BOSTON — APRIL 28, 2026 The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation has announced the names of the seven recipients of the 2026 FAO Schwarz Fellowship in social impact.

Each year, the Foundation welcomes a new cohort of accomplished recent college graduates and supports them with paid, two-year Fellowship positions at leading nonprofits. This selective, domestic Fellowship is one of a few programs of its kind focused on social impact and developing Fellows as leaders.

Fellows work at organizations across three major cities: Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Alumni of the Fellowship program go on to attend prestigious graduate programs, hold leadership roles throughout the nonprofit and public sector, and some even start their own organizations.

In Boston, Julia Beyer (Ardmore, PA), an Environmental Science and Policy & Latin American Studies double major from Smith College will be a Fellow at The Trustees of Reservations. Both Kristen St Louis (The Bronx, NYC), a History and English double major from Yale University and Yamira Patterson (Saint Petersburg, FL), an Economics and Education Studies double major from Wellesley College will be Fellows at 826 Boston.

In New York City, Eliza Fausset (Atlanta, GA), a Sociology and Spanish double major from the University of Georgia, will be a Fellow at Brooklyn Public Library. Reading Partners is hosting two Fellows: Geo Chen (Shanghai, China), a Psychology major from Duke University, and Hamza Zia (Rawalpindi, Pakistan), an Engineering major from Washington & Lee University.

In Philadelphia, Naomi Tanier (Philadelphia, PA), a Sustainability, Ecology, and Policy major from the University of Vermont will be a Fellow at Audubon Mid-Atlantic.

The Fellowship program attracts recent college graduates looking to develop their leadership skills in the world of social impact. In addition to the direct service and strategic project components of their Fellowship roles, Fellows engage in professional development experiences such as retreats, mentoring, and networking.

“It is inspiring to see the FAO Schwarz Fellowship invest in young people who are driven to lead change, ultimately equipping them for meaningful careers in social impact. So many talented new college graduates embark on their professional careers without the mentorship, leadership training, and tutelage in organizational strategy that the FAO Schwarz Fellowship provides,” shared Scott Clark, Assistant Director of Fellowships at the University of Vermont. “I also love that the two-year duration of the program allows for Fellows’ sustained engagement with their host organizations and communities. The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is exactly the kind of long-term investment in the next generation of social change leaders that the world so badly needs.”

“This year’s applicants demonstrated a strong commitment to social impact and being a force for good in their communities. Shaped by their English teachers, local libraries, and community organizations, this group of college seniors are ready to step into leadership roles and make a difference at their host organizations.” said Priscilla Cohen, Executive Director of the FAO Schwarz Fellowship. “We look forward to welcoming the Fellows this summer, as they dive into roles where they can apply their skills and bold ideas, and take the first step toward launching their careers in social impact.”

CONTACT:
contact@faoschwarzfellowship.org
faoschwarzfellowship.org

About the FAO Schwarz Fellowship

The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is a selective national Fellowship program for college seniors interested in social impact careers. The Fellowship positions are paid, two-year experiences working at carefully selected nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.

These roles combine direct service with strategic projects that give Fellows a chance to deepen their understanding of social issues, gain leadership experience in managing program initiatives, and explore how nonprofits work to respond to community needs and create lasting change.

Between five to seven new Fellowship positions are typically available each year.

In addition to compensation and benefits, Fellowships include professional development, two four-day retreats each year, mentoring, and cohort experiences. More than 90 percent of former Fellows continue to work in social impact.

Host organizations and roles are announced in early fall. The Fellowship offers online info sessions throughout the year for interested candidates and college fellowship advisers.

The application period for the next cohort opens on November 1. The application deadline is February 1.

For more information, please visit faoschwarzfellowship.org.

About the 2026-2028 Host Organizations

826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life.

Audubon Mid-Atlantic‘s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity in Pennsylvania.

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)’s mission is to ensure the preservation and transmission of society’s knowledge, history and culture, and to provide the people of Brooklyn with free, open access to information for education, reference and recreation.

Reading Partners’ mission is to help children become lifelong readers by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction with measurable results.

The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is a member-supported nonprofit conservation organization that preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.