First Tech Fund was founded in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic that amplified the existing inequalities students faced in the education system.
What started as a way to support students via technology and mentorship has evolved into a full ecosystem of support, with the goal of breaking generational cycles of poverty at the heart of everything that we do.
Together with a group of dedicated volunteers and staff, First Tech Fund is creating pathways and access to greater economic mobility for all our students.
DEAR FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS,
It’s been 4 years since we launched First Tech Fund and we’ve made huge strides in helping our students realize their dreams – from hundreds of college acceptances to scholarship offers and first internships, our students are taking full advantage of the resources and support that we have provided. This year marked a significant evolution for our organization as we hired 3 new Program Coordinators and partnered with outstanding companies across NYC, all while supporting a cohort of 90 students. These additions enhance our focus on workforce and alumni success, college access, and program operations.
First Tech Fund is made possible by the amazing volunteers we have the privilege of working with, from mentors to designers to junior board members and more. We hosted a 4-year anniversary celebration in May 2024 to bring our larger community together to honor 3 volunteers, longtime supporters who have been with us from the beginning. Our honorees included one of our Board of Directors, Nicole Chin-Lyn, our Junior Board Fundraising Chair, Keyonne Session, and our Junior Board Social Chair, Sarah Gurbach. Through their unwavering dedication and passion, our honorees have profoundly enriched our organization’s mission and we’re thankful for all their contributions. We are deeply grateful for their invaluable support and are proud to have recognized their efforts with well-deserved awards. We hope our volunteers continue to see us as a beacon of hope and are inspired to invest in our students and their growth.
This report highlights a year of achievements at First Tech Fund, showcasing the numerous successes within our student community, the partnerships we’ve cultivated, and our vision for the future. We’ve been fortunate to be selected for leadership programs that have allowed us to refine our focus, enhance our programs, and elevate our students’ voices in our decision-making process. As we move forward, we are evolving our initiatives to focus on becoming more impactful and outcomes-driven. Programs like the 2024 Chime Changemakers Award have opened our eyes to how we can continue to build initiatives that tackle systemic challenges and inequities, without sacrificing the tight-knit community we have worked so hard to build.
We are at a pivotal moment in our journey, ready to expand our efforts to address the various challenges facing the student population we serve. Research shows that students who participate in a paid internship during their undergraduate years secure higher-paying first jobs a year after graduation, even when controlling for differences in pay related to field of study, gender, and race/ethnicity. One of our major goals is to have every one of our students benefit from at least one paid internship to set them up for success after college.
Last year, we successfully provided two of our collegeaged alumni with paid summer internships. This year, in the second year of our workforce development program, we expanded our efforts significantly, matching 20 students with summer internships at various partner organizations. We hope to double the number of students in our internship program next year with your support. Whether you choose to join our team as a volunteer, become a monthly donor, or support our in-person events with in-kind or monetary contributions, please know that your support makes a significant impact. It can be the key reason a student experiences a transformational, life-changing opportunity.
It’s a crucial time for us to invest in our students, who represent the future of our society. Your support is key as we rise to meet this moment. As a young organization, we’ve identified vital areas of support within our student population, and we need to invest in additional workforce programming to prepare them for their academic and professional futures. Your contribution will empower us to build the necessary foundation to create enduring change.
WITH IMMENSE GRATITUDE,
Josue De Paz CEO & Co-Founder First Tech Fund
Hana Seligman Co-Founder & BoardSecretary First Tech Fund
OUR VISION
First Tech Fund hopes to uplift the next generation of young leaders across the US through targeted curriculum, mentorship, opportunity and exposure to pathways that allow them to discover, pursue, and succeed in attaining their educational, personal, and professional development goals.
OUR MISSION
First Tech Fund is dedicated to empowering low-income high school students in NYC in identifying, navigating, and attaining academic and professional opportunities through a supportive, adaptive ecosystem where students get access to free tech, free broadband, skills training, social capital, mentorship, and more.
Team
BOARD
Jerome J. Sanders SeniorProductMarketing Manager,CiscoEmerging Tech
Sarah Moon ProgramOperationIntern, Fall2023&Spring2024
Virginia Li MarketingandEventsIntern, Spring2024
DEPARTMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION
Our team was thrilled to partner with the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, City University of New York and Company Ventures to host paid interns during 2024. Many of our internship candidates are first-generation students from low-income households, reflecting our mission to empower and uplift these communities by providing access to paid workforce opportunities. We have been grateful to onboard interns through this internship partnership throughout the academic year and summer sessions to continue expanding key organizational initiatives: fellowship program operations, grant writing, marketing and design, and corporate and community partnerships.
