Giving Back: Scholarship recipients thank donors for support
SUNY New Paltz announced the successful completion of Soaring Higher – The Campaign for SUNY New Paltz, the first-ever comprehensive campaign in the College’s history, in 2021.
Thanks to the generosity of many members of the global New Paltz community, the SUNY New Paltz Foundation was able to exceed the original goal of $23 million – raising a total of $24.7 million in campaign support, with more $11.1 million in program support, $3.5 million in unrestricted support for the Fund for New Paltz, and more than $10 million in scholarship support.
Last year, the SUNY New Paltz Foundation gave away $1.2M in scholarships, celebrating another record-setting year.
Here, scholarship recipients thank the donors who made new academic experiences possible through their dedication to philanthropy.
Learn more about scholarship opportunities and donors online.
“As a recipient of the 2020 Philip Berkowitz ’75 and Mary Ann Quinn EOP Scholarship Fund, I wanted to thank you for providing this scholarship. This has brought happiness not only to me but for my family as well. The Educational Opportunity Program plays a big role in my success in college thus far. I have been able to flourish academically and personally with the help of the EOP staff and students. I am a rising junior majoring in Communication Disorders with a minor in Deaf studies hoping to become a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist. By awarding me the Philip Berkowitz ’75 and Mary Ann Quinn EOP Scholarship, I will be able to focus on my education and put all my energy into doing well in my classes. Thank you again for your investment in students like myself and in our education. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.” – Kayla Andrade ’23 (Communication Disorders)
“This summer I did some research on Lake Awosting. It has been an interesting process as I’ve learned a whole new language – coding – and have only gotten more questions at the end of my research. Because of COVID 19, I wasn’t able to go out into the field to collect data. This has caused a bit of frustration in my research as this year’s data collection would have been really helpful in answering some research questions. I still want to answer those questions in the end. I want to thank the donors for granting me the opportunity to continue my research with some funding. This will help me so much as COVID-19 has disrupted some of my research plans. I want to say thank you again to show my appreciation. Thank you so much!” – Lissa Elzey ’22 (Biology)
“I would like to thank you, the generous donors who were able to provide me with this scholarship. For me, this award means one less thing I have to worry about while I continue my studies during my final year at SUNY New Paltz. I won’t have to worry about covering parts of my tuition or the stress of finding a job on campus. One of my favorite quotes in life is one written by Shakespeare, he describes the quality of mercy/generosity that is bestowed upon the person who takes it and the one who gives it. Going off of that, I can only imagine the amazing people coming together to help someone succeed and reach their dreams. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and will continue to strive to make those guiding me in my journey proud.” – Tevin Green ’22 (Business Analytics)
“As anyone paying their way through college knows, every bit counts. EVERY bit. To be able to be the recipient of a scholarship award, especially one as generous as this one, is a freeing and wonderful weight of the shoulders. In these current times, I know I am facing a lot of questions and uncertainty. In a time when I can no longer work and therefore have nothing contributing to my savings, I fear the inability to return to school without taking out more loans or even returning at all. This scholarship has been some of the best news I’ve received during this pandemic and I would just like to thank the donors and all who make it possible for folks like me to continue the perusal of higher education.” – Dominique Torrez ’23 (Theatre Arts)
“Thank you so much for providing me the opportunity to be awarded the Larry Braun Engineering Scholarship. This scholarship is going to make a huge difference for me when paying for school. As mentioned in my application, this past year has been a financial and emotional challenge. I am extremely thankful that you have awarded me the scholarship to help to pay for school as I continue setting out to pursue a career that I am so passionate about. This award means more to me than just the financial aspect. I am very thankful for the support and encouragement and belief that is invested in me with this scholarship. It goes beyond any words I can say and I am very appreciative of the generosity and support.” – Brian Vigilante ’22 (Mechanical Engineering)