Comptroller Stringer and City University of New York Announce New, Paid Fellowship Program to Build Pipeline of Future Civic Leaders

During the worst period of unemployment since the Great Depression, Comptroller Stringer offers paid fellowship to CUNY college graduates to jumpstart their careers

Cohort of 20 recent college graduates will participate in a six-month fellowship program across various bureaus at the Comptroller’s Office, including the Office of the General Counsel, Contract Administration, Audit, Engineering, Accountancy, Asset Management, Diversity Initiatives, Law and Adjustment, and Public Policy

(New York, NY)—Today,New York CityComptrollerScott M.StringerandCity University of New York (CUNY) ChancellorFélix V. Matos Rodríguezannounceda new fellowship program betweenCUNY andthe Office of the New York City Comptroller tocreatecareeropportunitiesfor the next generationof New York City leaders.A talented cohort of twenty recent CUNY graduates have been selected to participate in a six-month, paid fellowship program at various bureaus of the Office of the New York City Comptroller beginning on October 5, 2020and concluding on April 1, 2021, during which fellows will gain hands-on knowledge and experience in core government functions — including law, policy, contracts, auditing, engineering, accountancy, asset management, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and communications.Amid the current economic crisis and risingunemploymentthat has disproportionately affected communities of color and young people, Comptroller Stringersought tocreate a new pathwayto employmentforyoung graduatestoimmediately enter the job market, learn critical skills, and build their professional networks.With unemployment in New York City at 16 percent,this new fellowshipprogramwill be an immediate bridge between college graduation and full-time employmentopportunities.

The Comptroller’s Fellows will be paid on an hourly basis at a rate of $21 an hour for up to 28 hours a week.The diversegroupofgraduateshave all recently completed their studies at either Brooklyn College, Baruch College, City College, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lehman College,or Queens College,bringing with them skills in political science, philosophy, public policy, ethnic and religious studies, mechanical engineering, finance, management, sociology, communications, criminal justice, accounting,economics, and computer information systems.The fellowship will include robusttrainingand educational opportunities such as skill-building workshops, meetings with civicleaders, andcontent-basedpresentationson various aspects of City government. The presentations will also be offered to the broader CUNY community so thatstudents and alumni can benefit from theeducational components of theprogram.

“Our young people are our future.Wealwaysneed a strong bench of driven, talented civic leadersready to step up andshape the city of tomorrow—and it’sourresponsibilitytocreatepathways ofopportunityfor the next generation,” saidComptroller Stringer.“That’s why I am proud to launchthe first-ever fellowship programwiththe City University of New YorkattheOffice of the Comptroller,soyoung people canattainfirst-hand knowledge and experience in public serviceand use these skills to push ourcityforward.I know thispassionatecohort of fellows will bean invaluableasset toour city,and that this program willbe astepping stone for a lifetime of civic engagement.I want to express my deepest gratitude toCUNY forunderstandingthe importance of hands-on learning and career developmentand for partnering with usonthis exciting initiative.”

“The City University of New York stands ready to help chart a course for a brighter and more inclusive future for all New Yorkers, regardless of income or zip code, and fulfill its role as an integral institution at the service of the state and city we proudly call home,” saidCUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Thanks to Comptroller Scott Stringer, these 20CUNY students, whose academic interest range from the social sciences to the humanities to computer science and economics, will embark on six-month paid fellowships, and in the process gain invaluable hands-on experience utilizing their skills in vital public sector offices, while laying the groundwork for a career of service.”

The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spreadacross New York City’s five boroughs, serving 500,000 students of all ages and awarding 55,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “Genius” Grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background.

The fellows will constitute a critical component of various functions of the Comptroller’s Office including the Office of the General Counsel, Contract Administration, Audit, Engineering, Accountancy, Asset Management, Diversity, Policy, Law and Adjustment, and Communications.

Comptroller Stringer and City University of New York Announce New, Paid Fellowship Program to Build Pipeline of Future Civic Leaders – The City University of New York (2024)

During the worst period of unemployment since the Great Depression, Comptroller Stringer offers paid fellowship to CUNY college graduates to jumpstart their careers

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