Each intern has contributed greatly to the growth of our mission, allowing us to continue to impact the lives of the next generation through mentorship, college access support, and career exploration. We are eternally grateful for the collaboration and support from Mia Manantan, Director, Impact Programs at Company Ventures, and Chris R. Meyer, Lecturer at the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, CUNY. Through these combined efforts, we can offer practical workforce development opportunities—an increasingly vital experience for the communities that we serve.
Programming
FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW
Our year-long, hybrid fellowship puts low-income, NYC students on a trajectory for success in college and careers, provides them with free technology access, and creates an ecosystem of support.
The program runs from September to May on weekday evenings where students receive college access support, career exploration, networking opportunities, personalized mentorship, and digital skills training. Fellows have the chance to attend networking and professional development events with our corporate partners, engage with professionals from various industries during career panels, and explore the options available to them. We hold workshops on various topics including navigating the college admissions process, resume writing, brand building, and more. Fellows meet with their mentors monthly and receive comprehensive support, including college essay reviews, interview preparation, and guidance in developing technical skills.
SELECTION PROCESS
Our goal in the admissions process is to create a complementary and balanced cohort of individuals who will work together to lift each other up. To accomplish this, we evaluate applicants based on their aspirations, community involvement, and willingness to learn. FTF does not evaluate applicants based on GPA or past accomplishments - instead, we focus on understanding the unique goals and aspirations of each applicant, exploring how we can support their journey into higher education and beyond.
We work with a volunteer selection committee that reviews applicants through a double-blinded process to combat unconscious bias. Applicants are selected based on a rubric that emphasizes the need for the program, effort, and thoughtfulness of their responses to our application prompts.
FELLOWSHIP STRUCTURE
Our hybrid fellowship meets 3-4x a month on Zoom and in person at our offices at Civic Hall in Union Square to provide students with skills, career exposure, individualized support, and connections to future opportunities. Fellows can participate in additional in-person programming including social, community-building activities, corporate visits and community service events.
KEY COMMITMENTS
Career Workshops
MONTHLY FROM SEPT - JUNE
• Candid structured dialogues
• Wide variety of careers and experiences
Skills Training Workshops
MONTHLY
Targeted skills training around financial literacy, loans, public speaking & more
OPT IN Community
Opportunities to build a strong network of support through 1:1s and personal introductions
Programming
Optional workshops led by expert speakers on topics like writing a college essay and financial wellness
& More...
• Office hours
• Corporate & networking events
• Social gatherings
Mentor Check-Ins
MONTHLY
Focused on helping you achieve your top priorities
Opportunity Emails
MONTHLY
We search for and send scholarships, jobs, internships & more
Featured Speakers
To show our students the number of possible pathways that exist and to ensure they feel seen, heard, and represented, we highlight speakers who are working in industries of interest for our students. We foster a safe space for sharing academic and professional journeys, inviting speakers to provide concrete examples of how they achieved success in their careers. This allows students to appreciate the nuances of each speaker’s trajectory, going beyond just the end result.
