May 7 will be an important date for the City University of New York, the largest urban higher education system since it celebrates its anniversary – in several days, CUNY will have been providing education for 175 years!
Founded as The Free Academy in 1847, CUNY is now one of the most successful modern university systems in the United States, comprising 25 institutions. It is also the first-ever university to offer free higher education to women. Each year, the university enrolls 260,000 students from more than 200 countries.
“The story of The City University of New York is an epic tale – a sweeping story of New York and New Yorkers, and of America, that spans nearly two centuries…,” said FĂ©lix V. Matos RodrĂguez, first chancellor of color in CUNY’s history. He also mentioned the motto of the university that is “The education of free people is the hope of humanity,” meaning modern universities must extend the benefits of free education to all.
“CUNY propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all eight Ivy League campuses, plus Duke, M.I.T., Stanford, and Chicago, combined,” – stated The New York Times, indicating CUNY is open for everyone who desires to acquire a high-quality education.
Over the past 175 years, CUNY has launched a total of 25 educational facilities, including senior colleges, community colleges, and schools. CUNY is built on many interdisciplinary and collaborative ties that contribute to student achievements. These relationships remain essential to CUNY as the state of higher education continues to evolve at a quick pace.
Since its establishment, CUNY has been known for providing free public education and producing research at the highest national level. The university has a long history of pushing the limits of innovation and substantially influencing the community. There have been 13 Nobel Laureates, 26 MacArthur Winners, and 151 Fulbright Scholars among the university’s graduates.
Throughout its history, CUNY has always been a force for positive change in society: in 1946, the university contributed to the postwar economy by opening the New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences. It was created mainly to train technicians to work under postwar legislation. Later, in 1951, CUNY started to offer coeducation: women were admitted to the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a primarily all-female academy was opened to men.
CUNY continues to recognize and honor student achievements in academic, social, and sports fields in the new century. Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, launched in 2007, enables community college students to acquire their degrees in three years.
Five years later, the CUNY Service Corps is launched to create opportunities for students to be aware of the city’s sustainability. In 2017, the Service Corps initiated the action to help Puerto Rico recover from the hurricane.
In the following year, CUNY launched a new Advanced Science Research Center. It is specialized in neuroscience, structural biology, and other major science fields. Until today, it continues to invest in scientific innovations.
The celebration of CUNY’s 175th anniversary is indeed a significant event. Undoubtedly, the university’s students and professors want to make this day memorable, which is why the celebration is likely to be remarkable. Other news regarding the anniversary and events for the upcoming year will be announced later on social media channels and the website.