President Michelle J. Anderson recently discussed the importance of the expansion of CUNY’s dual enrollment College Now program to include independent religious schools and its broader implications for educational access in Women in Higher Education magazine. You can read the interview here.
In the article, Anderson cited the expansion of College Now as a critical strategy for widening access to college-level education and strengthening Brooklyn College’s role as a pathway builder for diverse students. Through new partnerships with private and parochial high schools, she emphasizes offering rigorous, transferable coursework that allows students to earn credits, explore academic interests, and build confidence before graduating high school. Anderson sees the program as both an equity initiative and a practical investment—helping students save money, enter college better prepared, and accelerate progress toward their degrees while reinforcing Brooklyn College’s mission of inclusion and academic excellence.
At the close of 2025, Anderson joined CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez for a visit to Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School, where the expansion was announced.
The expansion marked a meaningful step in broadening access to college-level coursework for students across New York City. Building on the success of the 42-year-old College Now program, Brooklyn College has deepened its engagement with communities historically outside the program’s reach. The impact is already evident—enrollment of students from independent religious schools in Brooklyn College–administered College Now courses grew from 32 to 78 students in just one year, a 144% increase.
