Kenan Scholars Program

New York City has over 92,000 unhoused individuals, including roughly 33,000 children, who sleep nightly in the municipal shelter system. The KENAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT MACAULAY offers a unique, two-semester experience for students to combat the homeless crisis through direct service and advocacy work. Current Macaulay sophomores who are interested in public service are encouraged to apply.

FALL SEMESTER: Students will work directly with unhoused individuals through a partnership with Xavier Mission, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit located in Manhattan. During this semester of direct involvement, students will prepare meals, distribute food and clothing, and develop an understanding of the causes of homelessness. Personal engagement with the Mission’s patrons will put human faces on what can sometimes seem like a cold statistic. Identifying overlaps between their own studies and the guests’ needs, students will begin brainstorming their spring projects.

 

SPRING SEMESTER: At the start of the program’s second semester, students will submit a project proposal that highlights their spring plans. Kenan Scholars have the opportunity to either put in place a new initiative that draws from their expertise or collaborate with other cohort members on their projects. Working closely with Xavier’s Director of Outreach, students may delve into research, funding, non-profit management, governmental relations, and other structural issues impacting unhoused individuals. They will gain a deep understanding of how the organization works with government, private funders, and the community in serving this vulnerable population, and how those structures can be improved.

The KENAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT MACAULAY is designed to:

  • build a cohort of service-oriented students across the eight campuses
  • introduce students to the issues affecting our city’s most vulnerable populations
  • gain intimate knowledge of the workings of a New York City non-profit

Participants are nominated as sophomores and must submit an application to be considered for the program.

Kenan Scholars will have access to an enhanced Opportunities Fund grant after the fall semester of their junior year. In order to access the grant, students must first complete a proposal in which they outline their intended project for the spring semester. Only after submitting a written proposal will Kenan Scholars be able to access their Opportunities Fund. Possible initiatives may include, but are not limited to, implementing workshops that address identified hygienic and nutritional needs of the guests, creating an advocacy campaign, researching potential sources of funding, and studying the workings of a non-profit.

Students will be expected to present on their experience at the end of the spring semester.

Completion of the program fulfills the student’s service requirement.

 

APPLY NOW THROUGH MAY 10

 

  • Personal Information

  • Please discuss your intent to apply with your Macaulay academic advisor. We will solicit advisors' input during the selection process.

  • Resume and Personal Statement

  • Upload your resume or CV in PDF format.
    Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 100 MB.

  • In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. As of December 2023, there were roughly 90,000 unhoused individuals sleeping each night in New York City’s municipal shelter system (Coalition for the Homeless, 2022). Our collaborative program with the Xavier mission includes both direct service and advocacy work.

    In a short response, one or two pages in length, please tell us what draws you to working with the unhoused population. Feel free to highlight any particular strengths—undergraduate classes, volunteer experience, etc.—you think would help contribute to the program. While no prior volunteer experience is required, we hope that you’ll highlight the qualities (empathy, active listening) that will allow you engage both your cohort and the Mission’s patrons.

    Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 100 MB.
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    Recommendation



    All applicants must submit a recommendation from a faculty member. Please provide this information to the faculty member who is supplying the recommendation. It is your responsibility to contact your recommender and ensure that they will submit a letter on your behalf. Macaulay will not contact the person listed below to request a recommendation.

    The recommendation should provide an assessment of the applicant’s abilities, and are important to the selection process. The letter should include a candid evaluation of the applicant’s academic abilities, special qualities (particularly in terms of leadership and/or research), and potential to undertake graduate work.

    Recommendations should be emailed directly to Cameron Stewart, Student Writing Specialist, at cameron.stewart@mhc.cuny.edu. All recommendation emails should come from the recommender's university-affiliated email.

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For more information, please contact:

Cam Stewart

Cam Stewart
Student Writing Specialist

Macaulay Honors College
cameron.stewart@mhc.cuny.edu
(212) 729-2928(212) 729-2928
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