The Lisa Goldberg Fellowships
"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
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 Philantrhropy 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.
Wagner seeks applicants for each of the Goldberg Fellowships for entrance in fall 2010.
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.
Applicants for the Jewish Leadership Fellowship should display most if not all of the following qualities:
- Commitment to the Jewish community, as demonstrated by past work, study, or volunteer experience
- Plans to take on a professional leadership position within the Jewish community after graduation
- Literacy in Jewish history and culture
- Commitment to taking on work that will help change the world
Applicants for the Philanthropy and Public Service Fellowship should display most if not all of the following qualities:
- Demonstrated track record in philanthropy and/or public service
- Evidence of new, pattern-breaking thinking on an issue of social importance
- Commitment to taking on work that will help change the world
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 and continuing students, both full-time and part-time, with a fall-term start
- Up to 100% tutition 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, non-profit 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.
