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By Paul A. Miller, MA'21 | Photo by Kris Qua
For students with ambition, the right opportunity can be transformative. The Buzen Fellowship for Future Leaders, established by University at Albany alumni David Buzen ’81 and Lynette Buzen ’82, is designed to ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of meaningful professional growth. By providing scholarship support after a student successfully completes an unpaid internship, the fellowship delivers a dual impact: rewarding students for their commitment while also strengthening nonprofit and mission-driven organizations that may not have the resources to offer paid positions.
Administered through the Massry School of Business, the Buzen Fellowship reflects the Buzens’ belief that experiential learning should be accessible to all students, not just those who can afford to forgo income. Fellows gain real-world experience, professional confidence, and clarity about their career paths, while host organizations benefit from motivated, highly capable interns.
For senior Jasmine Ramlowtan, the fellowship supported an internship at StacheStrong, a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research. Cofounded by fellow alumni Colin Gerner ’14, MS ’15, and his brother GJ Gerner ’10, MS ’11, StacheStrong was born from GJ’s battle with glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. GJ died from the disease in 2019. At StacheStrong, Ramlowtan immersed herself in nonprofit operations and marketing. “During my internship, I was able to dive headfirst into the world of nonprofits and focus on the operations and marketing sectors, which is where my passion lies,” she said. Equally meaningful were the connections she made along the way. “Having this internship was so valuable to me … the community is so uplifting and positive, and I was able to gain so much knowledge and experience while advocating for such an important cause.”
Angelica Gonzalez, a senior from the Bronx and president of UAlbany’s student chapter of the American Marketing Association, gained hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of marketing strategy through her fellowship-supported internship. During her internship with Dagmar Marketing, Gonzalez conducted detailed audits of client websites, social media platforms, online reviews, and search visibility, then benchmarked those findings against competitors at both local and national levels. Exposure to a wide range of clients — from neighborhood delis to payroll firms — helped sharpen her interests and goals. “Through this experience, I’ve discovered that I’m especially passionate about the strategy side of marketing,” said Gonzalez.
The structure of the fellowship, says David Buzen, is intentional. By providing scholarship support after an internship is completed, the program ensures students are recognized for their hard work while enabling nonprofits to benefit from talent they might otherwise be unable to afford. “Internships can be transformative — they give students real-world experience, confidence, and perspective that simply can’t be learned in a classroom,” he said. “The Buzen Fellowship removes that tradeoff, allowing students to pursue impactful internships … while developing the skills, values, and sense of purpose that will guide them throughout their careers.”
That philosophy aligns with a $30M fundraising effort, entitled Inspire the Next: The Campaign for the Massry School of Business, that is focused on expanding access and opportunity through scholarship support, supporting career development, and enhancing world-class research and teaching. To date, the campaign has raised more than $27M.
“To me, Inspire the Next means creating access, opening doors, and encouraging students to see possibilities they may not have thought were within reach,” Buzen shared.
By Paul A. Miller, MA'21 | Photo by Kris Qua
For students with ambition, the right opportunity can be transformative. The Buzen Fellowship for Future Leaders, established by University at Albany alumni David Buzen ’81 and Lynette Buzen ’82, is designed to ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of meaningful professional growth. By providing scholarship support after a student successfully completes an unpaid internship, the fellowship delivers a dual impact: rewarding students for their commitment while also strengthening nonprofit and mission-driven organizations that may not have the resources to offer paid positions.
Administered through the Massry School of Business, the Buzen Fellowship reflects the Buzens’ belief that experiential learning should be accessible to all students, not just those who can afford to forgo income. Fellows gain real-world experience, professional confidence, and clarity about their career paths, while host organizations benefit from motivated, highly capable interns.
For senior Jasmine Ramlowtan, the fellowship supported an internship at StacheStrong, a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research. Cofounded by fellow alumni Colin Gerner ’14, MS ’15, and his brother GJ Gerner ’10, MS ’11, StacheStrong was born from GJ’s battle with glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. GJ died from the disease in 2019. At StacheStrong, Ramlowtan immersed herself in nonprofit operations and marketing. “During my internship, I was able to dive headfirst into the world of nonprofits and focus on the operations and marketing sectors, which is where my passion lies,” she said. Equally meaningful were the connections she made along the way. “Having this internship was so valuable to me … the community is so uplifting and positive, and I was able to gain so much knowledge and experience while advocating for such an important cause.”
Angelica Gonzalez, a senior from the Bronx and president of UAlbany’s student chapter of the American Marketing Association, gained hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of marketing strategy through her fellowship-supported internship. During her internship with Dagmar Marketing, Gonzalez conducted detailed audits of client websites, social media platforms, online reviews, and search visibility, then benchmarked those findings against competitors at both local and national levels. Exposure to a wide range of clients — from neighborhood delis to payroll firms — helped sharpen her interests and goals. “Through this experience, I’ve discovered that I’m especially passionate about the strategy side of marketing,” said Gonzalez.
The structure of the fellowship, says David Buzen, is intentional. By providing scholarship support after an internship is completed, the program ensures students are recognized for their hard work while enabling nonprofits to benefit from talent they might otherwise be unable to afford. “Internships can be transformative — they give students real-world experience, confidence, and perspective that simply can’t be learned in a classroom,” he said. “The Buzen Fellowship removes that tradeoff, allowing students to pursue impactful internships … while developing the skills, values, and sense of purpose that will guide them throughout their careers.”
That philosophy aligns with a $30M fundraising effort, entitled Inspire the Next: The Campaign for the Massry School of Business, that is focused on expanding access and opportunity through scholarship support, supporting career development, and enhancing world-class research and teaching. To date, the campaign has raised more than $27M.
“To me, Inspire the Next means creating access, opening doors, and encouraging students to see possibilities they may not have thought were within reach,” Buzen shared.