Fink Scholarship Honors Memory of Caring Public Servant
By Greta Petry
Supported by a $100,000 grant from the Bell Atlantic Foundation, the University has announced the establishment of a legislative internship in memory of the late Stanley Fink, former Speaker of the New York State Assembly.
"What better way to honor the memory of Stanley Fink�s extensive leadership abilities in both public office and private business than to set up a unique legislative internship � which is the result of a cooperative effort between public higher education and private enterprise," said President Hitchcock. "How appropriate that this scholarship will be reserved for our very best students, those with the potential to give so much back to government, the business world, and to the community after graduation."
The new internship will be known as the Stanley Fink Legislative Internship. To be eligible for it, students must meet the academic requirements for the Dean�s List and have earned at least 56 academic credits at the University. In addition, the selection process will include consideration of the student�s financial need. The full-semester internship will carry a $5,000 scholarship, which is expected to cover most of the costs of the semester. Funds for the scholarship will be generated from the income from an endowment to be set up in memory of Fink, who was also a former senior executive with the Bell Atlantic (NYNEX) Corp.
"This internship perpetuates Stanley Fink�s commitment to New York State, whether he was leading the state legislature or guiding public policy of the state�s largest private employer," said Paul A. Crotty, group president for Bell Atlantic New York/Connecticut. "Stanley left a lasting impression with everyone who knew him and, through this scholarship, his influence is guaranteed to continue for years to come."
The University has offered internship programs for undergraduate students in both the public and private sectors for many years. Each year, between 60 and 70 undergraduates participate in such programs with the New York�s Assembly and Senate. The University also has a Washington D.C. semester program.
"Assembly Speaker Stanley Fink was indeed a brilliant and much beloved leader who led us through a very important period in the Assembly�s history," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who as a freshman member of the Assembly was mentored by Speaker Fink. "This scholarship will encourage people to follow in his path and keep his legacy alive through their public service contributions to the people of New York State."
"Stanley�s greatest strength was his love for the people of New York," said Silver. "If there were two words to describe him, they are �He cared.� This scholarship will be a testament to his good name."
The internship will be administered by Ivan Edelson, director of University-wide Internship Programs, who has also been involved with the establishment of this internship from the beginning.
