“It is nice to know people are lending a helping hand to support students,” said Samantha Lehmbeck ’19, a political science major. She is also the recipient of the Class of 1960 Endowed Scholarship and on October 31 at the seventh annual Scholarship Information Session Luncheon in The Duncan Family Sky Room she, along with 145 other students expressed gratitude to donors through hand-written notes.
At the gathering, students vigorously penned notes to their benefactors, letting them know how their philanthropy has impacted them. Many of the students found that the space on one note card was not enough.
“I have so many things I am thankful for,” said Kiesa Jafri ’19, a cyber security major with a minor in business management. She is the recipient of a Henry J. Byrne ’55 Annual Memorial Scholarship.
Jafri, like many other students comes from a family that struggles with financial issues. The scholarship has helped her attend school, and she believes it will help her find her passion. In her letter, she wrote that the scholarship not only affects her but enables her to set a good example for her siblings.
Many students shared personal stories with the donors. The Dominic and Anne Jordan Hart Endowed Scholarship recipient, Samantha Pineda ’19 spent the hour filling note cards with information about her life as well as her education.
“I want the donor to know me on a personal level,” she said. “The donation is a huge help, not just for me and my education, but also for my family.” Pineda is a sociology major with a minor in criminal justice and she will be the first person in her family to graduate college.
Two adult learners, Jonathan Francis ’17, recipient of a Henry J. Byrne Memorial Scholarship and Kathy Munoz ’18, recipient of The Patricia Q. Sheehan H ’77 Annual Scholarship said that the financial support made it possible for them to achieve their dream of attending college.
“I am 34, and I was not sure I would be able to go back to school and get a degree,” said Francis. His thank you letter stated the value of a private, Jesuit education and he wanted his donor to know that he plans to give back to the community after he graduates by working in a nonprofit or government organization.
Munoz who is a health care management major and is on the Dean’s List said, “Everything I do is for my daughter. I want to set a good example for her.” She was shocked when she received the scholarship award notification. She said being in school is tough because she is juggling a job with being a mom in addition to her coursework. However, she said she has great teachers, great classes and great help from everyone on campus. “I tell my daughter all the time, hard work pays off,” she said reflecting on the reasons why she was awarded the scholarship.
For some donors, they were able to see students grow as a result of their awards. Kristin Antonucci ’17 was awarded The Bastek Endowed Scholarship all four years. Antonucci comes from a single parent household and is a triplet. The financial support has helped her tremendously, and in her final year writing a thank you letter to her donor, she explains that she plans to continue at Saint Peter’s in the special education graduate program.
“It is good to give thanks,” said Ronney Daniel ’17, an accounting major and recipient of the Greer F. Henderson ’54 Memorial Scholarship. “It is good to let the donors know their generosity is appreciated.”
For more information on how to fund a scholarship, contact Robert Koch, advancement officer for gift stewardship at rkoch1@saintpeters.edu or (201) 761-6112.