After a monumental year, NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service celebrated its Class of 2026 at the storied theater of New York City Center on Friday, May 15. With loved ones, faculty, staff, and administrators in attendance, the ceremony honored the tremendous achievements of graduates from programs including the Master of Public Administration, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Health Administration, Master of Science in Public Policy, Master of Science in Health Law Strategy, and Executive Master of Public Administration.

On April 13, Wagner hosted the inaugural NYU Wagner Social Impact Venture Challenge (SIVC). Inspired by Wagner’s mission to train public service-oriented leaders, the challenge is an opportunity for students to jointly explore policy, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Lia Clark is a second-year MUP student focusing on the intersections of housing policy, public health, and environmental justice. Her commitment to the built environment began in her hometown in Vermont, where she served as a Student Planning Commissioner and later as an Assistant Planner for the Town of Rockingham.

Janani Venkataramanan is a second-year MPA student specializing in Public Policy Analysis, where she bridges the gap between food policy, animal welfare, and climate action. A trained chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Janani spent years in New York City’s high-volume kitchens before pivoting to policy.

Finlay Scanlon is a second-year MPA-PNP student and Bloomberg Fellow, specializing in Public Policy Analysis. With a background in urban infrastructure and climate policy, Finlay’s work sits at the intersection of housing, transportation, and environmental justice.

NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service is launching Impact Leaders, a new scholarship designed to invest in students who will take on complex, consequential challenges across government, nonprofit organizations, health systems, and urban infrastructure. Scholarship recipients receive tuition support and join the Wagner student community as part of a shared academic and professional environment, working with faculty, peers, and practitioners to develop, test, and apply ideas in real-world settings across New York City and beyond.

David Salinas (MPA-PNP 2026) was selected to present at the Latinx Project Graduate Student Working Group’s second annual Graduate Student Research Symposium.