The Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) is proud to announce the Columbia SPS CUNY (City University of New York) Fellowship program’s 2025–2026 cohort of Columbia SPS CUNY Fellows. This second cohort of Fellows comprises recent graduates from Hunter College, Baruch College, and Macaulay Honors College, and will join six different graduate programs at the School. They come from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and the Bronx, and all have been leaders at their respective undergraduate schools.
“We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished, engaged, and thoughtful students to Columbia SPS,” said Columbia SPS dean Troy Eggers. “I can’t wait to see what this talented group will bring to the School and the broader University community.”
Last year, the fellowship program was started with the goal of providing high-achieving recent City University of New York (CUNY) bachelor’s- or master’s-degree recipients access to Columbia’s vast academic, professional, and community resources. The fellowship provides a full-tuition scholarship for six semesters in any one of the School’s graduate programs, which helps remove a financial barrier to earning a master’s degree.
The following SPS students are in the second cohort of Columbia SPS CUNY Fellows:
- Divine Adeniyi, Baruch College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program.
- Ermina Chowdhury, Hunter College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Nonprofit Management program.
- Liam Cooper, Baruch and Macaulay Honors College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Sustainability Management program.
- Yangchen Lama, Baruch College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Technology Management program.
- Demaliyah McDaniel, Baruch College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Human Capital Management program.
- Julia M. Vigay, Baruch College graduate, is joining the M.S. in Strategic Communication program
“This new cohort truly impressed us with their passion, intellect, and drive,” said Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Zelon Crawford. “They are not only excellent students academically, they possess the leadership qualities that will help them thrive in this program and at the School.”
This year’s Columbia SPS CUNY Fellows bring exceptional academic achievement, professional experience, and community leadership to the program. They have served as valedictorians, scholars, and student government leaders; worked across sectors including public service, finance, sustainability, and communications; and engaged in research, advocacy, and mentorship at local and global levels. Through their graduate studies at Columbia SPS, the Fellows hope to deepen their expertise. And when they leave Columbia SPS, they hope to lead initiatives that create lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
