Our fellows and faculty members continue to break the mold with their innovative and expansive research. With a shared goal of creating a more equitable higher education landscape that informs all that we do, our team continues to produce research of the highest caliber that reaches beyond academia, creating a positive impact and engaging the public in creative ways.
My dissertation is based on what happens when a principal not only tells her students that they matter, but shows them by tirelessly and holistically investing in their well-being, which ultimately impacts their educational attainment.
Kashema Hutchinson
Former CPL Director / FI Alum

Projects
Many of our recent graduates have produced research that is directly connected to the public good. Our new Executive Director, Adashima Oyo, recently defended her dissertation. Her research examined application, enrollment and graduation trends for Black and Latinx students at schools of public health in the United States.
Other examples of such crucial dissertation work include Jessica Murray’s work concerning the MTA, “Self-Determination in Transportation: The Route to Social Inclusion for People with Disabilities,” and Jesse Fredlund’s “Climate Change and the Ancestors: Rain, Gender and Politics in an African Water Catchment.” Former fellow Shaun Lin’s research interests include immigrant communities, food and foodways, and abolition geography.
Learn more about research pertaining to Futures Initiative in the following posts:
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Announcing 2023 Winners of Futures Initiative Research Grants!
Research grants have been awarded to 33 PhD students from the CUNY Graduate Center. Futures Initiative Graduate Fellows reviewed proposals and selected candidates from 84 applications across many fields. We wish […]
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Futures Initiative Lennihan and Notari Digital Poster Showcase
Please join the Futures Initiative in congratulating award recipients for the Dr. Louise Lennihan Arts and Sciences Grant and the Paul C. Notari Environmental Studies Grant. We firmly believe these […]
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Announcing Three Futures Initiative Grant Competitions for GC Students! Apply Today!
Deadline: March 15, 2023 The Futures Initiative is pleased to offer three separate grant competitions. Please see the details below for the 6th Annual Dr. Louise Lennihan Arts and Sciences […]
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Em(Body)ed Experiences with the CUNY Peer Leaders
On Friday 10/14 CUNY Peer Leaders gathered to participate in a Body Mind Mapping exercise. What is Body Mind Mapping you might ask? I was first introduced to Body Mind […]
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New College Classroom: Changing Ourselves, Changing Our Classroom, Changing the World!
On Wednesday, September 7th at 3:00 pm, CUNY and collegiate-wide affiliated participants gathered at CUNY Graduate Center’s Skylight room to discuss Cathy N. Davidson and Christina Katopodis’s new book The […]
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Impact of Covid-19 on California Community College Enrollment and Students’ Outcomes
Impact of Covid-19 on California Community College Enrollment and Students’ Outcomes **This essay is a reflection on the paper entitled, The Impact of Covid-19 on Community College Enrollment and Student […]