$120,000 Check Will Support WCU Students with Significant Financial Need
Meal Swipes, Book Scholarships & Monetary Micro Awards to Make All the Difference
Thanks to a generous gift of $120,000 from Student Services, Incorporated (SSI) and PSECU, West Chester University students who demonstrate significant financial need will be able to secure college necessities — meals, books, and monetary support. Bernie Carrozza, chair of the Board of Directors of SSI, and Amanda Altice, community manager at the PSECU Financial Education Center in West Chester, will be among those presenting a $120,000 check to West Chester University President Christopher Fiorentino on October 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the WCU Campus Store, Sykes Student Union (lower-level), 110 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA.
Of the generous gift, $40,000 will provide meal swipes for students; $40,000 will support book scholarships and gifts-in-kind from the WCU Campus Store; and $40,000 will be awarded to students in the form of monetary micro awards. All awards will be managed by the WCU Office of Financial Aid.
“SSI understands that not all students enter a college or university with everything that is needed to be successful,” said SSI Chair of the Board of Directors Bernie Carrozza. “Many are unaware that food, books, and funds to afford daily necessities are not always readily available to students. SSI stands ready to ensure that these students have what they need to fuel their academic goals. We admire these students for their perseverance and determination, and we are honored to be able to support their commitment to academic excellence.”
PSECU is equally supportive. “PSECU has a long history of being a dedicated member of the communities we serve,” said PSECU University Development Director Mike Verotsky. “We are continually looking for ways to make a difference in the lives of others. This funding is one such example – it will help promising students achieve their educational goals and, hopefully, will inspire others to do the same.”
“West Chester University is committed to doing whatever it can to remove barriers that may impede a student’s ability to be successful,” said WCU President Chris Fiorentino. “We feel fortunate to be able to align with partners who feel very much the same. SSI and PSECU continue to meet our students’ needs in very real ways. Their efforts will help guarantee student success on a multitude of immediate levels, and we are truly grateful for the generosity of resources exhibited by both entities.”