jones returned to Borough Manhattan Community College and took the three classes she needed for her AA degree. The next step was her bachelor's degree. However, she needed an online program since she works from home.

"CUNY SPS [School of Professional Studies] checked all the boxes," enthused McNeill-Jones. "Online learning, affordable tuition, zero textbook cost—I was like, 'Oh, no! This is too good to be true.' Also, important to me is to have people there to help you with personalized attention and resources, plus [being able to] transfer up to 105 credits."

At 60, McNeill-Jones enrolled in the BA in Liberal Studies program, proving it's never too late. "This was the best decision."

She is one of more than 4,700 students attending CUNY SPS in Fall 2024—the School’s largest class in history. In a record-breaking stat, the campus has welcomed an additional 400 students this semester, a nine percent rise over last year, with new student enrollment at an even higher 12 percent increase.

“I am very proud of the efforts of the Enrollment Task Force and everyone who has worked so hard to achieve our continuing enrollment growth," said CUNY SPS Dean Dr. Lisa R. Braverman. "They exemplify the talent, experience, and commitment that make us a premier campus for online learning. We are achieving our mission every day by serving an increasing number of nontraditional students interested in our flexible and affordable high-quality online degree and certificate programs." 

Other students from the School’s largest class also reflected upon what drew them to CUNY SPS.

Victor Otero and Safiyah Tate followed different roads to CUNY SPS but share the same goals—to finish their bachelor’s degrees and bring their careers to a new level.

"I chose CUNY SPS because it worked with my schedule," Otero said. "I work full time and being able to take asynchronous learning courses is great when you're in New York, because when you live here you don't really get time for anything."

Otero, who works as a case manager at St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction, is majoring in the BA in Communication and Media program to build his photography business.

A graduate of City Tech, Otero thought about returning there to finish his degree, but the Brooklyn school wasn't an option anymore since he worked and lives in the Bronx.

"When I looked into the CUNY SPS programs and learned that they were asynchronous learning, it was like a miracle for me, because I almost felt like I couldn't go back to college based on my schedule," he said. "I asked a whole bunch of questions, and genuinely liked what I heard, and decided just take the steps and enroll."

Tate was also looking for flexibility when she began searching for ways to complete her degree. She initially attended Lehman College but had scheduling conflicts as a busy parent with a young child, so she had to drop out.

She earned her GED and associate's degree from Borough of Manhattan Community College while she was incarcerated for 13 years at age 18. At that time, she had twin children, who her family helped raise.

When she came across CUNY SPS, she was under the impression that it was for people who were settled in their careers and needed to attend a few classes. After further investigation, she realized that it was not only for her, but also offered a BA in Youth Studies—a degree she was interested in and is currently pursuing.

"I chose youth studies because I have a goal and I was formerly incarcerated and didn't have a support system," Tate said. "This will help me build more knowledge about youths and implement change."

Lucas Sifuentes, interim executive director of enrollment management and admissions at CUNY SPS, said he's pleased that his team set an ambitious growth target for the School and exceeded it.

"I’m incredibly proud of all the enrollment units, front-line staff, academic departments, and the entire campus community for their hard work and dedication," he said. "This growth not only reflects the strength of our academic programs but also highlights our team’s commitment to supporting learners from diverse backgrounds. As we continue to expand, we remain focused on empowering students to achieve their goals through flexible, innovative online education."

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
CUNY SPS Chief Marketing Officer
Prerna.dar@cuny.edu