At William Paterson University, we provide students with an educational experience that challenges them to discover their passion, unleash their potential, and achieve success. For many of our students, funding that education may be a struggle. Most of our students need some financial assistance—they rely on state and federal support, loans, savings, and money they earn from
part-time or full-time jobs in the summer and during the school year.

Scholarships are an important means of meeting the financial needs of our students. Each year, we award close to 2,000 scholarships totaling more than $7 million, drawing on institutional funds as well as the generous support provided by the William Paterson University Foundation and the Alumni Association. Scholarships enable students to reduce their working hours as well as their years in school, and allow them to focus on academics and
become more involved in University life.

We continue to seek enhanced scholarship support through our annual Legacy Award Gala, the University’s signature fundraising event, to be held this year on April 16. Each year, we are proud to highlight some of our outstanding scholarship recipients at this dinner. This year’s students include:

Mario Benitez, an integrated math and science and elementary education major, volunteers in his hometown of Paterson by leading a science club of ten high school students that gives them an opportunity to be exposed to the sciences. An immigrant from El Salvador, he will be the first in his family to graduate from college.

Jennifer Hastings, who is pursuing bachelor’s degrees in fine arts and in anthropology, has interned at the Paterson Museum, participated in two archaeological study abroad trips to Scotland’s Orkney Islands, and will study Chinese ink painting and printmaking in China this summer. She plans to pursue graduate studies.

Adonis Rivie, a biology major, has conducted research with faculty mentors in biology and physics, and has won numerous awards at academic conferences for emerging researchers. He plans to pursue a doctoral degree.

In addition, for the first time, more than 400 rising sophomore students who had completed 30 credits with a minimum 3.0 grade point average were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship. This new initiative is designed to reward and encourage students to stay on track to graduate in four years and we are very pleased with the number of students who met the criteria.

Our partnerships with alumni and friends enable us to support these terrific students who are seeking to transform their lives and make their own mark on the world. It is exciting to see the power of philanthropy in action on our campus.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Waldron
President