Baruch College accounting major Jehmehl Fair was recently named a New York Colligate Scholar for The Institute for Responsible Citizenship.

William Keyes, who serves as the president of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, announced in a press release the names of scholars who have been picked to participate in the inaugural class of the New York Collegiate Institute.

The New York Collegiate Institute is a program designated for highlighting the best and the brightest in the African American community.

The New York Colligate Institute was launched in January 2020. The project is sponsored by the Select Equity Group, a company founded in 1990 on the idea that independent research and disciplined long-term investing will create returns for their clients.

Among the list of scholars for the inaugural class of 2021 are students from Fordham University, New York University and CUNY York College, in addition to Baruch.

Keyes released a statement following the announcement.

“The achievements of our alumni indicate that our program is working. I created the Institute to provide the most talented African American male students the kind of support they need to reach their enormous potential,” Dr. Keyes said. “We place them in a powerful network of talented
men who can support them as they pursue extraordinary success for reasons that are bigger than themselves.”

In an interview, Fair told The Ticker about how Keyes himself told him about becoming a scholar for the institute.

“I found out I was selected to be a scholar when Dr. William Keyes, founder of the Institute, reached out to me over the phone and told me the good news,” said Fair.

Fair also expressed how he was both “ecstatic and grateful” to receive the phone call from Keyes because the New York Collegiate was a program he dreamed of getting into despite the slim chances for applicants.

“I was ecstatic when Dr. Keyes called because this was a program and network that I really wanted to be a part of but also grateful to be selected because not everyone gets a chance at an opportunity like the Institute,” said Fair.

Fair also spoke about how his recent achievement is an important as a young man of color.

“As a man of color, opportunities will be limited simply due to the color of my skin. For me, I not only need to work harder but also be smarter in how I approach trying to enter fields and environments that people like me are barred from. To be a scholar of the New York Collegiate Institute is of great importance because I will be able to learn from professionals that look like me and have dealt with what I will most likely go through in the professional realm,” he said. “Additionally, as a scholar I can use this opportunity to help my peers and those younger than me
to be successful as well.”

Colin Ganges, who serves as a selection committee member, told The Ticker, “I was excited to name Jehmehl a scholar because his record, both academic and professional, clearly demonstrated that he had worked hard and deserved to be recognized.”

When asked about the future of the New York Colligate Scholars programs and who the program wants as a scholar, Ganges said he hopes to find more scholars “who work hard both in and out the classrooms.”

“The same ones that we look for in current scholars. People who work hard in and out of class. People who are ambitious and want to make a real impact on the world. People who really value the network and the ability to work together with other Institute Scholars to make the impact that
they are looking for,” Ganges said.

Fair is a member of the CUNY’s Macaulay Honors Program and is as a member of the varsity basketball team. Outside of student athletics, he is a volunteer for the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and serves as a mentor for the Mentorship Project.