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Matt Sapienza Awarded Belle Zeller Scholarship Trust Fund Lifetime Achievement Award

Published: October 9, 2023

 

On September 12, 2023, at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, ACLS Chief Financial Officer Matthew Sapienza was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Belle Zeller Scholarship Trust Fund. The award honors exemplary educators and labor leaders who have made an impact at the City University of New York (CUNY).

With a distinguished background of seventeen years in prominent leadership positions within one of the nation’s most significant and intricate institutions of higher education, Matt brings alignment with our academic principles, a nuanced understanding of all facets of the educational realm, and a profound operational expertise in non-profit financial management and strategic planning. Excerpt from the 2023 Belle Zeller Scholarship Trust Fund Awards Ceremony

As Chief Financial Officer at ACLS, Matt supports and leads a team of dedicated finance professionals to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and efficiency of accounting and financial systems, and serves as a key resource to the President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining ACLS, Matt served as the Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer at CUNY, where he worked for 17 years. At CUNY, he was responsible for overseeing and managing the finances and business relationships of the University’s 25 colleges and professional schools, with overall management of $3 billion in state and city tax-levy operating funds, and more than $1 billion in tuition revenues. His portfolio also included the University’s Long-Term Investment Pool, an endowment of over $300 million.

Established by the leadership of the CUNY Professional Staff Congress in 1979, the Belle Zeller Scholarships honor Belle Zeller, a professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College, who combined a career of pioneering scholarship on lobbying in American politics with a dedication to CUNY’s faculty. The scholarships support students with demonstrated academic achievement and service to their community. The Fund has awarded more than 350 scholarships to CUNY students from community and senior colleges as well as CUNY’s graduate, professional, and law schools.

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