The Cooper Next Scholars Program is a highly competitive, paid internship for rising 10th and 11th-grade students in New York City public high schools. Each summer, only the top 5% of applicants are selected to become Cooper Next Scholars, joining an intensive six-week experience designed to accelerate their STEM learning and leadership potential.

Scholars take part in an advanced Summer STEM course where they integrate the technical skills they’re building with real-world social justice issues or societal challenges of their choice. Their work culminates in a final project, showcased to the public and their peers, that demonstrates both innovation and impact.

In addition to STEM, Scholars are immersed in a rotating mini-course that varies each year—covering themes such as leadership, communication, and other essential professional skills. This mini-course is designed and facilitated by STEM Educator and entrepreneur, Yvonne Thevenot, Director of STEM Outreach at The Cooper Union, along with a Teaching Assistant who is an undergraduate student from The Cooper Union’s School of Engineering. This pairing provides Scholars with mentorship from both an experienced educator and a near-peer role model.

Applicants submit a reflective essay that challenges them to articulate how the program will empower them to bring their skills back to improve their school or community at large.

The Cooper Next Scholars Program empowers motivated, high-achieving students who may not otherwise have access to opportunities of this caliber, providing them with the networks, confidence, and tools to excel in STEM and beyond.

• Improve communication, leadership, and project-based skills.
• Exposure to a variety of STEM careers.  
• Develop a peer and professional STEM Network.
• Receive a stipend upon completion of the program.

• Participate in a 6-Week Summer STEM Class
• Participate in workshops and seminars centered in communication, college and career readiness, or special topics on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm during Summer STEM

In the Summer STEM 2025, the special topic that was analyzed was centered on AI, how AI can make life better for everyone, and examining the ethics of AI. See the seminar description below. 

Unmasking AI: The Algorithmic Justice Project

Are algorithms fair? Can AI make life better for everyone? As part of the STEM Outreach Summer STEM program, you have an opportunity to apply to the Cooper Next Scholars program, a highly selective program that builds leadership, communication, and college readiness skills. This Summer’s 6-week program, entitled Unmasking AI: The Algorithmic Justice Project, will enable you to dive into the world of artificial intelligence, uncover ethics in the technology shaping our world, and learn how to take a stand for fairness in the digital age.

This six-week seminar will challenge you to think critically about the power and pitfalls of AI. You’ll read Unmasking AI by Joy Buolamwini, engage in dynamic discussions with your peers, and explore real-world cases of algorithmic ethics cases. You’ll also gain hands-on experience conducting algorithmic audits and creating mixed media projects that expose how AI can make life better for everyone and advocate for change.

By the end of the seminar, you and your classmates will collaborate on a final project, partnering with community organizations to host a community forum on ways AI and algorithms can be used for the common good of our society. You won’t just be learning—you’ll be leading the charge for change.

Schedule & Eligibility

Cooper Next Scholars will attend this seminar on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM, July 8 – August 13. 

How to Apply

If you’re ready to challenge AI to make life better for everyone, think like a researcher, and use technology for good, apply to the Cooper Next Scholars program today!

To be considered, eligible applicants must submit an essay answering the following question:
How will a Cooper Next Scholars internship benefit your school and/or career pathway? This supplemental essay is a part of your Summer STEM application.

Accepted students will receive a $500 stipend upon successful completion of the seminar.

Who Should Apply?

• High school students in the 10^th or 11^th grade who attend a public school in New York City and who are passionate about technology, ethics, and using technology for the common good of our society.
• High school students in the 10^th or 11^th grade who live in New York City and attend a public high school in New York City. (Low and moderate income students receive priority.)
• Future leaders, coders, and problem-solvers eager to explore AI’s impact.
• Students interested in hands-on projects, critical discussions, and real-world change.
• Students who are motivated with a demonstrated interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), including experience in an out-of-school STEM program in middle or high school
• Students who have experience in an out-of-school-time STEM program in middle or high school.
• You must be enrolled in a 6-week Summer STEM course.

Spots are limited. Apply now and be part of the next generation of algorithmic justice warriors!

 

Apply to Cooper Next Scholars: https://connect.cooper.edu/apply

1. Complete the Summer STEM 2025 application. NOTE: The Summer STEM 2025 application is now closed. Applications for 2026 will be open in December 2025.
2. Complete the Cooper Next Scholars supplemental application NOTE: The Cooper Next Scholars supplemental application is now closed. Applications for 2026 will be open in December 2025.