For Gineyda Diaz, a nonprofit professional looking for an affordable way to earn a graduate degree, enrolling in the new MS in Strategic Nonprofit Management program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) was a no-brainer.
“I decided against continuing education after undergrad, but it was always at the front of my mind. I considered going back to school several times throughout my career, but the costs deterred me,” Diaz said. “When I saw how accessible the SPS program was, I knew this was the time. This degree will help support my current role as Director of Strategy and Impact and my future aspirations.”
Diaz is one of the nearly 5,200 students enrolling in CUNY SPS in fall 2026, a record-breaking statistic that not only bucks the recent higher ed enrollment decline trend, but also CUNY SPS’s success in provide working adults with high-quality and accessible online education.
As the School celebrates this enrollment growth—which represents an increase of 33% from 2022 and 8% from 2025—the Office of Student Life hosted both an in-person and virtual Welcome Back reception in early September to welcome the largest student body ever to the community.
Along with Diaz, current BS in Information Science student Sergey Tikhonov attended the on-campus reception. For Tikhonov, who plans to later pursue an MS in Data Science at CUNY SPS, the event offered a chance to meet classmates and get inspired for the year ahead. "This is my first in-person event for CUNY SPS, and when I arrived, I was very happy to finally meet my fellow students,” Tikhonov said. “Talking about career goals and seeing other successes always inspired me. This event once again sparked my excitement to finish my degree at the end of the fall 2026 semester!”
J. Antonio (at left), a returning BS in Business student who also serves as the co-chair of the Student Association, the president of the Creative Writing Club, and the treasurer of the Photography Club, attended the virtual reception. For Antonio, this event allowed him to reunite with the student community he had become a part of—and start planning programming for the upcoming year. “Through collaboration among our student organizations, faculty, staff, and the Student Association, I hope we can create more opportunities for students to connect, lead, create, and leave SPS even stronger than they found it,” he said.
In addition to the reception, the Office of Student Life also hosted the 2026 Emerging Leaders Retreat, a weeklong series of workshops designed to support and nurture student leaders, in late August. This year’s retreat was led by experts in the fields of higher education and technology, who offered trainings and talks that sought to equip both new and continuing student leaders with the essential tools to lead with confidence, purpose, and integrity.
Reshma Jaigobin, student development and leadership coordinator at CUNY SPS who organized the event, noted that this year’s workshops are helping the School’s expanding student body develop important leadership skills outside of the classroom.
“Students are always looking for opportunities to grow by putting what they’ve learned into practice,” said Jaigobin. “This meant not only delivering valuable content, but also ensuring presenters provided real-world examples of how students can apply these tools throughout their academic and professional journeys.”
Student Life Club and Organization Coordinator and CUNY SPS alum Parshotam Lal (BA Human Relations‘21), who was a key organizer of the Welcome Back Reception, also reflected on the ways that these Student Life events can support the biggest class in CUNY SPS’ history.
“As CUNY SPS continues to grow, we want to make sure that every student still feels connected and supported,” Lal said. “The Welcome Back Reception is one of the many ways we bring students together, introduce them to resources and opportunities, and help them build a sense of community. Student Life plays an important role in making sure that as our School grows, our students continue to feel like they belong here.”
Visit the CUNY SPS Events calendar to learn more about upcoming student happenings.
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.
Press Contact
Prerna Dar
CUNY SPS Chief Marketing Officer
Prerna.dar@cuny.edu