HEAF is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 Alexandra Korry Scholarship: Sydney Bush; Junior, Stony Brook University and Jay-Len McLean; Sophomore, Stony Brook University.
The Alexandra Korry Scholarship was established in 2020 by HEAF to honor the extraordinary legacy of Alexandra Davern Korry, a trailblazing attorney, educator, and civil rights champion, whose unwavering commitment to bridging opportunity gaps for students from underserved communities was underscored by her service as HEAF’s chair of the board of directors during our critical formative years.
The award is granted annually to one or more promising HEAF college student who wish to pursue a career in law, social justice, public service, or a related field, and who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to social justice and under-served communities on and off campus. The scholarship includes a stipend towards law school or graduate school.
Scholarship awardees will be mentored by the prominent lawyers, judges and community leaders who comprise the Alexandra Korry Scholarship Selection Committee. “We are so fortunate to have such a rich and diverse scholarship committee that is committed to helping our students pursue interests which align with Alexandra’s passion for social justice and education” said Karla Maloof, HEAF Board Chair.
As part of the application process, students submitted a 1,000-word essay explaining the drivers behind their passion behind their passion for social justice and their future aspirations, as well as how they will pay their success forward.
2021 Recipient Sydney Bush
In her third year at Stony Brook University, Sydney is double majoring in Sociology and Africana studies. Throughout her academic career, Sydney has been inspired by her teachers. In high school, she volunteered at Harvest Church International, curating lesson plans, reading to students, and assisting students with their work. Observing the challenges some students exhibited reading and answering questions, Sydney instituted a mapping process to help the students better comprehend their reading assignments. In a few short weeks, students reading comprehension and confidence, ignition a passion in Sydney to continue to pursue service in helping students achieve their highest potential.
Sydney’s first semester at Stony Brook exposed her to a multitude of courses and teaching styles which coupled with her experiences as a volunteer teacher ignited her passion for education. She is now a success coach for the Educational Opportunity Program at her school, a teacher’s assistant for a freshman seminar course and has completed two internships: with American International Group (AIG) and SocialChorus, now known as Firstup.
“Upon completing my studies and gaining experience in the teaching field, I hope to leverage my knowledge and wisdom to become a principal. As a principal, I will appropriately manage teachers and students, creating a positive and transformative learning environment for all who enter the school. After years of being a successful principal, my goal is to become a New York City public school superintendent. While in this position, I will continue to partner with the teachers and students I worked beside in my earlier professional years to support their success, and push for meaningful change on the state level.”
2021 Recipient Jay-Len McLean
Pursing both Africana studies and International Relations, Jay-Len is in his second year at Stony Brook. He is the first male in his family to attendant college, and is building a new legacy for himself and his family. JayLen remembers the exact moment his life changed, and he decided to dedicate himself to becoming a role model for his younger family members and his community at large. Six years ago, Jay-Len lost his uncle to gun violence. Committed to reversing dismaying outcomes for underserved communities, Jay-Len points to the struggles of poverty plagued with violence, drugs, and chaos his hometown of New York City, and the challenge of access to education, healthcare and safe food and water around the world, which impacted him greatly during his time in Nepal for HEAF’s Learning for Social Impact (LSI) trip.
“I aspire to serve as a role model in the HEAF community, providing perspective and insight on succeeding in environments where it can be a struggle to be recognized as a contributor. I hope to inspire other HEAF students to pursue their passions and believe in the strength of their conviction to serve the public good. We can all work to create a more inclusive and equitable society that celebrates differences.”
The future is bright with students like Sydney and Jay-Len leading the way!
About The Selection Committee
The Alexandra Korry Scholarship Selection Committee includes:
- Jennifer Callahan
- Tracy High, Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell
- John Jacobsson, Executive Vice President, Related Companies, HEAF Board Member
- Karen Kelly, Founder, KESK LLC
- Jonathan Knipe, Cozen O’Connor, HEAF Board Member
- John Lynch, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
- Ken Myers, Partner, Fenwick & West LLP
- Robin Panovka, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
- Evelyn Perez-Albino, Associate General Counsel, Employment Law, Global DEI, Facebook
- Danielle Rose, Partner, Kobre & Kim LLP
- Michael Winograd, Partner, Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP
- Sheena Wright, New York City Deputy Mayor, Strategic Initiatives
About Alexandra Korry
Alexandra was a top partner at the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell for many years, and one of the leading M&A lawyers in the United States. She was among the first women senior partners of a major Wall Street firm and worked tirelessly to break barriers and create opportunities for women and other under-represented groups. Alexandra chaired the New York Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, which credited her with an outsized impact in advancing civil rights, including helping to end solitary confinement of youth in New York and working on police accountability and educational equity. For many years, Alexandra was HEAF’s board of directors chair, taught an introductory law class to HEAF students, and led its legal mentorship efforts, among her many other philanthropic and educational endeavors.