HWS Announces New Fund for Thousand Islands Students
23 January 2020 HWS Announces New Fund for Thousand Islands Students
A newly endowed scholarship fund will support students coming to Hobart and William Smith Colleges from the Thousand Islands Region of New York.
The scholarship, funded by a $2 million bequest from an anonymous HWS graduate, is intended to cover the full cost of attending the Colleges for a student in good standing. Preference will be given to students from the Thousand Islands School District which encompasses the villages of Cape Vincent and Clayton, the hamlets of Depauville, Fishers Landing, Rosiere, Clayton Center, St. Lawrence, and the connecting countryside however applicants from the surrounding area will also be eligible to apply.
This is going to make a really significant impact for students coming out of our district, says Michael Bashaw, Superintendent of Thousand Islands Central Schools. The region is a gorgeous destination for visitors, and a summer home to those who are affluent, but that doesnt represent our student demographic and the folks who live here year round. Were located in a rural area along the Canadian border, fairly remote from urban centers, and we dont have many of the cultural and educational resources you find in larger communities.
Bashaw says the scholarship will be a prized opportunity for students who might not otherwise be able to attend college, offering unique exposure to academic, cultural and socioeconomic diversity.
With the costs of higher education rising, HWS must ensure that promising students, regardless of financial means, have the opportunity to learn and thrive here, says Director of Leadership Giving Julie Kennedy P12, P15, P19. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, including the gracious alum funding this scholarship for Thousand Islands students, we can keep expanding that commitment and welcoming the best and brightest to our campus.
The HWS endowment, which consists of various funds established throughout the Colleges history, generates income that supports all aspects of the campus and HWS programs. There are many projects in need of endowed funding. To learn more, contact Steve Caraher at (315) 781-3776 orcaraher@hws.edu.