Fall is here and our programs are shifting gears for this new season!

Programming began at BridgeUP: OUT in the South Bronx, and our students have stepped into this new school year with enthusiasm and drive. The new freshmen are adjusting to their respective high schools and new responsibilities of being in the program. The seniors are coming into all of their leadership and with excitement about their college processes. Senior Scholars in the BridgeUP+OUT program took a day trip to SUNY New Paltz in upstate New York, exposing them to a new college campus experience, admissions officers and processes, and life outside the city for potential higher education. 

In Tennessee, BridgeUP GiddyUP veteran riders are not only developing their skills in coaching their younger peers in hands-on horsemanship activities on Saturdays, they are also bravely stepping into their roles as team leaders in the stable management aspect of weekday programming. It is challenging to direct a team while ensuring efficiency and efficacy in all the tasks assigned, but the veterans are steadily improving in their leadership and organizational skills while also learning to ask for support from their coaches when unsure how to manage a variety of personalities in the newbies they guide!

Following the summer sessions at BridgeUPSTEM at Georgia Tech in partnership with NCWIT, many Scholars report having received great grades on exams and assignments, and are excited about joining extracurricular activities and gaining increased independence as they become upperclassmen. As an example, Oscar G. began an internship focusing on marketing and computer science at a local middle school. Ryan A. and Tealacy W. were both excited to be accepted into the Computer Science honor society at North Atlanta High School! Shamya S. recently completed a Sony Animation course, which she’s really excited about. We are so thrilled that Scholars are continuing to engage deeply with computing material while they are in the midst of an active school year. It is a testament to their dedication and pursuit of wisdom.

In our BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, Scholars are achieving remarkable milestones in various ways. At Ithaca College, all of the new Scholars are matched with a faculty Sponsor at the college! The Ithaca College Scholars’ year also began with a visit to the Career Exploration and Development Center to help each Scholar get their LinkedIn pages started or in better shape. At Middlebury College, BOLD WLN Scholar, Lima A., is embarking on a trip to New Mexico for her thesis to interview a group of Afghan women who have migrated there. At Marshall University, our newest BOLD WLN institution, Scholars had the opportunity to attend the Women Warriors Summit in October. Keynote speakers included Jenny Blake, co-creator of Google’s Career Guru Program, and Hoda Kotb, journalist, author, and entertainer. Scholars also enjoyed an AI Panel discussion featuring two BOLD WLN mentors and a networking reception, during which they implemented tailored communication plans.

Early in October, the HGB team traveled around the country to visit our various programs! We started in Princeton, NJ, at the McCarter Theatre to see their production of I & You, a new Theater Ventures project Our journey continued to Atlanta, where we observed our BridgeUP:STEM program in full swing. Dr. Judith led an engaging lesson, and the students’ curiosity and focus reminded us why this work matters. In Tennessee, we watched GiddyUP riders compete in their LevelUP licensing event before a panel of internationally recognized and esteemed judges. Families filled the stands, cheering as their riders demonstrated skill and confidence in the arena.

We wrapped up at two BOLD WLN campuses, Rutgers University-Newark and Ithaca College. It was inspiring to meet with administrators who remain deeply committed to the BOLD program and its impact. Our BOLD Scholars are settling into the semester while thoughtfully considering their post-graduation goals and aspirations. These visits reinforced what we already know to be true: the meaningful conversations and connections we share with our community make all the difference.

Within our Empowering Innovation vertical, The Brown Institute for Media Innovation at Columbia Journalism School is excited to announce their second annual Marco Castro Cosio Media Art and Technology Fellowship. This award provides fiscal sponsorship of $10,000 and a residency at the Brown Institute at Columbia Journalism School. It aims to support emerging creators and researchers dedicated to impactful, interdisciplinary work in tech, media, and the arts. Candidates from all professional backgrounds are welcome to apply. This fellowship celebrates Marco’s legacy of bringing purpose and fresh perspectives to every one of his projects. Marco’s career and curiosity led him from museums, to educational institutions, to the sustainability arm of a major, global corporation.

The Brown Institute for Media Innovation held their annual bi-coastal retreat in Palo Alto at the end of October. This year’s retreat included a public showcase of outgoing Magic Grant projects at the new CS building and was very well attended. It was a great way for the projects to present on their progress, share with the community their outcomes of the year’s work, and even celebrate their key wins including Magic Grant winner alphaXiv’s closing of a pre-seed/seed round for ongoing efforts in building out their AI-centric platform. The Retreat also included a few days at Stanford’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve where incoming Magic Grantees had the opportunity to present on their projects including their dreams and plans for the year ahead. It was an incredible balance of work time, team building time, and time in nature. Major shout out to the Brown Institute leadership team and staff at both Columbia and Stanford – Maneesh, Mark, Michael, Andrea, Steve, and Hannah – they put on a stand-out event for the year!

Additionally, Maty Boháček, a Brown Institute grantee and Stanford CS student, received a Silver Medal from the President of the Czech Senate on September 28, 2025, recognizing his contributions to “seeking truth and new paths in the digital world.” Under his Magic Grant at the Brown Institute, Maty and collaborators Sally Herships (Director of Audio at Columbia Journalism School) and Mark Fiore (Pulitzer Prize–winning visual journalist) are developing Pali—a suite of AI tools that lets artists train models on their own body of work to retain control over style and output. The first application supports an investigative podcast on U.S. tax fraud with custom illustration and animation.

The achievements that have taken place over the past few months at the Foundation have been nothing short of extraordinary! We are motivated by the immense progression made across all of our verticals and are looking forward to seeing where they all go. As we move deeper into Fall season, we’re grateful for the dedication of our students, staff, and partners who make this work possible. Tune back in next month for more updates.