Townsend Harris High School maintains close ties with CUNY Queens College. Therefore, changes within the CUNY programs means changes within the THHS community as well. Taking an assertive step forward in the sciences, the City University of New York, accompanied

THHS seniors learned about and have several thoughts on this advancement. Senior Toni Alexander commented that the establishment of the new CUNY medical school is “good because it is affordable and sadly, not everyone is able to pay the high tuition fees for medical school.” He says, “Personally, I don’t know if it will be at the standard of other medical schools or whether it will be open by the time I am ready to apply to medical schools.”

Similarly, Science teacher Katherine Cooper also focused on the financial benefits of a new CUNY medical school. She remarks, “it widens the opportunities for students to pursue the medical field who couldn’t have before for a more affordable cost.”

Coupled with this recent advancement, CUNY is also featuring the resurgence of the Advanced Science Research Center, or ASRC. This facility nurtures and governs innovative ideas in response to the most tantalizing scientific problems occurring globally today. Displayed on the ASRC website, the focus of this establishment is on Nanoscience, Photonics, Structural Biology, Neuroscience and Environmental Sciences. According to Dr. Gillian Small, the ASRC “will be a place for people in different disciplines who want to work together in a common pursuit. That’s the kind of scientist we want to bring in.” In turn, it is of no surprise that the Washington Monthly magazine recognized the great overall value of CUNY colleges, providing great quality education at an affordable cost.  

With a rising interest in training young adults in STEM fields, CUNY’s initiatives may potentially keep talent within the city and attract students from beyond.