Students have an opportunity to design and implement a self-designed research proposal, in close collaboration with a community-partner organization, demonstrating how the research will contribute to enhancing the quality of life for children and families living in New York City’s poorest neighborhoods. Students spend eight weeks collecting and analyzing data on a collaborative basis with staff and clients from nonprofit agencies engaged in direct services, policy analysis, and issue advocacy. Special emphasis is placed on research that contributes to the development of innovative policies designed to address the structural causes of persistent poverty in New York City.
Features of the Program - An eight-week summer internship of participatory-action research focused on critical environmental, economic, and social problems confronting the residents of New York City's poorest neighborhoods
- Weekly meetings with the executive director and other CUSP students
- Weekly journal reflection
- Final presentation and reception
- CRP 649, two-credit spring seminar
Eligibility Requirements Any graduate student who has completed two residential semesters at Cornell University, regardless of her/his field, and who is interested in public policies designed to promote the health and welfare of New York City's poorest citizens and communities, is strongly encouraged to apply.
Financial Aid and Housing Support Each graduate research fellow will receive a research stipend of $3,600 to cover costs related to their NYC-based research activities. Each student will also receive an $1100 housing allowance to cover a portion of shelter costs. Students will receive these funds in four equal payments after submission of the following:
- Research proposal: June
- Annotated bibliography and database: July
- Outline of final research: July
- Final research report : September
Housing in New York City Students who need housing while pursuing their NYC research activities are strongly encouraged to consider living at the 92nd Street YWHA -- one of Manhattan's most desirable student-housing facilities. The 92nd Street Y, located in one of NYC's most attractive residential neighborhoods, accommodates students in dorm-like rooms on floors with common baths, shared kitchen facilities, lounges, and computer labs. For more information, visit
92ndStY.org.
Collaborative Research Logistics Finding a Community Research Partner/project research pursued through the graduate research fellowship must be conducted on a collaborative basis with nonprofit organizations, municipal departments, or government agencies providing direct services, issue advocacy, or policy-change resources to New York City's poorest children, families, and communities. Potential research projects may be identified by local neighborhood leaders, nonprofit staff, municipal officials, Cornell faculty, or student applicants.
Assistance in Identifying a Community Research Partner The faculty and staff of the Cornell Urban Scholars Program have a rich network of individuals representing New York's most innovative nonprofit and municipal agencies, and are prepared to assist graduate students interested in applying to the program in identifying such organizations. Each year, the Urban Scholars Program produces a listing of over 70 organizations interested in working on a collaborative project. Some of these organizations include:
- The Outreach Project
- Randall's Island Sports Foundation
- Covenant House
- Project Choice
- The Enterprise Foundation
- New York City Cornell Cooperative Extension
- New York City Council
- North Brooklyn Local Development Corporation
Possible Research Topics Among the universe of research topics that can be pursued through the Graduate Research Fellowship in Community Development Policy-Making are
- Access to primary health care for the poor
- Charter school performance
- Welfare-to-work program impacts
- Environmental racism in land-use decision-making
- Gentrification and displacement in changing neighborhoods
- Recent demographic trends within NYC’s newest immigrant communities
- Substance-abuse-prevention programs for teens and young adults
- Impacts of the low-income housing tax-credit programs
- AIDS prevention and treatment
- Juvenile justice and court reform
See examples of past graduate research
Preparing for Collaborative Research in New York City Students accepted into the graduate research fellowship program are expected to have completed at least two courses in research methods or research design and to enroll in a one-credit course in research design in the spring (check back for an updated course title and number). This course, which meets weekly, provides an introduction to the basic principles and methods of research with community partners.
Research Support Participating students will have the support of a faculty supervisor to assist them in formulating their research topic and in their data collection and analysis. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in a bi-weekly seminar during the summer. A draft of the final research report will also be presented to Cornell faculty, CUSP funders, and representatives from the community partner, who will offer constructive feedback in preparation for submission of the final report.
Questions about the graduate research fellowship should be directed to
John Nettleton or
Ann Forsyth.
