
Felix V. Matos Rodriguez
Chancellor, City University of New York College System
2015 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows, Postsecondary Leadership Circle (Leadership Circle) for Parents
New York City, New York
FĂ©lix V. Matos RodrĂguez became the eighth Chancellor of the City University of New York (CUNY) in May 2019, making him the first educator of color, and the first Latino to lead the nation’s largest urban university. CUNY’s sprawling system comprises 25 campuses with an enrollment of over 275,000 degree-seeking students, over 225,000 adult and continuing education students, and an operating budget of over $3.6 billion.
Stories featuring Felix V. Matos Rodriguez

Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute (Ascend) released the second season of “1 in 5,” its highly rated podcast that explores the multifaceted lives of the one in five college students raising children.

The 1 in 5 podcast vividly profiles students who are parents pursuing their education while raising a family and working. Today, more than one in five college students (22%) are parents. The experiences of students who are parents should not be unfamiliar or unheard, especially on college campuses. They’re in classrooms and clubs, working jobs and managing finances just like their peers.

In an op-ed for amNY.com, FĂ©lix V. Matos RodrĂguez shares insights and reflections on how higher ed can make a difference for families by supporting student parents.

Ascend is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the Postsecondary Leadership Circle (Leadership Circle) for Parents: A prestigious group of college and university leaders that will advise the Aspen Postsecondary Success for Parents (PSP) Initiative – a multi-year effort to raise awareness of and share recommendations to better support students who are parents. During …

The opinions expressed in this piece are those of the undersigned members of the 2015 class of Ascend Fellows and don’t necessarily represent the views of the Aspen Institute. Ascend Fellows are entrepreneurial leaders with the vision to advance the educational success, economic security, and health and well-being of children and families. It is with …
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