The A'Lelia Bundles Community Scholars at Columbia University are members of the Upper Manhattan/Harlem community who receive a three-year affiliation with Columbia and access to campus resources while they work on a project or skill that relates to or benefits their community. You can learn more about the program and scholars' projects here.
The program was created in 2012 to enable independent scholars in the community to pursue their academic aspirations through access to Columbia courses and resources. Bundles Scholars join an intellectual community with the other participants in the program and can connect with life and learning across the University.
In 2020, the Community Scholars Program was renamed the A’Lelia Bundles Community Scholars Program in honor of A’Lelia Bundles, a longtime University trustee, author, journalist, and great-great-granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker, recognized as America’s first female self-made millionaire.