News & Events

Kathryn Gioiosa's undergraduate career at CCNY has been defined by a singular conviction: that communities must be sustainable, equitable, and just. The cofounder of TREEage—a student-led organization working to advance transformative climate action—Kathryn has emerged as one of the most decorated student leaders in the college's history. She is the first CCNY student ever to receive both the Truman Scholarship and the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, two of the nation's most prestigious awards recognizing commitment to public service and environmental stewardship.

Through the Moynihan Fellowship, Kathryn completed an internship with the AFSCME/Harvard University Center for Labor and a Just Economy Union Scholars Program, deepening her understanding of the relationship between organized labor, equity, and climate policy. After graduation, she will attend the Truman Scholarship Summer Institute in Washington, DC, before returning to New York City to continue her full-time leadership of TREEage. She plans to pursue a master's in city and urban planning and an MBA in social entrepreneurship.

Pop Joslaine Manos has spent her architectural education at the intersection of design, public service, and urban resilience. Her internship at the NYC Economic Development Corporation brought her work on significant civic projects, including NYC pier resiliency initiatives and the development of cultural landmarks such as the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Coney Island Sports Center. Beyond New York, she has contributed to design-build projects for cultural spaces in Costa Rica and community-oriented spaces in Harlem and Brooklyn.

Upon graduating, Pop will join the New York office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) as a junior designer. "Over the past few years, my approach to architecture has been shaped by a commitment to city resiliency," she reflected, "and I couldn't imagine a better environment than SOM to pursue that mission on a global scale."

Victoria Lu brought exceptional academic range and a deep commitment to community organizing to her time at CCNY. A triple major in sociology, political science, and international studies with a minor in human rights, she is also a 2024 Jeannette K. Watson Fellow—one of the most competitive undergraduate fellowships in the country.

For two and a half years, Victoria served as the Chinese Member Organizer for the Street Vendor Project, where she helped organize over 200 Chinese street vendors to successfully pass a landmark legislative reform package. Through the Moynihan Fellowship, she completed an internship with Children's Ground Ltd. in New Zealand, gaining international perspective on community-centered public service. This fall, Victoria will join the NYC Urban Fellows program.

Vanessa Lopez arrived at the Moynihan Fellowship with a clear sense of purpose: to bridge the gap between clinical mental health practice and public policy. Before her internship at the NYC Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health, she participated in the Volcker Alliance's Next Gen Service Summer Academy, building the policy foundation to complement her clinical training.

"The Moynihan Fellowship has deepened my understanding of the intersection between clinical mental health work, public service, and policy," Vanessa said. "It has encouraged me to think critically about how systemic changes, community-based interventions, and clinical practice work together to address long-standing inequities."

Vanessa intends to pursue her doctorate in psychology, with the goal of becoming a clinician and community mental health advocate. "I want to continue bridging clinical practice with public health initiatives, especially in underserved communities," she said, "and give back to the Bronx."