CUNY Medgar Evers College

Medgar Evers College opened its doors in 1968 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, as part of the City University of New York system, honoring the civil rights activist assassinated five years earlier. It emerged to provide higher education to underserved urban communities, particularly Black and Caribbean students from working-class families. Students who thrive here often juggle jobs, family, and studies, drawn to the supportive environment that emphasizes practical skills and local impact. The campus sits in a vibrant, densely populated neighborhood amid brownstones and bodegas, where subway rides connect you to the rest of New York City. Tradeoffs include no on-campus housing, so most students commute daily, and the high cost of living in Brooklyn demands careful budgeting.