2023-2024 Graduate Bulletin

Graduate Scholarship Opportunities

John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers various scholarships and special opportunities to support our graduate students. Institutional scholarships (those granted by the College) are generally based on strong academic work, community service and a commitment to public service.

External scholarships and other special opportunities are available to further support student academic success. For the most current information concerning scholarships and other special opportunities, please visit: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/scholarships.

Alumni Terrorism Studies Scholarship

The John Jay College Alumni Executive Board and the Center on Terrorism have established a special Terrorism Studies Graduate Scholarship in honor of the many John Jay College of Criminal Justice alumni who died on September 11, 2001. The scholarship memorializes victims from our community and supports advanced academic studies to promote a better understanding of terrorism, strategies for countering it, and policies for preventing it.

Scholarship: $2,000 annual award to a John Jay graduate student ($1,000 per semester)

All applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Have a minimum of 9 graduate degree credits when the application is submitted
  • Be enrolled, full-time or part-time, in at least one John Jay College Terrorism Studies course during each semester
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30
  • File a free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

To apply you must submit the following:

  • Completed John Jay College scholarship application
  • Personal essay of approximately 500 words describing:
    • How graduate education can contribute to the understanding and prevention of terrorism;
    • Your professional ambitions after graduation.
  • Unofficial transcript of graduate degree credits.
  • Two recommendation letters from faculty or professional references.

Internship: To provide a rich context for the terrorism studies curriculum, the scholarship recipient is expected to complete an on-site internship at the Center on Terrorism. The internship is for two consecutive semesters and may not exceed forty (40) hours per semester (based on the scholarship recipient’s availability). Tasks include development, coordination and attendance during Friday Seminar Series and conferences, as well as researching, engaging and facilitating presentations by speakers who are leaders in the field.

Finalists will be selected by the College Scholarship Committee and will have a personal interview with the Alumni Scholarship Committee.

Graduate Scholarship

If you are a graduate student who has completed 12 credits and have a minimum GPA of 3.75, you may be eligible for a graduate scholarship in the amount of $2,000.

To apply you must submit the following:

  • Completed John Jay College General Scholarship Application
  • Personal essay of approximately 500 words discussing the following:
    • Why you chose to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice ;
    • A course or experience that has inspired you;
    • Your future academic and professional aspirations.

Imette St. Guillen Memorial Scholarship

Graduate students in the Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice program, who have completed at least 12 credits and have a minimum GPA of 3.7, may be eligible for the Imette St. Guillen Memorial Scholarship.

To be eligible for consideration, you will need to:

  • Be registered for a minimum of 12 graduate credits in the fall semester
  • Have successfully completed or be registered for CRJ 780. This course requires interning with a New York City government or community organization working on projects related to criminal justice, crime prevention or forensic studies.

This scholarship will cover the complete cost of full-time graduate tuition, fees and book expenses for up to two semesters; a modest stipend is also included.

To apply, you must submit a letter of self-nomination to the Office of Scholarships, Room 1280N, by the designated deadline.

International Graduate Scholarship

If you are an international graduate student who has completed at least 15 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.7, you may be eligible for an international graduate scholarship of $2,000. This scholarship may be awarded only once in a student’s graduate degree career.

In an essay of 250 words, please discuss the following:

  • Why you chose to enroll at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • Courses that you have enjoyed taking
  • Your professional aspirations
  • How you expect to use your education either in your country of origin or in the United States

To apply, you must submit:

  • A completed John Jay College General Scholarship Application
  • A 250-word essay (Topic above)

Richard Culp Memorial Scholarship

Richard Culp, Associate Professor of Public Administration was a member of the Department of Public Management, Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Management major, and also a Deputy Executive Officer of the CUNY/JJCCJ Doctoral Program in Criminal Justice. He received a PhD in Criminal Justice from the City University of New York, an MA in Sociology from Ohio University, and a BA in Political Science from the Ohio State University.

His teaching included courses in criminal justice management, policy and administration, research methods, policy analysis, and the administration of public-private partnerships. In 2003, he served as Visiting Professor at the Police Staff College, Bramshill, UK. Professor Culp’s research on prison escapes has been widely cited as the most comprehensive and up-to-date information available. His work in the area of prison privatization included consultation services to public agencies that are considering correctional privatization. Professor Culp’s most recent publications appeared in the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Policy Review, The Prison Journal, and the Journal of Public Affairs Education.

In November 2011, Richard Culp passed away as a result of a heart attack while jogging in Brooklyn, where he resided with his wife, Liz Culp. He is sorely missed by his many students, friends, and colleagues at the College.

The Richard Culp Memorial Scholarship ($2,500) is awarded to a student excelling in the Masters of Public Administration program with a strong commitment to service in the field of public administration. The scholarship is funded by the MPA Program Differential Tuition.

Eligibility

To be considered, a student must:

  • Be enrolled in the Masters of Public Administration program;
  • Have completed at least 6 credits;
  • Have a minimum cumulative grade point average 0f 3.0.

