Hudson Valley Community College recently received the Founders’ Service Award from the Capital Region Sponsor-a-Scholar organization for the college’s long-term role as an SAS partner, supporter and active member of its board of directors.
Sponsor-a-Scholar, begun in 1996, assists economically disadvantaged, at-risk high school students to achieve academic and career success. The organization provides academic and financial support, mentoring, counseling and advocacy to retain students in high school and move them on to college. Currently there are more than 360 students enrolled in the program from high schools throughout the Capital Region.
A number of the participants attend Hudson Valley’s College in the High School program, which gives them college credit for their high school courses in advance of graduation. Since the Sponsor-a-Scholar program began, more than 60 students have attended and graduated from Hudson Valley, either entering the workforce or continuing on to four-year colleges and universities. This past fall, nine students from the program began their higher education at Hudson Valley.
“It is a personal and professional privilege to work with the board of such a vital and worthwhile organization, and to be able to directly work with and guide its students on to academic achievements. We know education is the key to a better life and we understand that some students just need that extra assistance to get there. This process is best started at the high school level,” said President Drew Matonak. “We are proud that many of these students have found their niche at Hudson Valley. It is especially inspiring to have many take advantage of our College in the High School courses to gain college credit in advance of high school graduation.”
Published: Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:40:40 +0000 by d.renfrew