Baruch College Alumni Win Prestigious Excelsior Service Fellowships

Baruch College Alumni Win Prestigious Excelsior Service Fellowships

October 10, 2024

Four Baruch College alumni, who earned master's degrees from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, were chosen as 2024 Excelsior Service Fellows.

The two-year fellowship program places recent graduates into full-time roles within the New York State executive chamber or at a government agency.

Fellows also take part in professional and leadership development programs, which provide training, networking, teambuilding, and courses that cover a range of topics from an introduction to New York State government, and ethics.

Meet the 2024 Fellows:

Koffi Bentum - Office of Employee Relations, Contract Negotiation and Administration in Albany

Koffi Bentum (MIA '24) is excited to participate in this opportunity and expressed curiosity where it will lead him.

During his fellowship, Bentum is working on grievances from employees who are members of different statewide labor unions. He is responding to questions about collective bargaining from members of various unions and is part of the team that will negotiate the next round of contracts for the various statewide unions when negotiation starts next year.

Bentum wants to pursue a career in public service as a policymaker and hopes to run for elected office. He believes this experience will "open his eyes" to collective bargaining and how contracts are administered.

"As someone who fled a civil war in Liberia, lived as a refugee in Cote D'Ivoire, came to the United States, went to school, worked and lived as an undocumented immigrant for ten years, I believe this country has so much to offer anyone who is ready to not take NO for an answer on their personal journey," says Bentum, who also completed a concentration in international nongovernmental organizations.

Sarah Fadika - Department of Health, Office of Health Insurance Programs, Strategic Operations and Planning in New York City

Sarah Fadika (MPA '24) said this fellowship presents an excellent opportunity to align two personal goals: improving the health of her community and fulfilling career goals.

Fadika is looking forward to collaborating with senior leadership on policy creation and implementation, while applying the knowledge she gained from Baruch's MPA program including health policy, budgeting, and research and analysis. She also expressed eagerness to further develop her skills in strategic operations, planning, and project management.

Additionally, Fadika will be supporting the implementation of Medicare's Section 1115 waiver amendment, which is designed to promote health equity and expand access to essential services for New Yorkers, including nutritional assistance and housing support.

"I'm excited to be part of an initiative that goes beyond just nutrition-offering comprehensive, whole-person services that truly address the diverse health needs of the community," Fadika says. "For this, I am incredibly grateful!"

Abigail Sindzinski - Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management, Center for Strategic Health Initiatives, Material Transactions Bureau in New York City

At her government agency, Abigail Sindzinski (MPA '24) will be working on policy and data matters related to the impact of private investment and other financial trends on various health-related outcomes, such as consolidation trends in health care markets and the impacts on delivery of care.

Long-term, Sindzinski wants to work in research and data analysis in public policy, topic areas she specialized at the Marxe School.

"Coming from a humanities background, I value the ways analysis and data work in policy bringing together a detailed, analytical component with thoughtful nuance and interpretation," said Sindzinski.

LaDorian Morris (MPA '24) is the fourth award-winner. She is currently working with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Office of Disaster Recovery in Albany.

Learn More

The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs is New York City's only public graduate school dedicated to public affairs. The School draws upon one of the largest public affairs faculty in the nation, and applies an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, research, and professional development.

The School launched an Online Master of Public Administration (OMPA) in the Fall of 2024 and will launch the Master of Science in City Planning (MSCP) in the Fall of 2025.

Learn more about graduate programs at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

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