CRANFORD, NJ — Union College was selected as a 2022 PATH Scholarship recipient through the Ellucian Foundation. The PATH — Progress, Accomplishment, Thriving, Hope — Scholarship provides grants to higher education institutions to support students facing economic hardship. Union College received $10,000, which was distributed to more than 40 students for housing costs, tuition expenses and food.
This is the first time Union has received the PATH Scholarship, which is provided by the Ellucian Foundation and was established in 2020. Union is one of 65 higher education institutions to receive funding from Ellucian, an organization that works with institutions of higher education to better implement and optimize technology.
“Education has the power to transform lives. This year, we are focused on support for students facing financial hardships at historically black colleges and universities and all minority-serving institutions in the United States, as more focus is needed to ensure higher retention and graduation rates, and address the critical issues of growing food insecurity,” Ellucian President and CEO Laura K. Ipsen said. “HBCUs and all MSIs represent an incredible cross-section of colleges and universities committed to providing access to higher education. We are pleased to support these institutions in their efforts to ensure all students can achieve their dreams without interruption.”
In order to receive the scholarship, students had to apply and disclose what type of assistance was needed. Each scholarship was based on need and distributed at the beginning of the fall 2022 semester.
“The Union community is grateful for the support Ellucian is providing to our students in need,” Union College President Margaret M. McMenamin said. “With this scholarship support, we are hopeful that students can focus more on their academics and be able to spend less time worrying about costs.”
“The Ellucian Foundation supports student success and increased access to higher education globally,” Ellucian Executive Director Jennifer Welding said. “No student should ever be denied an education due to lack of funding. The PATH Scholarship helps students navigate through financial challenges to reach their educational goals.”