The City University of New York (City University of New York) celebrates the class of 2026 with news that marks a change in its educational focus: many of its new graduates already have full-time jobs or paid internships in key sectors of the city and country’s economy.
These results come after the launch of CUNY Beyond, an initiative that integrates work experience, applied learning and professional development from the first years of university. This class is the first to graduate under this model, which seeks to strengthen the direct transition from the classroom to the labor market.
CUNY 2026 graduates are already beginning to join companies such as Deutsche Bank, Wells Fargo, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and Pfizer, as well as public institutions and community organizations in New York. Their academic trajectories reflect the diversity of the university system, with studies in education, nursing, accounting, software engineering, psychology, political science and emergency services.
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez highlighted the impact of the institutional strategy. “Congratulations to our graduates who, with perseverance and determination, have reached this milestone,” he said. “CUNY plays a vital role in preparing New York’s workforce, and these results are reflective of the resources we provide students to help them succeed. We will continue to expand CUNY Beyond to ensure even more students can succeed inside and outside the classroom.”
A strategy to connect study and work
CUNY Beyond is being implemented in an initial phase at Hunter College, Lehman College, LaGuardia Community College and Borough of Manhattan Community College. Since its launch, applications to internship programs have increased 59% at Lehman and 20% at LaGuardia.
The university projects that the complete expansion of the program will generate approximately $3.3 billion in future salaries and a return on public investment of $700 million, consolidating the model as a commitment to economic and social impact.
Stories of a generation that enters the labor market
Among the notable cases is Karla Fernández, a graduate of Baruch College in Business Communication, who received a job offer from the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Fernández attributes his preparation to the SEEK program, which provides academic and financial support to students.
From Hunter College, Matthew LaBarca studied computer science and landed an internship at Deutsche Bank through CUNY Spring Forward. After that experience, he will return to the entity as a full-time software engineer.
Jeffrey Gomez, a graduate of Lehman College with a degree in Business Administration, landed a position at Wells Fargo after completing an internship with the company. The student, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic at the age of 14, highlighted the impact of institutional support: “Lehman supports you in the situation you find yourself in. There are many opportunities here if you take the initiative.”
At Brooklyn College, Damir Shakatov interns at the New York Mayor’s Office of Citizen Engagement. The student highlighted the Career Launch program as the key to accessing his professional experience.
From the health area, Nishat Islam, a graduate of Hunter College, works at Pfizer in vaccine development. Islam attributes his advancement to the CUNY Inclusive Economy program, which facilitates connections with employers and hands-on experience.
At Queens College, Shawn Rajkumar was hired as an investment analyst at Wells Fargo after completing an internship at the company. “I wouldn’t have my job if it weren’t for CUNY,” he said.
For her part, Ashley Villalva, a graduate of the College of Staten Island, works as a community liaison for the office of State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, after having completed an internship in the same environment.
An impact that spreads throughout the city
Graduation ceremonies for the class of 2026 were held between May 21 and June 18 on campuses across the five boroughs.
With more than 247,000 students, 25 campuses and dozens of academic programs, CUNY reaffirms its role as one of the main gateways to social mobility in the United States, connecting public education with real employment opportunities in New York City.
