Andrew Young School Awards First Elizabeth Fitch Fellowship

ATLANTA — Karen Riveros Uscategui (M.P.A. ’26) has been named the inaugural recipient of the Elizabeth Fitch Fellowship for Nonprofit Studies, a newly endowed scholarship supporting public administration graduate students in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. The fellowship memorializes the legacy of Elizabeth Fitch (M.P.A. ’01), an alumna whose life was defined by service to others.

The $900 fellowship, awarded for the 2024-25 academic year, was established through a $25,000 crowdfunding campaign led by Fitch’s friends and colleagues to support students pursuing careers in nonprofit organizations. Fitch, who died in 2011, devoted her career to helping others.

“The Elizabeth Fitch Fellowship embodies the core values of our school: service, leadership and commitment to community impact,” said Thomas J. Vicino, dean of the Andrew Young School. “By supporting students like Karen, we are investing in future change makers who will carry forward Elizabeth Fitch’s legacy of dedication to public service and nonprofit excellence.”

A native of Colombia, Uscategui brings valuable experience as a former disability program coordinator for the Colombian government, where she developed her zeal for helping underserved communities.

“Public service is my passion,” Uscategui said. “My goal is to establish a nonprofit organization supporting children with disabilities and helping immigrants integrate into their new communities. This fellowship brings me closer to that dream.”

Uscategui’s journey to Georgia State was not without challenges. She made the difficult decision to leave Colombia for her master’s program while her mother was battling cancer. Upon arriving in Atlanta on a cultural exchange program, she was inspired by the city’s vibrant community and applied to Georgia State. Despite initial tuition funding challenges and language barriers as a non-native English speaker, she proactively reached out to professors, eventually securing a research assistantship with Jan Ivery, the associate dean for academic affairs.

While searching for additional funding opportunities on the university website, she discovered and applied for the fellowship, which now helps cover her remaining tuition costs alongside her assistantship.

“This fellowship represents faith in my ability to make a difference, despite the challenges I’ve faced,” Uscategui said.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out, ask for help and apply yourselves,” she advises students. “That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am now.”

Click here to contribute to the Elizabeth Fitch Fellowship for Nonprofit Studies or learn more about applying.

— By AYSPS Graduate Student Assistant Ayomidotun Olugbenle (M.A. in Communication)