A League of Their Own
Part One of Our Series Featuring “50 Under 50” Honorees
The City University of New York (CUNY) proudly presented its inaugural “50 Under 50” alumni list this past August. The roster celebrates a class of distinguished graduates as the changemakers, leaders, and innovators who made their marks in their respective fields over the past year. The honorees in this prestigious first cohort represent the best of the University’s vibrant and expansive community.
CUNY SPS is proud to announce that five of our outstanding alums were featured on this inaugural list. As part of our new “50 under 50” blog series, we got in touch with the honorees to see what this award might mean to them and how their CUNY SPS education played a role in their success.
In the first segment of the series, we spoke with new inductee and CUNY SPS alum Phara Souffrant Forrest (BS Nursing ‘20), who currently serves as a representative for the 57th District in the New York State Assembly. You can also read about Phara in her “50 under 50” profile here.
Congrats on being named as one of CUNY’s “50 Under 50!” What does receiving this honor mean to you?
It means a lot to me. As a CUNY graduate, born and raised in Brooklyn, to be elevated as an example for other CUNY students is really cool. I always try to be myself and be real and it feels great to be recognized for the work I have done.
Were you able to meet your fellow inductees from CUNY SPS?
No but I would love to!
What made you choose CUNY SPS for your degree?
The flexibility that it provided was really important to me, along with the experienced and worldly faculty.
How do you think CUNY SPS impacted your success after graduating?
The other students and staff were great people to work with, and they helped me hit the ground running. As a RN to BSN student, my program was different from other nursing programs. It made the transition really seamless.
Please tell us a little about your journey from nurse to NY State Assembly.
After several years working as a nurse, I realized that I was seeing many of the same root causes for my patients: lack of housing, and not enough resources in the community. I ran for office because I wanted to use the lens of nursing to help impact those root causes. And people have really responded to that. Since being elected, I have introduced legislation to expand access to treatment courts for people with mental health and substance abuse issues, and this year I passed a bill eliminating all copays on insulin for state insurance plans. So I’m continuing to look at those systemic issues.
Do you have a fondest memory of CUNY SPS you would like to share?
Yes! When we did our in-person clinicals at Bellevue it really gave me the chance to let my skills shine. That was an amazing experience.
What advice would you give to a new CUNY SPS student?
Don’t be afraid to jump in and max out your experience. If you want it, ask for it!
If you met a potential adult learner who was on the fence about returning to school after a break in their education, what insights/advice would you share?
A break in your education can actually be beneficial because it gives you that real-world experience that makes your education richer. If there’s something you want to explore, go for it!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’m excited to continue building on the momentum I’ve built in my district and pass transformational legislation. At some point, I would also love to get my master’s degree and teach! I have learned so much, and there is a lot I would like to share.
