Adelphi University Partners with NYC Mayor Mamdani to Make Undergraduate Degrees Accessible for City Workers
The University's inclusion in the Mayor's new Undergraduate Scholarship Program, coupled with Adelphi's new $10,000 Manhattan Advantage Award, creates a powerful pathway to affordable undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Garden City, NY (03/31/2026) — Adelphi University has been selected as a partner institution in New York City's inaugural undergraduate scholarship program for municipal employees, announced yesterday by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei. The Mayor's Scholarship Program, traditionally focused on graduate education, now includes undergraduate degrees to meet the growing demand among city employees seeking to advance their education. Adelphi is among 10 partner institutions offering tuition support, alongside Columbia University School of General Studies, CUNY Lehman College, Fordham University and Purchase College (SUNY). Scholarships are funded directly by the participating schools. Full-time city workers can apply for the program from March 30 to April 27, 2026
"The opening of our new Manhattan Center at 529 Fifth Avenue marks a pivotal moment for Adelphi University, connecting Garden City to Grand Central Station," said Christopher Storm, PhD, Adelphi's interim president. "Coupled with our proud inclusion in Mayor Mamdani's groundbreaking undergraduate scholarship program, we are eliminating barriers and opening doors for the next generation of leaders. Adelphi is more committed than ever to providing a personal, powerful, and professional education right in the heart of New York City."
Applications to the city's graduate scholarship program have increased more than 30% over the past two years. Participating institutions collectively award between $360,000 and $530,000 in scholarships to city employees annually.
"Our city moves when our workers do," said Mayor Mamdani in a news release. "For more than 60 years, this program has shown that when you make education accessible, working people seize the opportunity. By expanding it to include undergraduate degrees, we are investing in a new generation of public servants who act ambitiously, think creatively, and believe firmly in government's power to deliver for the many."
In addition to Adelphi's scholarship program with New York City, the university has also announced the $10,000 Manhattan Advantage Award, significantly reducing tuition for students enrolling in the University's career-focused master's degree programs at the Manhattan Center in Fall 2026.
Learn more about Adelphi's Manhattan Center programs and Manhattan Advantage Award.
About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning
Adelphi University, New York, is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university dedicated to transforming students' lives through small classes with world-class faculty, hands-on learning, and innovative ways to support academic and career success. U.S. News & World Report named Adelphi a 2026 Best National University, Best College for Veterans, and Top Performer in Social Mobility. In addition, Forbes has ranked Adelphi the top private university on Long Island for the past three years. Adelphi serves more than 7,300 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York-just 23 miles from New York City's cultural and internship opportunities-and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, as well as online.
More than 123,000 Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, engaged citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world.
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Adelphi University has been selected as a partner institution in New York City's inaugural undergraduate scholarship program for municipal employees