Frequently Asked Questions: Named and Endowed Scholarships

You were selected as a recipient of your particular donor-funded scholarship because you are receiving financial aid and have an impressive academic record. Some scholarships have various criteria such as major and geographic information as well.

Each year, we ask that our students connect with their donor through a thank you letter and sometimes a video. Included with your notification letter is a web address to visit to complete the correspondence.

There may be additional opportunities to meet your donor. For example, if your donor comes to campus, we will set up meetings for lunch or coffee. Also, we may ask you to contribute to a printed piece about scholarship or be profiled in one of our campaigns, newsletters, or magazine (optional, of course).

Refer to the initial email from Donor Relations (or in some cases CIIS, the Dean’s office, or career services) that has the name of the scholarship, some information about it, and the benefactors’ names (if applicable). You can also call Donor Relations at 315-229-5730 or email them at stewardship@stlawu.edu.

Hundreds of named scholarships established by donors support the University’s financial aid budget. Due to the volume of the scholarships and criterion used in awarding each scholarship, the financial aid staff does not list the specific scholarship on the aid packages, only that there was aid being used; instead, after a student arrives on campus (or virtually) each year, they confirm the awarded scholarships based on the specific donor criteria and students’ needs. It is a very time intensive process for hundreds of scholarships.

No. These scholarships are dollar-for-dollar replacements of St. Lawrence grant aid. Donors have given these funds to the University to support deserving students with outstanding academic records.

That is up to both you and the benefactor. Some letters inspire our benefactors to contact recipients. If you leave your contact information in your letter, that benefactor may reach out to you directly. If you don’t leave your information, the donor will reach out to us and we will ask your permission to put them in touch with you. If that benefactor comes to campus during the school year, we may try to set up a meeting with you if you are interested.

Beth Colello ’95, Director of Donor Relations may be reached via email at stewardship@stlawu.edu.

For questions about your individual financial aid package, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

For questions about your individual travel grant, please contact CIIS.

For questions about your individual internship or fellowship award, please contact Center for Career Excellence (internship) or the Dean’s Office (fellowship).