Leslie Lindsey Director,PatientSupportServices AmicusTherapeutics&Founding Member LIFTED Employee Resource Group
Santiago Villegas CEO & Founder 1903 PR
Larissa Longchamp MarketManager& CommunityRelations Citi
Mikel Jones VicePresident,Brand &SponsorshipCommunications
Antonia Estrada CollegeReadiness ProgramCoordinator Uprooted Academy
Juky Chen 2021 FTF Fellow City College of NY
Carlos Martinez Judicial Law Clerk U.S. District Court
Erica Rodriguez Associate Research Scientist Columbia University
Elaine Barfield
Associate Director U.S. Medical AffairsGastroenterology Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Katie Nunez Co-Founder&Photographer Phe Studios
Ian Straughter ChiefProgramOfficer Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
Veronica Chang QuantitativeAnalyst Citi
Aly Wood GlobalManager, DiversityandInclusion Informatica
Ainara Hidalgo Coordinator of Student Academic Services American University
Jazmyne Garrett 2020 FTF Fellow Carnegie Mellon University
Elbia Cabral Executive Director Workforce Vault Corporation
Naomi Young PolicyAssociateCenterforGender &SexualityLaw’sERAProject Columbia Law School
Shivani Amin, MD PatientNavigator,Incoming PsychiatryResident Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Lamar Shambley Founder and Executive Director Teens of Color Abroad
Justin McCaroll Attorney Georgia Research Center
Christian Cuatlatl CapitalMarkets
SeniorAnalyst Energy Nasdaq
Andrew Chou SeniorSoftwareDeveloper Digital Democracy
Victoria Alvizurez
SoftwareEngineer
Priceline
Hannah Chong
DataAnalyst
City of Tulsa
Aundre Larrow
Director&Photographer
Jamal Henry Senior Advisor for
EmergingTechnology
The White House’s Office
Greg Thompson Jr. SeniorSoftwareEngineer Cloudflare
Caroline Chang DeputyAssistant NationalCyberDirector The White House
Tiffany Chan BrandDesigner
Jasper Tan ResearchEngineer GlassImaging
Masuda Farehia SoftwareEngineer American Express
Joshua Gandy LeadSolutionEngineer Salesforce
Jonelle Lightbourne Show Runner’s Assistant
Bunmi Oyenusi
Fourth Year Medical Student
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple
ONE-TIME TECH PROGRAM
We receive hundreds of applications every year from students in NYC and beyond. Unfortunately, due to our current funding and staffing limitations, we can’t accommodate everyone in the year-long fellowship as we aim to ensure that we can fully support and address the needs of each student we accept.
However, we understand that we can still support students by integrating them into our ecosystem and connecting them with our community partners, helping them discover additional learning opportunities. That’s why we developed our One Time Tech Program, which prioritizes NYC high school students seeking a laptop for a specific program or purpose.
Whether they were focused on accessing college classes, the college application process, or program applications, we leveraged our technology partners to ensure that we could meet the needs of as many students as possible throughout the year. We distributed 8 laptops through our One Time Tech Program and distributed an additional 35 laptops to the International High School at Prospect Heights, which needed laptops for their seniors who were doing college applications and did not have devices. Thanks to our donation, the school was able to provide some of their laptops to younger students, enabling them to complete their schoolwork.
Our Fellows
Fellows
121 Laptops Distributed
76 laptops distributed to the fellowship program
35 laptops distributed to the International High School at Prospect Heights
8 laptops distributed via one time tech request program
Fellow Spotlights
Selina Zhu MANHATTAN
Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics Class of 2024
Selina is a senior at the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. She is a part of the robotics club and the origami club. Selina hopes to study a mix of biology and technology in college and aspires to be a woman in the STEM field. First Tech Fund helped introduce Selina to people in different industries so she could learn firsthand what daily life within different careers could look like.
“Through FTF, I have met so many amazing people and gotten to learn from industry experts about their respective jobs and the work they do. This program has helped a lot in my self-discovery and also given me a lot of opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. Highly recommended!”
Sophia Tkachenko QUEENS
Queens High School for the Sciences at York College Class of 2024
Sophia is a 12th-grade student at the Queens High School for the Sciences at York College. She is interested in healthcare and has aspirations to become a doctor one day. Being part of the FTF community she has not only explored her potential as a student but also introduced her to a group of motivated fellows who similarly have grand ambitions in the professional world.
“I really enjoy the mentorship aspect of FTF, as I created a close connection with a person who both shares my interests and is willing to support me in any aspect of my current high school journey, and the FTF Executive Team is a group of awesome people (shoutout to Josue and Kerianne!) who are incredibly supportive and open to helping all of their students.”
Damel Stewart BRONX
UniversityHeightsHighSchoolClassof2024
Damel is a senior at University Heights High School in the Bronx and will be graduating in 2024. She is interested in biomedical engineering. While at FTF she received support while navigating the rigorous Greenhouse Scholars application process. FTF provided an encouraging space for her to get through the process and film her applicant video. She will now attend Binghamton University in the Fall of 2024 with the support of Greenhouse Scholars.
“Through the support I’ve received from First Tech Fund, such as interview prep, I’ve been able to successfully be part of the Greenhouse Scholars Class of 2028! I cannot express enough how excited I felt to hear this news and I can’t help but to give all my gratitude to First Tech Fund!”
