Penn State Greater Allegheny will host its annual Blue and White Scholarship Brunch on Saturday, Jan. 25. The event brings together donors with incoming scholarship recipients and their families. The event also welcomes recent alumni, who started their Penn State careers at Greater Allegheny and who were Blue and White scholarship recipients, as speakers at the event.
Betel Gebre, a second year student double majoring in international politics and African studies, is a former Blue and White scholarship recipient. She said, “This scholarship has helped me tremendously. It allows me to allocate more time to my studies; for instance the time I would have spent working a job to help pay my tuition. Scholarships such as the Blue & White Scholarship gives me the encouragement I need when I seem to be running low, it reminds me that there is someone with whom I've shared a conversation, my aspiration or my story, who believes in and wants to see my success.”
The brunch gives new students and their families the opportunity to connect with the Greater Allegheny community, including current students, alumni, faculty, staff, board members and donors. Interim chancellor Nancy L. Herron said, “We are anxious to get to know our new students and their families. It is a valuable experience for the donors to meet the students who will be gaining a Penn State education because of their invaluable help.”
Gebre added, “If I was to say something to a donor it would have to be thank you for not only believing in education but for affirming its importance through your generosity and diligence.”