York College Alumnus Wins 2023 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans

Jermaine Anthony Richards Receives Prestigious $90K Award for Work Examining Ways to Use Technology and Communications to Impact Pressing Global Issues

Jermaine Anthony Richards, a 2017 York College alumnus and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, was awarded a 2023 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. He was one of 30 fellows selected from a pool of nearly 2,000 applicants for the $90,000 graduate school fellowship and part of the 26th class of Fellows, which is awarded to immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States. Past fellows include U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy; Olympic gold medalist and gymnast Amy Chow; and computational biologist Pardis Sabeti, who was named a TIME person of the year for her groundbreaking work sequencing virus samples at the start of the Ebola epidemic. 

Richards, the son of Jamaican immigrants, including a mother and grandmother who attended CUNY for nursing, received a Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology from York College. He continued his education with an MSc in Global Media from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he was an Advertising Club of New York Presidential scholar. He is the second York alum to win this fellowship in nine years, following Robert W. Fernandez in 2014.  

“Jermaine, a third-generation CUNY graduate, truly embodies the University’s ethos of intellect, innovation, drive and perseverance,” said Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “He is a true changemaker, whose work examines the limitless ways that technology and communication can improve the lives of marginalized communities and catalyze political change. We congratulate him on winning the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and thank him for making his CUNY family proud.”  

York’s President, Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes, has also expressed delight in this good news. “We are so proud of Jermaine Anthony Richards’ success and how he built a solid foundation at York College from which to launch his deep commitment to using his scholarly skills, curiosity and commitment to empower communities at home and across the globe,” said President Johnson Eanes. “We are confident that through his actions and personal and professional values he will continue to flourish and distinguish himself as a leader who will continue to change the world. We are so thankful to the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans for this outstanding recognition of Jermaine's gifts.”  

“CUNY, like the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships, supports immigrant excellence,” said Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans Director Craig Harwood, who is also a Queens College graduate. “Jermaine truly embodies what the Fellowship is all about – brilliance, drive, hard work, entrepreneurship, resilience, interdisciplinary thinking, creativity, kindness and a facility for problem solving. His passion and excitement are inspiring and contagious.” 

Grateful to receive the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, Richards sees an exciting and creative future for himself, which he expects to include working as an academic. 

“I am deeply honored to receive the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans,” he said. “I am committed to maximizing this opportunity and contributing to the fellowship community and society at large – honoring Paul & Daisy Soros' legacy and values." 

Richards credits his success to his Jamaican mother and grandmother, both CUNY-educated nurses, for the support and encouragement they have provided him over the course of his life. He also mentioned the late Margaret Rose Vendryes and Michael B. Smith, two of his professors at York College, who inspired him to take his education as far as he has. 

“My grandmother fondly recalls moments from my childhood when, amid the aromatic ambience of her quintessential Jamaican culinary creations, I would enthusiastically declare my aspirations,” said Richards, adding, “With heartfelt conviction, I expressed a desire to pursue one of three paths – embarking on a journey to aid others, immersing myself in the creative realms of writing and producing or venturing into the world of invention. Throughout my life, she has steadfastly nurtured and encouraged my ambitions by offering unwavering support.” 

Richards’ scholarly inclination started early. He was a precocious success story at the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media, also known as iAM, in Brooklyn. 

“At iAM, I flourished both professionally and academically,” he said. “I secured internships at prestigious Madison Avenue advertising agencies such as McCann Erickson New York and Deutsch NY/LA, while excelling in my courses as a media production concentrator.” 

He entered York College unencumbered by tuition costs and determined to unite his three passions of service, creativity and innovation.  

Reconciling these three interests was a challenge that he embraced willingly. “The Communications Technology major and Studio Arts minor at York provided the ideal synthesis of my aspirations,” he said. “During my day-to-day college internships at Deutsch NY/LA, I contributed to the development of the NiceBot, a project designed to counteract cyberbullying by disseminating kind messages to 300 million.” 

The future Dr. Richards added that the experience sparked a revelation: “I could harness the power of technology to create innovative solutions addressing pressing global concerns.” 

Graduating with honors from York College, Richards left with more than an undergraduate degree. He left inspired. 

“I would like to cite as inspiration for pursuing doctoral studies the late Margaret Rose Vendreyes, the former chair of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts, where the CommTech major is housed, and director of the Fine Arts Gallery, where some of my photography/installation work was featured,” he recalled. “Professor Vendreyes was also an accomplished Jamaican-born visual artist with whom I took all my minor classes in fine and studio arts. She inspired me to understand how visual art in its traditional or contemporary forms could be treated and read as philosophical artifacts that could provide more profound engagement with, and critique of, the world around us.” 

Richards also had kind words for Professor Smith. 

“Michael was the director when I was part of the program––and has been incredibly supportive of my journey,” Richards said. “He saw very early on my ambition to make something unique out of the major that combines the disciplines of computer science, information systems, design and television..” 

For his part, Professor Smith recalls his student fondly as a striving scholar. 

“As an undergraduate, it was very clear that Jermaine's fierce determination, work ethic and desire would allow him to be successful in the highly competitive industry of advertising and technology,” Smith said. “I wish him the best as he continues his academic career at USC and congratulations on the fellowship!” 

About York: York College enriches lives and enables students to grow as passionate, engaged learners with the confidence to realize their intellectual and human potential as individuals and global citizens. With more than 60 academic majors, York College attracts undergraduate and graduate students from across the five boroughs of New York City as well as Long Island, Westchester County and internationally. Contacts: Vivian Todini at 917-747-7980 or vtodini@york.cuny.edu. or Marcia Moxam Comrie 718-262-3865