The scholarship will support NYU Steinhardt undergraduates in fulfillment of the NYU Promise.
Anonymous donors have established an endowed undergraduate scholarship to honor NYU Steinhardt’s outgoing dean, Jack H. Knott, and his wife, Cherry.
The Jack and Cherry Knott Endowed Scholarship will be open to all undergraduate students at NYU Steinhardt in fulfillment of the NYU Promise, which guarantees that every undergraduate who is admitted in their first year to the New York campus will have 100 percent of their demonstrated need met.
“Jack has been a tireless partner in our development efforts and this scholarship is a fitting tribute to his dedication to securing a strong future for NYU Steinhardt,” says Senior Vice President of University Development and Alumni Relations Hope O’Reilly. “We are deeply grateful to the generous donors who have established the Jack and Cherry Knott Endowed Scholarship, which will support multiple students each year in perpetuity, ensuring that Jack and Cherry’s names will be associated with emerging scholars for generations to come.”
Since 2020, Jack H. Knott has served as the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean at NYU Steinhardt. Dean Knott has published three books, numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, and several policy reports. He served on the editorial boards of two journals in comparative public management and policy. Among his awards, he is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and is a past President of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).
Jack and Cherry with 2025–2026 Steinhardt Scholar-in-Residence Miguel.
In addition, he has served as a member of the Educational Advisory Panel, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Washington D.C., a member of the Endowment Board of the American Society for Public Administration, and a member of the Board of Price Philanthropies foundation. His tenure as dean of Steinhardt concludes June 30, 2026.
Cherry Knott, CBE (known professionally as Cherry Short) served as a Senior Fellow for Global and Community Strategy at NYU. With a background as a qualified forensic social worker, her work integrates trauma-informed practice, technology innovation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion to shape the future of social work and policy. She currently serves on the Governing Board of the International Social Service (Geneva), and on the Rescue Fund Committee of the Institute of International Education, which provides scholarships to scholars in conflict zones worldwide.
She is also a governing board member of both the Global Health Alliance on Health and Pollution and the Health Justice Initiative. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to advancing human rights and race relations, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the late Queen Elizabeth II, one of the UK’s highest honors for public service.
“Cherry and I are deeply moved and humbled by this extraordinary gift,” says Jack Knott. “Throughout my time as Dean, I have seen firsthand how financial barriers can stand between talented, motivated students and the education they deserve. The NYU Promise is one of the most powerful commitments this University makes to its students, and to have our names associated with it, ensuring that Steinhardt students can pursue their passions without the weight of financial uncertainty, is the greatest honor I can imagine. We are profoundly grateful to the generous donors who made this possible, and we look forward to watching the scholars who carry this award forward make their mark on the world.”
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