Mercy College launches the Mercy Scholars Program

Donors contribute over a million dollars aimed at graduating students debt free

TLNKMercy College donors have come together to contribute over a million dollars to close the financial gap that keeps high achieving students from attending and graduating college.

Mercy College is proud to announce a major donation from the Robert and Kate Niehaus Foundation to launch the Mercy Scholars Program, a new scholarship fund to help close the financial gap for high achieving students with strong financial need. Along with the Robert and Kate Niehaus Foundation, Mercy College Board Member Jim McCormick and his wife Marsha McCormick have also made a significant donation to the program. Moreover, additional board members and Mercy College faculty and staff have contributed.

The Mercy Scholars Program is part of Mercy College’s long-term plan to help more students graduate college in four years and enter the workforce without debt. The financial gap at Mercy College for students eligible for a full federal Pell Grant and the maximum New York State Tuition Assistance Program (NYS TAP) is roughly $3,500 per year. The Mercy Scholars Program would cover this gap fully.

The Mercy Scholars Program stands out, and is designed for student success because it:

Provides the balance of tuition, books and fees not covered by a federal Pell Grant and NYS TAP.

Awards students in their freshman year and supports them financially, academically, socially and emotionally for four years.

Develops a cohort of students to foster community, friendship and support.

Connects students directly with donors through organized student-donor events.

“I went to college on a full scholarship,” Robert Niehaus says. “There is nothing that is more transformational to a person’s life than getting a quality education, and to be able to give someone a quality education without any debt, I think is a wonderful gift. I hope they cherish this, and I hope they make the most of it.”

“Mercy College stands out as an institution that has been successful keeping tuition low and avoiding the escalation in tuition common at other universities,” says Jim McCormick. “This program is complementary to Mercy’s mission to transform a student’s life, including graduation without debt. It fits well with Mercy’s role in making a distinctive difference to students who are smart and motivated and need extra help. In my many years on the board, I have come to know that Mercy’s students know the value of a dollar and an education.”

Mercy College President Tim Hall is also now calling on community members and friends of the college to join and help the next generation of students. Hall says, “I don’t think there are many gifts you can make, many forms of support you can provide in life, that are as transformative as support to help someone get a college degree. I know you will be proud; I know you will be grateful for the opportunity to see a life transformed.”

Their opportunity, your generosity: The Mercy Scholars Program.