Queens College held a ceremony to mark a $1million gift from Give Something Back (Give Back) that will support 50 lower-income students through four years of tuition-free study at Queens College, as well as no cost for room and board. The first public college in New York State to be recognized by Give Back, Queens College was recently ranked by the Equality of Opportunity Project as being the top 1% of schools that help lower-income students attain upward social mobility.
Robert Carr, founder and chairman of Give Back, will be among the speakers. Carr’s inspiration to fund educational opportunities for students of modest means originated with a $250 scholarship from a women’s club in his hometown that helped him attend The University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign. Carr’s personal mission dovetails with that of Queens College: Discimus ut serviamus. We learn so that we may serve.
(Photo) from left to right: Queens College graduate student Japneet Singh; students; 3rd, 2nd row Give Something Back Founder and Chairman Robert Owen Carr; far right;Queens College President Félix V. Matos Rodríguez,
Other panelist were:
NYC Outward Bound Schools Alumni Manager Julia Forman; Eagle Academy Foundation Director of College Partnerships Donald Ruff; and Percy Ellis Sutton and SEEK Student Paola Peña.
Interview with Queens College Presidnet Félix V. Matos Rodríguez:
LT: Give us a snapshot of this new scholarship and what does this mean to these students?
FM: A chance to be consistent with our mission of access, particularly to students who come from modest and working class backgrounds. Not only will 50 students be here tuition free, but they will be able to benefit from the residential experience, which is something that many can’t afford and we also know that students who live in resident halls tend to persist more and graduate more. They are going to be able to live on campus, which makes it easier to participate, maybe get away from challenging situations and that is music to our ears. The gift of the of give back foundation will invest and acknowledge fifty kids, it’s the stuff that you to bed and dream that you can do this for all our kids.
LT: What advice would you give a struggling student, that’s going through difficulties?
FM: I’m sure that for many people who are facing economic challenges, family challenges, who have dropped out for a whole range of things, may feel that they are a personal failure because things are not working out the way they planned, that’s the story of many people. Many people face challenges and many times we just don’t know, we always think that we are the only ones going through it, reach out to someone. There’s always someone in the college, who have seen a situation like yours and can provide you with help, hope and the tools to be able to change a situation, whether its finding the financial means to go to or finish college, find the support, the coaching for whatever situation you might have in your family. We always think that we are the first ones that are going through difficult things and unfortunately, there are many of us who are either going through that or have gone through that. Know that there are people that are willing to help, you just need to let those people know that you want the help and in most cases the help is there.
About Queens College
Queens College enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. With its graduate and undergraduate degrees, honors programs, and research and internship opportunities the college helps its nearly 19,000 students realize their potential in countless ways, assisted by an accessible, award-winning faculty. It traditionally graduates the most teachers, counselors, and principals in the metropolitan area, and with more undergraduate computer science majors than any New York City college, it is recognized as a leader in tech education, as well as a powerful local economic engine. It also has the third-largest business and accounting program of any school in New York State. As part of a well-rounded liberal arts education, students also have the opportunity to study at the Aaron Copland School of Music. One of the college’s oldest and most distinguished programs, its renowned faculty and alumni include nationally recognized—some Grammy Award-winning—composers, conductors, and performers.
Located on a beautiful 80-acre campus in Flushing, Queens College is regularly cited by the Princeton Review as one of the nation’s 100 “Best Value” colleges, as well as being ranked a U.S. News and World Report Best College and Forbes Magazine Best Value College, thanks to its outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages, and relatively low costs.
About Give Something Back
Give Back awards scholarships to academically driven students of modest means who might not otherwise attend college. Pell Grant eligible students are selected in the ninth grade and mentored through high school. After graduation, Give Back scholars attend one of its partner universities or colleges in Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. It is the focus of the organization to help students graduate college in four years, debt-free for tuition, fees, and if applicable, room and board.
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