Roger Browne BROOKLYN
MedgarEversCollegePreparatorySchoolClassof2024
Roger is a senior at Medgar Evers College Preparatory School. Roger is passionate about STEM and he is a part of the National Honor Society. He came to First Tech Fund looking for guidance on the college application process and mentorship to help him see what kinds of careers are out there. One of his goals is to give back to the community and First Tech Fund was there to be a support system to his journey.
“Being in First Tech Fund made me understand the idea behind a successful career, and with the support of all staff, I was able to leave the program with a better understanding on what I want to be when I’m older. First Tech Fund offered me so much support and help with the college admissions process. The free technology access allowed me to tackle my dual enrollment program more easily and effectively this year in comparison to the year prior. Additionally, it was easier to get through the college application process with the abundance of resources and tech that First Tech Fund offered. From the essay support, to the overall advice given during application season, First Tech Fund was helping me with every step”
Impact
121 Laptops Distributed
34 Wifi Hotspots Distributed
15 Career Panels
13 Hours of Digital Skills Workshops
380+ Hours of 1:1 Mentorship
78%
of students stated that access to technology allowed them to better participate in school, complete assignments, and access applications to other programs and college
82%
of students survey stated they found a community and support at FTF
85%
of students stated FTF made it easier to apply to internships and/or college
93%
of students surveyed stated that FTF made them more aware of the opportunities and career paths available to them
79% of students are more confident in using technology to reach their goals
84%
of students stated they felt more prepared to pursue careers in their field of interest due to their participation in FTF
SUMMER PLANS
81%
of our fellows will be working at a job or internship this summer in industries including tech, healthcare, engineering, education, and more
89%
of students said FTF’s program and technology made it easier for them to complete assignments in a timely manner
27%
of our fellows are participating in extracurricular programs this summer including volunteering, coding bootcamps, pre-first year college programs, and science education.
Wall of Wins
2023-2024 FELLOWS
Madeline L.
Accepted to Baruch College Now program
Steven X. Committed to New York University and accepted to Greenhouse Scholars program
Roger B. Accepted to Howard University
Sophia T. Accepted to Alexander Hamilton Scholars and Questbridge College Prep Scholars
Chelsea N. Accepted to Questbridge College Prep Scholars
Chelsea N. Accepted to Seeds of Fortune
Angelina Y. Committed to Columbia University
Damel S. Accepted to Greenhouse Scholars program
Fatoumata G. Committed to Barnard College
Alexander S. Committed to Macaulay Honors at College of Staten Island
Jennifer L. Matched with Colby College through Questbridge National College Match
Amanda C. Committed to Northeastern University
ALUMNI
Fatimatou N. 2021 Fellow
Committed to John Jay College
Jaylen C. 2020 Fellow
Committed Johnson C. Smith University
Nehemie D. 2022 Fellow Accepted to Questbridge College Prep Scholars
Lizmarie D. 2022 Fellows
Committed to City College of New York
Asyat S. 2022 Fellow Accepted to Greenhouse Scholars Program
Esther O. 2020 Fellow Committed to Lehman College
Isabella A. 2020 Fellow Committed to Baruch College
Alima Y. 2022 Fellow Committed to Columbia University
Fatoumata G. 2021 Fellow Committed to Barnard
Obianuju O. 2021 Fellow Committed to Bucknell University
Hannah F. 2021 Fellow Committed to Syracuse University
Partnerships
FOUNDATION & COMMUNITY PARTNERS, CORPORATE PARTNERS & IN-KIND
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP CASE STUDIES
Mastercard
We collaborated with Mastercard to coordinate an impactful corporate office visit for students to connect with employees in a variety of engaging activities. Students had the opportunity to visit the Mastercard Tech Hub, an immersive space to fuel ideas and foster collaboration. They then heard from employees across Latinx and Black affinity groups, including speakers who had previously interned at Mastercard. The event transitioned seamlessly to one-on-one mock interviews between students and employees, facilitating a chance for in-depth conversations and practical interview skill application.
Snap Inc.
We partnered with their team and hosted a Snap Career Day in partnership with the SnapFamilia Employee Resource Group and Snap Philanthropy. Snap employees shared their career trajectories and journeys in a Q&A panel to showcase how each person’s path to working at Snap was unique. Our students then had the opportunity to participate in small group, speed networking sessions with the panelists. The event ended with a mindful, reflection exercise so students could discuss their key learnings.
