Mayor Eric Adams' Fund Receives $1.5M Grant From Pfizer To Expand New York City's STEM Programs

Received by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, $750,000 of the grant will go toward three years of the “Exploring Futures” program’s expansion to 15 additional schools — expecting to serve 750 students.

“If we don’t educate, we incarcerate, and this generous grant will bolster STEM educational programs to give our middle and high school students the ability to thrive in life by giving them the opportunity to explore careers many never thought possible,” Adams said in a statement, the outlet shares.

He added: “Supporting our youth is a win for us all — giving them the chance to learn new skills and create innovative change that will move our city forward. These programs will help ensure their future is that much brighter and secure, and I thank Pfizer for helping put our city’s students first.”

Per the outlet, the program provides access to students to have a way to decide on their career, teacher and curriculum development, and partnerships with external organizations. Additionally, it assists middle school students with planning which high school they’ll attend.

“Thanks to Pfizer for their generous support, giving middle school and high school students access to important STEM programming that will expand their future career opportunities and propel them into the possibilities of the 21st century workforce,” the press release notes.

In addition to “Exploring Futures,” the city has “College Now for Careers” — a partnership between the Department of Education and The City University of New York (CUNY), which serves over 20,000 students. The program offers DOE students the opportunity to earn college credits and complete STEM majors’ requirements at CUNY. Funded by $675,000 of the grant over three years, the initiative aims to bring on 1,000 more students.