Sophia Kopreski, a member of the Ramapo College class of 2026, has been selected as a New York Urban Fellow for the 2026-2027 year, according to an April 30 announcement by the college.
The fellowship is regarded as highly competitive and provides recent graduates with experience working in various New York City agencies. Kopreski is only the second student from Ramapo College to receive this distinction.
Kopreski graduated in January with a major in Political Science and a minor in Public Policy. She is currently interning at the office of United States Senator Andy Kim. During her time at Ramapo, she served as Student Government Secretary of Delegate Affairs and co-founded Project ARCH Civic Engagement club. She was also recognized on the ALL IN Campus Democracy Student Voting Honor Roll for her efforts to promote civic engagement on campus.
Ramapo’s Director of Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships Dr. Rebecca Root said, “Sophia is an exceptional public servant and advocate for youth civic engagement. She packed so much into her time as a college student – excelling in her Honors, Poli Sci and Public Policy classes; exploring reconciliation in Northern Ireland; leading Project ARCH on our campus; studying in England; interning in Washington DC, helping students become better writers in our Center for Reading & Writing – and now, as a recent grad, interning for Senator Andy Kim. I can’t wait to see what she does when she brings her formidable talents to NYC!”
Kopreski reflected on receiving the fellowship: “Besides how surreal it feels, I am very aware of how lucky I am to be given this opportunity. This achievement is truly a testament to all of the time and dedication people in my life have sacrificed to help me get to this point… I take this as a sort of sign that I am on the right track to a fulfilling public service career — that I can work for a cause and a community which I wholeheartedly believe in.”
She described hopes for hands-on work during her fellowship: “As an Urban Fellow, I am really excited to get to know the other incredible people in my cohort… While I do not know what agency I will be placed at, I hope I get to work on a project that collaborates directly with a given community and works to remedy a longstanding issue.”
Looking back at her journey through Ramapo College and application process experiences, Kopreski offered advice: “You are going to face a lot of rejection, but if you truly love what you do, that should not deter you from trying again… if someone gives you the opportunity… do it and do your best.”
The New York City Urban Fellowship program places young professionals across city agencies over nine months under sponsorship by New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
