Strong Turnout at Downstate’s Fall Open House

By Office of the President | Oct 6, 2026

Open House Cover

What might a career in healthcare or public health look like? Prospective students attended Downstate’s Annual Fall Open House on September 24 to explore that question with those who teach, study, and work here. The event welcomed 184 prospective students and guests, making it the University’s largest Open House before the pandemic.

More than 20 Downstate employees and students welcomed visitors to the Public Health Academic Building. They answered questions about programs, admissions, and student life. Representatives from the College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Public Health, and School of Graduate Studies helped guests explore options ranging from certificates and undergraduate degrees to master’s and doctoral studies.

Prospective students showed particularly strong interest in the Accelerated BS in Nursing, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Physician Assistant, and Public Health programs. Those programs can lead to very different kinds of work: caring for patients as a nurse, using ultrasound to help diagnose medical conditions, practicing as a physician assistant, or studying and improving the health of communities.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 1.9 million openings each year in healthcare occupations from 2025 to 2035, including openings created as workers leave the field. It also projects employment growth of 21 percent for physician assistants, 14 percent for diagnostic medical sonographers, and 19 percent for epidemiologists, one career path in public health. These national figures show the breadth of opportunities available to students considering their next step.

Downstate’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice program in Clinical Leadership and Practice Innovation offers another path for those ready to advance. Designed for master’s-prepared nurses, the five-semester distance-learning program prepares them to lead improvements in patient care, quality, safety, and healthcare organizations. It is SUNY’s first DNP focused on clinical leadership.

Kenneth Lyttle, MBA, MPA, Director of Student Admissions, and the Admissions team led the Open House, with support from faculty, staff, and students across the four schools. Their conversations gave visitors a chance to ask what the work is really like and begin to picture a future at Downstate.

Thank you to everyone who helped welcome our guests and to the prospective students who came ready to explore what comes next.