The CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) celebrated the School’s nursing graduates at the 2026 Annual Nursing Convocation and Pinning Ceremony held at Baruch College on April 29.
The hybrid event hosted an audience of proud family members, friends, and community members, all there to honor the more than 200 nursing graduates in the Class of 2026.
The theme for this year’s National Nurses’ Week, “The Power of Nurses,” struck a recurrent chord throughout the festivities, reminding everyone in the assembled group that the School’s graduating nurses play a vital role as agents of change.
As the evening commenced, Interim Academic Director of Nursing Dr. Alexandra Plavskin (above left) extended welcoming remarks and offered her congratulations to the graduates.
CUNY SPS Dean Dr. Lisa R. Braverman (above center) then took the stage, extolling the many accomplishments of the Class of 2026 graduates. “Nurses are often the first to notice, the first to respond, and the first to reassure. You are advocates when patients need a voice, educators when families need guidance, and leaders when systems need change,” said Dr. Braverman. “Graduates, as we celebrate your achievement tonight, know that you carry with you the respect and pride of our School. We believe in your talent, your compassion, and your ability to shape the future of healthcare—and we could not be prouder of you and all that you have achieved.”
Next, the evening’s keynote speaker, CUNY SPS Nursing alum and New York State Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest (BS Nursing ‘20), stepped up to the podium
In her address, Assemblymember Souffrant Forrest (above right), a Brooklyn native and daughter of Haitian immigrant parents, spoke of her journey from maternal and child health nurse to her current role in Albany representing New Yorkers in the 57th District.
“When you use a framework of people engagement and shaping narrative, teaching and responding, nursing and legislating are the same… Nursing takes critical thinking and competent communication to navigate issues with different types of people. And those skills are the same ones I use every day in Albany,” she said. “If you only take away one thing from my speech here today, take away the knowledge that the system will not change itself—it requires people willing to push for change. And there is no one better suited to take that on than nurses.”
Following her remarks, the undergraduate student speaker, Iqra Yaseen (pictured at left), also pointed out in her remarks how instrumental nurses are as proponents for healthcare improvements. “Nursing means bearing witness to people’s hardest moments. It means advocating for those who may not have a voice. It means bringing humanity into spaces that need it most,” Yaseen said. “Sometimes, the smallest moments of care… become the ones that change everything.”
The undergraduate pinning ceremony took place directly after Yaseen’s speech. In this time-honored tradition, graduates received a nursing pin to indicate their completion of education and official initiation into the profession.
Following this, graduate student speaker Davianne Silvera (pictured at right) recounted her time in the MS in Nursing Organizational Leadership program, noting how it prepared her to become an advocate for healthcare innovation. “Healthcare is a complex, interconnected system in which policies, staffing, technology, and patient outcomes influence one another,” Silvera said. “What sets a master’s prepared nurse apart is the ability to look beyond what is happening and understand why it is happening.”
At the conclusion of her remarks, graduate students then received their pins. A group photo session followed the graduate pinning, bringing the evening to a close.
About the CUNY SPS Online Nursing Programs
The CUNY School of Professional Studies offers a portfolio of online degrees and advanced certificate programs in nursing to help fill the growing void within the healthcare system. Serving as the first fully online nursing degree in the CUNY system, our programs help nurses advance within their careers while continuing their education in a timely, flexible, and affordable way.
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 over 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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