Fiserv + Rutgers University Newark Scholars Describe the Value of Inclusive Innovation – Rutgers Newark

Program Overview and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Fiserv-RU-N Program for Inclusive Innovation, a partnership between Fiserv and Rutgers-Newark (RU-N), recently convened its newest cohort of scholars with program alumni. Now in its third year and having supported over 80 students, the initiative is designed to foster talent in the financial technology (fintech) sector. The program’s structure and objectives demonstrate a strong alignment with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of education, economic growth, equality, and partnership.

Core Objectives and Contributions to Global Goals

SDG 4: Quality Education & Skill Development

The program directly contributes to SDG 4 by providing students with opportunities for enhanced learning and skill acquisition beyond traditional curricula. It equips participants with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship in the technology sector.

• Financial Support: Alleviates financial barriers to education for students interested in technology.
• Mentoring: Connects students with industry professionals for guidance and career development.
• Professional Development: Focuses on cultivating both technical competencies and essential “people skills,” such as networking, collaboration, and relationship-building, which are critical for long-term success.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

By creating a direct conduit between academia and industry, the program promotes productive employment and decent work. It strengthens local workforce development and prepares students to contribute to sustainable economic growth within the high-demand fintech landscape.

• Talent Pipeline: Establishes a diverse pipeline of future leaders for the fintech industry.
• Career Pathways: Facilitates internships and full-time employment opportunities for scholars, as evidenced by several graduates securing roles at Fiserv.
• Entrepreneurial Thinking: Nurtures an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset among students, encouraging future business creation.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities through Inclusive Innovation

A central tenet of the program is to reduce inequalities by expanding access to the technology sector for a diverse student population. It actively works to ensure that opportunities in emerging fields are accessible to all, regardless of background.

Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson emphasized this, stating, “When inclusion is built into how a company engineers solutions… that company will thrive — and you will thrive within it.” The program’s design ensures that students from various backgrounds, including military veterans, are supported in pursuing careers previously considered out of reach.

Strategic Partnership and Stakeholder Perspectives

A Model for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The Fiserv and Rutgers-Newark collaboration exemplifies a powerful multi-stakeholder partnership (SDG 17) between the private sector and academia. This alliance leverages corporate resources and academic excellence to achieve shared sustainable development objectives.

Linda Wellbrock, Vice President of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Fiserv, noted, “Fiserv is proud to serve as a dynamic crossroads where education and industry meet… By investing in students from Rutgers Newark and beyond, we’re helping to build a diverse pipeline of future leaders who will shape the fintech landscape.”

Fostering a Legacy of Innovation

The program is situated within Newark’s rich history of innovation. Karen Brown Stovell, Associate Director of Inclusive Innovation Programs at Rutgers-Newark, highlighted this legacy, stating, “Newark is the third-oldest city in the nation and the birthplace of film and patent leather — innovation is in our blood. Being together in this moment means we’re carrying that legacy forward.”

Program Impact and Participant Outcomes

Key Outcomes for Scholars

Alumni of the program report significant personal and professional growth, directly reflecting the initiative’s success in meeting its objectives.

1. Enhanced Professional Confidence: Participants gain a clearer perspective on career possibilities and their personal brand.
2. Industry Insight: The program provides an “inside look” at the fintech industry and corporate culture, demystifying the path from student to professional.
3. Skill Development: Scholars improve their ability to multitask, network, and collaborate effectively in a professional environment.
4. Global Awareness: Participants develop a new understanding of the global scale and impact of fintech, such as the technology powering services like Apple Pay.
5. Career Advancement: The program serves as a direct gateway to tangible career opportunities. As alumnus Alex Simeon noted, “This program puts you at the front door, but it’s up to you to walk through it.”

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
     
     Explanation: The Fiserv + Rutgers-Newark Scholars Program provides students with specialized professional development, mentoring, and financial support, enhancing their university education and giving them access to training in the high-tech fintech sector.
   • Target 4.4: Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
     
     Explanation: The article states the program is “designed to nurture entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, collaboration” and provides students with skills and experience relevant to the fintech industry, directly preparing them for employment and decent jobs.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.5: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people.
     
     Explanation: The program actively facilitates youth employment by creating a pathway from education to career, with several graduates finding “internships or full-time roles with Fiserv.” The mention of an “inclusive and supportive” culture points towards the goal of decent work.
   • Target 8.6: Substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
     
     Explanation: By providing students with financial support, training, mentorship, and a direct connection to an employer, the program is a clear initiative to keep young people engaged in education and training that leads to employment.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all.
     
     Explanation: The initiative is explicitly part of the “Program for Inclusive Innovation” and aims to expand “access to fields that many students might have considered out of reach.” By partnering with Rutgers-Newark, it helps build a “diverse pipeline of future leaders,” promoting economic inclusion for students who might otherwise face barriers to the fintech industry.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
     
     Explanation: The entire article describes a public-private partnership between Fiserv (a private global technology provider) and Rutgers-Newark (a public university). The article highlights this collaboration as a “dynamic crossroads where education and industry meet” to achieve shared goals of innovation and workforce development.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 4 (Quality Education)
   • Indicator: The number of students participating in and benefiting from the program.
     
     Evidence from the article: The article states the program “has served more than 80 scholars” and that the most recent event brought together “more than 40 current scholars.” This directly measures the reach of the educational opportunity.
2. For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
   • Indicator: The number or proportion of program participants who secure employment or internships.
     
     Evidence from the article: The article mentions “several graduates, including some who have found internships or full-time roles with Fiserv” and features a panel of alumni who now work for the company as data analysts or have served as interns.
3. For SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)
   • Indicator: The creation of opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds in specialized industries.
     
     Evidence from the article: The program’s goal to “build a diverse pipeline of future leaders” and expand “access to fields that many students might have considered out of reach” serves as a qualitative indicator of progress towards inclusion. The partnership with a diverse, urban university like Rutgers-Newark is itself an indicator of this focus.
4. For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
   • Indicator: The existence and longevity of a multi-stakeholder partnership.
     
     Evidence from the article: The program is described as an “authentic partnership” that is “now in its third year.” This demonstrates a sustained, functioning partnership between a private company and a public university.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newark.rutgers.edu