New Scholars, New Funding as GSA Celebrates 50 Years
2 July 2019 New Scholars, New Funding as GSA Celebrates 50 Years
On Monday, June 10, Geneva Scholarship Associates (GSA) hosted its annual celebration to honor donors and past recipients, and to introduce the newest class of scholars.
The GSA Board, alongside members of the Geneva and HWS communities, applauded this years recipients Kate Equinozzi, Aliscia Richardson, Jacob Singleton, Nate Trowbridge and Morgan Wright, all of the HWS Classes of 2023 as Interim President Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D. 12 welcomed them to the Colleges.
I joined theeconomics department atHWS in 1968, the same year that then-President Albert E. Holland partnered with local business owners to create a way to provide scholarship support for Geneva High School andDeSalesHigh School graduates to attend HWS, McGuire said, recalling the GSAs founding days.Duringmy tenure with the Colleges,I have had the privilege of teachingand mentoring generations of GSA scholars.GSA scholarsare among the best and brightest in the country. They embody the mission of the Colleges and go on to lead lives of consequence; some, choosing to lead those lives right here in Geneva. IfJacob, Morgan, Kate, Nate, and Alisciaare anything like the scholars of years past, theyundoubtedlywillmake a profound impact on these Colleges and this community.
The celebration marked the finale of the 50th anniversary year of the GSAs founding, which occasioned several significant new gifts to the organization from longtime supporters.
HWS Trustee Stuart S. Piltch 82, P11 established the Piltch Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in Honor of Saga Employees in appreciation for the years he worked in Saga as student and the relationships he developed there.
Dr. Timothy J. Ryan 72 will support the education of a Hobart or William Smith student from Geneva, beginning with the Classes of 2024, through the Dr. Timothy J. Ryan Annual GSA Scholarship.
Additionally, in 2018, the GSA Board embarked on a campaign to raise $100,000 in honor of the anniversary. At the June celebration, GSA Board President Robert Sollenne P15 announced that the campaign not only met the goal but exceeded it, raising $110,000 to add to the GSA endowment.
Since the GSAs inception, individuals and businesses from Geneva, and others have donated support now totaling more than $2 million in endowed funds, which generate numerous scholarships each and every year, said Jerry Buckley P15, director of corporate and foundation relations and legislative affairs, who led the evenings proceedings. The Colleges have matched GSAs philanthropy. This past academic year,23students from Geneva who attended the Colleges received GSA scholarships, and received more than$1.4million in financial aid. When you include the Geneva students who are the children of HWS faculty and staff and have attended HWS,Geneva High School has sent more students to HWS than any other high school in the country and these students make the Colleges a better place.