New York, NY – May 22, 2025 – On May 15, 2025, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy Foundation orchestrated its inaugural Public Health Futures Gala, a landmark event designed to galvanize support for the next generation of public health leaders. This gathering assembled 250 leading figures across multiple sectors, culminating in the successful fundraising of over $650,000. These funds are earmarked to enhance scholarship programs and innovative initiatives dedicated to cultivating skilled professionals ready to tackle the complex and evolving public health challenges confronting New York City and beyond.
The event, deftly emceed by WABC-TV Anchor Bill Ritter, spotlighted the outstanding contributions of Dr. Kyu Rhee, the President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Dr. Rhee was honored with the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Public Health Philanthropy, a prestigious accolade recognizing his enduring leadership. Under his stewardship, NACHC has significantly expanded access to transdisciplinary primary care, impacting over 31.5 million individuals across more than 14,000 healthcare sites nationwide. His work exemplifies how integrative care models can redefine health accessibility and equity on a systemic level.
The Gala centered around the theme “Creating Brighter, Bolder Futures for the Public Health Workforce,” underscoring the strategic investment in human capital as a critical vector for societal health advancement. The funds raised support the CUNY SPH Foundation’s dual mission to empower students—many of whom balance full-time professional responsibilities and caregiving roles—and to foster public health solutions that transcend traditional industry boundaries. Through scholarship programs and educational frameworks, the Foundation is enhancing competencies in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy analysis, and population health management.
Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, emphasized the Foundation’s indispensable role in complementing the academic mission. “By investing in students who couple intellectual rigor with lived experience, we forge a resilient and dynamic public health workforce capable of addressing stark health disparities,” he stated. This strategic focus on health equity involves not only skill acquisition but also a deep commitment to social justice-oriented policy advocacy and community-engaged research methodologies.
A hallmark of the Foundation’s recent initiatives is the launch of the Career Skills Academy, an avant-garde program designed to equip students with critical professional competencies such as strategic communication, data literacy, leadership in multidisciplinary teams, and grant writing. This program recognizes the complex realities of its student body, which is comprised of approximately 77% women and 65% individuals from underrepresented groups, and prepares them for impactful careers. Notably, 90% of program graduates remain in New York State to directly serve its diverse populations, effectively creating a localized feedback loop of expertise and cultural competence.
The Foundation’s holistic approach integrates technical training with experiential learning paradigms, fostering critical thinking and adaptive problem-solving skills necessary in the face of public health threats such as emerging infectious diseases, chronic illness burdens, and environmental health hazards. As Adam M. Doyno, Executive Director and Chief Development Officer, remarked, “Our initiatives serve as catalysts for social justice by closing opportunity gaps and accelerating both student success and the implementation of real-world public health interventions.”
CUNY SPH’s stature in the academic landscape was further affirmed this year as U.S. News & World Report ranked it the number one public school of public health in New York City, New York State, and the Tri-State area for the fifth consecutive year. Nationally, CUNY SPH climbed to 16th among 214 accredited public health institutions, a testament to its rigorous research output and community-oriented pedagogy that prioritizes equity and impact.
Corporate and philanthropic sponsorship played a vital role in the event’s success. Contributors ranged from the Secunda Family Foundation and EmblemHealth to institutions such as the Harlem Community Development Corporation and the National Association of Community Health Centers. Their partnership echoes a critical trend in contemporary public health financing: multisectoral collaborations designed to sustain long-term, systemic health improvements through strategic investment in education and capacity-building.
The Gala also illuminated the increasingly nuanced understanding of public health as an interdisciplinary field. Scholarship and programming at CUNY SPH extend beyond traditional epidemiology and health promotion, integrating data science, policy research, environmental health sciences, and community participatory methods. These approaches are fundamental to addressing the social determinants of health that underpin persistent inequities in urban environments, particularly within marginalized communities.
CUNY SPH’s commitment to social justice is deeply embedded in its curricular and extracurricular ethos, where students are trained to design and implement evidence-based interventions that are culturally responsive and scalable. Such training ensures graduates are not only adept at traditional public health metrics but also proficient in leveraging policy advocacy and systemic reform to effectuate comprehensive health improvements.
As public health continues to confront global challenges—ranging from pandemics to climate change-related impacts—institutions like CUNY SPH and its Foundation play a pivotal role in cultivating expertise and fostering resilience within the workforce. The Public Health Futures Gala epitomizes this vision, translating philanthropic investment into tangible educational pathways and community health outcomes.
In summary, the inaugural Public Health Futures Gala served as a powerful nexus linking philanthropy, education, and policy innovation to catalyze a more equitable and effective public health workforce. It showcased the CUNY SPH Foundation’s dedication to fostering leadership among students from diverse backgrounds, equipping them with the technical skills and ethical grounding to confront 21st-century health challenges. This event not only celebrated individual achievements but also illuminated the broader imperative of reinforcing educational infrastructures that propel social justice and systemic transformation in public health.
Subject of Research: Preparation and support of future public health professionals to advance health equity in New York City through education, scholarships, and innovative workforce development programs.
Article Title: CUNY SPH Foundation Inaugurates Public Health Futures Gala to Empower Next-Generation Leaders
News Publication Date: May 22, 2025
Web References:
– https://foundation.sph.cuny.edu/
– https://sph.cuny.edu/
Keywords: Public health, health equity, workforce development, health policy, primary care access, social justice, epidemiology, health education, community health centers