Application process:

To apply, you must submit a letter of self-nomination (maximum of 300 words) and one letter of recommendation to the Office of Scholarships, Room 1280N, by the designated deadline. Your letter should detail your commitment to public administration and how you embody the spirit of Richard Culp.

Robert J. Hong Memorial Scholarship

Robert Hong was a person of many dimensions. He served as John Jay’s Director of Educational Technology, also known as the “Blackboard Guru.” He had an academic background as an architect and urban planner. As an adjunct professor for over 25 years at John Jay College, he initially taught introductory courses in public administration. Gradually he moved to teaching courses in planning and finally, realizing the importance of the emerging computer technologies for students, he designed and offered a course entitled, "Computer Applications in Public Administration."

Some students have also had the good fortune to know Professor Hong as an instructor, in PAD 440, the senior seminar in the Public Administration major, which he taught for more than five years. Professor Hong designed the course to challenge students with hard cases and questions about ethics in public service. It is a testament to Professor Hong's reputation as a professor that this course consistently filled within hours of registration opening.

In 1994-95, John Jay College was asked by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to integrate an Associate Degree program into the initial training for police cadets on the island, as part of the Governor's commitment to make the police force a more professional law enforcement organization. The Department of Public Management faculty asked Robert Hong, who was fluent in Spanish, to represent the Department in this project. For more than a year he served in Puerto Rico, as a full-time member of the John Jay faculty, instructing the new police recruits in Spanish.

In 2008, Robert Hong passed away after a long battle with cancer. Throughout a series of treatments, he continued to demonstrate the qualities that are valued and loved by all of the members of the John Jay College community who knew him. He was informed, committed, innovative, skilled, dedicated and caring.

The Robert J. Hong Memorial Scholarship ($500) is awarded to a student excelling in the Masters of Public Administration program who has a strong commitment to service and the field of public administration.

Eligibility

To be considered, a student must:

  • Be enrolled in the Masters of Public Administration program
  • Have completed at least 12 credits
  • Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average

Application process:

To apply, you must submit a letter of self-nomination (maximum of 300 words) to the Office of Scholarships, Room 1280N, by the designated deadline. Your letter should detail your commitment to public administration and how you embody the spirit and perseverance of Robert Hong.

The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship

Graduate students, who have completed 12 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.2, may be eligible for the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship. Through the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship, you are encouraged to:

  • Pursue a career or further studies in the legal field
  • Engage in political and legal activism
  • Strive for academic excellence
  • Foster an awareness of the issues poor and minority people in the Criminal Justice System face

To be eligible for consideration as a graduate student, you have to be currently enrolled in at least 6 credits of coursework. In addition, you must have completed or be currently enrolled in CRJ 736 or CRJ 757, concentrating on the plight of minorities or disadvantaged people in the criminal justice system.

This scholarship may be awarded only once in a student’s academic career. Full-time students receive $1,000 scholarships and part-time students receive $500 scholarships.

To apply, you must submit:

  • A complete John Jay College General Scholarship Application
  • A 500-word essay (Topics available on Application Supplement)

John A. Reisenbach Scholarship

On July 30, 1990, John Reisenbach, a young advertising executive, was shot and killed as he made a telephone call from a phone booth near his home on Jane Street in the West Village. The murder remains unsolved. Established by the John A. Reisenbach Foundation, the scholarship is awarded in his memory.

Eligible candidates must:

  • Be enrolled in a Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or Forensic Psychology program
  • Have completed between 9 and 12 graduate credits
  • Have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or better

In addition, recipients are expected to work in the New York City area after graduation toward making the city a safer, more secure place.

Finalists will be selected by the College Scholarship Committee and will have a personal interview with representatives from the John A. Reisenbach Foundation.

Security Management Scholarship Opportunity

(Students entering the graduate Security Management ONLINE program only.)"

Through the generous support of the Center for Private Security and Safety, John Jay College of Criminal Justice is proud to offer a $1,000 scholarship to an entering graduate student in the Online Security Management Program.

All applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.4
  • Enrolled in the Online Security Management Program for Fall 2014

To apply you must submit the following:

  • Completed John Jay College Scholarship Application
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • 400 word essay (topic below)
  • "Undergraduate transcript(s) – Unofficial copies are sufficient"

Essay Topic:

The world of private security is in a vibrant state of evolution.   Few have predicted its dynamic growth over the last 50 years, and it is not likely that its future can be mapped out in fully accurate terms.  Given your interest in the field of private security, describe and critique the following:

  1. What surprises you about the field of private security?  Give precise examples of how the industry has evolved in ways that you never predicted.
  2. Explain the term "Privatization" and how that term is so relevant to the world of private security.
  3. Provide two examples of where you believe the private security industry is headed? In one hundred years, what will the private security industry be doing that is not done today?

Submit your completed application to the Scholarships Office, Room 1280N, by the designated deadline.