Fierce advocates for justice make a difference in every sector of the city. The Ron Moelis Social Innovation Fellowship Program connects the best students of social justice with the most socially-responsible and innovative companies in New York City, like Kickstarter, Warby Parker, and Etsy. Together, fellows and partners learn from each other how to make the city thrive with a purpose.

Social innovation is about solving difficult societal problems in creative ways. From environmental decay to urban poverty to structural racism to gender bias, social innovation offers a way to re-think solutions to some of the most vexing problems facing many communities. Because social innovation requires creative ways to think about difficult problems, the novel and diverse perspectives offered by John Jay students make them ideal social innovators.

Socially innovative problem-solving requires a firm understanding of ethical principles, an open mind to new ideas, and critical thinking skills. It also draws on aspects of social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and socially-responsible business practice. Social innovation is a way of critically thinking about changing the world for the better and then fiercely advocating for that change.

In order to meet the learning objectives of the fellowship, following admission to the program in the spring, fellows complete a course (3-credits) with a series of experiential projects linked to partner organizations. Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend in recognition of the extraordinary commitment of effort required by the program for the duration of one academic year (Fall & Spring semester) as well as free textbooks. The stipend is disbursed in two equal ($2,500) payments: the first at the end of the fall semester and the second at the end of the spring semester.

During the fall semester, the hybrid-course meets once a week (day to be determined) for a minimum of 2.5 hours through a combination of on-campus, off-campus time spent with the partner organizations, and online collaboration.

During the spring semester, the program offers a variety of entrepreneurship related activities for the fellows to choose from including but not limited to career readiness workshops, networking events, mentor series, and internship opportunities.