Commencement

Congratulations to CUFO 2025 Graduates

Congratulations to our CUFO colleagues who are 2025 graduates! With degrees in Construction Administration, Mechanical Engineering, Strategic Communications, and more, this year’s graduates reflect the valuable diversity of thought and variety of functions CUFO staff bring to our institution. 

May 20, 2025
Mimoun Aoudal, Katie McCluskey, Franklin Rodriguez, and David Greenberg pose in front of Scholar's Lion on the Morningside Campus

Balancing a full-time job while pursuing an academic degree takes hard work, excellent time management, and dedication. Please join us in celebrating our colleagues for this important intellectual and professional accomplishment: 

  • Zohaib Ahmed, Licensed Refrigeration Engineer, Operations – New Jersey Institute of Technology, BS in Mechanical Engineering 

  • Joel Anglade, Security Officer, Public Safety – Columbia School of Social Work, MSSW 

  • Mimoun Aoudal, Events Manager, Event Management – Baruch College, BA in Risk Management 

  • Janeica Davis, Supervisor, Operations – Teachers College, MA in Psychology of Education 

  • Katie McCluskey, Associate Director, Strategic Communications – School of Professional Studies, MS in Strategic Communications 

  • Franklin Rodriguez, Environmental Controls Technician, Operations – School of Professional Studies, MS in Construction Administration 

Reflections from 2025 CUFO Grads 

CUFO 2025 graduates shared some of their takeaways about what they learned from working and being in school at the same time: 

  • “Juggling work and school has honed my time management skills and taught me the importance of prioritizing tasks effectively.” -Mimoun Aoudal 

  • “During my Capstone project, I proposed to upper management an environmental controls upgrade for all the academic buildings on Columbia University’s Morningside campus, starting with Hamilton Hall. I asked my professors for permission to base my Capstone project on this initiative, and they approved. I had the opportunity to interview the Associate Vice President of Engineering and Energy, which allowed me to apply the skills I learned in this program along with my professional knowledge. I learned a great deal while working on this project.” -Franklin Rodriguez  

  • “It takes having a supportive and loving family/community to succeed at being able to work and attend school at the same time. In addition, it requires a supportive boss who is genuinely happy to see you succeed. Lastly, all the pieces have to align for it to work. Trusting and believing it's possible is half the battle.”  -Janeica Davis

Curious about Columbia’s Educational Benefits for Staff? Explore what’s available on the Columbia Human Resources website. 

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Commencement