• by Tony Silber , Staff Writer, April 20, 2022

The Center for Publishing at the NYU School of Professional Studies this week announced the creation of a scholarship award intended to foster careers in media for talented young people from diverse backgrounds.

The scholarship is funded by the founders of the New York-based book publisher the Ulysses Press. Keith Riegert, the company’s executive vice president and publisher and son of the Press’ founders, is an adjunct faculty member in the school’s publishing program.

The scholarship will provide tuition assistance to students in the Center’s masters degree in publishing and the Summer Publishing Institute. Award recipients will be students who demonstrate academic merit and have a commitment to promoting diversity in the publishing industry. They will also have the option to participate in a paid internship with Ulysses Press.

The donor sought to increase the representation of individuals who might normally not have access to early professional-development opportunities in publishing. “Ulysses is dedicated to discovering and fostering diverse talent through our publishing program," Keith Riegert said. “ The unrivaled program at NYU aligns closely with this mission and gives future publishing leaders a clear path into a competitive industry.”

Andrea Chambers, executive director of the NYU SPS Center for Publishing, thanked the Ulysses Press Founders. “It is so important to bring young people interested in diverse voices and viewpoints into publishing, and this gift will greatly facilitate that effort.”

The Center’s 36-credit masters in publishinggives students a real-workplace foundation in both book publishing and digital/magazine media. It’s taught by top executives in publishing and media, and seeks to help students develop skills in creating and editing content for multiple platforms and formats.

The Summer Publishing Institute, now in its 44^th year, is an intensive program that immerses students in the worlds of book and magazine publishing. It combines workshops, strategy sessions, and presentations by some of the leading figures in publishing.