The Moynihan Center at CCNY

The Public Service undergraduate fellows concluded a fantastic fall semester with two engaging panels! The first was an alumni panel, moderated by Jane Ekhtman, our alumni board vice president. Jane led a discussion with fellow alumni Noor Muzahid, Sage Moccia, Daniel J. Ricci, and Noreen Ahmed, who shared their experiences in the fellowship program. They provided insights on how to make the most of summer internships and align them with career aspirations. The alumni also shared advice specific to their past internships: Jane at the NYC Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health, Noor at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development, Sage at The Fortune Society, Daniel at the Nyc Economic Development Corp, and Noreen at the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. The second panel focused on careers in public service, providing students with insights into various career paths and essential advice as they seek opportunities in NYC public service. Our panelists included Alan Alvarez and Chief Julie Deleon from the Bronx County District Attorney Office, Nereida Gomez from the Office of The Bronx Borough President, Anika HYLTON from the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and Deanna F. from the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Antonio Reynoso. Thank you to all our panelists for sharing their time and expertise with the students! #theMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

The Moynihan Center at The City College of New York is excited to announce our 2025–2026 senior fellowship opportunities! We are now accepting applications for: 📚 The Moynihan Public Scholars Fellowship Supports mid-career academics, public servants, and journalists committed to fostering substantive dialogue across ideological divides. Fellows receive $30,000 awards and join a vibrant intellectual community centered around our weekly Public Scholars Seminar. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dyc-S63j 📝 Moynihan Postdoctoral Fellowship Offers a one-year appointment (renewable for a second year) for early-career scholars to conduct research, teach undergraduates, and contribute to the Center's intellectual life at City College. Annual salary of $70,000 plus benefits. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dahUkUKf Both fellowships begin September 2025. Applications are due by February 10, 2025. #theMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

On Monday, the Moynihan Center hosted an event on "The Future of US Foreign Policy," featuring Dr. Michael Beckley, Moynihan Public Scholar and Tufts University professor, and Dr. William (Bill) Kristol, Editor-at-large of The Bulwark. Their conversation explored critical geopolitical issues in the wake of the 2024 election, including the implications of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Iran's nuclear ambitions, the Israel-Gaza situation, and the looming China-Taiwan conflict. In a wide-ranging discussion, Beckley and Kristol shed light on the domestic and international security consequences of various US military and diplomatic approaches to these flash points. The event concluded with a Q&A session including Moynihan Public Service Fellows and City College students. Thank you to Dr. Beckley and Dr. Kristol for sharing their expertise. #theMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

READ | “Subversion as a Public Value” Moynihan Center Senior Program Manager Layana Abu Touq teamed up with Seth Wright of Penn State Harrisburg to publish a guest column for Barrett and Greene Inc. The article explores the concept of subversion, reframing it not as chaos but as a catalyst for transformation within public administration. Layana and Seth argue that by embracing subversion, we can confront entrenched norms and foster a more inclusive and equitable governance landscape. Using the Moynihan Center as a prime example of subversion in action, the article underscores the Public Service Fellowship’s innovative union of civic education with practical public service skills. Through valuable internships in the public sector, students gain the skills needed to navigate and reshape systems that have historically overlooked diverse perspectives. The article highlights the journey of alumni like MIGUEL ARIAS, who moved from intern to full-time employee at the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Antonio Reynoso's Office, demonstrating the impact of the program. His story exemplifies how the initiative empowers students to effect meaningful change and strengthen their connections within the community. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dhxPfUgB #theMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

Last Thursday, the Moynihan Center welcomed journalist Frediano Finucci to give a lecture on satellite warfare. Drawing on research from his book, “The Great Game of Satellites,” Finucci analyzed the rivalry between the United States, Russia, and China, as they engage in strategic battles in space, targeting both military and civilian satellites. The presentation was a distinctive opportunity to understand the modern complexities of global conflict in the space age. Thank you to Mr. Finucci and our guests who joined us! #TheMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

