Since its founding in 1975, the Center for Excellence in Youth Education (CEYE) has introduced thousands of students to the world of science and medicine through hands-on learning, mentorship, and real-world exposure to STEM careers. For over five decades as the longest running pathway program at Mount Sinai, CEYE has built a strong portfolio of programs that immerse students in laboratory and clinical settings, support their academic growth, and help them develop the confidence and curiosity essential to becoming future scientists and health professionals.

This year has been another exciting chapter for CEYE, marked by continued growth, new collaborations, and expanding opportunities for students. In 2025, we were proud to serve over 500 students across our programs—our largest cohort yet. We had the opportunity to share CEYE’s work at several conferences, strengthening connections and learning from peers across the field. It has truly been a fulfilling year.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our school partners, departments across the Mount Sinai Health System, faculty, staff, trainees, mentors, funders, and—most importantly—our CEYE students (current and those alumni out in the world achieving great things). Your dedication, enthusiasm, and support make our work possible and enrich every program we offer.

As we look ahead to 2026, we are excited for the new milestones, partnerships, and student achievements to come. We wish you a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with peace, warmth, and continued inspiration.

Lloyd Sherman Biomedical Science Enrichement Program Class of 2026

This year marks an exciting new chapter as the Lloyd Sherman Scholar Program and the Biomedical Science Enrichment Program officially merged to form the Lloyd Sherman Biomedical Science Enrichment Program (LSBSEP). Our inaugural LSBSEP Class of 2026 has embraced this transition with remarkable enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment. Through rigorous coursework, hands-on laboratory experiences, and sustained mentorship with Mount Sinai faculty and staff, these students have deepened their scientific skills while developing a strong sense of scientific identity. They are currently working toward their end-of-year projects—original research experiences that will strengthen their resumes, support future applications, and prepare them for research competitions. We are incredibly proud of everything the Class of 2026 has accomplished thus far and look forward to witnessing their continued growth as they move closer to their academic and professional goals upon graduating this upcoming year.

Our 28 students in the LSBSEP cohort proudly presented their research at the American Museum of Natural History during the Annual Student Research Symposium. CEYE is a longstanding member of the New York City Science Research Mentoring Consortium, a partnership of 30 programs across the city that connects high school students with real-world, mentored STEM internships. Participating in this symposium offered our students a remarkable platform to showcase their hard work, refine their presentation skills, and engage with the broader scientific community.

CEYE Questbridge Spotlight

From left to right: Miguel Chicas and Rachel Michael (LSBSEP Class of 2026)

We are incredibly proud to celebrate our students who matched into college through the prestigious QuestBridge National College Match, a program that provides full-ride scholarships to exceptional students. This year, two students from the Lloyd Sherman Biomedical Science Enrichment Program—Miguel Chicas and Rachel Michael—earned matches to Bowdoin College and Boston College, respectively. Their hard work and dedication have truly paid off, and we cannot wait to see all they accomplish in this next chapter.

CEYE Mentor Appreciation Dinner

This January, we celebrated National Mentorship Month with our third annual Mentor Appreciation Dinner at Red Rooster, honoring the dedication and impact of the mentors who make our programs possible. The evening featured heartfelt reflections from instructors Dr. Denise Croote and Dr. Hossein Aleyasin, mentors Dr. Romain Durand-de Cuttoli and Dr. Igor Lobo, and alumni Luis Cruz and Brianna Agyapong, who shared how mentorship shaped their academic journeys. It was a wonderful opportunity for mentors across departments to connect in a relaxed setting and reflect on the shared mission of supporting our students. We are deeply grateful for their guidance, encouragement, and commitment, and we look forward to all that our students will continue to accomplish under their mentorship in the year ahead.

Fun Day Summer 2025

This July, we hosted our fourth annual Fun Day—an energetic, community-building event that brought together more than 300 summer pathway students, interns, and staff for an afternoon of games, teamwork, and friendly competition. Participants from eight of our summer programs enjoyed activities including Tug-of-War, soccer, volleyball, and other outdoor challenges that encouraged collaboration and connection across programs. Fun Day has become a beloved summer tradition, offering students a chance to unwind, build friendships, and celebrate the hard work they dedicate to their academic and research pursuits. We look forward to continuing this tradition in the years ahead.

Mentoring in Neuroscience Discovery at Sinai (MiNDS) kicks off this academic year with their brain exploration sessions for 7th grade students at our middle school partners. Students learn about the anatomy and development of the brain, sensory systems, neurological disorders and much more!

