2026 Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award Honoree: Aysha E. Schomburg (MA ’99)

Get to know the Sociology of Education alum, President and CEO of Healing New York, and 2026 NYU Steinhardt Convocation honoree.

President and CEO of Healing New York Aysha E. Schomburg (MA ’99, Sociology of Education) has been named this year’s recipient of the prestigious Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award.

For New York native Schomburg, the recognition is deeply personal.

“When I received the email from the Dean, all I saw was Dorothy Height’s face,” says Schomburg. “Her legacy—for Black people, for women, for the whole world—is extraordinary. To even be mentioned in the same space as her means so much. If I’m perceived to be anywhere near walking in her path or uplifting her legacy, that’s a level of success I never imagined.”

The award reflects the career that Schomburg has built, defined by advocacy for children and families and a commitment to meeting communities where they are. In May 2025, Schomburg made history when she was appointed to the lead role at Healing New York (formerly the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), the nation’s first child protective agency. Founded in 1875, the organization had not seen a new permanent leader in more than two decades—and Schomburg is the first Black leader in its history.

Schomburg’s journey into child welfare began much earlier. Initially a biology major at the University of Virginia with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, Schomburg discovered a new passion after taking a single sociology course. After graduating with a sociology degree, Schomburg “felt called in a different direction.”

“I realized I had something to impart to young people,” says Schomburg. “I decided to get a degree in education and see if I wanted to teach.”

What Schomburg ended up finding was NYU Steinhardt’s graduate Sociology of Education program, which blended theory with hands-on experience. During her degree, she worked directly with students at Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, once considered one of the most challenging schools in the country. She led enrichment programs focused on school violence and student support while studying the impact of poverty and systemic inequities on education.

“It was in this role that I fell in love with working with and for children,” says Schomburg.

She built deep relationships with her students at Tilden, many of whom faced immense challenges, from family instability to homelessness. Years later, she continues to encounter former students across New York City who have gone on to build thriving lives.

After graduating from Steinhardt, Schomburg briefly worked with college-bound students at a Manhattan-based nonprofit organization before making a pivotal decision with sage advice from her mother: to go where she was needed most. She accepted a role with New York City’s Administration for Children's Services, beginning what would become a lifelong career in child welfare.

Reflecting on her time at Steinhardt, Schomburg credits the program with shaping her understanding of young people as whole individuals.

“My program taught me to look beyond behavior and see what students are carrying,” she said. “Whether it’s separation from parents, outside influences, or systemic inequities, there’s always more beneath the surface.”

The Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes not only Schomburg’s professional achievements, but also her alignment with the legacy of Dorothy Height—a trailblazer who championed racial and gender equity throughout her life. Like Height, Schomburg’s work centers on dignity, opportunity, and justice for underserved communities. And like Height, she remains focused not on accolades, but on impact.

“I never planned any of this,” says Schomburg. “I didn’t plan to go into community-based work, and I certainly didn’t expect a call to serve in a federal role. It’s about doing the work you’re meant to be doing and doing your best work, even when you think no one is watching.”

Looking ahead, Schomburg says she will continue to follow the same guiding principle that her mother imparted on her years before: “I’m just going to go where I’m needed most,” she says.

Before stepping into her current role with Healing New York, Schomburg served in the Biden Administration as associate commissioner of the United States Children’s Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Previously, she served as the senior administrator for program oversight for New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services. In addition to her degrees from UVA and NYU Steinhardt, she also holds a JD from New York Law School.