Earlier this month, Moynihan Center Public Service Fellows, Jennifer Zingone and Alexa Francois, had the opportunity to attend the “Exploring the Intersection of STEM and Public Service” conference at The University of New Mexico. The conference was a valuable opportunity to learn about public service careers in STEM, develop key leadership skills, and build networks through peer-to-peer connections. After the event, Alexa, a biomedical sciences major and pre-med student, shared her reflections on discovering unexpected pathways within public service. ”My perspective has expanded tremendously after attending this conference. Public service is about discovering roles you never anticipated, where you can leverage your education and experiences to give back to your community.” Jennifer, a political science major, shared a similar insight from her experience. At a panel on STEM and public leadership in nonprofits, she learned about “the critical importance of adaptability, relationship-building, and resilience throughout one’s career in the nonprofit sector.” At the Moynihan Center, we work closely with our student fellows to help them identify public service careers that will be meaningful and rewarding to them, and this was another fantastic opportunity to fulfill that mission. Thank you to The Volcker Alliance and Next Generation Service Corps for generously sponsoring Jennifer and Alexa's attendance at this conference! #TheMoynihanCenter #ccny #ColinPowellSchool

This Fall Semester has been rich with valuable networking opportunities for our Moynihan Public Service Fellows! On Thursday evening, current and former undergraduate fellows came together in Shepard Hall for a mentorship event. We were fortunate to host eight distinguished professionals—including former colleagues of Senator Moynihan—who shared insights about their careers, organizations, and personal journeys. The fellows engaged in intimate small-group discussions with each mentor, allowing them to ask questions, exchange contact information, and think ahead to future professional opportunities. The evening was filled with connections and conversations that lasted well into the night! A heartfelt thank you to the following mentors for their invaluable participation and support. #ccny #theMoynihanCenter #ColinPowellSchool - Alan Alvarez, Bronx County District Attorney Office - Courtney Dunn, LCSW, NYC Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health - David Warner, Con Edison - Helen Rosenthal, NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault, former New York City Council Member  - Ledia Dobi, NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Mark Patterson, lawyer, former lobbyist and United States senate aide - Ross Frommer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - Ryan DuBois, New York City Commission on Human Rights

On Wednesday, we welcomed an impressive lineup of public service leaders who shared their journeys and wisdom with Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows. The panel included: - Ledia Dobi (NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs) - Jennifer Estrada (Amnesty International) - Ashley Otto (The Fortune Society) - Jashawn Frederick, MPA (New York City Economic Development Corporation) - Jaqi Cohen (Tri-State Transportation Campaign) - Laurence Pevsner (Lux Capital, Inaugural Moynihan Public Scholar) This experience allowed the fellows to gain insights into the diverse career paths of our panelists, engage in meaningful networking, and ask thought-provoking questions. Many thanks to our distinguished guests! #ccny #theMoynihanCenter #ColinPowellSchool

On Monday, we hosted a fascinating post-election discussion, “Twenty Years of Rage: From Anti-Globalization to Trumpism.” The talk by Carlo Invernizzi Accetti, Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of The Moynihan Center at CCNY, examined how the Western world went from a moment of extraordinary optimism in the early 1990s, when liberal democracy had triumphed in the Cold War, to the increasingly turbulent “raging twenty” years since the turn of the 21st century – characterized by waves of mass protest, collective distrust of traditional institutions, the deterioration of community, and an epidemic of loneliness, all of which has contributed to the rise of "rage-fed populism." It is a 20-minute talk well worth watching. The event was our annual Stanley Feingold Lecture on American Politics, which honors former Professor Stanley Feingold (CCNY ‘46), who taught political science to generations of CCNY students. He was beloved by his former students, and the annual event is organized by them in his honor. Special thanks to Amana Fontanella-Khan for moderating the discussion and to Anita Altman and Paul Bergman for their leadership in planning this year’s event at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York.

READ | “Ain’t I a Woman?! The Invisible Fight for Labor Rights in Home Care.” Moynihan Center Public Service Fellow Alumni Kristy Lee spent her summer interning at The Century Foundation as a Women’s Economic Justice Intern. As a culmination of her policy research conducted over the summer, Kit has written a piece highlighting the inequalities many workers experience in one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States: the home care industry.   Kit wrote, “Our population is becoming increasingly older, making the care infrastructure more vital than ever. Funding and reducing incentives for employers to break the law must be prioritized in order to fix the long-standing problems in the home care industry. Without it, we are dooming the most vulnerable parts of our population and the groups that care for them.” Thank you to The Century Foundation for hosting Kit this summer and supporting her mission to promote justice in the home care sector. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eADfy6hz #ccny #theMoynihanCenter #colinpowellschool