In an effort to support New York City public school students in their pursuit of higher education, The Fund for Public Schools administers two college scholarship programs: The Greatest Generation Scholarship and the O’Melveny & Myers LLP Scholarship Awards.  Also, participants in the New York City Mentoring Program are eligible to receive the NYCMP’s Interpublic Mentoring Scholarship. Supported by private sector partnerships, these scholarships provide an opportunity for high-achieving students to become college graduates.

The Greatest Generation Scholarship (GE Foundation)
The Greatest Generation Scholarship was established in tribute to Tom Brokaw, former anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, and in honor of the generation of men and women who served their country and helped to transform the United States in the aftermath of World War II. The story of this generation is chronicled in Mr. Brokaw’s best-selling book, The Greatest Generation.

The Greatest Generation Scholarship program selects six promising New York City high school seniors each year who exhibit academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to community service.  The scholarship highlights the potential achievement of our seniors as leaders of their generation.

Each of the scholarship recipients receives critical financial support: $15,000 per year for four years of college.  Each recipient’s high school is eligible to receive $2,500 per year for up to four years (while the recipient is in college) to support its academic programs. In addition, the community service program the student works with or develops in college will also be eligible to receive $2,500 per year for up to four years to support or expand its efforts.
 
All New York City public high schools may select two candidates to nominate for the scholarship award. The Greatest Generation Scholarship application is now available.  Applications are due May 5, 2008; click here for an application.

O’Melveny & Myers Scholarship Awards Program
The O’Melveny & Myers Scholarship Awards were established in 2003 in New York City to encourage high school juniors demonstrating uncompromising excellence, distinctive leadership, and a commitment to community service to continue to excel and realize their dream of attending college.  In 2007, O’Melveny added a mentoring component in which the firm’s lawyers are paired with each of the scholarship and grant recipients.   

Participating high schools include Thurgood Marshall Academy in Manhattan, Arts & Business High School in Queens, Curtis High School in Staten Island, Benjamin Banneker High School in Brooklyn, and the Bronx Leadership Academy in Bronx.

Each participating high school nominates three students to be interviewed by a selection committee of O’Melveny lawyers and New York City Department of Education staff.  The committee selects five recipients, one from each high school, to receive a 4-year $24,000 scholarship. The remaining ten students receive a one-time award of $1,000. Interested students should visit their guidance counselor for an application.

Other scholarship sponsors include Lexmark International, The Vera & Imre Hecht Foundation, and Duane Reade/1010 Wins Radio.

The New York City Mentoring Program’s Interpublic Mentoring Scholarship
The New York City Mentoring Program, in partnership with the Interpublic Group, has provided college scholarships to two graduating mentees every year since 1993.  To date, Interpublic Group has donated $135,500 to college-bound senior mentees.

Each year, the scholarship is announced in February.  Students compete against all graduating mentees, from around the city (who participate in the New York City Mentoring Program), and are chosen based upon the quality and content of their two essays, community service involvedment, level of mentor and teacher support, planned college enrollment, grade point average, school attendance, and interview.  A committee of volunteers from the Interpublic Group and the New York City Department of Education read and grade the applications.  The top-scoring students are then interviewed by the committee.  The scholarship recipients are announced in June and a reception is held at Interpublic Group headquarters to honor them.  The four-year, $5,000 scholarship is distributed to each student in four separate payments: $2,500, $1,500, $500, and $500, repectively.  The Fund for Public Schools releases the scholarship checks at the beginning of each school year upon receiving verification of the students’ enrollment in the college and transcripts.