On Tuesday, Comptroller Scott Stringer and City University of New York Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez announced a new paid fellowship program to help jumpstart the careers of recent CUNY graduates.
The program, which comes as the country faces its worst period of unemployment since the Great Depression, aims to help young people gain the skills and networks needed to find employment by providing career opportunities.
Twenty recent graduates from Brooklyn College, Baruch College, City College, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lehman College and Queens College have been selected for the six-month fellowships across various bureaus at the Comptroller's Office. Two of the graduates, Amina Stone-Taylor and Zoya Ali, recently graduated from Brooklyn College.
Stringer said he sought to create a new pathway to employment for young New Yorkers during the economic crisis that had disproportionately affected communities of color and young people.
"Our young people are our future. We always need a strong bench of driven, talented civic leaders ready to step up and shape the city of tomorrow — and it's our responsibility to create pathways of opportunity for the next generation," Stringer said.
He said the program would be a stepping stone for a lifetime of civic engagement for the young people, who would gain firsthand knowledge and experience in public service.
The fellowships will run from October 5 until April 1, 2021. Fellows will be paid $21 an hour for up to 28 hours a week.
CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez said the recent graduates has a diverse range of academic interests and they would all gain invaluable hands-on experience using their skills in public sector offices.
"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," he said.
