The College Crusade of Rhode Island Awarded $1.88 Million in College Scholarships This Year
467 Rhode Island students are currently pursuing postsecondary degrees with the help of a College Crusade Scholarship
Providence, R.I., May 13, 2009 – The College Crusade of Rhode Island announced today that it awarded approximately $1.88 million in college scholarships to 467 Rhode Island students enrolled in postsecondary institutions during the 2008-2009 academic year. The majority of scholarship recipients are from low-income families in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket and are attending colleges in Rhode Island and nearby New England.
“We congratulate our scholarship students for aiming high and staying committed to their educational goals,” said Paul E. Moran, CPA, acting chair of The College Crusade. “Many years ago when they became Crusaders, these young people made a pledge to stay in school, work hard at academic achievement, and contribute to their communities. They have overcome many obstacles to get where they are today. Now in college, they are on the road to rewarding careers that will enrich the Rhode Island economy. They also serve as powerful examples to youth from disadvantaged communities of the values of setting lofty goals and persevering to achieve them.”
Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $20 million in college scholarships to more than 2,700 graduates from Rhode Island high schools. The organization awards scholarships to financially eligible students accepted to all public and private colleges in Rhode Island, and to a number of colleges in other states. To qualify for a College Crusade Scholarship, a student must be a member in good standing of The College Crusade, must stay in school until he or she graduates high school, and must show financial eligibility. Scholarships either are awarded in cash or are donated by a postsecondary institution through membership in The College Crusade Scholarship Collaborative.
“The scholarship support I received made a tremendous difference for me,” said Lisette Gomes, a member of The College Crusade who graduated from Salve Regina University in 2008 with a B.A. in Psychology. “I was able to concentrate on my coursework and finish my degree in four years. I am very grateful to Salve Regina for making an investment in me by donating a College Crusade scholarship.” Gomes, a graduate of Central Falls High School, is completing her first year as a student at Toledo School of Law in Toledo, Ohio.
“I received a College Crusade scholarship from the University of Rhode Island,” said Harry Moore III, who earned a B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies in 2008. “I am very appreciative of the support I received because it alleviated my financial burden and allowed me to focus on what was most important.” Moore, a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School, currently works as a College Crusade Advisor, counseling students at Samuel Bridgham Middle School in Providence on how to stay on the path to college. “It feels full-circle to be part of an organization that believed in me before I believed in myself,” he adds.
Colleges and universities that donated scholarships to Crusaders for the 2008-2009 academic year are Boston University, Bowdoin College, Brown University, Bryant University, Harvard University, Johnson & Wales University, New England Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Pine Manor College, Providence College, Quinnipiac University, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, University of Rhode Island, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Trade and technical schools that donated scholarships are Arthur Angelo School of Cosmetology & Hair Design, Gibbs College, and Sawyer School of Business.
About The College Crusade of Rhode Island
The College Crusade of Rhode Island is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income urban school districts. It serves approximately 3,800 students per year and rewards the efforts and achievements of financially eligible students with up to four years of college scholarships. From grade 6 through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate in activities that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and readiness for college. Students who are members of The College Crusade graduate and go right on to college at much higher rates than their peers in the state’s urban school districts. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.
The College Crusade is a nonprofit organization funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals.
###
Contact:
Karen Donovan
Marketing & Communications Officer
401 854-5506 ext 120
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