GLG
We partnered with GLG to host a speed resume review workshop in their New York office. The students got a chance to hear from various employees and what their role entailed at GLG. Our students were also paired with GLG volunteers to go over their resumes and talk through any questions and edits that can be made for improvements. The resume review workshop ended with a networking session where students got to mix and mingle with different GLG volunteers and they were able to learn more about the roles and opportunities available to them.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Uprooted Academy
At First Tech Fund, our core mission revolves around fostering community partnerships that unite resources and allies, establishing a supportive ecosystem for young people. We partnered with Uprooted Academy to provide our students with 1:1 access to college essay review help. Uprooted Academy was an integral partner for college success support and we were able to host 34 sessions in total. Our students were able to work with volunteers on their college essays wherever they were in their current writing process. The college essay and the overall process can be daunting, but with our partnership, we were able to lighten the mental load and provide support to our students during this pivotal time, especially when FTF was still growing the team to add additional bandwidth.
STREB
We were thrilled to participate in a social community-building event with STREB. STREB is a Brooklyn-based organization that hosts events and workshops centered around the work of choreographer Elizabeth Streb. Our students were able to participate in STREB’s PopAction class that intertwines dance, athletics, boxing, rodeo, the circus and Hollywood stunt work! The students enjoyed a day of getting to know each other while exploring a combination of physical conditioning, stunts, acrobatics and aerial art with the help of the wonderful STREB team.
Brooklyn Nets
First Tech Fund was given the great opportunity to attend a free Brooklyn Nets Game during their Black History Month event. Our community enjoyed a night out and for a lot of our students, it was their first basketball game. During the event, First Tech Fund fellows were highlighted for all the hard work they have done to get where they are!
INDIVIDUALS - GIFTS $1K & ABOVE
Farheen Mukarram
Shaun Jacobs
Angela Wong
Amanda Pors Dennis Riese
Continued Impact
First Tech Fund is proud of the work we’ve accomplished and the meaningful impact we’ve made over the past four years. Our students have built confidence, entered new pipelines, and thrived in achieving their goals, and witnessing their growth motivates us to continue expanding our efforts. We’re fortunate to have recruited advisors, volunteers, and funders who help shape our programs with a focus on creating positive trajectories. We continue to make yearly changes to programming and grow our team to guarantee that our students thrive and can achieve everything they set out to do.
Looking ahead, we’ve listened to our community’s feedback and recognized the need to enhance our alumni resources. This will not only support them as they transition into college but also as they tackle the next systemic challenge: navigating the workforce. One of the changes we’re implementing is a shift in our nonprofit model to be more outcomes-driven, focused on two key objectives. Our high school fellowship program will transition to a two-year model, where we will hold ourselves accountable to achieving our new guiding vision, ensuring that 80%+ of fellows enroll in well-matched selective 4-year colleges with an expected debt burden <$10k and 80%+ of fellows complete a high-quality, paid internship before their sophomore year of college. This expansion of our initial
pilot will inform and guide the shift of our model, helping us scale to offer an internship to every single student who comes through our doors. Empowering our fellows with the agency and experience they need to navigate the final three years of college by investing in their career trajectories is essential to the expansion of our program model.
We will continue to forge best-in-class partnerships with companies like Snapchat and Mastercard to ensure our students have access to workforce pipelines even after completing our formal program. Additionally, we will strengthen our community partnerships with nonprofits so our students continue to enter pipelines for jobs. With this new model in place, we hope to scale beyond NYC in the coming years to drive even greater growth and impact for students and their families across the US. We’re just beginning to tap into the potential impact we can achieve, and we invite you to join us in realizing our vision. Together, we can create the conditions that empower our students to secure livable wages upon graduating, uplifting the leaders of tomorrow.
Join Us
Partner with us on our mission to support students by donating new or used technology, sponsoring our work, partnering with us, volunteering as a mentor, or donating office space for fellowship events.
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linkedin.com/company/first-tech-fund
DONATE TO OUR MISSION
COHOST AN EVENT WITH US!
DONATE LAPTOPS SPONSOR AN EVENT BECOME A WORKFORCE PARTNER VOLUNTEER & MENTOR
DONATE SPACE
OUR COMMUNITY
The work we do would not be possible without the support of our community who donate their time, talents, and resources to helping our fellows succeed.
