Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab announced that Matthew Locastro, a Hunter Macaulay Honors College graduate (’17), has won the Luce Scholarship for 2019. The Luce is awarded annually to between 15 and 20 candidates across the United States. Hunter College is one of only two public colleges in New York State and the only public college in New York City to have students considered for this distinction. Locastro is the only recipient from a New York State public college this year.
“Hunter is incredibly proud of Matthew Locastro’s recognition as a 2018 Luce Scholar,” said President Raab, who noted that “he is just the second Hunter graduate to receive this honor.” In 2014, Audrey Stienon became Hunter’s first Luce Scholar and after a year in Indonesia, entered the public policy program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced and International Studies. Both she and Locastro majored in economics and political science with minors in public policy as undergraduates.
“It is inspiring to see our students being rewarded with opportunities that take them all over the world to expand their intellectual and professional horizons,” continued President Raab.
Sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Scholarship pays for a year of language study and professional work in an Asian country with the purpose of fostering a greater understanding of Asian society. Chosen from a select group of institutions across the U.S., the Luce identifies outstanding college graduates of unusual promise as future leaders, but with limited experience in Asia at the time of their selection.
After graduating from Hunter last June, Locastro spent the summer working with refugees from the Middle East in Greece, before returning home in the fall as a New York City Urban Fellow, a program designed to introduce America’s finest college graduates to local government and public service in the City of New York. He will leave for Asia in June and hopes to attend law school upon his return.
