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

The newest cohort of Fiserv + Rutgers-Newark Scholars joined alumni of the program recently to explore how it can open doors to the world of fintech and expand their ideas of career possibilities.

The event brought together more than 40 current scholars and several graduates, including  some who have found internships or full-time roles with Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial technology with a flagship Innovation Center in Berkeley Heights. 

But the purpose of the effort, part of the Fiserv-RU-N Program for Inclusive Innovation, extends far beyond job placement. It’s designed to nurture entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, collaboration and help students explore different professional roles and opportunities. 

Now in its third year, the Fiserv + Rutgers-Newark Scholars Program, which has served more than 80 scholars, provides financial support, mentoring, and professional development for students interested in fintech, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies.
In return, corporate partners connect with young people who have new ideas and fresh insights. 

“Fiserv is proud to serve as a dynamic crossroads where education and industry meet through the Fiserv RUN partnership. This initiative not only inspires innovation but actively cultivates talent and strengthens workforce development. 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,'' said Vice President of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Linda Wellbrock.

At the event, where students had a chance to mingle with corporate partners, Karen Brown Stovell, Associate Director of Inclusive Innovation Programs at Rutgers-Newark, reminded attendees that the city has a rich history of creativity and resilience. “We stand on a legacy of grit, endurance, and the power to rise,” she told the crowd. “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,’’ she said.

Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson praised the partnership as an example of how Rutgers-Newark and Fiserv are expanding  access to fields that many students might have considered out of reach.
“You’re receiving support  from an authentic partnership,” she told the students. “When inclusion is built into how a company engineers solutions and moves information and money around the world, that company will thrive — and you will thrive within it.’’

Drawing from her own background in technology leadership at companies such as IBM, Smith-Jackson encouraged students to embrace both the technical and human sides of innovation.

“Fiserv is investing in the hardest part of success,” she said. “You’re getting all the tech and science, but the hardest part, what people tend to call ‘soft skills,’ are really people skills: learning how to network, how to work collaboratively, how to build relationships. Those are the skills that will make you successful.”

She closed with an African proverb: “Be sure that you do not just take the fruit — that you are feeding the root. Tonight, we are feeding the root.”

The night’s panel featured program  alumni who now work for Fiserv or served internships there, including Alex Simeon, Sana Malek, Lovely Laguerre and Donald Hamilton. Each shared how the program helped them gain confidence and perspective.

“I learned a lot about multitasking and connecting with people. It really helped me see what’s possible,’’ said Laguerre, a fourth-year student and military veteran who interned with Fiserv this summer. 

Hamilton, a military veteran who now works as a data analyst at Fiserv, described the company’s culture as “inclusive and supportive.”

 “There are no barriers — people want you to succeed,’ ’he said. 

Malek, also a Fiserv data analyst, said the program made her feel part of something larger. “As a student, you can feel like an outsider looking in,” she said. “But the program gave me an inside look at the company and the industry. It helped me understand my personal brand and story.”

For Simeon, the experience offered a new understanding of the global impact of fintech. “I didn’t realize at first how big Fiserv was — that things like Apple Pay run on Fiserv technology,” he said. “This program puts you at the front door, but it’s up to you to walk through it.”