In an effort to support New York City public school students in their pursuit of higher education, The Fund for Public Schools administers several college scholarship programs: the O’Melveny & Myers LLP Scholarship Awards, the 100 Mile Man Scholarship, the Pearl and David Glaubman Memorial Scholarship (Big 10 University Scholarship), and The Greatest Generation Scholarship. 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 successful college graduates.
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 four-year $24,000 scholarship. The remaining ten students receive a one-time award of $1,000. The application period for the 2010-11 school year is currently closed.
100 Mile Man Scholarship
The 100 Mile Man Foundation was established by Jesse Itzler to encourage talented students in under-served communities in New York City to attain a college degree by providing them with financial support. The scholarship will award college scholarships to outstanding public high school seniors accepted to a CUNY (City University of New York) four-year college.
The 100 Mile Man Scholarship program selects promising New York City high school seniors who exhibit the following characteristics:
- Academic Excellence
- Leadership Skills
- Community Service Involvement
Each of the recipients will receive $2,000 per semester for the four years (up to eight semesters) they are enrolled in a CUNY four-year college. The application period for the 2010-11 school year is currently closed.
The Pearl and David Glaubman Memorial Scholarship (Big 10 University Scholarship)
The Pearl & David Glaubman Memorial Scholarship (Big 10 University Scholarship) was established by Beth L. Kaufman in memory of her parents, Pearl and David Glaubman. Mrs. Glaubman was a longtime teacher at PS 164Q, and both were also graduates of the New York City school system. Beth graduated from PS 164Q, Parsons Junior High School, and Jamaica High School. She is also a graduate of The Ohio State University. In its first year, the memorial fund will award a college scholarship to an outstanding Queens public high school senior who attended PS 164Q, and who will attend a Big 10 University in Fall 2011.
The Pearl and David Glaubman Memorial Scholarship will select a promising New York City Queens high school senior who exhibits the following characteristics:
- Academic Excellence
- Leadership Skills
The recipient will receive a one-time scholarship of $2,500 upon enrollment at a Big 10 University. All seniors at public high schools throughout Queens are encouraged to apply. The application period for the 2010-11 school year is currently closed.
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 $165,500 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 involvement, level of mentor and teacher support, planned college enrollment, grade point average, school attendance, and an interview.
A committee of volunteers from the Interpublic Group and the New York City Department of Education reads and grades 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, respectively. 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.
The Fund has administered other scholarship programs that have helped students on a successful pathway through college:
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 Greatest Generation Scholarship program selected six promising New York City high school seniors each year for four years. Those selected exhibited academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to community service.
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.
Please note: The Greatest Generation Scholarship Program is no longer accepting applications. A total of 24 high school seniors have been selected to participate.
Other past scholarship sponsors have included Lexmark International, The Vera & Imre Hecht Foundation, and Duane Reade/1010 Wins Radio.