The Transformative Impact Scholar Award is a program from NYU’s Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC) in collaboration with NYU’s Prison Education Program (PEP) as part of their Reimagining Opportunities Outside of Traditional Systems (ROOTS) Initiative.

Launched in 2025, this award is rooted in a bold vision: to recognize and invest in scholars who are creating transformative change in and with communities—often through underrecognized and underfunded work. These individuals take initiative, pursue creative and community-centered solutions, and push the boundaries of traditional scholarship—not for accolades, but because they see possibilities where others see limits.

Unlike traditional grants, this award is designed as an unrestricted investment —a flexible form of support that allows recipients to pursue their vision. Inspired in part by the MacArthur Fellowship Program, commonly known as the “Genius grant”, this award is a recognition of the transformative impact the scholar has already made. Further, the award is a commitment to an individual’s originality, insight, and potential. It is a statement of belief in the power of bold, community-rooted scholarship and action to shift narratives, institutions, and futures.

Learn more about our recent Transformative Impact Scholars below!