2025-2026 aronson SCHOLARSHIP
The Aronson Scholarship provides financial support to students who are, through their studies, research, or practice, finding solutions to the most pressing sustainability challenges facing the world today. Administered by the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School, the Scholarship will support students who wish to develop a project, research, or body of work related to environmental or climate justice, climate change, or sustainability. Awardees will advance the mission of the Tishman Center by delving into design, policy, and/or environmental justice approaches to address the climate and equity crises. Please review the Tishman Center's website Areas of Focus and Projects and Publications for more information about the work we do. Scholarship dollars are intended to provide financial support for students as they implement an independent project, research, or body of work.
To be considered for the 2025-2026 Aronson Scholarship, review the information and complete the application form below by November 17, 2025. This is a competitive scholarship awarded once a year. Students from all disciplines and colleges are encouraged to apply. The Tishman Center is looking for students who are excited about our mission and passionate about environmental and climate justice. Students interested in pursuing a career related to these issues are particularly encouraged to apply.
Awardees will be notified in early December 2025, via email. Students will receive a stipend of at least $4,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year, to be disbursed in the Fall Semester of 2025.
The deadline for submitting an application is November 17, 2025. The winner will be notified by mid December 2025 via email. This award is a minimum of $4,000. Please complete the following application .
Eligibility
All graduate degree-seeking students at The New School are eligible to apply.
Scholarships are awarded to applicants whose projects adhere to the following:
- Connect to the Mission and Vision of the Tishman Environment and Design Center
- Engage on issues or tackle problems related to justice, equity, sustainability, or the climate emergency
- Involve community, faculty, or student partners
- Adhere to the Jemez Principles of Democratic Organizing (https://www.ejnet.org/ej/jemez.pdf)
Students are especially encouraged to apply if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Students with financial need.
- Students who have been historically and systemically marginalized. This includes but is not limited to Black, Indigenous, Latinx, South Asian, LGBTQIA2, neurodivergent, and differently-abled students.
- Students who use oral histories, visual or performance art, and design in their activism.
- Students who will continue their studies until the end of the academic year, ending in May 2026.
Application Requirements
Applicants must answer the questions through the form below.
We also ask that applicants identify a faculty mentor to serve as their mentor over the course of the scholarship period. We will compensate the faculty member based on 6 hours of work at the part-time or full-time faculty rate. We ask that the mentors meet with students 6 hour (approximately once a month) over the scholarship program period.
In addition to filling out the form below, applicants must submit a resume or CV, and a letter of recommendation from their prospective The New School faculty mentor indicating that they recommend you for the scholarship program and agree to mentor you for the duration of the program. These materials should be sent to tedc@newschooledu with the subject heading "Aronson Scholarship 2025." Applicants may also choose to send a PDF file no greater than ten pages with any related visual material.
Selection Process
Tishman Center faculty and staff will coordinate with the Office of Student Financial Services to review and evaluate applications. Selection will be based on the this selection rubric. We value transparency and want to ensure that you have a clear understanding of how applications will be evaluated. As you complete this application, we recommend referring to the Selection Rubric. By reflecting the rubric criteria in your responses, you can effectively showcase how your project or research aligns with our center's mission, vision, and values.
Scholarship Requirements
Awardees will attend an introductory meeting in 2025 and a mid-point meeting to update each other and the Tishman Center on their progress. Awardees will share a presentation of work after the end of the semester at an in-person meeting.
Awardees must also submit a written report by July 1, 2026. Reports should include a 150-250 word abstract of the project, and a description of project work and accomplishments, challenges, and successes to date (~2,500 words). Awardees should include any images, visual or graphic art, photographs, music, etc., related to the project, research, or body of work. The Tishman Center may use these images and reports in newsletters, social media, website content, or blog posts. The Tishman Center will always ensure that content is attributed to the awardee.
Awardees agree to have their image and biographical information posted on the Tishman Center website. Projects, research, and bodies of work created through the scholarship will be archived in the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Archive on the Tishman Center website.
Questions about the application process or scholarship should be directed to the Tishman Center email (tedc@newschool.edu) with the subject line "Aronson Scholarship 2025" in the subject line.
Learn the stories of our 2022-2023 Aronson fellows
Dana Duarte Hernandez
Parsons, Strategic Design Management MS program, class of ‘23
Kier Blake
Schools of Public Engagement, Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management MS program, class of ‘23