About Us
Vision
History
Thomas J. Watson
Raised in rural upstate New York, Thomas J. Watson Sr. was best known for building IBM from its formation in 1914 until his passing in 1956. IBM’s teams built the American social security system from the depths of the Great Depression, and guided the first human flight to the moon. The original moonshot. IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center spans twelve laboratories on six continents and counts six Nobel Prizes among its researchers.
Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
Beyond Technology
Tom's work extended beyond technology to education, world affairs and the arts. He was a trustee of Columbia University from 1933 until 1956 and President of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) from 1937-39. The ICC serves as the primary representative of the global business community within the United Nations system.
Tom served as a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET) from 1945-1951. In 1959, The Met’s Library, one of the world's most comprehensive art history resources, was named in his honor.
Upon Tom's passing, Jeannette, his wife of 43 years, was appointed to IBM's board of directors. She was one of the first women to assume this role in a public company.
Albrecht Dürer's Manual on Geometric Theory (1535) from the Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Foundation
In 1961, in Tom's honor, Jeannette created the Thomas J. Watson Foundation as a charitable trust. In 1968, their children created the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to focus the foundation's work. The program's goal was to provide graduating college students with a year to "explore with thoroughness a particular interest, test their aspirations and abilities, view their lives and American society in greater perspective and, concomitantly, develop a more informed sense of international concern". Those goals have stayed unchanged for over half a century.
Kenzie Bay (W’25) Community Empowerment Through Emergency Care
Kenzie explored how prehospital institutions—the systems that provide the first line of medical intervention to patients in an emergency—are accessed, especially in remote and under resourced communities, including in Tanzania, India, Nepal, Norway and El Salvador
In 1999, the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship was created to engage undergraduate students earlier in their college career and for a longer duration, exposing them to the world of work through challenging, cross sector internships and mentorship.
The two programs resided in different cities -- Providence and New York -- until 2006 when the board united them in New York.
Jeannette K. Watson
Watson Futures
In 2019, the foundation increased its focus on education innovation and in 2021 launched Watson Futures, a program for taking bold risks on new ideas. Watson Futures built the foundation’s pioneering human development innovation portfolio, a platform of human-centered technologies; the Civic Futures Lab with the City University of New York’s Honors College (Macaulay), and launched World Studios, an international community of student-led innovation studios, partners and organizations. In 2026, World Studios received United Nations Economic and Social Council special consultative status.
Past Directors
Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
From 1977-2012 Watson Fellows served 2-3 year terms as the program's director.
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2011-
Chris Kasabach -
2008-2011
Cleveland Johnson -
2006-2008
Rosemary Macedo -
2003-2006
Beverly J. Larson -
2001-2003
Norv Brasch -
1999-2001
Tori Haring-Smith -
1997-1999
Noreen C. Tuross -
1995-1997
William F. L. Moses -
1993-1995
James A. Lehman -
1991-1993
Mary E. Brooner -
1989-1991
Steven V. Licata -
1987-1989
Martin A. Brody -
1985-1987
Nancy Y. Bekavac -
1983-1985
Joseph V. Long, III -
1981-1983
Jeanne C. Olivier -
1979-1981
David C. Summers -
1977-1979
John C. Elder -
1972-1977
Daniel L. Arnaud -
1968-1972
Robert O. Schulze, Founding Director
Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship
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2006-2012
Frank Wolf -
1999-2006
Alice Ilchman, Founding Director