Students in NYU Wagner’s Social Impact, Innovation, and Investment Capstone program are graduate students pursuing their Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or related degrees. These students bring diverse professional and academic backgrounds spanning public service, finance, consulting, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and nonprofit management. 

They are trained to approach complex social challenges with a systems-thinking mindset and have developed core competencies in social impact strategy, policy evaluation, financial modeling, stakeholder engagement, and impact measurement. These students are prepared to work across sectors—nonprofit, public, philanthropic, and private—to drive innovation and equitable outcomes. They are eager to partner with mission-driven organizations to develop actionable strategies and insights that lead to sustainable social change.

Through this Capstone engagement, students will: 

CAPSTONE: LEARNING IN ACTION
NYU Wagner’s Capstone program pairs small teams of students with clients in the public and private sectors who are tackling a public service issue—whether in health, education, international development, urban planning, or any other programmatic field—to tackle a project.

Partnering with NYU Wagner’s Capstone program gives your organization access to top-tier, passionate public service students who bring fresh perspectives, innovative solutions, and skills to address complex issues and create meaningful change for your organization.

Our talented public service students provide in-depth analysis and actionable insights to help your organization optimize funding opportunities and strengthen financial sustainability.

By engaging with a student team, your organization receives: 

✅ Fresh, equity-centered perspectives on complex strategic or operational questions
✅ Tangible deliverables, including research, frameworks, implementation roadmaps, or impact tools
✅ A highly structured, time-bound engagement with consistent faculty support
✅ Minimal time commitment (roughly 1–2 hours/month) for a high-return consulting-style engagement
✅ Access to emerging talent with experience across the social impact, nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sectors