Alumni and friends of Yale SOM enrich our students’ learning experience in many ways—including by supporting experiential opportunities in the U.S. and globally. These donor-funded awards enable students to directly apply classroom lessons to complex on-the-ground challenges. Awards support student work projects and entrepreneurial endeavors that promote inclusive economic well-being, environmental and social impact, as well as cross-cultural respect and cooperation.
Entrepreneurship
Boms, Tal, Vlock Entrepreneurial Award
Established in 2025 by The Seedlings Foundation, Elon ’07 MBA and Stephanie ’07 MBA Boms, and Dr. Michael Tal ’07 MBA, this award provides graduating Yale SOM students with a fellowship to help launch an entrepreneurial venture. With the goal of aiding entrepreneurs in overcoming the initial barriers to innovation, this award assists recipients in addressing challenging hurdles in the start-up process.
Image: Nicole Morrison ’14 BA, ’25 MBA’s startup, Win Number, builds all-in-one AI voter contact platforms for state and local campaigns.
Henry F. McCance Entrepreneurial Award
Established in 2003 by Henry McCance, Yale College Class of 1964, this award supports summer opportunities for Yale School of Management students to pursue entrepreneurial activities.
Image: Hil Moss ’22 MBA/MPH presenting on VivorCare, her virtual survivorship platform for survivors of critical illness.
Nancy Pfund ’82 Social Impact Award
Established in 2014 by Nancy Pfund ’82 MPPM, this award promotes social entrepreneurship by supporting first-year students pursuing summer internships at mission-driven, social sector organizations with double bottom lines.
Image: Tony Cisneros ’21 MBA/MEM and Caroline Ebinger ’22 MBA/MEM founded Mesa Foods. Their goals and values are supporting sustainable farmers and food suppliers practicing core planetary health principles.
Morris and Miriam Pozen Entrepreneur Award
Established in 2001 by Robert C. Pozen, Esq., Yale Law School Class of 1972, in memory of his parents, this award supports summer opportunities for Yale School of Management students to pursue entrepreneurial activities.
Image: Summer, a tech startup launched by Yale SOM alumni Will Sealy ’17 MBA and Paul Joo ’18 MBA, helps college graduates navigate repaying school loans.
Selby Family Entrepreneurship Innovation Award
Established in 2024 by Thomas Selby ’16 MBA,’16 MEM and Meaghan McGrath ’15 MBA,’16 MEM, along with their family, this award provides funding to pursue entrepreneurship activities that work on market-based solutions – particularly by creating and building economically viable startup businesses – to problems issues facing our society and planet, including climate change and the degradation of the natural world, healthcare, education and more, recognizing that solutions to these issues in the future may make some of these preferences unnecessary.
Image: Nick Callegari ’25 MBA presenting on VeruStruct, his venture to develop a construction 3D printer that creates sustainable, affordable housing solutions.
Business and Environment
Rosemary Ripley Family Award for Internships in Business and the Environment
Established in 2006 by Rosemary Ripley, Yale College (Class of 1976) and the Yale School of Management (Class of 1980), this award supports opportunities for Yale SOM/YSE students to pursue summer projects in business and the environment. Projects must be carried out internationally with a focus on emerging markets. Preference given to students from emerging economies who wish to return to their home countries upon completion of studies.
Image: Thoko Changufu ’23 MF visiting with farmers during her internship with Community Markets for Conservation in Zambia.
General
Judith Bernstein (SOM 1980) Memorial Award
Established in 1992 by friends and classmates of Judith Bernstein ’80 MPPM in her memory, this award supports opportunities for Yale School of Management students to pursue summer internships in family planning and reproductive rights, or in basic human needs.
Image: Erica DeMond ’23 MBA participating in an operations internship with Impact Public Schools, a charter school network in Tukwila, Washington.
Linnie and Michael Katz ’76 Award for SOM Student Travel and Research
Established in 2013 by Linnie and Michael Katz, Yale College Class of 1976, this award supports travel and research opportunities for Yale School of Management students seeking work experiences at non-governmental philanthropic organizations focusing on welfare, humanitarian, or economic issues in developing countries. Projects must be carried out internationally.
Image: Reid Jackson ’23 MBA planted trees in Khokhwa, Malawi, during his internship with the World Food Programme.
Business and Cross-Cultural Understanding
Victor H. Frank, Jr. Fellowship for U.S. and Muslim World Relations
Established in 2012 by the Asian Programs Foundation, this award provides support for students in any degree program at the Yale School of Management who are working to identify ways in which the business community can contribute to enhanced relations between the Muslim world and the United States.
Image: Dalia Hammouri ’25 MBA and Mohammed Serdah ’26 MBA
In 2024-2025, two SOM students were awarded this fellowship to support their research. Dalia, a Silver Scholar and graduate of the University of California, Irvine, was recognized for her volunteer work with the Majlis, a California-based nonprofit that offers educational programs, community events, and interfaith dialogue. With the support of the fellowship, she plans to start a peer support program for Muslim mothers, addressing what she calls a “critical need for community support.” Mohammed, a graduate of the University of Connecticut has assumed leadership roles in numerous Muslim student organizations in college and at SOM, including the UConn Muslim Student Association, the Connecticut Muslim Basketball League, and the SOM Middle East and North Africa Club. He has served as a mentor at Yale’s Middle Eastern and North African Cultural Community and is working to launch a Muslim Student Association at SOM.