RCC Awards Scholarships

Ramapo, NY—More than 100 students received scholarship awards at Rockland Community College’s Scholarship Awards Ceremony, held Tuesday, May 17, 2011. Scholarships were awarded to new and continuing RCC students, and to RCC graduates of 2011 who are continuing their education at four-year colleges and universities.

Almost half of RCC students receive some form of assistance, and President, Cliff L. Wood states, “One of my priorities is to ensure that an RCC education is accessible and affordable to all. We are committed to providing every person who comes to our doors with the opportunity to learn, to succeed, and to gain the skills and education necessary to be competitive in today’s global economy.”

The Rockland Community College Foundation awarded $800,000 in student support and scholarships in this last academic year. This year’s awards included several very generous awards, including a new award providing full tuition for one RCC honors graduate to attend Mount Saint Mary College. Christopher Heimink of Wallkill received the new scholarship, valued at $46,000. There were so many strong eligible candidates that Mount Saint Mary offered an additional partial scholarship for a second RCC student.

An award of $10,000, the Joseph H. Smith Jr. Scholarship, is given to an RCC graduate who will continue their studies in Math or Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic. The 2011 recipient of this award is Edward Kohler of Nanuet.  

The Jane Cohen Memorial Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship for one RCC graduate, who continues their studies at Pace University. This year, the award was given to Chava Steiner of Monsey, who starts a three-year nursing program at Pace. The three year tuition scholarship represents an award value of $120,000.

RCC nursing graduates are in demand.  This year, the Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing at Nyack College began offering $1,000 to RCC students who graduate with at least a 3.0 grade point average and continue their studies at Nyack College.

Over $16 million in financial assistance overall was provided to RCC students during the 2010- 2011 academic year.  The RCC Financial Aid Office assists students through a combination of State and Federal grants and loans, work study programs, and the $800,000 given by the Rockland Community College Foundation.

Students are recognized for excellence in academics, program of study, athletics, and service to community, and scholarships are awarded based on merit and financial need. There are special scholarships for new high school graduates, adult learners, children of alumni, athletes, veterans, minorities, and many other populations, including students with disabilities. 

For more information about scholarships at Rockland Community College, please contact Elissa Silverstein at 845. 574. 4403, esilvers@sunyrockland.edu or visitwww.sunyrockland.edu to find out about available financial aid.