From City Hall to Campus: Mamdani Opens Historic Undergraduate Scholarship Pathway for NYC Workers

New York City is expanding opportunities for its workforce as Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has launched the city’s first-ever undergraduate scholarship programme for municipal employees, marking a significant milestone in workforce development and access to higher education.

The initiative, unveiled in partnership with Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei, officially opened applications on March 30 and will run through April 27, 2026.

The newly introduced undergraduate track builds on the long-standing Mayor’s Graduate Scholarship Programme, which has supported city employees for over 60 years. Both schemes have now been unified under the rebranded “Mayor’s Scholarship Program,” managed by DCAS.

Under the expanded programme, full-time New York City government employees can now pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees at a network of participating institutions. The move comes in response to growing demand among city workers seeking financial support to obtain bachelor’s and associate degrees.

Mayor Mamdani described the expansion as a strategic investment in the city’s human capital.

“For more than 60 years, this programme has shown that when you make education accessible, working people seize the opportunity. By expanding it, we are investing in a new generation of public servants,” he said.

Deputy Mayor for Operations, Julia Kerson, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative on workforce capacity and innovation.

“The new undergraduate scholarship will help remove financial barriers for City workers, creating pathways to professional growth and development,” she noted.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with leading institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, and Fordham University, among others. In total, 10 institutions are participating in the inaugural undergraduate cohort, while more than 30 schools are involved in the graduate track.

Participating universities will fund and award the scholarships directly, with annual contributions ranging between $360,000 and $530,000. The city government will not provide direct funding but will facilitate access and coordination through DCAS.

Officials say the expansion is timely, noting that nearly half of the city’s workforce—based on a recent sample of about 100,000 employees—does not currently hold an undergraduate degree. Demand for educational support has also surged, with applications to the graduate programme rising by over 30 percent in the past two years.

Commissioner Kitasei emphasised the long-term benefits of the initiative.

“By opening the doors for both undergraduate and graduate education, we are building a stronger, more skilled workforce for New York City,” she said.

Successful applicants for the undergraduate programme are expected to begin their studies in fall 2026, while applications for the graduate scholarship cohort will open in mid-September.

Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, describing it as a forward-looking investment that not only empowers individual employees but also strengthens public service delivery across the city.

The launch underscores the Mamdani administration’s broader push to expand workforce development and create inclusive pathways for career advancement within New York City’s public sector.