Honors & Achievement Programs

Academic Fellowship Programs

Office of Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities

The Office of Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities (OFSO) introduces John Jay students to competitive fellowship and scholarship opportunities beginning early in their college careers. Through advisement sessions and workshops with academic professionals and professors, students will learn to expand their vision of themselves and the opportunities available to them. OFSO prepares students to be leaders for their communities and College ambassadors by helping students define and clarify their goals and develop the skills necessary to achieve their aspirations.

Pinkerton Community Fellowships

The Pinkerton Fellowship Program is a prestigious 15-month program in which talented John Jay College juniors and seniors enroll in June and serve until August of the subsequent year. Community Fellows complete intensive placements at distinguished community-based organizations that focus on youth justice. Fellows also participate in on-going personal and professional development, earn 12-credits through the Practicum in Youth Justice Course, and receive a generous stipend of $12,750 through the Pinkerton Foundation.

Siegel Fellowship Program

The competitive Siegel Fellowship is a five-semester program that focuses on strategic and non-profit communications issues, developing effective presentations, clear writing techniques and measuring impact of communications work.

Vera Fellows Program

Outstanding undergraduate students selected for the Vera Fellowship Program intern in agencies that seek to improve the administration of social justice, influence public policy, conduct research, deliver a range of social services and serve human needs at the same time students take a specially-designed, theme-based seminar with John Jay's outstanding faculty affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Studies Program.

Undergraduate Research

Office for Student Research & Creativity

The mission of the Office for Student Research & Creativity (OSRC) is to fund, support, and recognize high-quality student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship in all disciplines, representing the diversity of John Jay College. OSRC strives to create and sustain a robust, inclusive, and competitive research support program at John Jay that maximizes cutting-edge research opportunities, raises student and faculty profiles, and represents a nationally acclaimed and globally recognized research institution for criminal and social justice.

Program for Research Initiatives for Science and Math

The Program for Research Initiatives for Science and Math (PRISM) provides an opportunity for forensic science, math and computer science students to engage in scientific research while completing their degree.

Honors & Enriched Study Programs

Baccalaureate/Master’s Degree Programs

The Baccalaureate/Master’s Degree Program (BA/MA) provides academically advanced students the opportunity to simultaneously pursue their baccalaureate and master’s degrees in criminal justice, forensic psychology or public administration.

Honors Program

The Honors Program brings together academically talented students who have the potential to become tomorrow’s leaders.  Students in the Honors Program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3

Macaulay Honors College

Macaulay Honors College students are selected from among the most highly competitive applicants to the City University of New York.

Ringel Humanities Scholarships

Ringel Humanities Scholars explore the role of individuals and institutions through the humanities. A key goal of the program is that students will learn how to talk effectively with, and listen respectfully to, others. Ringel Scholars also attend NYC cultural events and interact with scholars, lawyers and others involved in the humanities. At the end of the year-long program, students receive a $1,000 stipend to help them in their future studies and can apply for the $4,000 Dean and Ronnie Ringel Humanities Endowed Scholarship. 

Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program

The Ronald E. McNair Program supports low-income and first generation students (as well as students from underrepresented populations) to pursue graduate study for a Ph.D. by providing academically enriching experiences and mentoring that help prepare them for graduate school admission and eventual doctoral study.

Study Abroad Programs

Study Abroad courses enrich and accelerate the learning process. Students live and learn in the host culture where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, and to share your culture with others.

Advanced Academic Employment Opportunities

Math and Science Resource Center Tutors

Students who have earned a grade of at least A- in the math and science courses and have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 can apply to earn money and valuable job skills by tutoring in the Math and Science Resource Center.

Writing Center Tutors

Writing Center--students with at least a B+ or higher in each English 101 and 201 and a GPA of over 3.0-- are first recommended to the program by a professor and then take two courses while training to work as a paid tutor in the Writing Center.

Pre-Professional Graduate Study Programs

Pre-Law Institute

The Pre-Law Institute (PLI) is the center of all pre-law activities at John Jay. PLI focuses on preparing students for law school through programs that allow students to develop the academic skills that they will need to be successful law school applicants and students. These include Pre-Law Boot Camps, legal and judicial internships, LSAT preparation courses, mentoring programs, law school visits, Law Day, the Lunch with a Law Professor series and the Paula Howell Anderson PLI Scholars program.

Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program

The Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program is an academic credit bearing program which prepares students with a 3.0 GPA who have earned between 45-75 credits and who are low-income, first-generation, and/or under-represented minority students for the challenges of law school, the LSAT, and the law school application process over the course of two years and two summer sessions.

Student Mentoring & Leadership Programs

Urban Male Initiative Peer Advocates Mentoring Program

The Urban Male Initiative Peer Advocates Mentoring Program is committed to ensure academic success while increasing retention and graduation rates amongst men of color. Through participation in mentoring activities and support programs, mentors encourage academic excellence, self-esteem and personal growth.

Peer Ambassador Leadership Program

The Peer Ambassador Program is dedicated to providing a comprehensive student leadership experience that fosters professional and personal development and encourages students to create leadership identities as individuals and as members of a team.

Peer Counseling Program

The Peer Counseling Program is an intensive, six-credit training program consisting of the Peer Counseling Training Course (CSL 210) and the Peer Counseling Practicum Course (CSL 211). In CSL 210, students are provided with an understanding of the role and function of peer counselors, as well as an introduction to basic peer counseling skills. In CSL 211, students utilize their peer counseling training to serve the College Community through mental health awareness tabling outreach events and workshop presentations, and individual adjustment supportive interventions in the Counseling Services Center.

SASP Peer Mentor Program

The SASP Peer Mentoring Program recruits successful upperclassmen to serve as role models for incoming freshmen. Peer mentors work closely with faculty and staff to establish foundations of college success and support students along their academic journey. Peer mentors receive ongoing professional development where they acquire communication, project management, and leadership skills that are transferrable to future professional opportunities. Additionally, they gain access to on- and off-campus networking opportunities as well as individualized success coaching. Application materials become available at the end of the fall semester. 

SEEK Peer Mentor Program

A group of student facilitators who develop mentoring relationships with SEEK students and serve as role models and advocates. Peer mentors must have earned at least 30 college credits, enroll in and complete a minimum of twelve credits each semester, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and be knowledgeable about SEEK and actively involved in the department.

Academic Honors Societies

  • Alpha Phi Sigma: Eta Phi Chapter -- National Criminal Justice Honor Society
  • Chi Alpha Epsilon -- National Honor Society for SEEK Students
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon -- International Honor Society in Economics
  • Phi Eta Sigma - National Freshman Honorary Society
  • Pi Alpha Alpha -- National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration
  • Pi Sigma Alpha – National Political Science Honor Society
  • Psi Chi -- National Honorary Society for Psychology
  • Sigma Tau Delta -- International English Honor Society

The programs above are John Jay programs. See also the Office of Fellowships and Special Opportunities for a broad list of  fellowships and special opportunities both inside and outside of the college.