In 1992, the Walter Kaitz Foundation collectively honored the Kaitz Fellows, members of the first eight fellowship classes. For most of its history, the Kaitz Foundation sought to recruit highly qualified minorities for management or professional positions in the cable industry. Those with previous management experience and a college degree received preference.
By the early 1990s, the foundation was receiving more than 1,000 applications for fellowships each year. Fewer than one in 10 applicants survived the rigorous screening process. Those who did were invited to participate in an intense two-day selection workshop in which industry leaders would evaluate each applicant’s leadership potential.
A Kaitz Fellowship included a variety of management training programs, including a series of seminars at the University of Denver through which participants could earn a certificate in cable management.
In recent years, the Kaitz Foundation has de-emphasized its fellowship program in favor of grants to other organizations with an interest in fostering diversity in the cable business.