A Stop Worth Celebrating: MTA Honors Baruch College with Station Renaming

October 17, 2025

Baruch College celebrated a historic moment on October 17 as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) renamed the 23rd Street 6 train stop “23rd Street – Baruch College,” a tribute to the College’s proud place within The City University of New York (CUNY) system and its enduring ties to New York City.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow led the unveiling event, joined by State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Baruch College President S. David Wu and Baruch student leaders also attended.

A Legacy of Opportunity

Just steps away from this subway stop—and the site of a Baruch College building—lies the birthplace of free public higher education in the United States: The Free Academy. Since 1847, New Yorkers from working-class families, new immigrants, and those striving for a better life, have journeyed to the corner of 23rd and Lexington to receive the education they needed to transform their lives and their communities. Today, Baruch College continues to embody this legacy through its more than 20,000 students and 180,000 alumni who power New York City’s economy.

Moving New Yorkers Forward, On and Off the Subway

“The 23rd Street station has been renamed to recognize its close neighbor Baruch College,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The School is just a block away and it’s a major destination. It has 20,000 students. There are more CEOs of fortune 500 companies who went to Baruch than any other college in the United States. This is a school that churns out top-tier talent especially in business.”

NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow also shared remarks. “Every day New York City Transit gets Baruch College students, faculty and staff where they need to go, and we’re excited to honor the connection between our transit system and the communities in which we serve.”

“This renaming symbolizes Baruch College’s longstanding significance and impact in our community. It also celebrates the opportunities that higher education offers, especially to first-generation students who make up one-third of Baruch’s student body,” said Senator Kristen Gonzalez. “I’m so proud to support the efforts to honor this vital institution along with Assemblymember Epstein, MTA Chair Lieber, and President Wu.”

“I am happy to join Senator Gonzalez, Chair Lieber, and President Wu in celebrating the co-naming of 23rd Street- Baruch College Station,” said Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. Baruch has been named the nation’s top college for social mobility for low and middle-income students. The co-naming of this station celebrates Baruch’s incredible impact on our city, state, and country.”

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said: “The E. 23rd St.-Baruch station, the seventh location of our city’s subway system to carry the name of a CUNY college, also marks the location where the University first opened its doors more than 175 years ago. As CUNY expanded its footprint to encompass 26 campuses across the five city boroughs, generations of New Yorkers have been transported by the MTA to classrooms and laboratories where CUNY helped them pursue and achieve their dreams. We celebrate this station co-naming as a symbol of the University’s ongoing partnership with the MTA. We thank Governor Hochul and MTA Chair Lieber, as well as Senator Gonzalez and Assembly Member Epstein, for their support.”

“Today marks a momentous occasion—years in the making—the renaming of the 23rd Street 6 train stop as ‘23rd Street–Baruch College,’” said Baruch College President S. David Wu, PhD. “This is more than a name change; it’s a powerful symbol of aspiration, opportunity, and the transformative power of education.”

A Coalition of Support

The renaming of the stop, one of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway that has operated continuously for more than 120 years, was made possible through the leadership of Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, who introduced the bill in their respective legislative chambers. With bipartisan support from 14 additional lawmakers, the measure passed and was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul on September 27, 2024, cementing Baruch College’s place as both a neighborhood landmark and a symbol of opportunity for all New Yorkers.