In the final month of 2025, programming across the Foundation is in full swing, with exciting developments in our youth programs and new Genius Grant awardees making waves in their communities. At BridgeUP + OUT, we capped off the end of the semester with a winter holiday celebration, bringing together all grade levels of Scholars, program alums, BU+OUT staff, Foundation staff, campus staff, and families. We gave thanks for all we are grateful for and all that was accomplished in the first-half of the school year. 

Our BridgeUP Health school-year internship program continues to shine and excel. Originally just a summertime, seasonal program, our BridgeUP Health school-year internship program is thriving in its expanded format with our Mount Sinai partnership. Scholars are now participating year-round in afterschool sessions that prepare them for research careers, build essential professional skills, and explore public health topics that resonate with their personal experiences. The program has also connected Scholars with incredible guest speakers, including researchers from the Mount Sinai Health System and Dr. Ryan Petteway, Associate Professor at OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. We’re so proud of these exceptional young people and all they’ve achieved this fall!

Also in our BridgeUP universe, during November and December, BU STEM Scholars were introduced to the fascinating world of Data Science, led by faculty mentor Dr. Kexin Rong. Alongside Helen Fellows Mei L. and Angela S., Dr. Rong taught Scholars how to analyze data, generate data visualizations, and identify correlations within datasets. For their final project, Scholars worked in groups to conduct research on topics of their choosing. The range was impressive: student success and retention in higher education, trends in ‘happiness’ across the world, predictions on NFL performance and sports betting, animal habitat characteristics, performance of Marvel films across the world, and disciplinary actions and rehabilitation services in high schools. Way to go BridgeUP STEM! Looking forward to all that is to come in the two Spring research rotations as well!

Within the BOLD WLN, at Colby-Sawyer College, Scholars collaborated with the Career Services office, putting on a food drive for their local food pantry. Community service and integration is an integral part to the BOLD programming, we are delighted to see these partnerships hold up over the years. Great job, BOLD at CSC!

The Brown Institute for Media Innovation, in partnership with Hearst and OpenAI, hosted the first everAI and Journalism Summit, a one-day conference examining the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and news, from lab to newsroom to reader. It was a successful event, drew a full house of attendees, consisted of an entire day of panels and discussion, and many, many new connections formed! Congratulations to everyone involved, we are excited to see where the future of these conversations go!

Lastly we’re thrilled to announce several new Genius Grants this month, wrapping up our 2025 grant cycle! Judaline Cassidy received a Genius Grant for her work with Tools & Tiaras and her lifelong commitment to transforming the pipeline of women in vocational trades. Lindsay Stradley received a Genius Grant for her work with FreshLife and lifelong commitment to building safe, health conscious global communities, and women’s entrepreneurship. Last but not least, Literacy Partners received an Education Ventures Grant to support school partnerships that enhance access to literacy materials and education for local communities, as well as the provision of professional development for selected educators.

As we close out 2025, we’re grateful for all our partners, Scholars, and grantees who continue to make the vision of the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation a reality every single day. Cheers to dreaming even bigger in 2026!