Lisa Ellen Goldberg Fellowship

Lisa Ellen Goldberg, the celebrated president of the Charles H. Revson Foundation and beloved wife of John Sexton, the former president of New York University, was a dynamic force in the world of philanthropy and the Jewish community. Prior to her death in 2007, she worked passionately for philanthropic and Jewish issues and organizations. She left a legacy of the visionary and critical role philanthropy can play in both bringing promising ideas to fruition and increasing their impact. She also embodied a deep commitment to public service and to the Jewish community. Her legacy is honored in a fellowship established at NYU Wagner for rising leaders in public service with a passion for storytelling and a commitment to making an impact in multi-faith communities.

The Lisa Ellen Goldberg Fellowship provides a full tuition scholarship, a $7,500 stipend for a summer internship, and participation in structured summer Professional Development programming. The Fellowship is open to students admitted for full-time study in Master of Public Administration or Master of Urban Planning degree programs. In addition to financial support, Goldberg Fellows receive an NYU faculty mentor and also get the opportunity to access an unparalleled network of philanthropists, policymakers, academics, and leaders.

"Our goal is to be where others aren't, where we can bring our unique expertise and our passion to bear, where we can find partners to join us and leverage our own investment. Our hope, always, is that what we do will matter, will make a difference." - Lisa Goldberg

FELLOWSHIP CRITERIA

Outstanding written and verbal storytelling skills
Rising leaders in public service or evidence of previous impact on a critical public service issue
Far-reaching and nuanced intellectual curiosity
Passion for learning and problem-solving
Playful imagination and enthusiasm for new ways of approaching old problems
Demonstrated multi-faith commitment, interest in philanthropy, and/or love of culture and the arts preferred

FELLOWSHIP ELIGIBILITY

Must be a full-time student
Finish the degree in two years
Enrolled in the Master of Public Administration or Master of Urban Planning program
Can apply if you are US citizen, Permanent resident, or international student

Students enrolled in dual degree programs with other NYU schools are not eligible for NYU Wagner Named Fellowship programs.

how to apply

Submit your Fellowship Application Essay along with your online application to NYU Wagner. The Fellowship Application Essay is included in the fellowship section of the online application; there is not a separate application. Fellowship applicants must also submit the one-minute video essay in the application in order to be considered.
Those selected as fellowship semi-finalists will be invited to participate in Zoom interviews with the Fellowship Selection Committee.
Those selected as fellowship finalists will be invited for a virtual interview with the Selection Committee. This panel of judges will be composed of representatives from sponsoring organizations, faculty and NYU Wagner alumni.

CURRENT FELLOWS

Maya Koehn-Wu (MUP 2026) - 2024 Fellow

Maya Koehn-Wu is a dynamic creative and social justice advocate dedicated to community-based empowerment. Her work leverages the arts to foster emotional understanding in multicultural and intersectional spaces. Maya pivotally helped build Cville Tulips, a community resilience program utilizing creative practices for Afghan women and children refugees in Charlottesville. Her policy work at the Sustainable Food Collaborative and experience as the Coastal Resilience Intern at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation reflect her deep interest in food systems, climate change, and the future of resilient agriculture, particularly in vulnerable populations. Maya is exceptionally proud of the nonprofit project she co-founded alongside her younger sister in 2020, called Sisters Project Peru, dedicated to assisting the community of Huacahuasi in their self-determination to increase healthcare access and build a medical clinic in rural Peru.

Graduating with high honors from the University of Virginia ‘24, Maya earned a Bachelor in Urban and Environmental Planning, Global Sustainability double major, and dance minor. Her Distinguished Major thesis explored the arts' role in enhancing healthcare access for remote indigenous communities, while her capstone focused on how Latin dance communities can promote multicultural engagement amid climate-change-induced migration.

Sinéad López (MPA 2025) - 2023 Fellow

Sinéad has seven years of experience as a social justice grantmaker mobilizing resources for historically marginalized artists, storytellers, journalists, cultural strategists, faith leaders, organizers, and movement-builders who are leading progressive change domestically and abroad. At the Nathan Cummings Foundation, she interim manages the “Voice, Creativity & Culture: Arts & Culture” portfolio; supports partnerships in the “Voice, Creativity & Culture: Religious Traditions & Contemplative Practices” and “Israel-Palestine” portfolios; and advances strategic planning with her colleagues in service of racial, economic, and environmental justice.

She is fascinated by the role of culture change in expanding moral imagination and political possibilities. Her professional roots first grew in the cultural sector, and she has worked at organizations such as the Surdna Foundation, Ballet Hispánico, the Dittmar Memorial Gallery, and the Smithsonian Institution. Field service includes volunteer leadership on the boards or steering committees of Critical Minded, the Mosaic Network & Fund, S.O.U.R.C.E. Studio, and the NY Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.

Sinéad received a B.A. with honors in Art History from Northwestern University. As an MPA-PNP candidate at NYU Wagner, Sinéad will specialize in Advocacy & Political Action, merging theory and practice to help support the critical work of social movements in building long-term progressive power."