The Department of Economics and the School of Public Administration at the University of New Mexico have received a significant boost in providing career development opportunities for students. A $500,000 endowment has been established by Goldman Sachs Gives to support unpaid or low-paid internship opportunities through the Goldman Sachs Gives Public Service in Health Care Award.
Patria de Lancer Julnes, director of the School of Public Administration, emphasized the importance of this endowment in supporting students who face financial challenges while pursuing career development opportunities. She stated, “Our students...are intelligent and tend to be first-generation students who often have to work while attending school to help support themselves and their families.” Julnes added that the subsidy provided by the endowment will alleviate some of the pressure on students, allowing them to focus on advancing their careers.
Melissa Binder, chair of the Department of Economics, highlighted the inequality that exists in accessing internship opportunities. Binder mentioned, “Getting hands-on experience is so important for securing a job post-graduation, and there is definitely an equity gap for these experiences.” She expressed frustration at the perpetuation of inequality in career trajectories and stressed the significance of providing equal opportunities for all students.
Binder further explained that the focus on health care in the endowment addresses a critical need in society. “Health inequities touch on the most basic human rights: your right to stay alive!” she emphasized. Binder underscored the importance of having individuals from affected communities in leadership roles in health care to address disparities.
The endowment will not only benefit students but also serve a larger societal need, according to de Lancer Julnes. She mentioned, “Government in New Mexico is the largest employer. We have a unique opportunity to create a pool of well-qualified individuals to fill those jobs and have meaningful careers.” The endowment aims to provide students with valuable career development experiences that align with their majors or minors in the respective programs.
David van der Goes, associate professor of economics, and Kate Cartwright, associate professor of public administration, played key roles in shaping the vision for the Goldman Sachs Gives Public Service in Health Care Award. Cartwright, who has supervised practicum and internship students, expressed her satisfaction in seeing the positive impact this award will have on students' careers. Van der Goes highlighted the collaborative effort involved in establishing the award, stating, “Seeing people from so many different places come together to support UNM and our students is simply exciting.”
The Goldman Sachs Gives program's commitment to fostering innovation and addressing social issues aligns with the university's goal of equipping future leaders with the necessary skills and experience to support diverse communities. The endowment ensures that the award will have a lasting impact for current and future generations of public service leaders.
The first recipients of the Goldman Sachs Gives Public Service in Health Care Award will be selected for the Summer of 2025, with application information becoming available through the Department of Economics and School of Public Administration’s websites in early 2025.
