Nine Cornell students will be traveling to New York City this summer to undertake research on policy issues focused on the needs of low-income children and families through a new graduate research fellowship offered by the Cornell Urban Scholars Program.
Each of the graduate research fellows in children, family and community development policy will be pursuing research on critical urban policies identified by the leaders of New York City's leading nonprofit organizations and municipal government agencies serving children and families. This work will be carried out collaboratively with senior staff from participating family, community and economic development organizations. Each graduate research fellow will receive a $3,500 research stipend and a $900 housing allowance to cover the costs of their New York City-based research activities.
The Graduate Research Fellowship in Children, Family and Community Development Policy is the newest initiative of the recently launched Cornell Urban Scholars Program, which is a joint effort by Cornell's Department of City and Regional Planning, Public Service Center and Cooperative Extension of New York City, Alumni Affairs and Development, and Graduate School. The Cornell Urban Scholars Program is funded by the August Heckscher Foundation for Children in New York City.
The students receiving 2003 graduate research fellowships in children, family and community development policy and their departments, colleges and projects are as follows:
Lael Gerhart, education, Agriculture and Life Sciences: Evaluate the impact of environmental education programs offered through the Garden Mosaics Program of New York City Cornell Cooperative Extension program.
Marco Hauptmeier, Industrial and Labor Relations: Investigate anti-sweatshop efforts of UNITE, the umbrella organization representing organized garment industry workers.
Diana Hernandez, sociology, Arts and Sciences: Examine the effectiveness of a reverse commuting project for entry-level employment for Bronx residents, operated by the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (JAC).
Cathleen Kane, Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, the Graduate School: Evaluate the effectiveness of public health advertising campaigns designed by and for youth, for Scenarios Inc., a nonprofit communications organization founded and run by women to improve children and family health in New York City.
Lyscha Marcynyszyn, human development and family studies, Human Ecology: Evaluate the impact of programs operated by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corp., which are designed to reach hard-to-employ individuals.
Jonathan Meer, graduate student in the Cornell Institute of Public Administration, Arts and Sciences: Investigate the effect of "digital divide" on students within the New York City public school system, with the education committee of the New York City Council.
Steven Mikulencak, city and regional planning, Architecture, Art and Planning: Examine alternative strategies for completing New York City's waterfront greenway system for the Regional Plan Association, the city's oldest citizen planning organization.
Michelle Sandoz-Dennis, city and regional planning, Architecture, Art and Planning: Research access to quality day care for low-income families in collaboration with Child Development Support Corp. (CDSC).
Alexander Santiago-Jirau, city and regional planning, Architecture, Art and Planning: Study the role community gardens play in helping New York City's Puerto Rican community maintain its cultural identity, in cooperation with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.
The students chosen as this year's urban scholars were honored at a special awards ceremony at the A.D. White House on campus April 21.
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