There is a common misconception that scholarships are for valedictorians or star athletes only. In reality, there are numerous types of scholarships available to students pursuing various programs, majors and career tracks, as well as open and unrestricted scholarships for the general student population. As a matter of fact, Suffolk County Community College offers more than 500 scholarship opportunities each year for incoming, continuing and graduating students.
Applying for scholarships is a fiscally responsible way to fund your education. Yet, many students lose educational funding opportunities because they falsely believe all scholarships are exclusive and rare.
“Every year, Suffolk students are awarded opportunities to help fund their educational goals. The Suffolk Community College Foundation annually awards $600,000 in a broad range of scholarship categories for incoming, continuing and graduating students,” says Dr. Sylvia Diaz, Executive Director, Suffolk Community College Foundation.
The scholarship program at Suffolk is administered under the auspices of the Suffolk Community College Foundation, Inc. Scholarships are made available through the generosity of various individuals, student organizations, college faculty and staff, local and community groups, business firms and through the fundraising activities of the Foundation.
Eligibility criteria vary depending on the particular scholarship and are often dictated by the donor. Typical criteria include grade point average and credits completed, and often also require a specific academic program, community service or co-curricular activities. Other factors that may be considered include essays, faculty recommendations and interviews. The actual selection process is coordinated by both campus and college-wide scholarship committees. Two interesting scholarships that are unique to Suffolk are the Get There From Here Scholarship (GTFH) and the Stay on Long Island Scholarship (SoLII) Initiative.
Get There From Here Scholarship
In 2008, the Suffolk Community College Foundation received the largest gift in its history. Given by an anonymous donor, the scholarship contribution was expressly directed toward supporting women and members of Suffolk County’s diverse populations in order to help them achieve their highest academic, personal and professional potential through the benefit of higher education. Thanks to additional contributions from community-based organizations and funding from the County, the Foundation is able to extend the opportunity to apply for this scholarship to everyone.
As a result, each year there are approximately 50 Get There From Here scholars. Among the recipient expectations for students selected for GTFH awards, scholars are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and must volunteer for 10 hours of community service per semester. As long as requirements are met, the scholarship is renewable for up to five semesters.
For the 2016 funding cycle, approximately 30 new scholarships will be awarded. The maximum annual award may be as much as $6,000. Get There From Here Scholarship funds are allocated toward tuition and fees first. Any remaining funds can be allocated toward textbooks and supplies.
“The GTFH Scholarship was my pathway to success. It gave me the necessary resources to complete my degree and further my higher education with ease knowing that my college expenses were covered. The opportunities this scholarship offers are countless,” says Vincent Bonilla, a 2014 GTFH scholarship recipient who studied American Sign Language at Suffolk.
“Receiving the GTFH scholarship made such a difference in my life. It eased the financial burden and it opened so many doors for me, allowing me more time to get involved with the college community,” adds 2015 GTFH scholarship recipient Sonia Blue, who is enrolled in Suffolk’s Nursing Program.
The Stay on Long Island Scholarship Program
Conceived and led by Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Shaun L. McKay to curb Long Island’s “brain drain,” this scholarship seeks to keep talented, motivated students on Long Island to complete a baccalaureate degree by attending a Long Island college or university. The Stay on Long Island Initiative (SoLII) provides full- and partial-tuition scholarships to exceptional Suffolk students who are graduating and transferring to a partnering four-year Long Island institution. Fifteen area colleges and universities participate in SoLII. Since its inception in 2010, the partnership has generated more than 145 scholars and almost $4 million in scholarship funds. Dr. McKay is now seeking to connect with like-minded college presidents in New York State who are willing to create similar transfer scholarship opportunities at their outstanding four-year institutions.
What is the best advice to give a student applying for a scholarship? “Be honest and open in your essays. Let people get to know the real you by sharing meaningful relevant experiences. Don’t try to sell yourself or create shopping lists of your accomplishments. Be genuine and speak from your heart,” says Sarah Nangeroni, a 2015 recipient of a SoLII scholarship. She chose to continue her studies in the field of Art Therapy at LIU Post based on her own life-changing experience with art, and was inspired by several Suffolk faculty members.
Suffolk recently launched AcademicWorks, a new cloud-based system that makes it easier than ever for potential and current students to search all the scholarships for which they are eligible.
Opportunities for scholarships are waiting for worthy students.
For a list of all scholarship opportunities at Suffolk County Community College, visit sunysuffolk.edu/Scholarships.
– Mary M. Feder
