The Henry Luce Foundation

The Henry Luce Foundation is delighted to announce the 2020-2021 class of Luce Scholars. From 165 outstanding candidates nominated by 70 colleges and universities across the United States (including 10 candidates not affiliated with a nominating institution, who advanced to the interview round), 18 Luce Scholars have been chosen through an intense, three-month-long selection process. This diverse cohort of Luce Scholars hails from 16 nominating institutions (congratulations to Rutgers University and CUNY Hunter College, which each fielded two winning candidates) and represents public and private universities, liberal arts colleges, and HBCUs. Among the new Scholars is an active-duty servicewoman in the U.S. Coast Guard College Pre-Commissioning Initiative; a trumpet player who uses generative artificial intelligence to design musical instruments; a senior research analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York who stress-tests financial institutions for the health of the U.S. financial system; and a Muslim-American who works for the New York Police Department and studies government response towards extremism. Climate change, which has emerged as a central concern for the Scholars' generation, informs many of their intellectual, civic, and professional engagements. They tackle climate resilience from a wide range of vantage points: human-centered design; transportation and urban planning; sustainable development; climate-induced migration and domestic worker rights; environmental justice and public health; investigative reporting; and sustainable textile production. Given that cohort learning is a significant part of the Luce Scholars Program, we are excited by the prospect of many potential collaborations. From creative writing and visual arts, to economics and health policy, to biomechanics and neuro-engineering, the breadth of the Scholars' passions and experiences, along with their places of intersection, will expose each individual to new perspectives and new opportunities for growth. On June 14th, the 2020-2021 class of Luce Scholars will begin their orientation in New York and embark on their journey to Asia. We are thrilled to welcome them to the Program and excited to see how Asia will help them envision bold new ways to transform their fields-and themselves.