Foundation Donates $1 Million in Scholarships

Fifty northern New Jersey high school students will have the opportunity to attend Montclair State University on full-ride scholarships thanks to a $1 million gift from the Give Something Back Foundation (GSBF). The award, which was presented by GSBF Founder Robert Carr to Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole at a ceremony on September 24, will enable eligible students to attend Montclair State at no cost for tuition, fees, room or board.

Mayors from four New Jersey municipalities attended the event to show their support for the scholarship and mentoring program that is beginning with a cohort of students who are currently in ninth grade and will start college in the fall of 2019. Mayors attending the ceremony were Ras Baraka of Newark, Robert D. Jackson of Montclair, Lester Taylor of East Orange and Dwayne Warren of Orange.

“We are pleased to partner with Montclair State University to realize our vision of making a four-year college education available to qualified, hard-working and deserving students of modest means,” said Carr. “We target students who may not go to college because they have already made up their minds they won’t be able to afford it. Montclair State shares our unwavering commitment to helping these students obtain a high-quality education and achieve their full potential.”

In accepting the $1 million check, Cole noted that the program helps to support “Montclair State’s mission to create and sustain a learning community that is deeply and broadly reflective of the diverse population of New Jersey. We are delighted and grateful that the Give Something Back Foundation is expanding its reach in northern New Jersey to help make a college education more affordable and accessible for deserving and talented low-income students.”

Montclair State is the third New Jersey higher education institution to partner with the GSBF and the Foundation is on track to send 160 students from New Jersey to college at no cost as part of an overall initiative that is empowering more than 1,000 students across the country. During their high school years, participating students must maintain a 3.0 average, enroll in honors and AP courses and demonstrate good character. They must also meet University admissions requirements to qualify for scholarship support.