8th grade students from Patrick Henry & Isaac Newton Middle Schools participate in DWAS sessions at Mount Sinai campus

It's hard to not be inspired when you see the minds of young people come to life while they explore the wonders of science. This year we hosted Patrick Henry and Isaac Newton middle school for another year of learning the different human body systems through our Day-With-A-Scientist (DWAS) series. They enjoyed learning the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the different areas of focus and getting to dissect organs at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. A big thank you to all of our volunteers who are current mentors, graduate and med school students at the Icahn School of Medicine.

CEYE is a small but mighty team and we can always count on the support of summer instructors, ISMMS students, teaching assistants (TAs), interns, and volunteers to help us further our mission. This summer we had an outstanding staffing teams who worked diligently day-in and day-out to ensure all programs ran smoothly. We had David Columbe, Dr. Deniz Demircioglu, Jay Johnson, Kasoorelope “Soore” Oguntuyo, Sita Sadia, and Jacqueline Willis join as summer instructors. We also had the pleasure of three CEYE alums come back as TAs with us this summer: Aaron Das (LSBSEP class of 2020), Anisha Parvez (IP class of 2022), Fenley Theluscar (LSBSEP class of 2024), and were blessed to have two year-long TAs Mia Akhter (LSBSEP class of 2020) and Afifa Ibnat join us as well.

This summer would not have been as successful and fun as it was without each of them.

CEYE Beyond the Classroom 2025

This year, our students participated in Advocacy Day, a statewide event held in partnership with the NY Student Aid Alliance in Albany, NY. They met with local elected representatives to share their experiences in CEYE, a STEP-funded program, and speak about the value of hands-on STEM opportunities. During their visit, students also toured the Capitol building and the New York State Assembly Chamber. One student reflected on the impact of CEYE, noting that the program “takes the latent interests in medicine and science as a whole and amplifies it, so that any person who is in the program gains an enthusiasm to learn the content, which can’t be found in a normal classroom… allowing us to fully express our interest in the field and cultivate it into a greater passion.”

Students in our Lloyd Sherman Biomedical Science Enrichment Program (LSBSEP) had the opportunity to attend the Young Women’s Empowerment Day hosted by the New York Urban League. The event gave high school students a chance to connect with inspiring women across industries—including business, government, energy, finance, criminal justice, sports, and entertainment—who shared their career experiences and guidance. The day began at CUNY Hunter College, where students set the tone by sharing songs that make them feel empowered, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the New York City Department of Design & Construction and engaging conversations with engineers, lawyers, and program directors Magalie Desroches Austin, Geannetta Jackson, Jade Bailey, Nathalie Pierre-Georges, Francoise Fortune-Blanchard, and Octavia McCormick-Sharf. Students also participated in a panel at Hunter College featuring Ashley M. Scott, Jasmine Ellis Cooper, and Regina Fleming, gaining valuable insights and inspiration for their own academic and professional journeys.

Students in our Lloyd Sherman Biomedical Science Enrichment Program (LSBSEP) had the opportunity to attend the Young Men’s Empowerment Day hosted by the New York Urban League. The event gave high school students a chance to see men represented in professional spaces they were not always accustomed to seeing and provided exposure to careers in business, product development, finance, healthcare, and marketing. The day began at the SUNY Global Center, where students heard from an engaging panel of male professionals who shared their career journeys, insights, and advice. After the panel, students visited Fidelis Care, where they learned about the inner operational mechanics of a major New York City health insurance provider, and L’Oréal, where they discovered that the company involves much more than what meets the eye. At L’Oréal, they explored how large organizations rely on diverse teams ranging from chemistry and product development to legal, marketing, and diversity and inclusion to bring products and initiatives to life. Overall, the experience offered students valuable exposure, inspiration, and encouragement as they continue to envision their own academic and professional pathways.

CEYE Summer Programs 2025

We are pleased to announce the opening of its summer 2026 program application.

Please join us for one of our Info Sessions to learn more about the programs and application process. Open to the public.

Register for Wednesday, December 17th at 4:00pm EST

Register for Thursday, January 15th at 4:00pm EST

We will be offering three (3) engaging programs for students who attend a NYC public or charter high school:

1. Medical and Scientific Exploration Program
2. Internship Placement Program (4 tracks)

• Hospital Placement
• Veterinary Sciences
• NeuroSurgery Scholars
• Cultivating Neurological Success

Application Deadline: February 1st, 2026

Summer Program Dates: July 6 - August 14, 2026

Please look at the Application Instructions for more information on how to apply.

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Please let us know if you have any questions or issues with the application process by sending us an email at CEYEapplications@mssm.edu

Is there anything else you’d like to see from our newsletter?

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at: ceye@mssm.edu

These programs are supported in part by: The New York City Department of Education; The New York State Education Department/Science and Technology Entry Program; The Pinkerton Foundation; Health Resources and Services Administration; The City of New York Summer Youth Employment Program

Center for Excellence in Youth Education

https://icahn.mssm.edu/ceye