The Lisa Goldberg Fellowships

Click on the image to view a video tribute to Lisa Goldberg

In January 2007, Lisa Goldberg died suddenly of a brain aneurysm. Lisa was the celebrated president of the Charles H. Revson Foundation, and beloved wife of John Sexton, the president of New York University. She was a dynamic force in the world of philanthropy, and she cared deeply and worked passionately for 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 two fellowships established in her name at The Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service:  The Lisa Goldberg Fellowship in Jewish Leadership and The Lisa Goldberg Fellowship in Philanthropy and Public Service.

Each fellowship provides up to 100% tuition reimbursement, as well as access to a network of leaders across sectors that has committed to mentoring and working with the Goldberg Fellows to honor Lisa's memory. Additional information about the fellowships is below. 

Applicants for both Goldberg Fellowships should display most or all of the following qualities:

  • Far-reaching and nuanced intellectual curiosity
  • Passion for learning and problem-solving
  • Playful imagination and enthusiasm for new ways of approaching old problems
  • Thoughtful and articulate communication, both verbal and written
  • Interest in people, their stories and experiences
  • Steadfast dedication, emotional maturity, flexibility under adverse conditions and a sense of humor about oneself
  • Demonstrated success in a first career
  • Love of culture and the arts
  • Tenure in a foreign country and fluency in at least one language beyond English

In addition to these general qualities, each of the fellowships has specific additional requirements.

Details of the Lisa Goldberg Fellowships:

  • Open to MPA and MUP students (the Jewish Leadership Fellowship is also open to Dual Degree MPA/Judaic Studies students)
  • Available to incoming students, both full-time and part-time, with a fall-term start
  • Up to 100% tuition fellowship
  • Access to a network of professional leaders across sectors: Lisa's life and work touched many people, and she befriended and collaborated on projects with a wide range of philanthropists, consultants, foundations, academics, nonprofit leaders, and policy makers. Many of the individuals with whom Lisa worked and knew contributed to establish the fellowships in her name at NYU Wagner. Now this network of colleagues, friends and admirers are an incredible resource available to all recipients of the Goldberg Fellowships. Goldberg Fellows have access to this esteemed cadre of leaders for mentoring, career guidance, internships, etc.

"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

Application

Fellowship Deadline: A completed application for admission, along with a separate statement of scholarship eligibility, must be submitted by the December deadline listed on the application timetable.



Print Nomination Form*

*This form should be completed by a nominator only; prospective students will need to apply via the Apply Online link above.  Should we receive a nomination for a prospective student, we will match it with the student's application.