New York, NY, August 20, 2026 — The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall, marking two decades in which the school has consistently offered a first-rate, accessible, innovative, and forward-looking journalism program, one that is uniquely positioned to lead new generations of journalists through the profound transformation underway in the news field. A commitment to public service has been, and will continue to be, one of the defining characteristics of Newmark students and graduates.
This week, the school proudly welcomed the Class of 2027, a strong cohort of aspiring and seasoned journalists who bring a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and professional experience to the field. More than half of them are New York residents, more than one in four are first-generation college graduates, and about one in four are graduates of CUNY and SUNY colleges. The other half come from all over the country—from Florida to California, Utah to South Carolina, Virginia to New Mexico and beyond—and from many corners of the world, including Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Spain, Singapore, Sweden and Kazakhstan. They have studied at large public universities and small liberal arts colleges, HBCUs and Ivy League campuses, and universities abroad.
Some are already working journalists, with experience in investigative reporting, data journalism, video, podcasting, and digital audience strategy—eager to learn new skills and evolve with a fast-paced industry. Others come from careers in business, communications, game design, technology, archival research, cultural institutions, the arts, community engagement, and public service.
They arrive at a pivotal moment for the field. “The Class of 2027 is arriving at a time of uncertainty but also of emergence and incredible opportunity, including the ability to use technology to reach more people and serve them better than our profession ever could,” said Dean Graciela Mochkofsky. “Collectively, we are figuring out how to serve the information needs of a changing public. Significant experimentation is underway—in newsrooms and, every day, at the school—to test new platforms, new tools, and new ways of engaging with the public, while keeping the core mission of independent journalism strong.”
Meeting the school’s commitment to remove financial barriers of access for its students, almost three-quarters of the Class of 2027 will attend on full scholarship, and approximately 90 percent of the students are receiving significant scholarship support.
This support, a historic milestone for the Newmark J-School, gives emerging journalists greater freedom to focus on their training, embrace risk and pursue careers where their reporting can have the greatest impact and serve the public, without carrying significant student debt.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the school is heading into a year filled with big announcements, a series of events, and public conversations.
Learn more about the tuition-free campaign and read an op-ed from Dean Graciela Mochkofsky in The New York Times.
About the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is a public graduate journalism school that prepares students from diverse economic, racial and cultural backgrounds to produce high-quality journalism. The school offers master’s degree programs in Journalism, Engagement Journalism and Bilingual Journalism (English/Spanish), as well as an online M.A. in Bilingual Journalism. The school’s J+ division offers executive training programs that equip seasoned journalists to reimagine news business models, build news products and step into leadership roles with an entrepreneurial mindset.
In 2024, the school launched a campaign to provide free tuition, in perpetuity, to all of its students. If you are interested in contributing to the tuition-free campaign, please reach out to development@journalism.cuny.edu.