The Heckscher Foundation for Children

Urban Scholars

Increasing the number of young people entering public service has been a focus of the Foundation's efforts. We partnered with Cornell University to create the Urban Scholars Program, which seeks to expand the number of graduates entering public service, while simultaneously supporting the efforts of non-profit organizations and agencies. By paying stipends to college students to work in organizations that focus on children and families, we provide pro bono talent to help the agencies with their work and enable young people who could not otherwise afford to do so “catch the fever” of public service work. The success of the program has been phenomenal. Nearly 80% of the more than 150 students who have taken part in the program have pursued public service jobs upon graduation. Cornell has made this program a focus of its own capital campaign and contributes substantial funds to its continued success. Other foundations have also followed suit. We are seeking to expand this program to other universities and have begun a similar program at Harvard College. A member of our Foundation Advisory Committee has also developed an innovative partnership between the Urban Scholars Program and a New York City Middle School by which college students will provide mentoring skills aimed at expanding opportunities for college admission.