Campuses participating in the Foundation’s University Centers of Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM) program are on a three-year funding cycle.  The rigorous grant renewal process includes the compilation and analysis of detailed metrics on performance, development of plans for the next three-year cycle, and intensive site visits by Sloan Foundation staff and advisors to observe the operation of the UCEM and interview key stakeholders.  Three (of eight) participating UCEM campuses—at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the University of California, San Diego—were scheduled to submit their renewal applications in late 2020, with a funding decision to be made in early 2021.  Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic made this timeline unrealistic. As an emergency measure, the Foundation decided to continue funding each of the above-mentioned UCEMs for a period of one year and allow them to submit two-year renewal applications in late 2021, with a decision to be made in early 2022.  This grant, to be administered by the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, provides funds for this purpose.

The PHD Excellence Initiative (PHDEI) at New York University aims to help undergraduate students of color craft academic records, especially in math and economics, that make them competitive for admission into top economics doctoral programs. Led by of Peter Blair Henry, William R. Berkley Professor of Economics and Finance and Dean Emeritus of the NYU Stern School of Business, the PHDEI is an intense, individualized two-year asset-building fellowship with encouraging initial results.  Henry personally trains and mentors every fellow supported by the program, serves as their advocate inside the university, and tailors his efforts to the specific needs of each fellow. The program includes weekly scheduled meetings, research activities, GRE prep strategy, advice on course selection, support ub navigating the graduate school admissions process, and. where possible, the publication of a fellow’s research findings in a peer-reviewed journal.  Initial results have been promising, with five of six fellows securing admission into one of the nation’s top economics graduate programs. Funds from this grant provide partial support for the continuation of PHDEI.  In addition, grant funds will be used to create a mentor training program aimed at helping interested institutions start successful PHDEI programs of their own.