In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, approximately 130 students gathered in McIntyre Lounge on October 24 for the second annual Scholarship Information Session Luncheon. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors came together to give thanks to the College’s scholarship donors, who have made their dreams of a college education a reality.
Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s College, welcomed the students to the event and thanked them for taking the time out of their busy schedules to attend. He explained that donors find it incredibly valuable to hear directly from the students that are the recipients of their donations.
Each recipient wrote a personalized thank you note to the donors that have opened up so many possibilities for them. They shared stories of their current studies and jobs as well as future plans. Every story was unique; however they all shared one thing in common – gratitude for the financial assistance they receive.
Shantaya Wallace ’12, an elementary education major from New Brunswick and recipient of the Edward J. Heavey, S.J. H’04 Memorial Scholarship is looking forward to starting her career as a teacher. As the first member of her family to graduate college, Wallace did not anticipate all of the expenses that were involved with a college education. The scholarship truly made it possible for her to get to where she is today.
George Serna ’13, a business management major from Queens, N.Y. is a recipient of the Michael J. and Grace E. Delhanty Scholarship Fund. Serna is very grateful for the assistance he has received from the College’s scholarship donors and explained that it has had a tremendous impact on his future plans.
The event was a great success. It not only provided students with the opportunity to thank the College’s donors, but it also gave them a chance to make some new friends.
For more information on how to fund a scholarship, please contact the Office of Advancement and External Affairs at (201) 761-6111.