According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 15 percent of U.S. college students are students of color. While learning to navigate college life can be tough for anyone, these students may face specific and unique concerns.

"It wasn’t my plan to run,” Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Deborah Gross told the roomful of women following the wine and cheese networking reception. “It came as a surprise when the councilman retired. I was holding the phone with one hand and writing a list of all the people I knew who could run, 150 or so, with the other. And then I thought I want to be the one to do this.”

In both non-profits, Hermalin noted some degree of reluctance to talk about the projects in terms of class and race; for example, a tendency to refer to “high crime” areas, which, she points out, “puts them (the speakers) in the position or reinforcing negative stereotypes even as they try to advocate for the community.”

Zig Osiecki thought that his Fellowship would be spent creating a more sustainable garden and a plan for its year-round use. He was wrong.